By BRIAN SMITH
County residents who like to read magazines via electronic devices could have more of a chance if the Parker County Library Association has its way.
Director of Library Services Dale Fleeger spoke to Weatherford city council members about the library wanting to seek impact grant funds from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to fund a one-year pilot project that would supply popular magazines in downloadable formats. If the grant is approved the project would include all libraries in the county, Fleeger said.
Downloadable magazines are very popular now with many long standing magazines such as Newsweek only publishing in an electronic format now, Fleeger said. The library current provides 170 periodicals to its users. The measure was unanimously approved.
In other news during the 70-minute meeting, the council allowed $310,000 to be transferred from the city’s general fund to its Storm Water Utility Fund to pay for a study on the Holland Creek watershed.
Director of Capital Transportation Projects Terry Hughes said the monies will be paid back through assessment of monthly fees to home and business owners, which began earlier this month. The monies will be used for some of the estimated $7 million to $10 million in estimated storm water utility projects.
“We are expecting to be able to pay back the monies by October,” Hughes said.
The study, which is contracted to cost $307,100, will include hydrologic and hydraulic studies for existing and developed water flows. The H&H study will then be used for a stream assessment to look at conditions and isolate areas of the watershed that need more protection and stabilization, according to a press release.
Drainage and erosion improvements will be formulated as part of the study. Those could include bridge, culvert, roadway and utility improvements as well as other park and amenities upgrades, Hughes said. Conceptual costs for up to four improvements will also be provided.
A soil and water assessment will also be performed to measure sediment in the lake and how much sediment is going into the lake from the watershed on an annual basis.
The council also approved the 2013 strategic plan, vision statement and council mission statement. Staff and council members had been working with a consultant for the last two months on updating their plans, which was last done in 2008, according to Director of Management and Budget Chad Janicek.
A draft of the plan and statements were presented to council earlier this month. Council discussed the draft at that time and made no changes.
Having a strategic plan can help council and staff focus on their needs during budget times each year and are considered a great tool to have, Janicek previously said.
Council members also approved several appointments to boards and commissions. A number of applications for commissions have come in over the last two weeks and more are needed, council member Heidi Wilder said.
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