CITY CORNER by Mayor Brent Hinckley

     During the past three weeks John Palacio, the City Administrator, and I have had several meetings and conversations with engineers and state agencies for the City projects that we anticipate working on during the coming months.  It is always a challenge to work out the details on systems that are carefully monitored by environmental regulations.  With the City planning major projects for the landfill as well as the water treatment system we have a number of issues that must be resolved before we can hope to do more than just initial work.  Last week we were told that the final requirements have been met for the environmental approval for the water system, so we anticipate preliminary surveying and site work to begin in the next week or so.  We also met in Austin with the permit review team on the landfill application, and it is understood that all of the final paperwork and approvals will be complete by the end of this month and the permit will be issued in a timely manner after this last step.   We have identified some the initial construction steps that we can take, and those should be started very shortly after the first of March. 

     As we are working with outside consultants to plan and begin the work on these major projects, the City crews are staying hard at work on the regular jobs and issues that require attention every spring.   The City Commission meeting will be held late this month, on February 25, since next Monday the 18^th is President’s Day and the City offices and services will be closed for that day.  One significant job for the Commission at this monthly meeting will be to address the plans for several of our long-term employees to take a special retirement package that we have put together.  These committed employees have worked for the City for many years, some for well over 25 years, and each deserves an opportunity to retire and enjoy this time of life.  Each of them has been given the opportunity to consider and accept some variables in the package so that it will fit their individual needs.  The February Commission meeting will have a time to consider these individual retirement plans in Executive Session and if everything is acceptable then approve them in the regular public meeting, but at this time there are only a couple of other minor issues that will need consideration at that time.

       The other special meeting that is on the calendar is a continuing Workshop to discuss and consider improvements and revisions for the land use ordinances of the City.  The next workshop will be on Monday, March 5 and will build upon the discussion workshop that was held last week.  One of the significant outcomes was a very brief questionnaire asking for input and opinions on how our residents would like to see Mason remain the same or change and grow in the future.  There are only four questions identified, and these are provided in other areas of this paper, but if you have an interest in voicing your thoughts on the future of our community this is an excellent way to make your opinions known.  There are copies of these questions available at the City office, and we will be glad to receive your replies there as well, and if a number of our citizens will take the time to respond then we can plan and improve our zoning, land use, subdivision and other ordinances in a way that reflects our community.  We all know that Mason is a great hometown, and as we see change and growth on the horizon it is important that we are prepared and have established good ground rules for how or community should look in the future.