Mayor vetoes readdressing ordinance; council to override

Mayor Joe B. McNeal placed a bright red veto stamp last week on a proposal to readdress a limited number of homes and businesses in the city.

At last week's regularly-scheduled city council meeting, the Electronic-911 Readdressing Ordinance was read for the third and final time and subsequently approved by council members.

City Attorney Jay Friedly confirmed that Mayor Joe B. McNeal had until the next council meeting to veto the ordinance if he so desired.

If he did, the council could bring the issue back to the table and override his veto during that same meeting.

McNeal wasted little time last week when he formally vetoed the E-911 Ordinance in his office on Thursday.

McNeal stamped a copy of the ordinance in red ink, saying, "I am vetoing this ordinance because I don't believe it to be in the best interest of the people."

"I don't think it will be used for the purpose that is intended."

It is expected that council members will override McNeal's veto at the next meeting at which time the ordinance will become law and an effective date will be given.

The ordinace was prepared and approved by council in response to requests by the county and the E-911 Committee to change a limited number of addresses for homes and businesses which the two groups felt were confusing for police, fire and ambulance crews trying to respond to emergencies at those locations.

The ordinance, however, was somewhat open ended, giving the council the authority "by resolutions duly enacted, to assign numbers to houses and buildings on any street or public way or change street names within the city that are not consistent with the city's current uniform system of street naming and numbering.... when there is a need to do so in the interest of public safety."

In other council news:

* A finalized copy of the city's long-awaited Urban Renewal Plan was presented to council and a public hearing was held, to which no citizens came before the council and gave input.

The plan, which can be obtained at city hall, was read all three times and approved by the council.

* Near the beginning of the meeting McNeal had a remark concerning page two of the minutes of the special city council meeting held on July 17 at American Legion Hall.

In those minutes it was printed that, "A quorum was established with Mayor McNeal being excused." McNeal wished to point out that, "Mayor McNeal wasn't excused. Mayor McNeal wasn't invited to that meeting."

After the minutes were accepted, Councilman Richard Urquidi wished to add something before moving on to the next item on the agenda, when he asked McNeal if he knew about the special meeting.

"I sure did," replied McNeal.

"And you're certainly welcome to come to any meeting the council has," said Urquidi.

McNeal indicated that council set the meeting without first checking with him to see if his schedule was free. He apparently had a scheduling conflict.

"But you're still welcome there so it wasn't like you weren't invited," Urquidi responded. "I just want that for the record."

"Here, here, Richard," Councilman Tom Rist said. "Thank you," Councilwoman Alain Isaac added.

McNeal asked if anyone invited him to the council meeting.

"Well, I don't think we have to invite you to a council meeting Mr. Mayor," Urquidi said.

"Well, I think if the council holds a special council meeting the mayor should either be involved in when it is set up so he can attend, or he's not invited," said McNeal.

Isaac reminded McNeal that notification of the meeting was given to the mayor prior to the date of the meeting.

"So would you rather it be unexcused or excused?" Urquidi asked.

"Who excused me?" McNeal fired back.

"Well, you did when you didn't show up," Urquidi responded.

At that point Council President Mark Russell wished to ask a question.

"I would just like to ask a question of the council. How many members of the council here received a personal invitation to this meeting here tonight?"

Both Rist and Isaac said they had not.

"What's your point, Mr. President?" McNeal asked Russell.

"My point is none of us receive personal invitations to any of these meetings," Russell replied. "The procedure is simply to provide notice to council members and the mayor to attend."

McNeal said he would not argue the point. "No one excused me from that meeting because no one invited me to it."

"They received the same notification as you did," said Russell.

"You are always invited, that's just my point," Urquidi said before the meeting moved forward.

* A notice of a public hearing to discuss the proposed budget for the 2007 fiscal year was given and a tentative budget was approved by council members. This public hearing will be held in council chambers at city hall August 14 at 6 p.m.

All members of the public are encouraged to attend. Copies of the proposed FY07 City Budget are available at city hall.

* McNeal was forced to break a tie concerning the city's sign ordinance after the council deadlocked 2-2 on the issue.

The planning and zoning commission made a recommendation to deny a proposed variance to the ordinance to allow Lamar Outdoor Advertising to put up a new advertising sign on Sunset Highway.

Both Russell and Rist voted to approve P & Z's recommendation and to leave the city's sign ordinance untouched. Isaac and Urquidi voted not to approve the recommendation.

As did McNeal. Therefore, a variance to the sign was approved but conclusions of law concerning the issue could not be agreed upon by council members.

* Friedly gave council members a water right transfer update in which he asked them if they want to be involved and how involved they wish to become in the process.

He also informed them that a formal hearing has not yet been set to discuss the proposed water right transfer that was opposed by several community members in the past several months.

It was decided that at least two members of the council would sit down with all concerned parties and become more involved in the proceedings.

* Finally, council members grilled Fire Chief Phil Gridley about his recent hole-in-one at Desert Canyon Golf Course.

According to Gridley, and witness Bud Light, the shot came on the par-three, 170-yard 14th hole.

When asked about the club he selected, Gridley replied, "I had a six iron in my hand and then my partner (Light) handed me a nine wood."

"Next thing I know it was on the green and in the hole."

No other witnesses were available for comment.

* The next chance to catch the city council in action is July 14, when it hosts its next regularly-scheduled meeting at city hall.

Doors open at 6 p.m.