Regular City Council Meeting

March 4, 2003

STATE OF TEXAS

COUNTY OF MONTAGUE

CITY OF BOWIE

On this the 4th day of March, 2003 the council convened in a regular meeting open to the public as advertised with the Mayor and all Councilors present.

Presiding: Mayor Lovette

Councilors: Cage, Clower, Coffman, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn

City Manager Cantwell

City Attorney Jennings

Deputy City Secretary Wallace

Mayor Lovette called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

There were no corrections or additions and the minutes were approved as presented.

Councilor Coffman stated that there is still a problem with the trash behind the Bowie Plaza.

Councilor Hamilton stated that he was in that area today (3/4/03) and had taken some pictures that were passed around to the Council.

Mayor Lovette stated that since this item is for comment only and no deliberation can be taken at this time, this item will be placed on the next agenda.

Councilor Cage moved, with a second from Councilor Clower, to accept the recommendation from the Planning Commission and appoint Margin Latham to the planning commission. Motion carried six with Councilors Cage, Clower, Coffman, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn voting Aye.

Councilor Clower moved, with a second from Council Earp, to accept the recommendation from the Library Board and appoint Kristel Crumpler and Priscilla Briney to the library board. The motion carried six with Councilors Cage, Clower, Coffman, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn voting Aye.

Councilor Clower moved, with a second from Councilor Hamilton, to approve Resolution 2003-07. Motion carried six with Councilors Cage, Clower, Coffman, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn voting Aye.

Councilor Coffman moved, with a second from Councilor Earp, to approve Resolution 2003-08. Motion carried six with Councilors Cage, Clower, Coffman, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn voting Aye.

Councilor Coffman moved, with a second from Councilor Winn, to appoint Mitzi Wallace as the City Secretary. Motion carried four with Councilors Clower, Coffman, Earp, and Winn voting Aye. Councilors Cage and Hamilton voted Nay.

City Manager Cantwell said that the duties from the city secretary’s job had been redistributed to other staff members into the new job descriptions presented due to the discussion that the Council had at a December, 2002 meeting. With this proposal, Cantwell said would eliminate one position, because a new deputy city secretary would not be hired, but someone moved into the position from finance. The projected savings would be approximately $28,000.

After a lengthy discussion, Councilor Coffman moved, with a second from Councilor Clower, to approve these job descriptions, with and amendment that hiring and firing would be left to the city manager. Motion failed with Councilors Cage, Earp, and Hamilton voting Nay. Councilors Clower, Coffman, and Winn voted Aye. Mayor Lovette then broke the tie by voting Nay.

Councilor Coffman then moved, with a second from Councilor Clower, to approve the job descriptions with a change in the deputy city secretary description having the city manager be the direct supervisor instead of the city secretary. Motion failed four to two with Councilors Cage, Earp, Hamilton, and Winn voting Nay. Councilors Clower and Coffman voted Aye.

Councilor Earp moved to table the job descriptions until the first meeting after the election and only include the city secretary’s salary. Motion died for lack of a second.

Councilor Cage then moved, with a second from Councilor Hamilton to table the job descriptions and include a city secretary salary increase of $500.00 monthly until after the May election. Motion carried with Councilors Cage, Earp, Hamilton and Winn voting Aye. Councilors Clower and Coffman voted Nay.

With no further business to be considered, Mayor Lovette adjourned the meeting.

Benjamin J. Lovette, Mayor

ATTEST:

Mitzi Wallace, City Secretary