Crockett Council Approves Infrastructure Improvement Funding Process

Planning for Davy Crockett Classic Bike Race Moves Forward

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – During a meeting of the Crockett City Council, held on Monday, Oct. 2, the city approved the funding process for infrastructure improvements to the city’s water service.

Monica Pierre, with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), was present at the meeting and said she wanted to provide an update to the council and the residents of the city about the proposed infrastructure work.

“We have obligated the funds for the water improvement project. The improvements include renovating the two elevated water storage tanks, taking down the old steel water tank located on College Hill and putting up something new,” Pierre said.

The USDA representative likened the project to having “… three new, clean glasses of water. Where our water is stored, it will all be fresh. We are also getting new water meters so we will be truly calculating how much water is used and how it is paid, to ensure we have the true water revenue.”

She said right now plans, specifications and contract documents were being prepared. Once the documents were in order, Pierre said the documents would be sent to the USDA for approval and then a sealed bid process would be held.

“We are actively moving forward,” she added. The resolution was unanimously approved.

Prior to the infrastructure resolution, an agenda item pertaining to the Davy Crockett Bicycle Race was discussed.

City Administrator John Angerstein explained the organizers of the event, Joel Franssen and Alex Montoya were unable to attend the Monday meeting, but said “… they are trying to get preliminary approval to move forward with the planning phase for the next bike race. They would like for this to become an annual event.”

Angerstein said local hoteliers reported their establishments were fully booked during an earlier race this summer and added the organizers hoped “… to make this a bigger and bigger event and to bring in more sponsors.”

A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to allow the planning to move forward.

 

In other matters brought before the council:

• Crockett Police Chief David “Buddy” Cross reported the police department received 358 calls for service during the month of September which resulted in 101 arrests. There were 157 traffic citations issued and 140 police reports filed.
• Frank McIntyre and Takevious Carmon were approved by the council as new members of the Crockett Police Department. Both McIntyre and Carmon are currently enrolled in the East Texas Police Academy in Palestine and will graduate at the end of the year.
• Crockett Fire Chief Jason Frizzell reported the fire department responded to 38 calls during the month of September with one structure fire. Twenty-eight calls were in the city limits while 10 were in the county. The structure fire was outside th
  e city limits.
• Ray Stanfield was appointed as a member to the Parks and Recreation Board.
• Councilman Butch Calvert was appointed to serve as a city representative on the Deep East Texas Council of Governments Board of Directors.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].