The Orange City Council’s two new members were finally seated Tuesday and they began meeting with consultants on the search for a new city manager.
Mary McKenna (below) took the oath of office from Municipal Judge Jerry Pennington for the Single-Member District 4 seat. She had been out of town last month after she won the runoff. New At-Large Position 5 Councilor Caroline Hennigan took her oath in June.
The council last year had hired SGR (Strategic Government Resources) consulting agency to help with the search. However, the council wanted to wait until after the May election, when three seats were open, before making a choice. Incumbent Brad Childs, Single-Member District 2, won.
Kelvin Knauf, the city’s planning director, has been interim city manager since October. Although he has said he was not going to seek the position, he was not present during the council’s closed-door executive session to discuss a new manager. Knauf waited in the adjacent library as Assistant City Manager Jay Trahan was with the consultants and council.
The position became vacant when Shawn Oubre resigned to take a similar position in another city.
The council met in the closed door session about the manager for about 90 minutes, however, they took no action.
During the regular meeting, the council in an unanimous vote chose to appoint At-Large Position 6 Councilor Paul Burch to the board of the Economic Development Corporation. The corporation, which is operated with a sales tax approved by voters, must have the mayor and two councilors on the seven-member board.
The seat on the board was open because Bill Mello resigned after he lost his re-election bid as At-Large Position 5 councilor.
The council also declared Tuesday as Jack Burke Day to honor the Little Cypress-Mauriceville High junior. He won the state 4-A golf championship this year and has a long list of tournament wins. Mayor Larry Spears Jr. praised his accomplishments and presented him with a special proclamation.
The agenda included the first reading of an Economic Development Corporation grant of $200,000 for infrastruction renovations at the Sabine Park Apartments, 111 Pine Avenue. The grant is to Bodin Properties and was previously approved by the EDC board of directors.
The council agreed to spend $18,000 from the Convention and Visitors Bureau to Pro Watercross for a jet ski racing event at the Boat Ramp on Aug. 17-18. The CVB money comes from hotel occupancy taxes.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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