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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1967 CS Council Splits Over Bond Election RequestTHE BRYAN DAILY EAGLE Vol. 91 —No. 306 9 "A4V do& �.c47,901P j/� S l87F Bryan- Callega Station, Tex. Tuesday, June 27, 1967 .8 Pages 5 Cents CS Council Splits Over Bond Election 4 - 3 Vote Mayor Anderson's plan calls Tables for a bond issue to: ' Construct a city hall on property owned by the city on State Highway 6 — $200,000. 'Construct a fire station - Motion P ' headquarters on SH 6 property and purchase of The College Station City .equipment for the fire station Council split 4 -3 on Mayor D. $137,000. 'Provide funds for right -of- A. (Andy) Anderson's motion way purchase for the SH 6 for a bond election Monday eastern bypass and for an in- night, then received lectures terchange — $120,000. from local citizens on internal a provide funds for the ex- dissention. The dissention centered more tension of University Drive to on the priority given projects', State Highway No. 6 inter- change — $80,000. in the moyor's controversal five -year plan than on actual j The four major proposals will total $587,000 in bonded needs of the city. The council's vote to table indebtness to the city. In his the motion leaves the mayor's presentation, Mayor Anderson, who requested Mayor Pro -tem lengthy plan in limbo. Citizens O. M. Holt to preside during called for a public vote, but no the meeting, pointed out that action was taken. Apparently the, bonds c uld be financed the council will again consider without an ' taxes. items in the plan prior to its adopt the resolution, seconded by Council Robert R. Rhodes, was killed by a counter - motion by Councilman Homer Adams, seconded by Councilman A. P. Boyett, to table the request. The 4 -3 voice vote in favor of tabling the motion was: Yes — Adams, Boyett, B. J. Cooley and Antoino Rosprim. No— Rhodes, Anderson, Holt. Following the vote, Ander son again spoke, seeking public support for his plan which al- so includes investigating feder- al funds for purchase of city parks, a name change for the City of College Station. con- sideration of charter. amend- ments, a sewage disposal sur- vey a cultural center, and a study to seek water and elec- tricity, now purchased from the City of Bryan, at cheaper rates. HE APPARENTY won his' support as 13 citizens, out of a crowd of more than 100, spoke out in favor of placing the plan before a public vote. The citizens also chastised the council, calling for internal ) compromise. Among the speakers were former Mayor Ernest Langford who voiced total support, and former Mayor Pro -tent J. A. Orr, who requested the city at- torney to prepare a referend- um potition "to let the people vote. I will distribute it." ' (See VOTE, Page 2) Request Vote (Continued from Page 1) Orr also took aim at the four dissenting voters on the coun- cil, pointing out that "85 per cent of the people here are from A &M. The four who voted against the proposal are not from A &M and I think this should be remedied at the next election." Predominate a m o n g the citizen pleas were the requests for a new city hall, a fire sta- tion and adequate housing for the police department. ADAMS, IN answer to the criticisms, state he believed that "not all the proposals are bad." "I believe the order of im- portance is where we differ," he said in citing several pro - jects, such as the sewage dis- posal study planned for 1968- Mayor Pro -tem Holt explain- ed that the motion was not dead, but tabled until the council wishes to consider it again. He stated it would take a majority of the council to bring the issues before the gov- erning body. IT WAS also pointed out that several pf the issues, such a right -of -way purchase for the eastern bypass will be con- sidered dispite the tabling mo- tion. "We have a moral obligation to do this," Mayor Anderson added. The mayor's five year plan contains a total of 71 proposals for the City of College Station, In a prepared released, he ex- plained that the city conting- ency fund will grow from $46,- 000- $66,000 this year to $73, 0004110,000 in 1971 -72. Mayor Liservative, believes this fund ficient to accomplish ovements. pected growth was ' k � COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1967 Number 456 Couiicil Vetoes Ma Proposal Needed No Tax Increase by WINSTON GREEN Battalion Editor The College Station City Coun- cil voted at its recent meeting to delay further action on a five - year, $537,000 city improvement plan submitted by Mayor D. A. (Andy) Anderson. The 4 -3 vote before approxi- mately 125 College Station citi- zens will table the mayor's plan until the council decides to take up the issue again. According to'Anderson, the im- provernents would not involve any new taxes. "Costs of these improvements," he said, "would be financed through a 30 -year bond issue. We are sufficiently solvent to pay the annual bond premium and undertake other city improve- ments2" The mayor's Ulan called for: • Construction of a city hall on property owned by the city on State Highway 6 costing $200,000. • Construction of a fire sta- tion- police headquarters on SH 6 property and purchase of equip- ment for the fire station, costing $137,000. way for the SH 6 eastern bypass and for an interchange, costing $120,000• • Extension of university Drive (Farm to Market Highway 60) to SH 6 interchange, costing $80,000. The split vote, according, to one councilman, was not due to the entire project, but to the priority given to certain projects. Councilman Homer Adams, who voted against the plan, said "Not all of the mayor's proposals are bad. I believe the order of im- portance is. where differ." Adams pointed out several other projects, including the sewage disposal study planned for 1968 -69, as important for the city's future. Also mentioned was a plan to extend ' the lighting of South Col- lege Avenue from the Bryan city limits to University Drive. o r' s Plan The roll call vote delaying ac- tion on the mayor's plan was: For tabling — Adams, A. P. Boyett, B. J. Cooley and A. L. Rosprim. Against tabling— Robert Rhode Against tabling = Robert Rhodes, Anderson and 0. M. Holt. Immediately following the vote, Anderson spoke again, seeking public support for his plan which also included: a proposed inves- tigation of federal funds for the purchase 01; several new city parks; the changing of the name of College Station, ( "since A &M is no longer a college and the town is no longer just a station ") ; consideration of charter amend- ments, a sewage disposal survey; a cultural center; and a study to seek water and electricity at cheaper rates instead of continued purchasing of these utilities from Bryan. More than a dozen spectators were recognized by Mayor Pro - tem Holt and spoke out in favor of placing the plan before College Station citizens for a vote. They also urged the council to settle any internal conflict causing the split voting and agree upon some type of compromise plan. The majority of those who spoke, voiced strong approval for a new city hall, fire station and better police facilities.