Crockett City Council Formalizes Trash Agreement

City Receives Unmodified Audit

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – The Crockett City Council met in a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 15. It was the second time in as many months that the council met in person while practicing social distancing.

Crockett Mayor, Dr. Ianthia Fisher, welcomed those in attendance and said if those in attendance had difficulty in hearing, to please raise your hand and the council would attempt to speak up.

“It’s different, but we’re getting through. I would like to thank our visitors for coming and I would like to remind you, if you have something to say or would like to share something, please sign in and you will be recognized,” she said.   

The first order of business was the presentation and acceptance of the city’s Fiscal Year 2019 audit. ON hand for the presentation was Molly Abele, a CPA and an audit partner with the accounting firm of Axley & Rode, LLP.

Abele informed the council, “Our responsibility is to express an opinion on your financial statements and we are expressing an unmodified opinion, which is the highest opinion you can receive.”

Following the CPA’s presentation, the council voted to unanimously accept the FY 2019 audit.

The next agenda item concerned a service contract and franchise agreement with Piney Woods Sanitation for the collection, hauling and disposal of solid waste.

City Administrator John Angerstein explained he had been working with representatives of Piney Woods over the “… last couple of weeks and we really believe it is good for both of us in this partnership. The city will see significant benefits out of this. This contract also does right by Piney Woods and I look forward to working with them.”

Angerstein said most of the details had been ironed out during initial discussions with the waste service company and added the two parties were able to negotiate the cost down to where it matched with the previous contractor.

He went on to say the way Piney Woods was able to match the price was to shift some of the price burden from residential customers to commercial customers while staying at or below the current rate.

As the meeting continued, the FY 2021 budget planning calendar was brought forward for discussion. Proposed departmental budgets and capital requests have already been turned into the city administrator.

Between June 10 and 18, the budgets will be reviewed with each department head in the city. Following that, between June 22 and 26, the draft budget will be reviewed in detail with each council member.

There will be two budget workshops to iron out budgetary details with one on July 6 and the other on July 20. On July 23, a public notice will be published establishing the date of Aug. 17 as a public hearing on the budget.

The certified tax roll will be received from the Appraisal District on July 25 and on Aug. 3, the council will meet to submit “no-new-revenue” and “voter approval” rates. At this time, discussions on the ad valorem tax rate will be held.

On Aug. 6, the Draft FY 2021 budget will be placed in City Hall for public viewing. It will also be uploaded onto the city’s website.

Finally on Aug. 17, there will be a public hearing on the FY 2021 budget and a public hearing on the 2021 Ad Valorem tax rate. Following the public hearings, the budget and tax rate are expected to be approved.          

  In other matters brought before the council:

• The minutes from the May 18 meeting of the city council were approved.
• Crockett Police Chief Clayton Smith reported the police department received 487 calls for service during the month of May which resulted in 35 arrests. There were 52 traffic citations issued and 96 police reports filed.
• Crockett Fire Department Chief Jason Frizzell reported the fire department responded to 30 total calls during the month of May which included seven. Frizzell also reported there was one structure fire during the month of May.
• The Houston County Courier was selected as the official newspaper for the city of Crockett.
• Council members Butch Calvert, Darrell Jones and Mayor Fisher were selected to serve on the Board of Directors for DETCOG.
• Police Chief Clayton Smith received a favorable evaluation from the council.  

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