Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Tax revenue down in Gurdon

Gurdon City Mayor Clayton Franklin reported most departments being right on budget with 85 percent of the budget expended year to date.

"Good job on the budget guys," said Franklin.

However, tax revenue in the town is down, therefore making the projected tax revenue fall short from what the city was expecting. Franklin said the loss could put a squeeze on the city.

"We will meet with the department heads in December to see what we can do," he said.

Ben Williams with the Gurdon Water Department reported no problems with the city's water.

Williams and one other employee from the department recently attended a special training session in Austin, Texas. The session training included how to respond to terrorists attacks and pranks that could occur with a city's water system. Williams reported the session being informative.

Fire Chief Jake McBride reported several abandoned houses being burned and said the fire department had four more to go when the wind dies down.

Jimmy Caldwell with the Gurdon Street Department said he and his crew already had the four houses piled up and ready to burn.

However, Caldwell said, "If it keeps raining we may have to wait until Spring to burn them."

The Rose Hill Cemetery will be receiving a new fence this week. It was reported that David Turner with Turner Fencing planned to start on the fence first thing Tuesday morning.

Gurdon's Animal Control Officer, Carroll Martin, was not present at Monday nights meeting. Martin was to enter the hospital on Tuesday morning for surgery on an aneurysm near his aorta. Franklin said he expected Martin to off work for quite awhile.

Franklin thanked Henry Bell and Austin Capps for "feeding" the city's employees recently. Bell said, "It was our pleasure, we wanted to show our appreciation."

The council approved an ordinance on the discharge of fireworks within city limits.

The ordinance read: It shall be unlawful to set off, fire or explode any firecrackers, torpedoes, or fireworks of any kind whatever, within the fire district of the city, as the same may be now or hereafter defined, after 10 p.m. with the exception of New Year's Eve when the times shall be extended to 1 a.m. provided the Mayor may grant permits for public displays of fireworks within the City which shall be in writing and limited to the place and period of time designated on the permit;

Hereafter the sale and use of fireworks in the City shall be limited to two (2) holidays per year; New Year's and the 4th of July;

Hereafter the sale and use of fireworks shall be for one week for each two (2) aforementioned holidays. The time frame shall be from Saturday through Friday for the week in which the holiday falls.

The sale or use of bottle rockets shall be banned in the City.

Any person violating any section of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined any sum not exceeding $200.

The council also passed two ordinances approving the millage. These ordinances must be passed each year although they have not changed from previous years.

City Recorder/Treasurer Tambra Smith read the Nuisance Ordinance by title only. The ordinance was read in it's entirety at last month's council meeting.

Franklin said he wanted to give the citizens at least three times to hear the ordinance and voice their opinion on it before it was approved.

As the council moved on to new business Mayor Franklin called for Stephen Satterwhite to address the council. Satterwhite had asked to be placed on the agenda to discuss the Gurdon Police Department. However, Satterwhite was unable to attend.

Frank Plasek had also requested being placed on the agenda to discuss his recent termination.

Plasek said, "I would like to thank the city council for allowing me to speak about my recent termination as a certified police officer."

Plasek said during his time as an officer he had exhibited he was honest and trustworthy and had nothing but the best interest in mind for the town.

He also said he did not feel he had done any wrong doing to justify his termination and felt any evidence of wrongdoing should be investigated.

"I have done nothing to deserve this," said Plasek, "although I was told that I had no rights. I have no plans to turn this meeting into a war of words, instead of doing this I formally request that this matter be given the utmost attention by the city council."

Plasek said he felt if the council was fully informed they would decide to let the citizens of Gurdon vote on a revised form of government structure that would prevent an episode like his from happening again.

"In response to your statement Frank, I appreciate it number one; however there is a procedure established by the city that you go through when you want to dispute a termination. The procedure is you must go to the personnel committee. This committee was set into action by the administration before me," said Franklin.

"The personnel committee then makes a decision to whether the termination was unjust or not. Then if you are not satisfied with the decision you can petition the city council. As of right now though, the council's hands are tied; the first thing you need to do though is go through the committee. You can contact Donna or Tambra to set up a time at your convenience when you can meet with the committee."

Plasek then sat back down as William Terrell was recognized to speak. Terrell had requested to be placed on the agenda to discuss the city's personnel committee in which he had some concerns about.

Terrel said he was concerned about some of the members of committee being biased or having a conflict of interest and was wondering if the city council would look at the resolution and revise it.

"It needs to be revised," said Terrell.

Franklin said, "In defense of the personnel committee, it is made up of the department heads. The committee is in charge of hiring not firing. It is good to have everyone in on hiring when you have to work together. You certainly wouldn't want to blindly hire anyone. That is the committee's main function. It has some good points and bad points. You need to take this to committee and I believe there are good people on the committee and well I believe they are all good therefore I suggest you take this issue to the committee first."