Also during the meeting, the council approved first reading of an inter-local agreement with Howard County for the reallocation of funds from the Justice Assistance Grant Program Award and for the county to use the funds for the Combined Law Enforcement Technology Program.

According to Police Chief Lonnie Smith, the agreement will allow both law enforcement agencies to build upon the opportunities the $36,893 has provided.

“The grant can be used for technology upgrades. Where we asked for a budget amendment so we could get the software and upgrade our computers so they would be compatible with the sheriff's office,” said Smith. “This grant became available after we submitted the other request, so this is just building onto that.”

The council also approved an agreement between the city and the Texas Forest Service that Smith said will allow local emergency management officials to train with the state agency and possibly assist with emergencies in other areas.

“This will streamline our ability to have people training in incident command work with the forest service. It will also streamline a recouping of expenses for training and equipment,” said Smith. “If we do have to use the forest service here, it will ease that process with them as well.

“This is basically a part of emergency management. With as much as the forest service has had people assigned out here to this area, they came in and talked to some of our personnel in emergency management and asked them about being trained... We would be able to get reimbursed as far as their training and travel is concerned. They would also cover their salary while they are gone.”

Also Tuesday, the council approved an industrial district agreement with Alon USA, a practice City Finance Director Peggy Walker said will compensate the city for services it delivers to the Big Spring Refinery.

“These are sometimes referred to payments in lieu of taxation because they are obviously not within the corporate city limits,” said Walker. “We call it an industrial agreement because we provide various services and they, in turn, pay for that. There is a CPI (consumer priced index) tagged onto that, and we've extended this contract from the prior five-year term to a 10-year term.”

The council also approved the following items:

• Final reading of a resolution approving signatures for the city's depository contract.

• Final reading of an ordinance granting partial residence homestead exemption for 2009 and the same exemptions for individuals who are disabled or 65 years or older.

• Final reading of an ordinance calling for a 20-percent penalty for delinquent taxes to help defray attorney fees necessary to recover taxes after July 1.

• Awarded bids for two Xerox machines for city hall and approval to go out on bids for asbestos transportation, disposal and air monitoring for the demolition of buildings located at 901 Goliad.

• Approval of an agreement with Howard County for ambulance service.

• Consideration and approval of Howard County Appraisal District's budget for 2010.

• Approval of an agreement for audit services with Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss, LLP.

• Approval of an agreement and change order with Dowtech Specialty Contractors for wastewater treatment plant final clarifier and trickling filter rehabilitation.

Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it