City attorney quiets Bertram councilman’s copies spat
BERTRAM — If you want copies of official documents from City Hall, be prepared to pony up — even if you’re serving on the City Council.
That was the ruling by City Attorney Barney Knight at Tuesday’s council meeting, putting to rest a political dustup started when Mayor Pro-tem L.O. Pogue Feb. 9 moved to make copies of public documents free to council members.
Pogue said he was hit with more than $300 in fees by City Secretary Polly Krenek after he requested several open-records requests related to overtime hours for Kreneck and another employee.
“Ordinances of the city of Bertram should be readily available to members of the city council upon his or her request so they can better serve the citizens of Bertram,” Pogue said Feb. 9.
However, Knight said local statues are clear on the issue, adding Krenek does not have the authority to waive such fees — unless the city changes its rules.
“If it is city business, generally, process and procedures are controlled by the city council, unless they conflict with state law,” Knight said.
Other councils have adopted ordinances to limit a council member to a certain number of copies at public expense before the member must pay for copies out of their own pocket, he added.
No complaint was heard from council members after Knight offered his opinion. The fee controversy erupted last month when Pogue and Mayor JoAnn Stephens held a heated discussion on the matter. The issue was later tabled.
Turning to another matter, the council decided to pursue funding for the future extension of a left-turn lane along Texas 29 to Castleberry Court, an area where an accident cost several lives months ago.
However, the Texas Department of Transportation estimates the extension will cost about $210,000, and Councilman Mike Richardson Jr. said the city does not have the money.
“That is a bunch of money — no doubt about it,” Richardson said.
Nevertheless, the extension is needed to improve traffic safety in the area, where an automobile accident claimed the lives of four people earlier, Richardson added.
“I really think we should pursue spending this money,” Richardson said. “I just know it has to be done. I would rather not wait until more people die.”
The council told Krenek to locate possible funding for the extension through grants, loans or other means.
Also related to roads, TxDOT engineers Louis Hernandez and Marisabel Ramthun told council members the department plans to extend the road from Henna Street to 29 later this year.
Construction of the extension will begin in June and last to the end of the year. Also, a new drainage culvert will be constructed near the 29 and Henna intersection, Ramthun said.
TxDOT will close part of Vaughan Street east of Henna, and barricades will detour traffic from Vaughan to East Street to 29 for about two weeks during the construction, Hernandez said.
In other business, the council approved the permit application Bertram residents must complete before they can participate in the residents-only bulk trash cleanup set for April 17 at the Bertram recycling center.
“The permit will be absolutely free,” Utilities Superintendent Charles Shell said. “We just have to know what we are looking at.”
Permit applications will be accepted 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at City Hall, 166 Vaughan St. until April 16, he added.