Rumors

After answering questions about runoffs, water meter charges, water rates, taxes and various and sundry other issues, I felt that I should address some of these concerns, so here goes.....

Q. When will we have the runoff election?
A. There is no reason to have a runoff election. Texas election law only requires a plurality (one vote more than any other candidate) unless another law states otherwise.
see Texas Election Code § 2.001

Q. I heard that the reason that there was not a recount was because the City shredded the ballots.
A. Following Texas election protocol, the ballots are locked in the ballot box by the election judge the night of the election. Once the recount window has passed, ballots remain in the ballot box where they will be kept until the next election, at which time they are destroyed.

Q. Why did XXXXX not have to pay the $250.00 tap charge to have their water meter installed?
A. Unfortunately, these types of rumors where "certain" people are not charged the same as the other citizens are part and parcel of small town living. As your Mayor, I have verified that everyone who gets new water service (new construction, no water meter on property, etc.) pays a $250.00 tap charge without exception.

Q. Someone said that water bills were going to go up to $60.00 per month!
A. Though the City will probably have to adjust water rates and there is the possibility that taxes will be raised, these changes will not be drastic or excessive. It's important that we all understand such increases are necessary in order for the City to be able to improve streets and roads and other maintenance and improvement projects that benefit the City and the surrounding area. Projects such as:

• Plans to have Santa Fe and Main Street to the City Hall hot topped. The cost of hot topping is approximately $15,000 per 20 foot wide section of street one mile long. We have approximately 8 miles of paved streets that need to be hot topped. The cost of that will be about $110,000 dollars to do it all at once. We must hot top in sections which will be a five to six year plan, depending on winters and damage to our main thoroughfares.
  
• The purchase of a small maintainer (used price $20,000 to $30,000) to allow the City to clean ditches and keep our dirt streets in decent shape. There will need to be culverts added to some properties allowing some people to access their driveways. Though the City is not obligated to purchase culverts, we will be glad to help install them. We are always on the look-out for used sections of culvert and will add you to the list if you will drop me an email.

Q. Why can the City not get a grocery store in Anton?
A. We have talked with several grocery chains and they all have the same concerns. There are not enough consumers in and around Anton to make a store a break-even venture, much less a profitable one.

• Once we start attracting people from Lubbock and outlying areas, our consumer base will grow. The revitalization process is a long, slow undertaking.
  
• We must first make the City an appealing place for people to chose as their home. Streets, pot holes, alleys, and yards are a great start but we must all look at other things such as trees and bushes blocking signs, hanging low over streets, junk cars, and other items that the City has little recourse but to cite, charge, and collect for, unfortunately.
  

As concerns and rumors pop up, I will answer the ones with mass appeal here and I will not mention names - only the basic situation. I am approachable, as most of you know - do not be afraid to ask me questions or send me questions via email.
Karl
mayor@cityofanton.org