City agrees to give easement to B&G Club

The Vernon City Commission unanimously approved a request, on a motion from Justin Marsh, from the Boys & Girls Club, for a release of easement for a 5,012 square foot tract of land located adjacent to their facility on Yamparika Street.
The action came during Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the commission for December.
The request was originally made in the October commission meeting.
City Manager Marty Mangum said that the Club was hoping to expand out to a current brick wall on Yamparika Street, but that was actually on the city’s easement. He said that 100 feet of city easement along Yamparika Street and 72 feet along Lamar Streets was proposed to be abandoned to the Club.
“Their intent is to build out that wall. To do that we are going to have to give up some of that right-of-way,” Mangum said.
The Club is hoping to add 2,000 square feet with two classrooms.
Mangum said a dig test showed no utilities in the Yamparika right-of-way; however, no dig test had been performed along Lamar Street, as the city did not find out in time, before the October meeting.
B&G Director Sarah Hernandez said that there has been long-term water damage to the north side of the building. Repeated repairs had been unsuccessful. She said that the Club is serving more than 400 kids a day and is out of space anyway, so they were proposing to expand and repair at the same time. The expansion is contingent upon a fundraising project.
A motion was made in the October meeting and seconded, to abandon the rights-of-way. However, Mangum said the dig-test should be performed to ensure no utilities are on the Lamar side. The commission then agreed to wait before making a decision — to allow for a dig test along Lamar Street.
The commission received the results of that test and agreed to a staff recommendation that they approve the request.
Also on Tuesday, the commissioners will appointed City Secretary Jo Stone as the Records Management Officer for the City of Vernon, on a motion from Pam Gosline
Vehicles are also on the agenda.
The commission agreed to a request from Fire Chief JJ Oznick to amend an earlier approved ambulance purchase. The commission had originally approved purchasing a refurbished Chevrolet in November, 2018 to mount the city’s ambulance box on. Oznick told the commission that it would be at least a year before the company got in a Chevy. He proposed switching to a Dodge, at a slight increase. The Chevy would have cost $149,000 while the Dodge would cost $152,000 — still within the previously set budget parameters. Commissioner Don Aydelott asked when would the Dodge would be available. Oznick said there was one there now, and it would take about a three month turnaround.
Mayor Doug Jeffrey asked if there was any difference between the Chevy and Dodge, due to the higher price. Oznick said it would have a heavier chassis. Jeffrey asked city staff to check to see if the insurance would be lower due to the heavier chassis. The purchase amendment was unanimously approved on a motion by Marsh.
The commission also approved the purchase of a Case 590 4-wheel drive backhoe for the wastewater treatment plant from Esco, at a price of $99,997.32. That is slightly above the previously budgeted amount of $97,000 appropriated for the purchase. Public Works Director Darell Kennon said if approved, then the plant’s current backhoe would be relocated to the cemetery and the cemetery’s old back hoe would be sold at auction,
Marsh asked if the backhoe would be new or a used rental. Kennon said it was new. Kennon added it would be available within 15 days. The purchase was approved on a motion from Aydelott.
Tax resale properties were approved on a motion from Gosline. They are located at 2200 Maiden, 1006 Olive, 1127 Houston, 2500 Martin Luther King, 2608 Martin Luther King, 2326 Dawson.
An agenda listed closed session to discuss property was canceled.