Kaiser celebrated at final council meeting

City of Jourdanton Police Chief Eric Kaiser attended his last city council meeting on Jan. 16. Pictured from left are Councilwoman Katrina Wiatrek, Sgt. Joshua Walker, Lt. Mari Kaufman, Chief Kaiser, Councilwoman Pamela Manning, Councilwoman Karen Pesek and Councilman Raul Morales. Absent from the meeting were Mayor Robert Williams, Mayor Pro-Tem Chester Gonzales and City Manager Debbie Molina.
MELISSA LANDIN | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

Pleasanton Express
MELISSA LANDIN, STAFF WRITER 
January 24, 2024

Jourdanton Police Chief Eric Kaiser took part in his last city council meeting Jan. 16 with his retirement set for Jan. 31. In appreciation of his 22 years of dedicated service to the city, he will take his duty weapon with him.

Lt. Mari Kaufman requested of the city council that she and her police department peers be allowed to purchase the duty weapon to gift Chief Kaiser.

“The code allows us to purchase the firearm that the Chief has now – kind of like a parting gift,” Lt. Kaufman said. “It has to be declared surplus by the city in order for us to do that. It’s a tradition for somebody who’s served many years to give him his last duty weapon.”

According to the state government code, Sec. 614.051, an individual may purchase a firearm from a government entity if: the individual was a peace officer commissioned by the entity; the individual was honorably retired from the individual’s commission by the entity; the firearm had been previously issued by the entity; and the firearm is not a prohibited weapon under the penal code. An individual may purchase only one firearm from a governmental entity under this section.

Councilwoman Karen Pesek immediately made the motion to approve the request as a “gesture of his retirement” from the City of Jourdanton Police Department. An amended motion included selling the weapon for $1. It was seconded by Councilwoman Katrina Wiatrek, and subsequently approved. Pesek also presented Kaiser with his city name plate.

“We appreciate all your years and everything you’ve done for our community,” Pesek stated to Kaiser.

Absent from the special called meeting were Mayor Robert Williams and Councilman Chester Gonzales.

Re-zoning of Properties

The City Council voted 3-1 to approve an application to rezone property located at 804 Peach St. from SF1, Urban Single Family Residential to a Mobile Home District. Voting in favor were Wiatrek, Pesek and Councilwoman Pamela Manning with Councilman Raul Morales casting the dissenting vote. Applicant Samuel Torres, representative for Real Offer LLC, sought approval to allow a manufactured home on the property.

The City Council voted to approve an application to rezone property located at 606 Palm St. from C, Commercial to SFGH, Single Family Garden Home. Voting in favor were Wiatrek, Morales, Pesek and Manning. Applicant Javier Benavides sought approval to build a garden home on each lot located at the property.

The City Council also voted to approve an application to rezone property located at 614 Deer Trail Drive from SF-A, Suburban Single Family Residential to SF-1, Urban Single Family. Voting in favor were Wiatrek, Morales, Pesek and Manning. Applicants Simon and Rosita Rodriguez sought approval to rezone the property to sell two acres of the property.

Main Street Drainage Project

Jess Swaim, of 6S Engineering Inc., provided an update on the Main Street Drainage Project. Swaim advised that the project has been on hold for about eight months and that it has been pending environmental assessment with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Swaim stated there has been some movement in the environmental side which shows some progress. Swaim further advised that the project needs additional funding. He stated they are working with grant consulting firm Langford Community Management Services on a Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) grant.

Ongoing City Projects

Brady Kosub, of M&S Engineering, provided an update on ongoing water and sewer projects also with the TWDB. Kosub stated there exists a shortfall in the TWDB water loan versus the now-estimated costs of the applied-for projects. This is due to increases in supply chain costs in the past few years. The original approved TWDB water loan was $6.8M. The TWDB is requesting a plan from the city as to how it will make up the additional $2.3M that is estimated to be needed. Per the sewer projects, a sewer line replacement project is ready to go to bid. However, two lift station projects are lagging, because they are proposed to be packaged together. Additionally, there are issues with acquiring the land needed and increases in supply chain costs.

Animal Control Ordinance Workshop

Councilwoman Manning announced that the public is invited to the animal control ordinance workshop to be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at city hall.