2010-08-05
Chandler City News
August 2010 / Chandler City Council
Welcome to the first edition of the Chandler City News. Over the years the Mayor, City Council and City Administrator have tried to keep the citizens of our community informed about the City’s business. City meetings are open to everyone and have been posted at City Hall, articles have appeared in the Chandler/Brownsboro Statesman and the Tyler Paper, the City website (www.chandlertx.com) has been improved, and most recently an electronic message board was installed at City Hall. It seems that much of the City’s business goes unreported or is misinterpreted, so this is our attempt to update each of you on the “comings and goings” of Chandler.
A city is like a bicycle wheel with many spokes that hold it together and keep it rolling smoothly. The many “spokes” of a city include water, sewer, streets, fire, police, municipal court, library, parks and recreation, maintenance, planning and zoning, and economic development. All of these departments and boards are held to a high standard of serving our citizens, and are each being examined and improved as we take Chandler into the next 20 years.
WATER: The City contracted with an engineering firm to conduct a water, sewer and land study that would help us plan for Chandler’s future. That study was completed in December 2009 and presented to the Council in January. The City of Chandler has a Superior rated water system. Recent improvements to the water system have included a larger water tower installed near the elementary school, extension of some water lines, a water well completed on the east end of Hwy 31, and a new water well at Sportsman’s Paradise which is nearing completion.
SEWER: The recent water, sewer and land study included two items with a high priority that the City Council recently voted to address. Modifications to the wastewater treatment facility are a must because the plant’s one clarifier “is a disaster waiting to happen”, according to the engineering study. The sewer plant was put into service in 1998 and was built with one clarifier that has operated 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, for over twelve years. Although the equipment is maintained daily, there are parts of the structure and machinery that are under water and cannot be repaired without shutting down and draining the clarifier. If the clarifier were stop working, it would “cause an excursion of the discharge permit parameters which could result in fines from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality” (in other words, we would have to stop flushing our toilets so the sewer plant does not overflow). The Council has recommended that a new clarifier be purchased and installed for the quickest “down time” of the plant. The existing clarifier would then be rehabilitated, which could take months, and be used as a “back up”. The cost of the new clarifier and the rehabilitation of the existing clarifier would be approx. $575,000.
Another high priority item from the study that the Council has recommended is the total replacement of Lift Station #4 on Noonday Rd. The City is currently experiencing odor problems at the existing lift station. After a thorough evaluation, the engineering firm has determined that due to the lift station’s deteriorated state, it would be most efficient and practical for today’s needs and the future, to totally rebuild it at a cost of approx. $108,500. The highest priority clarifier and lift station improvements would cost a total of $616,500.
After reviewing the rest of the engineering firm’s recommendations, and determining that the City would save money by having most of the improvements completed at the same time, the Council agreed to include additional needed work at the wastewater treatment plant. The plant is currently permitted for a discharge of 500,000 gallons per day. Raising the walls of the oxidation ditch 2 ½ feet would result in a capacity increase to 750,000 gallons per day which should satisfy the City’s needs for the next 20 years. Raising the ditch, building a new chlorine contact chamber, reconfiguring yard piping, replacing sludge pumps, aerators and blowers, building a new dump station, replacing the electrical system, cleaning the lagoon, purchasing a generator, and improving the road at the plant would cost an additional approx. $608,000, bringing the total cost of updating to approx. $1,224,500. The Council feels like these projects are vital and voted to pledge Certificates of Obligation of up to $1,300,000 which includes the costs associated with issuing the bonds (attorney’s fees, underwriting, etc.).
STREETS: The City has completed over $1,000,000 of street improvements over the last few years. Certificates of Obligation were also used in that project. Major roads have been widened, some have been rebuilt, and others have been seal coated. Maintenance crews will continue to be vigilant in cleaning ditches, mowing easements and repairing problem areas.
POLICE: We have a fully-staffed Police Department that includes our Police Chief, 7 officers, and 1 reserve officer that work around the clock to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe. The department has several vehicles that have been purchased within the last year and has recently received radio equipment that helps them to better communicate with the Fire Department and Henderson County Sheriff’s Department.
FIRE: Chandler has an outstanding all volunteer Fire Department that is primarily funded with private donations. The City provides $2,500 per month towards the department’s expenses. These volunteers’ hard work and commitment has resulted in an ISO rating that allows the property owners in our community to have lower insurance rates. They’re always looking for new recruits!
LIBRARY: The Chandler Library has been a part of the Henderson County library system since its early days. The County has requested that all branch libraries become “stand alone” institutions, so that all of the libraries in Henderson County can better qualify for grants. The City is in the process of making the library one of its departments and currently provides $700 per month towards it’s expenses, but the County will still subsidize it by making a yearly $18,000 donation. City Fest was a great success as it raised $12,000 to help build a museum to house many items from Chandler’s history that are currently housed at the library. It has not been determined if the museum will be an addition to the current library or a stand-alone building.
PARKS & RECREATION: There are approx. 700 boys and girls playing ball at Winchester Park. With the lighting of Field 4 and the expansion of the concession stand, our community is now able to qualify to host state tournaments which will generate sales dollars in our City. During the annual Pow Wow, the events overflow onto the McCurley property that abuts the east side of the park. In the Fall of 2009 this property was offered for sale. The Council negotiated with the McCurleys and purchased the 27 acre tract with a home and multiple metal outbuildings for $585,000. This transaction allows for the expansion of our park, gives the City space for a new community center, and provides much needed storage space for our maintenance equipment. A Winchester Park Master Plan was recently completed that showed additional parking, walking trails, a water feature, disc golf course, skate park, another ball field, a large pavilion with restrooms, a water spray ground, and room for a community center and possibly a new City Hall. Hopefully you attended one of the town hall meetings and provided your input. Parks & Recreation grants will be applied for, and the City can use the cost of the new land as “matching funds”. The City may be able to qualify for up to $750,000 in grant money. Also, new playground equipment was recently installed for the younger children next to the pavilion.
OTHER NEWS: The City recently received a $23,000 grant that was used to resurface the roof of City Hall, making it more energy efficient. Another grant for $20,000 was just received for the purchase of a chipper/shredder. This equipment can be used to aid with storm damage, clearing right-of-ways, maintaining our parks, etc. The City has been diligent to seek opportunities for grants, thus saving the citizens money.
The Chandler website at www.chandlertx.com has recently been updated. There is a community calendar to keep you up to date with City meetings and their agendas. The City’s recently revised ordinances are posted on the website, as well as the budget, election information and a link to the Chamber of Commerce. If you’re not already signed up for Code Red, the City’s emergency alert system that calls your telephone with information, then you can do so through the website or by calling City Hall at (903) 849-6853. We hope to eventually have our citizens “checking the web” for updates and this newsletter. The City recently hired TEEX (from Texas A&M) to put together a community profile of Chandler that can be used to encourage new businesses to come to our area…it’s also posted on the website, please take a few minutes to read it.
Hopefully this bit of information explains some of the many happenings in our wonderful community. Thank you to the many citizens that serve on boards and volunteer their time, and to our wonderful group of City employees that go “above and beyond” planning City events, keeping Chandler safe and looking nice.
