ALTO CITY COUNCIL
Gas customer demands deposit refund
BY LELAND ACKER

Kathleen Ewing wants her money back. Having moved to Wells in March 2007, paid a $250 gas deposit to the City of Alto and having been on-time and faithful in her payment history, Ms. Ewing told council members during Monday's regular city council meeting that she thought a system should be in place to refund her deposit.

"I'm on disability," she said. "The deposit is one-fifth of my monthly income. Most places refund the deposit after a year."

Ms. Ewing told the council that she has lived in 13 places in four states over the past 30 years.

"This is the first place that does not give you your deposit back after a year," she said. "It just isn't fair. You're holding people's money hostage."

"It's called, 'float,'" Councilman Monty Collins said. "We're making money on it."

"There's no reason things can't be changed," Ms. Ewing said.

"I don't think it will be changed anytime soon," Councilman Earl Clark said.

"The railroad commission told me they can get involved if there are enough complaints about service issues," Ms. Ewing said.

"I feel for you, but my arm's not long enough to reach you," Councilman Clark replied. "I'm in the same boat you are in. I paid my deposit in 2001."

"We should take this up for consideration," Councilman Collins said. "What is right is right."

The council tabled the issue until a later date.

The council also heard a report from Allen Ross, who updated the council on woes with the city's gas lines in Wells and on Edwards Loop near Pollok. Edwards Loop which washed out during recent rainfall, pushing a wooden retaining wall into a gas line owned by the city.

Angelina County Commissioner Rick Harrison had asked the city to consider lowering the line, but the cost of such a project resulted in Mayor Pro Tem Annie Walker telling him that would not be an option.

Mr. Harrison asked for Alto city employees to be on hand when

Angelina County makes repairs to the road, Mr. Ross said.

The council was in agreement.

Mr. Ross told the council that relocating gas lines in Wells for the U.S. Highway 69 expansion project will not be possible until the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) purchases the rights-of-way for the project, a process that has been halted due to TxDOT's funding woes.

The council heard a report from Jeannie Curtis regarding leniency on charging water and gas customers $100 reconnection fees after their accounts lapsed.

Ms. Curtis said such practices caused undue workloads on office staff and utilities personnel.

The council voted to enforce the policy that prohibits office staff from extending leniency to customers who do not get their payments in by the 25th of every month.

During public forum, Councilman Collins proposed fining unlicensed street venders, including drug dealers.

"The City of Phoenix does this," he said.

City Judge R. E. Christiansen said he would investigate to see if this is a viable option for Alto.

Councilman Collins said he would research Lufkin's water retention program to see if it is viable for Alto.

Other business

In other action, the council approved the final revisions to the mobile home ordinance.

The revisions are the result of state legislation allowing residents to replace older mobile homes with newer manufactured homes.

The council accepted the resignation of court clerk Sheila Lea, added court clerk duties to Ms. Curtis, with a $1 per hour raise for six months, followed by another $1 per hour raise after six months.

The council voted to add Hattie Hamilton's name to the bank accounts. Ms. Hamilton is the new city secretary.

The council voted to begin collecting signatures to call for a halfcent sales tax election, approved the animal control ordinance, employee handbook revisions and named Councilmen Kenneth Brethouwer and Collins to the city's audit committee.

Councilmen Robert Pearman, Brethouwer, Clark and Collins, Mayor Pro Tem Walker and Ms. Hamilton attended the meeting.