The City of West Orange approved its comprehensive Mitigation Action Plan during a meeting of the City Council on Monday. The plan includes ten action items the city is considering requesting grant money to pay for completing.
Mayor Roy McDonald said the Mitigation Action Plan is required for the city to receive any grants. “If you apply for a grant you’re not going to get it if you don’t already have a plan showing exactly what you plan to do with that money,” McDonald explained.
One project West Orange is already pursuing is elevating pumps in the Orange County Water Control Improvement District #2. Engineer Joe Wilson with Arceneaux, Wilson, and Cole spoke to the council about the goals to be accomplished with the Hazard Mitigation Grant being requested. He said funds should be available to raise or elevate as many components as possible to get them above the potential flood level. Wilson added, “There’s also a proposal to put in 13 new generators and that will cover all three of the well sites plus all the lift stations throughout the city and so if there were any power outages utilities will still be available.”
The City Council approved repealing an ordinance dealing with school zones in the city. The ordinance is somewhat out of date since it was written when there were multiple schools in West Orange. Currently the only school in the city is the West Orange-Stark High School on Newton Street.
The West Orange Cove school district is considering creating their own police department like other school districts have done. West Orange Police Chief Mike Stelly was authorized to execute a memorandum of understanding between the city and the school district to assist the district in developing its police force.
The settlement of a rate increase request by Entergy Texas was approved by the council. Increase will go into effect the day the original request was initiated which was May 15, 2018.
As Public Works Director Mike Stelly was authorized to enter into an environmental consulting services agreement with LJA Engineering. The agreement concerns a mandated storm water management program.
The annual Holiday in the Park is scheduled for Saturday, November 3. City Secretary Theresa Van Meter said all the booths for the fair have been rented, but a waiting list is being prepared in case there are any cancellations.
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