Tax rate drops, water rates rise

Members of the Rusk City Council made plans Thursday evening to lower the city's tax rate from 48.96 cents per $100 valuation to 48.5 cents, almost half a cent. A hearing on the new tax rate will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Amount for the proposed new budget has not been determined.

The council instructed city manager Mike Murray to "sharpen your pencil and begin cutting items. Members said they would be willing to consider a 4 percent utility increase.

Mr. Murray has proposed raising water and sewer rates 75 cents each per month and adding another nickle each per thousand gallons used.

Average increase per household will be $1.80 per month.

Garbage rates are anticipated to increase. Representatives from Allied Waste will be invited to attend the next council meeting. A proposal has been made that the company will either go to one day a week pickup with a slight hike in charges or increase customer costs from $9 to $16 per month. If the new price is approved the company will provide a large trash container for each household.

Councilman Sam Florian said the containers seem to be heavy enough that a large dog cannot overturn them.

Members of the council were given garbage containers to try.

The budget will include the cost of new software designed for cities. "This is the same system as is used by other East Texas towns," Mr. Murray said. Jacksonville, Henderson and Carthage are among those using the new software.

In another matter the council agreed to start meeting on Tuesday evenings rather than Thursdays. Meeting time will continue to be at 5 p.m.

The tax rate hearing will be Sept. 16 and a budget workshop is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Bob Goldsberry was reappointed to the Texas State Railroad Operating Authority. Others members of the authority from Rusk are Marie Whitehead and Charles Hassell.

The council discussed approval of a proposed addendum to the purchase and sale agreement with American Heritage Railways. Mineral rights on property owned by the city at Texas State Railroad were not discussed in full in the original deed, but both parties had agreed that the minerals belonged to the city. The council agreed they wanted to retain mineral rights and surface drilling rights.

A public hearing was held to change the zoning for 1.188 acres' north 338.33 feet of Tract 45, Block 1115 in the John Hundley Survey. Zoning for the front portion of the lot, now owned by Norma Daniel, located at 808 East Copeland, was changed from residential one family to B-2 general business. The remaining 0.932 acre will remain residential.

"Water is leaking at the spillway at the Rusk City Lake," Mr. Murray said.

Mr. Florian and Councilman Don Jones visited the lake and agreed that water is leaking from the seams of the concrete spillway. The city engineer will look at the leak and report back to the city manager.

Work at the civic center is on schedule. The generator for well 5 was to be delivered last week. Completion of well 6 is almost finished, Mr. Murray said.

The city took its $75,000 matching funds for a water tank grant from a certificate of deposit. Mr. Murray said the city has saved 200 gallons of gasoline by going to the four day a week work week.

Report from Texas State Railroad revealed that 52,000 persons had ridden the train thus far this year. Anticipated ridership in October is 15,000 and 20,000 for November and December.