Curbside recycling may not be an option in Orange, but the city could take steps to help the community recycle, Sandra Hoke told the Orange City Council Tuesday.
“Recycling is taking care of the Earth. It’s being good stewards,” said Hoke, a community volunteer and retired teacher.
Bridge City and Liberty are small towns that provide recycling opportunities for their communities and Orange should be able to do similar projects, she said. She praised Orange County having recycling containers for use at the former landfill site.
Hoke spoke during the citizens comments part of the meeting and the council members were not able to respond under the Texas Open Meetings Law.
Also during the citizen comments part of the meeting, an elderly resident who lives in the 1500 block of Dogwood Drive in the Brownwood area complained that he could not get a natural gas line installed for the generator he bought. He said he and his wife stay through storms and do not evacuate. They need the generator. He even said he loves storms and hope Orange has 10 this year with 50 feet of water.
He complained that the city building inspector first told him he could get the gas line. But after hiring a plumber to install it, he was told it wouldn’t be allowed.
City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre made a brief comment of explanation. He said the man’s residence is in a condominium type situation and the homeowners group did not allow the gas line. He said the city has no right-of-way rights to go through the property.
During the business part of the Tuesday meeting, the council appointed Gail Barnett, a lawyer who is married to a business owner, to the city’s Economic Development Corporation board of directors.
Her appointment drew a split vote. Councilor Annette Pernell nominated her. Others voting for Barnett were council members Dr. Wayne Guidry, Essie Bellfield and Larry Spears.
Former city councilor Mary McKenna also applied for the appointment. She had served on the EDC board before Pernell defeated her in the May council election.
The council reappointed businessman Dean Granger to the EDC board. The vacancy was created when David Meaux resigned when his term expired.
The EDC board oversees the city’s special economic development fund with income from a half-cent per dollar sales tax. The board also approves projects paid through the EDC fund. All the board decisions must be approved by the council.
In other business, the council approved the final procedure to annex 3.5 acres of land along Highway 62 North near Interstate 10 to allow the Blue Beacon commercial truck wash.
In addition, the council approved several expenditures that were included in the 2017 budget year, which started October 1.
Allco will be building a $1.9 million new water plant on Richard Drive off Interstate 10 east of Highway 62. Landmark Structures won the contract to build the elevated water tower at the site. The bid was $1.5 million. The new water plant and tank are being paid from the $10 million in bonds the city recently issued to pay for water and sewer improvements.
A $20,000 contract was approved to Pyrotecnical Fireworks for the annual Fourth of July celebration at the Riverfront Pavilion. This will be the third time the city has paid for fireworks in recent years. Councilor Bill Mello voted against the contract.
The contract to build the concrete pad for a skate park at Sunset Park was given to Alliance Mechanical Services with a bid of $43,300. The pad will be 50 feet by 90 feet.
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