4th St. next to the tennis couts with its flood ruined pavement and speed bump
(This post has corrections.)
Mertzon Mayor Bill Taylor took some parting shots at his next to last council meeting on April 17, 2023. The topic on the agenda was speed bumps, but it turned out to be about much more.
This combined audio clip of Superintendent DeSpain's update to the school board on speed bumps and the City Council's discussion on whether to allow ICISD to put speed bumps around the school on city streets underscores the tensions between Irion County, Irion County ISD and the City of Mertzon. The timing of it all was nothing short of extraordinary because the School Board and City Council were meeting at the same time, April 17, 2023 at 6:30, so neither could have known what the other was in fact doing or saying and neither had representatives at the other's meeting.
Here is the 7:38 audio of Supt. DeSpain's update and the City Council discussion on the Government in the Sun YouTube channel.
First up in the audio is Supt. DeSpain's update (1:40 in length) to the Board in which he clearly is reporting that he has already purchased the speed bumps and has several locations he intends to place them. From his perspective, it is a done deal and he is only waiting for the order to come in to place the bumps and add another feather in his "safety and security game plan". DeSpain's presentation was an update, and no action was taken by the Board.
After his clip, at -5:55 in the clip, I have added the discussion from the City Council. Apparently, the City had a request from Supt. DeSpain to place the issue of speed bumps on the City Council's agenda in order to receive their blessing to place the bumps. (The City has jurisdiction over our streets under state law, not the school.)
What takes place in the City Council discussion is a surprisingly robust discussion about the merits of speed bumps and a final vote to table the matter. But their discussion was about so much more than speed bumps. Here are some highlights to listen for, at minutes and seconds in the audio:
-4:46 Mayor Taylor takes a swipe at Irion County Sheriff, W.A. Estes, (without giving his name) and makes the point if speeding is a problem the citizens and the City shouldn't be using speed bumps but looking for "better law enforcement".
-1:18 Mayor Taylor and Mayor Elect disagree on whether Superintendent DeSpain (without giving his name) is acting in good faith because no one from the school is present at the City's meeting, but they do agree on one thing: the school is "pushing us around".
-:39 Council Member Councilman mentions that the ongoing meeting of the School Board may be the last meeting for Supt. DeSpain and President Flores (without giving their names), and Council Member Crutchfield quickly defends, "Allegedly. Allegedly." Refer to this post about the Board's special meeting regarding Supt. DeSpain, where I first raised publicly DeSpain's potential termination. -:17 The City Council vote to table the issue of speed bumps, not knowing that Supt DeSpain had just updated the Board that this was another victory for safety and security.
So, this audio is about way more than speed bumps...
My analysis:
Mayor Taylor is right to be concerned about our Sheriff's failure to enforce certain laws, but this argument goes both ways because the City has no enforcement mechanism of its own and some municipal ordinances are too weak to be enforced. The City has complete authority to ramp up an enforcement department, but clearly Mayor Taylor and this Council have not wished to fund it. There is a sentiment on the Council that the way to keep Mertzon a small town is to not enforce the law.
When Supt. DeSpain, or any school superintendent for that matter, mentions "safety and security" watch for the sun to go behind the clouds. ICISD more often than not is creating more safety and security problems than it resolves. "Safety and security" is an emotional hook to justify spending tax dollars or an attempt at covering something up. Case in point: one justification for closing 4th St. for the new gym (City Gym) was for the "safety and security" of the kids, even though the school had not one child injury incident on the street. If the school wants to tackle "safety and security", it need look no further than the flooding problems it has created for itself and our community.
There is real merit to the exchange between Mayor Taylor and Mayor Elect Stewart that the school is pushing the City around. Supt. DeSpain's update proves that point well; he was taking the streets for the school's purposes, regardless. But, see this post where I point out that both the school and City knew that the 4th Street was improperly closed. And, Mayor Taylor cooperated in all that, at the behest of Supt. DeSpain and board members Ashley Hill and Wade Miller. The City will trade with the school when it thinks it has to or has something to gain, but when the stakes are down it gives in.
It will be interesting to see if Mayor Taylor puts the matter on the agenda again. Though the election is on May 6, it has been cancelled since it is uncontested. Mayor Elect Stewart's first meeting as Mayor is May 15. (I previously had Mayor Elect Stewart taking over on May 2. That was incorrect, and I apologize any inconvenience this might have caused Mayor Taylor and Mayor Elect Stewart.)
Here's a potential way to go forward: The governing bodies, Irion County Commissioner's Court (the Sheriff's office is part of the County), Irion County ISD, and City of Mertzon, should have representatives at each other's commissioner/board/council meetings. This would create sunshine for all.