City to hear results of TCEQ soil testing

By BETH FOLEY

PALESTINE — Palestine City Councilmembers should be getting some feedback Monday night about the levels of toxins found in topsoil at Reagan Park.

The council is meeting once, on the third Monday in May, rather than its usual two meetings because of Memorial Day. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 504 N. Queen St.

The city has been waiting to hear results from tests performed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on soil at Reagan Park and elsewhere in the Southside Historical District. Elevated levels of heavy metals including lead, arsenic, vanadium and thallium, were found in a 55-block area in 2004 and 2005, and are thought to have come from the old Dilley Foundry and the old Palestine Light, Heat and Power Company.

The TCEQ began collecting soil samples last July but had not released the results, according to Mayor Carolyn F. Salter during previous council meetings.

Last June, TCEQ officials told concerned residents that it would remove contaminated topsoil down to 18 inches, with property owner consent, and replace the contaminated soil with soil certified to be clean, and with grass sod.

Plans for improvements to Reagan Park, including the playground and a walking trail, have been on hold until test results were known.

Also Monday, the council is expected to:

• HOLD a work session at 4:30 p.m. to discuss updates to the city development code: utility extension process, sign code, landscaping and grading and excavation;

• HEAR public comments;

• HEAR an update from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on the remediation of Reagan Park;

• HEAR an update from the Palestine Junior Service League on its Reagan Park project;

• ADMINISTER the oath of office to city councilmembers who were re-elected unopposed during the May 10 election;

• ELECT a mayor pro-tem;

• HOLD a public hearing on a specific use permit application to allow a child day care on property zoned R-2 (single family detached medium density) district at 206 Palm Dr., Westwood Arms Annex #1, Lot 27R;

• HOLD a public hearing on a specific use permit application to allow a nursing/convalescent home on property zoned MF-2 (multi-family medium density) district and C-4 (highway commercial) district at 2212 W. Reagan St.;

• HOLD a public hearing on a specific use permit application to allow a nursing/convalescent home on property zoned RPO (restricted professional office) at 2265 S. Sycamore St., William S. McDonald, Block 902, Tracts 11-12;

• HOLD a public hearing on a specific use permit application to allow a vehicular and equipment rental storage yard on property zoned C-3 (general commercial) district at 1501 E. Palestine Ave., Gray’s Subdivision, Lot 1;

• HOLD a public hearing on a specific use permit application to allow an electronic message center on an existing pole sign on property zoned C-3 (general retail commercial) district at Herschel’s Restaurant, 1925 S. Loop 256 (American Bank and Trust Complex, Lot 2);

• HEAR the Mayor’s Report;

• HEAR the City Manager’s Report, which is expected to include the quarterly investment report and monthly departmental reports from municipal court, development services, public works, the Palestine Public Library and the fire department;

• CONSIDER appointments to the Health Care Facilities Commission: Board of Directors, Dr. Larry Mathis, Dr. Don Jackson Jr., Blake Starkey, Cecil Staples, Sara Minton and former mayor Jackson Hanks; and incorporating officers: Mathis, Staples and Hanks;

• OPEN bids for gasoline and diesel fuel (Bid No. 2008-10) and the Town Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (Bid No. 2008-11);

• CONSIDER the Consent Agenda, which is expected to include repair to the high service pump and motor at the water treatment plant; designation of ADA parking spaces on Houston Street; and budget amendments for library shelving installation ($5,500) and Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce TMA service ($2,271);

• CONSIDER a proposed landscaping project at the intersection of Mallard Street and Avenue A;

• CONSIDER the creation of the Palestine Health Care Facilities Development Corporation;

• CONSIDER an ordinance for a specific use permit to allow a child day care on property zoned R-2 (single family detached medium density) district at 206 Palm Dr., Westwood Arms Annex #1, Lot 27R;

• CONSIDER an ordinance for a specific use permit to allow a nursing/convalescent home on property zoned MF-2 (multi-family medium density) district and C-4 (highway commercial) district at 2212 W. Reagan St.;

• CONSIDER an ordinance for a specific use permit to allow a nursing/convalescent home on property zoned RPO (restricted professional office) at 2265 S. Sycamore St., William S. McDonald, Block 902, Tracts 11-12;

• CONSIDER an ordinance for a specific use permit to allow a vehicular and equipment rental storage yard on property zoned C-3 (general commercial) district at 1501 E. Palestine Ave., Gray’s Subdivision, Lot 1;

• CONSIDER an ordinance for a specific use permit to allow an electronic message center on an existing pole sign on property zoned C-3 (general retail commercial) district at Herschel’s Restaurant, 1925 S. Loop 256 (American Bank and Trust Complex, Lot 2);

• CONSIDER an ordinance amending section 4.6 of the Zoning Use Graph category to permit a personal service establishment within the C-2 local retail commercial district;

• CONSIDER an ordinance amending the fee schedule for city services;

• CONSIDER approval of the swimming pool summer schedule;

• CONSIDER an ordinance changing the name of Sterne Ave. to Martin Luther King Blvd.;

• CONSIDER the preliminary plat of Knox Addition, Block 1, Lots 1-2;

• CONSIDER the final plat of the Knox Addition, Block 1, Lots 1-2;

• CONSIDER the final plat of the Gregg LP Addition, Block 1, Lots 1-3;

• CONSIDER the preliminary plat of the Texas Area Fund Foundation Addition, Block 1, Lot 1, and Reserve A and C, Block 2, Reserve B;

• CONSIDER an ordinance to establish a policy for granting consent to electronic billboards on state highways within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction;

• CONSIDER an ordinance revising police department composition;

• HEAR comments from councilmembers during the “Items from Council” portion of the meeting.

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Beth Foley may be contacted via e-mail at bfoley@palestineherald.com

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On the Net:

City of Palestine, http://www.cityofpalestinetx.com/