911 addressing halted
Council wants to determine why there are so many errors
BY GLORIA JENNINGS

Rural addressing was the major item of discussion at the Thursday evening Rusk City Council meeting. Lee Flowers, chief appraiser at the Cherokee County Appraisal District office, met with the council to discuss the 911 rural addressing system now underway. The CCAD has been in the process of compiling 911 addresses but the project was put on hold recently by the city after a number of complaints was received.

City Manager Mike Murray explained, "When we first contracted with the appraisal district office I didn't think it was to change all addresses. Now we have half of the addresses changed and others not changed. Most major cities have not changed their numbers and there is no magic numbering system. Lee and I have tried to work it out together."

"I talked with Lee and he said they were about 100 percent completed. The post office told me they were using 60 percent of the new numbers," Councilman Sam Florian said.

Rusk businessman, Austin Young, appeared before the council concerning the address at his new State Farm office on North Main Street. "In September I was assigned an address of 400 N. Main. I questioned this and was assured that this would be my address. I ordered everything for the new office, all of my marketing materials and the policy holders have changed addresses. This has cost several thousands of dollars and if I have to re-issue everyone's policy it will cost more," he said.

"I want the council to understand this is a high dollar expense and will cost me substantial money," he continued.

Councilman Kris Morgan said, "I have spoken to Austin and other businesses and I do not know what the answer should be. Some said they did not want to change."

Councilman Donald Woodard said he had talked with one bank that had ordered new stationery with their new address. "What is the law?" he asked.

Mayor Suzann McCarty said there is no law.

"When we were presented the 911 address three years ago, we were led to believe this was a state requirement. Also, we were told it would take a year and a little over. When we sent out the mailings for the Rusk High School Alumni Association, a lot of them were returned because we had used a route and box number. And this has taken three years and we aren't through yet," Mr. Woodard said.

"When we first took over we contracted with the county for those areas outside the municipalities. They couldn't get service without 911 addresses. We sent letters offering our service to all cities including Jacksonville. We did not come to you saying you must change. There was no impression that addresses would stay the same," Mr. Flowers said.

"Gallatin's addresses would not match up when we took them over. There was never a mind-set that everything would stay the same," Mr. Flowers continued.

"Probably there are close to 1,180 addresses in the system and I am estimating that there are 200-400 addresses left to go. Thirteen streets in Rusk have not been touched with 32 residences on those 13 streets. Our problem is that the post office sends notices to those with new addresses asking them to call the CCAD. However, some of them do not call CCAD and their address is not changed," Mr. Flowers said.

"We have been shut down with Rusk since November. Hopefully if we start back we can be finished in a month's time," Mr. Flowers said.

Mr. Florian reported at the meeting that a couple put in a business in the 1200 block of N. Main Street and was told their address would be 555. Their child fell. They called 911 with the 555 N. Main address and the ambulance could not find them. The ambulance crew went to J&J Jewelry and never found the child. Luckily the child was fine."

"You are trying to do this piece mill. Let's get it all renumbered and then change," Mr. Woodard said.

Police Chief Ronnie Miller said, "City Hall is 408 N. Main with the old system. Now there is another 400 N. Main. This can cause problems. On the mayor's street, one side has 300 numbers and the other side has 700 numbers. I liked the old numbering system."

Fire Chief Wayne Morgan said, "You need to make a decision and tell us."

The council voted to table the matter until the next meeting.

Following the meeting Mr. Flowers told the Cherokeean Herald, "Several points were brought up for discussion at the meeting. One of those points, the scattered numbering evident in the city, was of paramount concern to me.

"In retrospect, I can see the confusion generated by not implementing the posting of addresses at one time. However, I do know that we have been under constant pressure form the state and the East Texas Council of Governments to address all of Cherokee County, outside the City of Jacksonville. We have tackled the task with limited resources and persevered through staff turnover.

"Absolutely at no time did anyone from the city communicate a concern about emergency response to addresses being partly implemented on the street. If someone had communicated this problem to me, we would have taken steps to try and remediate the problem.

"In late 2003, the city took action to have the appraisal district take over their 911 addressing effective Jan. 1, 2004. At no time did the city direct or suggest to my office that addressing should be done in any set manner, nor did I ever insinuate to the city that addresses would remain the same.

"After a long three years, we have addressed more than 1,150 locations and are now within 200-400 addresses of completing the city, all while continuing the addressing of every citizen who has called in for a number and also while continuing to address each postal route in the county. Several citizens in Rusk have already switched their address as have several businesses. Even thought the new 911 addresses do not follow the traditional city block method, they are logical and sequential and will easily allow persons to locate property."

In another matter, Penny Reynolds, president of the Rusk Chamber of Commerce, asked and secured permission for the chamber to apply for a Texas Yes Program grant through the Texas Department of Agriculture to help with expenses of the Rusk Fair on the Square.

A city election was called for May 12 for the selection of a mayor and two councilmembers for districts 1 and 2.

Approved were salary adjustments of $550 increase annually for each of two firemen and $2,250 for the utility clerk.

The council approved the expenditure of $4,900 for the purchase of equipment for new police cars and use of force training. Also, the council approved the expenditure of $3,861 for the purchase of two computers, a laptop and new wiring for the police station and municipal court office.

The next regular council meeting will be 5 p.m. Thursday, March 8 at city hall.

Attending the meeting were Mayor McCarty; Councilmembers Morgan, Walter Session, Don Jones, Woodard and Florian; City Manager Murray and City Secretary Fran Wendeborn.