Crockett Council Names Public Works Director; Spars Over Street Repairs
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – Crockett City Council met Monday, Oct. 3 to discuss naming a new Public Works Director and to approve tax abatements for a new Crockett business. The council also debated the delay in the repairs still needed to be done to South Fifth Street.
The council first took up the issue of naming a new Public Works Director for the city. City Administrator John Angerstein told the council the previous supervisor had resigned a month before due to health reasons and the city had not had an actual director in this position since 2017 due to the fact that the city had not been able to find someone they felt fully qualified for the job. Angerstein said Gerald Colter had been with the city for five years and proven himself to be trustworthy and ready to take on the job. The promotion of Colter would lead to the city leaving certain open positions in the department vacant, since Colter would be able to fill those roles. Councilman Mike Marsh made a motion to promote Colter and Dennis Ivey seconded.
Colter told the council he was proud to accept the position and saw it as a great opportunity to give back to the city where he grew up.
“When Mr. Angerstein asked me if I would be interested, I told him I would, because I see an opportunity to help my city. In fact, I told him, ‘I would hate to see us go backwards and I’m able to assist our city,’” Colter said. “An opportunity to make our city better, to help grow our city and to help our city be as ‘one.’ I thank you for the opportunity. Whatever I take in hand to do, I give it my my earnest shot.”
Robert Thurber from KSA Engineering in Lufkin came to speak to the council on the upcoming repairs to Martin Luther King Street. Before, he could proceed, Marsh wanted to know where the repairs stand on South Fifth Street and make sure the situation there would not be repeated. As reported in The Messenger, sulphate was found to be eroding the street but this is not something normally present in soil and was not tested for. The contractor is working with the city to make the necessary repairs, but Thurber told council it might not be finished until spring.
“Spring? That’s unacceptable,” Marsh said. “We have a business right down that road that’s suffering right now because that road’s not open. I don’t know whose fight it is, but they need to get the road fixed.”
Angerstein told the council there would be a meeting later this month with engineers and contractors to make sure the repairs will be done correctly and that all future road projects in the city are being tested for sulphate.
Crockett Mayor Dr. Ianthia Fisher noted no matter who ends up fixing the road, there are issues with insurance and bonding companies. Fisher said it’s taking longer that anyone would have wanted, but now the city is in control and wants to make sure the work is done right.
Angerstein noted the contractor for the MLK project was not the lead contractor on the Fifth Street repair and the money for the MLK repairs comes from a grant with a time limitation. The council agreed to proceed on the repairs naming Crockett Construction as the bid winner.
A public hearing was held to provide a tax abatements and other incentives to a new business in Crockett, Stealth Vision, L.L.C., which produces high quality scopes, binoculars and other related projects. The owner, local Dr. John McCall, purchased the building in downtown Crockett where the Houston County Courier once had its offices. The agreement includes provisions the company will create primary jobs with a payroll totaling $250,000 a year and will spend another $250,000 to complete renovations on the building where they will manufacture their products.
Angerstein told the council once the factory is complete, the city will hold an open house at the facility. He told the council the agreement with the city will be dated for later this month when the same issue is set to be voted on by Houston County commissioners.
In other business the council approved nominations for positions on the board of directors for the Houston County Appraisal District and approved bills to be paid from Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
