City’s Counter-Offer on Weather Sirens to County
February 27th, 2014 byThe ongoing issue of the weather warnings has taken another step in the process, as the City Countil approved the mayor’s request to add another $11,000 to their funding support for tornado sirens.
This counter offer will be discussed today between the city and county, with the Quorum Court making their final decision on Monday night.
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If you look at the hollering video you will hear Renee Knowles put the problem in clear perspective. The city will pay approximately $2.00 per person for 100% coverage. The county will pay approximately $10.00 per person for 54% coverage. How is that fair? Code Red has the possibility of covering 90% of the county by phone call at $0.69 per person. Please tell me just what the Mayor does not understand. He does understand and he wants his sirens for 100% of his city and he acts like a 2 year old having a temper tantrum trying to get what he wants instead of listening to reason. Then he comes up with a compromise of splitting the difference. Okay they will compromise but the county residents still get the shaft and 46% will never hear a siren when the tornado comes.
Election is coming up……this is when we the public can voice our opinions and make changes to our city/county government. I certainly intend to.
We’ll mr mayor, what do lou have against the county residents, we pay a lot of money in taxes which YOU benefit from
It’s impossible to look to the project as population, because it is about sirens. The grant, which was applied to FEMA by the County in 2006, included a request for funding for 27 sirens. At the January quorum court and the public meeting on Monday officials have confirmed the sirens still can be moved to cover more lives but the grant can only cover the 27 sirens the County included in its grant application.
Also, I simply do not know where Mrs. Knoles is getting her numbers. The City of Monticello contribution toward the County’s grant match is $32,000; that divided by the 9,778 that live in the City of Monticello equals $3.27 per capita. The County’s $50,000 appropriation for the grant match divided by the 8,458 that live in Tillar, Jermone, Winchester & the rural areas of the County equals $5.91 per capita. The City of Wilmar, like Monticello, has chosen to give a contribution toward the County’s grant match of $4,000; that that divided by the 507 that live in the City of Wilmar equals $7.89 per capita. Which still leave $22,000 of missing grant match funds.
I am just glad the County Judge and the Mayor have endorsed their legislative colleagues to equally split the remaining $22,000 to make this project happen.