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Rec center to be built this year
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| Bremond Street between 21st and 22nd streets has been called "one of the worse streets in the city of Hempstead" and is due for repair work soon. Photo by Joe Southern |
Joe Southern, Waller County News Citizen
The proposed Hempstead Recreation Center came closer to reality Monday night when the City Council approved a mutual use agreement that will allow the city to build the center on land next to Wal-Mart.
“It’s the first of its kind in Hempstead,” said Mayor Michael Wolfe. “It’s a true recreational facility.”
Wolfe said the 9,000-square-foot building will “look similar to the Quail Ridge Apartments.”
“In six to nine months it could be up and running,” he said at the council meeting.
The facility will be funded by a $375,000 grant from the Texas Department of Wildlife. The use agreement is between the city and Educational Based Housing and will allow the organization to operate programs at the center.
After the meeting, Wolfe explained that the center will include a gymnasium, a game room, technology room and a senior citizens activity room.
Wolfe said there are still some details to work out, but that he hopes to let bids within the next couple weeks.
PLANNING AHEAD
Taking the advice of City Attorney Art Pertile, the council postponed joining the Waller County Sub-Regional Planning Commission until four issues with the commission’s bylaws could be satisfactorily addressed.
First, the WCSRPC is authorized to initiate and fund litigation against any federal or state agency its board believes does not comply with the purposes of WCSRPC. Pertile said that could be a problem if it were suing an agency that the city was trying to work with on unrelated issues.
“You don’t want to be part of an organization that is suing an organization that holds your permits,” he said.
Secondly, Pertile said the board can nominate and elect its own members.
“I believe that the City of Hempstead would need some assurance that the person it nominates will be on the board,” he said.
Third, Pertile said the city needs assurances that if it wishes to remove its representative that the board will do so.
Fourth, there was concern that committees are authorized to take final action on behalf of the WCSRPC.
Pertile advised against that saying decisions should be made final through the board and not a committee.
“I recommend that you do not take action at this point until you get assurances on No. 2 and No. 3,” Pertile said.
He added that the agency “can be a useful tool, you just have to be diligent about how they operate.
ROAD REPAIR
“This is one of the worst looking streets in the city of Hempstead,” Wolfe said during a discussion about repairing Bremond Street between 21st and 22nd streets.
The motion was made by Alderman Paris Kincade and seconded by Alderman Larry Wilson Sr. and voted on unanimously to repair the road.
IN OTHER COUNCIL NEWS:
• The council heard a report from Global Services of Houston for print management services. They company proposed taking over maintenance of the city’s computer printers. Representatives Rick Hall and Ken Lanier said their company could save the city 10 to 15 percent a year on printer-related expenses. The council took the matter under advisement.
• Agreed to a request from the police chief to have Officer Noel Shelton attend Intoxilyzer Operator Certification School.
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