Tempers Flare but end on a good note at Jasper City Council

Jasper City Council met in the monthly council meeting Monday night to a standing room only crowd.

The evening got off to a timely start with multiple public comments from citizens concerned about the property taxes and the potential increase to electrical rates for those who live in the city.

Jasper citizen Marcos Adams addressed City Hall with a concern about the city not managing vegetation on Hi-Truett Road. Adams cited the overgrown vegetation as the "Reason my Aunt almost got killed backing out of her driveway." Adams also brought up a common sentiment about young people not having anything to do in Jasper and how that road will end them up in jail. Adams reminded listeners that "Jasper had a movie theater and a skating rink and they are gone now!" This comes on the hills of the City of Jasper being scrutinized for building a metal roof cover over the basketball courts, a splash pad and skate park at Sandy Creek Park.

Jasper citizen Angela Lee asked city management, "Who determines tax rates? Is it the county only...or does the city go in and determine the value also?" City management stated that the county appraisal district determines the value of properties. Lee stated, "You have one neighborhood, they are calling it, that is a ten property home, individual homes on a 2-1/2 acre plot that's conjoined together and the value is only $290,000. I do question that tax rate to the city on that owner, they are rentals...this is a business and not individually owned. Lee later stated that the property in question is a Kinnear property, or Kinnear Neighborhood as the city has it listed near Moss and Bevil Loop.

Jasper businessman Chris Lanier told council about returning to Jasper years ago because of his love for the city. Lanier spoke about a Jasper that is not portrayed in media, those "behind the scenes, the hard working, well intended citizens and leaders." Lanier said, "Like a new sports season, optimism helps us look forward to that season. Go Bulldogs!" Lanier encouraged the council to "Not bicker about the past, not dwell on last season and to certainly not buy into those who are rooting for, or should I say, yelling against us!"

Councilwoman Angela McCroskey and Councilman Ronnie Sample placed an item on the agenda to Consider for approval - Removal of Mayor Anderson Land Jr. from the Jasper Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, South East Texas Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee and Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency Board of Directors. When Mayor Land asked them, "Why?" Both councilpersons stayed quiet. The crowd began to grumble asking "Why?" Finally, Councilman Sample leaned up into the microphone stating, "He is not producing to us, he is not letting us know what's going on. He's uh, sorta done got it in his head that he's the big guy around here. He is not the big guy around here! He is not the leader! City Council tells him what to do." Mayor Land spoke up and said, " I do not believe that's correct sir. We are all city councilmembers." To which Councilman Sample replied, "Who votes?" The crowd began to respond, "We Do!" Councilman Sample then clarified while pointing at the council podium, "Who votes up here?" Councilman Sample continued to verbally spar with one of the citizens in the audience saying, "Vote Me Out! Go ahead and run for it baby... sit your ass down!" Councilman Lequin Hilderbrand spoke up calling the council back to order and stating that the citizens want to know "why?" Jasper citizen Bob Mayhar asked, "If not the mayor, then who?" Councilman Sample retorted saying, "We are gonna do that at a later date sir!" Councilman Hilderbrand said, "Mr. Sample...please!" Councilwoman McCroskey remained silent. After all of the back and forth between councilmembers and those in attendance the council took a vote and tied two "for" and two "against." Ironically leaving Mayor Anderson Land as the tied breaker voting to "Not Remove Myself." Councilman Sample was recently assigned to the JEDCO Board.

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Newly appointed City Manager Greg Kelley informed the council that there will be a "scheduled power outage city wide to replace a 138,000 volt switch coming into the substation on Saturday, September 28th, from midnight until roughly 6 am."

Interim Chief Mike Poindexter addressed the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) on the agenda that allows Jasper PD to reap benefits from joint efforts with other law enforcement agencies. "Any city or county that we would go into to do any kind of work, we would get a memorandum with them, so if there are any seizures, we will get our piece of the pie" Poindexter pointed out. Councilman Sample spoke up and asked, "Do we do any drug raids in our town?" Poindexter responded, "Yes sir. We did one not too long ago." Councilman Sample then asked, "What else have you done?" Poindexter said, "I'm not going to get into our operations with you because that's a safety issue. This, the MOU, is so that we can reap the benefits. " Councilman Sample finished by saying, "I figured that would be what I'd get from you." The council passed the agenda item. This MOU is with Newton County, allowing both departments to share resources.

Poindexter spoke to the council about a new license plate computer system that the PD is wanting installed on Department of Transportation owned property which captures license plates for helping with Amber Alert and Silver Alert as well as criminal investigations. Poindexter said it would be a free trail for 60 days.

Executive Director of JEDCO, Eddie Hopkins, spoke saying that JEDCO has a 5% reduction in their budget with expenses this year following the lead of the city's budget. Hopkins stated that this is the first time in his 7 years where they "balanced the budget." Hopkins said that there are "200 new jobs on the drawing board right now that could happen in Jasper." Hopkins ended his comments by stating, "I enjoy being the marketing arm of the city, everywhere I go it's not just JEDCO, it's Jasper. I enjoy being the ambassador for Jasper and I count it a privilege to do that and I want you to know that."

Councilman Hilderbrand concluded the night by saying, "With the exception of one little bump in the road tonight, I'm proud to be sitting here with these men and women."