City OKs new pavilion at Ledbetter Park
The Cameron City Council officially adopted their budget and tax rate and approved the construction of a pavilion at Ledbetter Park during a meeting on Sept. 21.
Julie Sulak with Working For Cameron spoke to the council about proceeding with the construction of the pavilion at Ledbetter saying that Working For Cameron has selected a contractor and would like to move forward with the project.
The pavilion will be constructed with funds from a grant of $45,000 from the Williams Foundation. Because the funds are not coming from city funds the council did not have to go through the bid process. The council only had to approve the plans and location.
“We have taken in bids and gone through all those,” she said. “We are ready to move forward. We have met with Ms. Sims (Councilmember Keke Sims) and the folks from A&M about the plan.”
The building is a 30-foot-by-60-foot pavilion that is open on all sides and will have electricity provided. The group selected Albino Alvarez of Cameron as the contractor for the project.
Sulak said the pavilion will be put in a space that will allow for use facing the water and open to the empty field on the other side. She said the construction should be completed by the end of this year.
Council also heard the second and final readings adopting the budget and tax rate for the city for the coming year.
The city set the tax rate at 77 cents per $100 valuation, divided into 54.28 cents for maintenance and operations and 22.72 cents for debt service.
Council also approved the permanent use of a motorcycle cop for the Cameron Police Department.
Police Chief Lonnie Gosch had requested the use of the motorcycle cop for a period of time at a council meeting earlier this year in order to decide if it was needed for the city.
Mayor Bill Harris said the trial period was very successful and he thinks the city should move forward with keeping the motorcycle cop. He said it has been used for several escorts and had been beneficial in the school areas in the city with patrolling.
Gosch told council that the department has been using the motorcycle for about 2 ½ hours a day for the last 60 days.
In other business the council also: approved several items that will help to move forward with the moving of the intake station on the Little River; heard a first reading of an ordinance establishing a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone; and approved the purchase of a used chip sealer for the price of $10,000.