Sometime in the next few weeks, a 120-foot pole with two microwave dishes will be erected in the parking lot of the Orange Police Department. The installation is part of a region-wide 9-1-1 system sponsored by the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission.
Orange City Council Tuesday morning approved the project. The city is designating a 30-foot-by-30-foot area in the parking lot for the pole. City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said the area will mean two to three less parking spaces, but the fenced-in lot has plenty of room.
Pete De La Cruz from the planning commission said the system will not cost the city money. The 9-1-1 system is paid by a 50-cent fee added on to phone bills. The phone companies send the money to the regional group.
The 9-1-1 microwave system will go to emergency departments in Orange, Jefferson and Hardin counties. The pole in Orange will have one dish pointed toward the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the other to the Pinehurst Police Department.
In other business, the council approved an agreement to allow the Humane Society of Southeast Texas to take adoptable cats and dogs from the City of Orange Animal Shelter. Fire Chief David Frenzel, who oversees the city shelter, said the agreement requires the Humane Society to take responsibility to get the cats and dogs spayed or neutered, and receive immunizations.
The city shelter is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services. To keep the license, the city must have all pets be sterilized and have immunizations.
Former Orange City Councilor Mary McKenna and Jim Clark spoke in favor of the agreement as a way to get more pets adopted.
Frenzel said the city shelter adopts about 10 animals a month and euthanizes about 100.
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