Published: August 21, 2007 02:12 pm         

Mexia City Manager tells her priorities for city

City Manager Carolyn Martin this week laid out a couple of her priorities which she hopes to attain within the near future.

Martin came in to succeed Kyle McCain with the same two priorities she talked about at the weekly Mexia Lions Club luncheon - hopefully to get much assistance from the citizenry for a cleanup, and replacement of some water and sewer lines.

Carolyn said some cases have been taken to court in efforts to effect some cleanups of “unsightly lots and/or junk.” She also said the City of Mexia is seeking some “contract mowers,” and said, “If you’re interested, contact us for $50 a lot.”

Since Limestone County helps to subsidize our ambulance service, the City Manager told her audience, “Our Mexia Ambulance Service will not bill any individual for calls, and that goes for all of Limestone County residents.” This is a new twist to paying for ambulance service, something recently adopted by the City Council. This doesn’t mean the service won’t collect from insurance agencies. It only means the citizens will not be billed for services rendered.

Concerning replacement of the water and sewer lines, Martin explained that a water line, from 10 to 12 -inch lines, is to be replaced. Other lines, including sewer lines, are also in the priority mix, and the total replacement projects will cost some $1.4 million, for which Certificates of Obligation will soon be issued. The City Manager also told about a 10-inch line replacement, for which it’s hoped that the Mexia Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will help in paying for the line. Martin said she and Tommy Tucker, Executive Director of the EDC, work closely on problems such as these.

She discussed pending projects in the planning stages by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The overpass project, which was to have begun at the outset of this summer, has been “Put on hold,” according to Martin. “This project is on hold due to paperwork’s not complete by the Union Pacific Railroad.” Hopefully, the paperwork will soon proceed, and the big project can get underway.

Martin said that TxDOT is planning to curb and gutter Bailey Street, and also must move some water lines. “The City of Mexia expense for this is to pay for engineering services on the project,” Martin explains. The Bailey Street project will be undertaken by the state, since traffic must be re-directed onto Bailey when the overpass program begins.

Asked about fate of the National Guard Armory building, Carolyn reminded that the land was given by the City of Mexia, and believes the original land clause provides for the property to revert to the city. A further query came - “If the City does get the facility, what can it be used for?” Martin indicated that due to some structure problems at City Hall, some city offices could be moved to the on East Tyler, “either temporary or fulltime.”