COUNCIL APPOINTS STEWART TO P&Z
City to explore partnering with Whitehouse, Troup on surface water
By Lori Mellinger Bullard Banner News

Last week's Bullard city council meeting - in addition to honoring Mayor Connie Vaughan - saw a member take to task a former Bullard mayor - who now writes an online "newspaper."

Mayor Pro-Tem A.W. Hines brought up the issue when the time came for council to make recommendations and vote to replace Connie Lyles - who is resigning from the city's Planning and Zoning Commission.

"I read something today, and I'm going to mention it," Hines said. "There's a web site - a local Internet site - that made a statement that A.W. Hines hand-picks P&Z members, and that is simply not true."

"I believe anybody who claims to report news must talk to all the parties involved and get all the facts before making statements," he said.

Hines went on to set the record straight.

"It's not factual," Hines said to former mayor and operator of the Web site B.J. Langford. "If you'll remember, we had a committee set up - made up of Terry Cowan, Rodger Johnson and myself and the city manager."

Hines said that once the committee culled down the pool of candidates, it made its recommendations to the council.

"I was the spokesperson for that committee, but the council had and always has the final say," he said. "They sure weren't handpicked by A.W. Hines."

The Bullard Banner News looked at past city minutes - provided by City Secretary Doris Crockett - from the time mentioned.

In the Aug. 11, 2005 meeting, under the agenda item: "Discuss and act upon appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the current term," the discussion read:

"Vaughan asked if Hines would chair and appoint a committee to look into the P&Z members. Hines asked Vaughan if that is the way Vaughan would like to see it done.

"Vaughan asked B.J. Langford if the term is two years. Langford said yes."

In the Sept. 9, 2005, council minutes, the council voted to approve the recommendations made by the ad hoc committee and increase the number of seats from five to seven.

In the online publication Langford wrote, "The writer for the Bullard Report was present at the meeting discussed in the article and no mention was made about a committee."

In the end, Hines said that while he never handpicked members, he had a recommendation for the spot.

Hines recommended and the council passed the appointment of David Stewart to fill the seat Lyles is vacating.

"Regrettably, Mr. Stewart - because of a previous obligation - was unable to attend the meeting, but I asked him to send me an email citing his experience that I'd like to share with the council," Hines said.

Stewart made the Tyler news recently when he resigned as chair of Tyler's Planning and Zoning commission to move to Bullard.

Stewart wrote that prior to working for New York Life in 1995, he was a certified real estate appraiser and licensed agent.

He - in his youth - worked for TxDOT. Stewart wrote he has a lot of experience, because of the experience with TxDOT, on right of ways - in addition to the appraisal and real estate knowledge.

Stewart has worked with the City of Tyler on its Tyler 21 program - which is still under way.

Stewart said - the council unanimously agreed - that he brings a lot of experience to the table.

The council also had a lengthy discussion and heard a presentation from Stokes and Associates and a representative of the City of Whitehouse on exploring alternative water sources through Lake Striker - a lake near Troup.

Read next week's edition of the Bullard Banner for a complete story on Bullard's plans.

In other action, the council:

! approved a final plat for Oak Grove Estates, Phase 1;

!heard a report from auditor Hugh Goodpasture. Goodpasture said the city's financial position - in his opinion - is in good standing.

"There are no deviations in compliance, and the funding is just like other growing cities - adequate," he said. "You are facing issues that all growing cities are, and I believe you are doing a good job."

Goodpasture was happiest, however, with the budget.

"So many cities go through an entire budget process and once finished with it, put it in a drawer and forget about it," he said. "It's good to see you all using it as it's meant to be - a living document and a real management tool."

! discussed a request from Glenda Howell to lower the speed limit on Ash Street.

Howell's husband Lowell spoke on her behalf - saying that the dead-end street has about 16 goal posts and 20 houses, and they both believe 30 mph is too high.

Police Chief Gary Lewis recommended the speed limit be lowered to 20 mph, and once an ordinance is written, the issue will come back before council for approval.

!approved adding six 4-foot PVC antenna conduits through the concrete pedestal wall for the new elevated storage tank.

City engineer Brian Capps said this is commonplace, and if the city approved the measure now, it could be integrated into the building of the tower, instead of tacked on later.

These antennae are normally leased to cellular companies.

! gave City Manager Larry Morgan the go ahead to pursue an inter-local agreement between Smith County and the City of Bullard concerning Smith County's use of office space in city hall.

! authorized Morgan to spend $4,000 with Bullard Asphalt overlaying Courtney Street. The area - developed in the 1990s - was put in before Bullard had specific building inspections, codes and ordinances; and

! approved setting May 21 for the council to canvass election results, declare the results and install the mayor and council members elected on May 12.