CITY OF RUSK
Girl Scouts to renovate Butler Park
BY GLORIA JENNINGS

Rusk Junior Girl Scout Troop 139 will clean and renovate Butler Park in Rusk. Members of the troop are working to earn their Bronze Star Award.

They will clean the park, build birdhouses, plant flowers and repair benches and tables at the park. They anticipate finishing their work in approximately six months.

The girls met with the council at its Thursday evening meeting.

During the regular council meeting, members approved board members for the 4B Economic Development Board to take office after the new corporation is approved by the state.

Members of the new board will include the existing five 4A members, Charles Hassell, Lewie Byers, Maxine Session, Bobby Tosh and Todd Foxworth and new members Ike Frazer and Austin Young.

A resolution authorizes the city to file a grant application with East Texas Council of Governments for a Regional Solid Waste Grant Program. The city is seeking funds to pay for a wood chipper. Grant funds will total $25,000-$30,000.

On the request of Texas Municipal League personnel, the council adopted a resolution requesting East Texas Medical Center to consider contracting with United Health Care Options PPO to allow network access through TML Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool.

City employees are currently able to use the rural ETMC facilities without a penalty until July 1.

An ordinance was approved at the meeting to regulate the production of films. Bob Goldsberry, executive director of the

Rusk chamber of commerce, explained that this has already been done by the City of Palestine.

"It will be a tool to get on the list for the movies through the Texas Film Commission. After the city adopts the ordinance, Rusk will be entered on a list of cities with ordinances already in place. This will just speed up the process of getting filming companies to come to Rusk," Mr. Goldsberry said.

During the city manager's report, Mike Murray, expressed his appreciation to ETMC for re-opening the emergency center.

"This was one of Chief (Wayne) Morgan's concerns. With the emergency medical services in place, the city becomes much more attractive to new residents and businesses."

The council heard an update on work on the new water well. It is progressing normally and good water has been located at 450 feet.