Quitman council OKs interim contract for city administrator

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 3/23/23

The Quitman City Council met in executive session and took action concerning City Administrator Rodney Kieke. Kieke participated in the Thursday night meeting remotely.

Keike will serve under an …

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Quitman council OKs interim contract for city administrator

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The Quitman City Council met in executive session and took action concerning City Administrator Rodney Kieke. Kieke participated in the Thursday night meeting remotely.

Keike will serve under an interim contract for $3,200 per month, basically a part-time schedule, for an undetermined time depending on when new City Administrator James Attaway is ready to perform the duties, Mayor Randy Dunn explained.

Keike and Attaway are on a weekly call for training purposes.

Attaway will be the new city administrator later this spring after his retirement from the U.S. Army. Kieke lives in Galveston but has been returning to Quitman to handle city business until Attaway is ready to take over.

Dunn also provided a statement on the possibility of the city taking over the Origin Bank facility and housing departments under one roof.

There has been no official action taken.

Origin Bank has offered the current building to the city as they plan on building a new structure in the area between the current facility and Scott’s Pharmacy. 

“Before we do anything with properties we will spend a lot of time discussing before deciding anything,” Dunn said. “The square footage of the building is equal to the police department, library and city hall combined. That’s just an example as to how big the building is. There will be community meetings and a lot of discussions before we make a final decision. There has not been a decision and there won’t be a decision made without input.”

The council was given a presentation concerning the Memory Health Life Center by Dunn, Annette Simpkins and Darrell Slabaugh.

Dunn said he was doing the presentation as a citizen and not as mayor. The presentation was given earlier last week at a Quitman Development Corporation meeting.

“We will be making this presentation to other groups including city councils, county, school districts and local service clubs throughout Wood County,” Dunn noted.

“This complex and program of care will address the critical need in Texas and will serve as a home place for 54 residents at the facility. The center will become a national model for innovative brain care health,” Dunn added. “Regional poverty and lack of access make northeast Texas one of the most medically underserved areas in the country. Medical students and others will train here to learn novel approaches to dementia care and treatment. Education will be provided to all levels of healthcare workers from physicians to certified nursing assistants to nurses, medical technicians and even first responders.”

The council approved the city’s participation in Sourcewell, a purchasing cooperative. The council approved the purchase of a new backhoe from Doggett of Tyler for $146,205 using Sourcewell.

Two ordinances were amended and approved by the council. One was concerning animal regulations and the other establishing maintenance funds and other special funds. 

City Attorney Jim McLeroy said the 24-page document tracks most of the state animal regulations.

“We can’t make our ordinance less restrictive than state restrictions, but we can make it a little more restrictive than state law,” he said. “People aren’t going to be able to put dogs out on chains or out on tethers and just leave them. In order to maintain animals, you have to keep them inside, keep on a leash or keep them in a fence. Hopefully it will solve some issues we have and with enforcement in this last year.”

In Fire Chief Scott Wheeler’s February activity report, the local volunteer department answered 44 calls with 12 in the city and 32 outside the city. They were not assisted by other fire departments in February. To date, the department has answered 106 calls, an increase over the 84 calls at this time last year. 

The next city council meeting will be April 20 at 6 p.m. at the Quitman Public Library Community Room.