The Orange City Council Tuesday voted to replace businessman Ebb Moore to the city’s Economic Development Corporation board of directors, which is lead by Assistant City Manager Jay Trahan. However, the council could not decide on three people out of six for the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The EDC board will have businessmen Michael Smith and Mark Frey.
Earlier this year, council members asked city staff to publicize openings on citizen committees and commissions. District 4 Councilor Annette Pernell, who advocated to get more people, said “This is wonderful to see so many applicants, citizens coming out to be part of the city.”
The city’s Economic Development Board of Directors oversees spending the city’s special economic development sales tax income. The money can be used to help draw business and industry. Ebb Moore, who owns a downtown business, has served three two-year terms on the board and applied for a fourth.
The other expired term on the board was held by financial advisor George Mortimer, who has been president of the board. He was ineligible for another term because of term limits.
In addition to Moore’s application for one of the two positions, Smith and Frey applied. Larry Spears presided as mayor pro tem in the absence of Jimmy Sims. Spears and councilors Pat Pullen, Brad Childs, Terri Salter, Bill Mello and Pernell voted unanimously for Smith and Frey.
The Planning and Zoning Commission has three vacancies and six applicants. Terms have expired for Jamie Wilson, Mary Ekene and Cullin Smith, who currently serves as chair of the commission. The three incumbents filed applications. Also filing are George Mortimer, Tiffany L. Bell, and Weldon Smith.
District 1 Councilor Pat Pullen nominated Weldon Smith, Mary Ekene and Jamie Wilson. Even though his nomination got a second to bring it to a vote, Pullen was the only one to vote for the three.
Spears said there were a lot of applicants to look at for the first time. At-Large Councilor Bill Mello asked for more time to study the applications because he had not gotten an agenda.
The city’s website had the full agenda with the applications online Thursday morning.
Spears asked whether the council could call a special meeting for the vote. City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said the council could postpone a decision until the first January meeting. (The council has canceled the last December meeting.)
City Attorney Jack Smith suggested nominating applicants individually, instead of three at a time. Pullen asked Oubre to consult with Beaumont lawyer Guy Goodson, who contracts legal work for the city, on how to make the votes.
Other appointments were not as difficult for the council because of no competition between the applicants.
The council reappointed Suzanne Perry and Curtis Jeanis to the Historic Preservation Commission. In addition, the commission has one current vacancy and City Planning Director Kelvin Knauf said member Harry Wood has indicated he is going to resign before his term ends next year.
The Historic Preservation Commission oversees exterior changes in houses and businesses within the designated Old Orange Historic District
Clifford Carrouthers was approved to be reappointed to the Library Advisory Board and Walter Riedel III was reappointed to the Civic Service Commission.
In other business, the council approved a six-month extension for an economic development agreement to spend up to $650,000 for an entrance boulevardg to the Eagle Point acreage off Interstate 10 east of Highway 62.
The agreement with the Houseman Companies, which owns the land, has the economic development money being spent for the entrance if a big box store builds on the site. In exchange, Houseman has agreed to give the city right-of-way property for utilities.
Also, the council learned that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the final plans for the city to install a concrete lining to more than 1,000 feet of Cooper’s Gully, which drains a large portion of the city. The money is coming from federal grants approved as part of Hurricane Ike recovery in 2008. City Public Works Director Jim Wolf has been working on the project for nearly 10 years.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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