Finance Director Presented Draft Budget to City Council
City of Sulphur Springs Director of Finance Peter Karstens distributed a draft budget to city council members and then gave a brief overview. Positives for revenue included sales tax up 3.2%, sewer rates generating $160,000 more than the current budget, water sales are expected to meet budget, certified net taxable value went up 3.2%, sewer rates will rise 2% but water rates will not increase. The tax rate will remain the same. There...
City Finance Director Says Budget Holding Up
During the Sulphur Springs City Council Meeting Tuesday night, City Director of Finance Peter Karstens talked about how figures in this year’s budget are holding up at this time. Karstens said the city continues to be on target with $80,000-120,000 above budget. Municipal fines are up. Fire and Police departments are expected to conclude the year under budget according to Karstens. He pointed out that the city has planned...
City Manager’s Report Reflects a Busy May for City Employees
Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell presented his Manager’s Report Tuesday night during the June regular session of the council. STREETS, WATER AND SEWER – The FM 2285 waterline replacement project is moving slowly. The heavy rains have taken their toll on the project. We’ve installed 6,500 feet of pipe, and three of four bores have been completed. This project will replace 2.5 miles of undersized and dilapidated...
City Council Has Lengthy Agenda for Tuesday Night
The Sulphur Springs City Council will take up a 17-item agenda at a regular meeting at City Hall tonight. The council will actually began in executive session at 6:30 p.m. as they will consult with an attorney concerning pending litigation. The regular monthly meeting should get started at around 7 p.m. The council will consider contracting with Garver Engineering for design and other services related to improvements and rehab of the...
Election Returns for Sulphur Springs
In the Saturday May 9th Sulphur Springs City Council Election for Place 3, Oscar Aguilar was re-elected 190 to 51 for Charles Oxford. Aguilar will begin his fourth term on the council. Oxford who has served one term in the past has been defeated the last several times he has sought a seat. The other two incumbents, Craig Johnson in Place 1 and Clay Walker in Place 2 were unopposed.
City Council Prepares to Fuel up with AVGAS and Jet-A
The Sulphur Springs City Council will have a brief agenda to go through at its regular monthly meeting coming up tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The main item of business will be discussion and possible action by the Council on bids and awarding of a contract for AVGAS and Jet-A fuel for the Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport. Sulphur Springs City Manager Mark Maxwell will present his monthly managers report to the Council on capital...
Third Time Bodes Well for City Grant Effort
For the third time, the City of Sulphur Springs is seeking grant funds to build at connect between Coleman and Buford Parks. City Manager Marc Maxwell is seeking funding from TxDOT to build a concrete pathway to connect the two. A Friday noon special meeting of the city council is necessary and has been called to approve the grant application. Previously, the city has sought a TxDOT grant and a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife....
Early Voting Begins Monday for City Election
The only race in Sulphur Springs city, school and hospital elections is one for a seat on the City Council. Incumbent Oscar Aguilar faces a challenge from former councilman Charles Oxford. Early voting begins Monday at new City Hall and will continue weekdays through Tuesday, May 5. Hours are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily except next Tuesday and Thursday, which will have extended hours of 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The early voting site is on...
Renovation of Old City Hall Advancing Rapidly
The renovation of one end of Old City Hall is moving along rapidly. The city business office will return once the work is completed and the police station will double in size as space formerly used for city management will become space for the Sulphur Springs Police Emergency Management and office for detectives. City Director of Finance Peter Karstens is overseeing the project and he gave me and videographer Doug Hasten a tour Monday...
City Council Opposes SB 1158
Representatives of Hopkins County Commissioners Court and a candidate for Place 3 on the council addressed the Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday night during their regular April session. However their request for support of Texas Senate Bill 1158, which is somewhere under a stack of bills in the Senate Finance Committee, were rebuffed not only by a six to one vote of the council but also by the statements of city staff including...
