City Commission Approves Additional Lighting for Orbison Park

A proposed cell tower at Orbison Park will move into the city’s public notification and planning review process following action by the Vernon City Commission.

Commissioners authorized city staff to proceed with public notices and consideration by the Vernon Planning and Zoning Commission. The action does not constitute final approval of the tower or a lease agreement.

Bridge Tower Corporation has proposed leasing a 60-by-60-foot section in the northeast corner of the park for a tower expected to stand between 190 and 195 feet tall.

The company initially offered the city $1,000 per month but increased the proposed payment to $1,500 per month. The payment would increase by 3% annually.

The proposed lease would have an initial five-year term with four additional five-year renewal options, potentially extending the agreement to 25 years.

Commissioner Don Aydelott raised concerns about making the tower visible to aircraft and emergency helicopters. City staff said Bridge Tower agreed to install lights on the structure.

The proposal must still go through public notification and planning and zoning consideration before returning to commissioners for possible approval. City officials said public comments received during that process could influence the commission’s final decision.

Commissioners also approved spending $2,580.50 for eight additional AEP lights at Orbison Park.

City officials said portions of the park are extremely dark at night and that additional lighting could improve security and allow greater use of the area. Officials also said better lighting could discourage illegal activity.

Southwest Rural Electric previously installed three lights in another section of the park without charging the city for installation because the necessary poles and electrical infrastructure were already in place. The city will be responsible for the continuing electricity costs.

Commissioners questioned whether the new lights could shine into nearby homes. City staff said only one residence could potentially be affected and that the lights were not expected to shine directly into the house.

In other business, commissioners approved amendments to the city’s 2025-26 budget.

City officials said the amendments reduced the projected overall deficit from more than $1 million to approximately $64,805. The general fund, which had been projected to finish with a $113,000 deficit, is now projected to have a surplus of about $581,000.

Officials attributed the improvement to a combination of reduced spending and increased revenue. The amendments removed $155,000 that had been budgeted for a new water slide after the city determined the amount would not be sufficient to complete the project. A larger amount is expected to be considered in the next fiscal year.

The city also expects higher ambulance collections and increased water and sanitation revenue. Those gains are being partially offset by higher utility costs, a police body-camera contract and an additional $80,000 for salt used at the city’s ion-exchange water treatment plant.

Another budget amendment is expected in September. City staff said the city could end the fiscal year with a surplus because of lower-than-expected expenditures and higher revenue.

Commissioners also directed city staff and the Vernon Business Development Corporation to review a decades-old agreement covering payroll services.

The agreement dates to 2003 and reportedly calls for the corporation to pay the city $300 for payroll processing. Officials said the addition of BDC employees raised questions about whether that amount remains appropriate.

No replacement agreement was approved. Staff members will study similar arrangements between other Texas cities and their Type A or Type B economic development corporations before recommending changes.

The commission also corrected Vernon’s dangerous-animal ordinance. The ordinance previously stated that appeals of Municipal Court dangerous-animal findings would go to a county court at law. Wilbarger County does not have a county court at law, so the ordinance was amended to identify the county court as the court with jurisdiction.

During staff updates, commissioners were told the city’s approximately eight-mile water pipeline project is substantially complete and is now supplying water to the city. Inspection and punch-list work have been completed.

Work on a separate EDA-funded pipeline was estimated to be slightly more than 50% complete. Officials said progress could slow temporarily while crews conduct utility-location work.

The city also expects delivery of a new fire department brush truck around the middle of August. The truck costs approximately $300,000, with the city providing a $50,000 match toward the grant-funded purchase.