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Mertzon City Council March 17 2025

  • G. Noelke
  • Mar 18
  • 3 min read

Updated: Mar 19


This grading plan page from the IC ISD bid documents for the new transportation barn definitively shows that the majority of storm water will be re-directed to flow east down the City of Mertzon alley between 4th and 5th streets. Some storm water will also be directed east down W Fleming Ave. IC ISD does not have to obtain a permit from the City of Mertzon to use the alley in this way.
This grading plan page from the IC ISD bid documents for the new transportation barn definitively shows that the majority of storm water will be re-directed to flow east down the City of Mertzon alley between 4th and 5th streets. Some storm water will also be directed east down W Fleming Ave. IC ISD does not have to obtain a permit from the City of Mertzon to use the alley in this way.

Click here to download the bidding plans document above. You'll find a higher resolution grading plan image at page 22.

 


Below is the agenda for this meeting, and underneath that are my agenda analysis and meeting review. Go here for my Commentary on Regulatory Capture.





A. Agenda Analysis

  1. Election cancellation, item 5: In a rural city of less than 1,000 folks, its hard to find enough candidates to have competitive elections. State law allows the council to simply cancel the election if when there is no opposition. The previous two called elections, in 2023 and 2024, were cancelled. Our democratic system relies on debate and civil disagreement, however, so that ideally governance is always tested and challenged. I have covered this issue of election cancellations previously; see my Meeting Analysis at # 1 for the March 4, 2024 Council meeting.

  2. TXDOT and Oak trees, FM 72, item 7: This might be the oak trimming proposal made recently by Ashley Hill at Brim's crossing. I don't think of FM 72 being within the city limits of Mertzon, so TXDOT involvement here is puzzling.

  3. Water and Sewer Ordinance, item 8: I have no clue what this about. I went to the City's page for ordinances, and 20.02 is not posted. Perhaps with the recent addition of a full time office employee this page will get brought up to date?



 

The blue arrow represents my estimation of where the storm water from new bus barn is going to flow after it leaves the paved surface surrounding the facility. Thus, it necessarily will flood private property. The red arrow represents a portion of the city owned alley. The bidding documents provide for no flood control barrier that will protect the private property owner. Whether Phase 2 construction (the next phase that is supposed to address flood control structures) will include a barrier has not been publicly discussed. Though not pictured, all of the water coming from this new source of storm water will cross my property a few hundred feet away.
The blue arrow represents my estimation of where the storm water from new bus barn is going to flow after it leaves the paved surface surrounding the facility. Thus, it necessarily will flood private property. The red arrow represents a portion of the city owned alley. The bidding documents provide for no flood control barrier that will protect the private property owner. Whether Phase 2 construction (the next phase that is supposed to address flood control structures) will include a barrier has not been publicly discussed. Though not pictured, all of the water coming from this new source of storm water will cross my property a few hundred feet away.

B. Meeting Review

  1. Here are the meeting documents for this meeting.

  2. TXDOT, item 7: The TXDOT representative was not present, but Councilman Randy Councilman, an employee of TXDOT, advised the Council that the purpose of the visit was as a public service to the community. The bridge at FM 72 (aka the "high water bridge in Sherwood") is slated to be torn out and a new one built by TXDOT. I'm not sure of the exact date, but I can confirm this because TXDOT has also appeared at a County Commissioner's meeting last year. New to the issue is that Councilman Councilman has been advised that 13 (thirteen) oak trees are slated to be removed to make way for the new bridge. See the photo at the bottom of this page. Advocacy tip for those that might want to take action: Councilman Councilman is the messenger only. (FM 72 is not in the city limits of Mertzon.) Neither he nor the City of Mertzon are toting the chainsaws. Likewise, while I recommend you contact Commissioner's Court for the latest, the bridge is not a county road. They too are not brandishing chainsaws. It is a State of Texas Farm to Market road. TXDOT.

    Here is a screenshot of the TXDOT project map, though the project appears to not be listed:


    FM 72 north of Mertzon.
    FM 72 bridge north of Mertzon is west of Sherwood. The red arrow is my own.


  3. Cancellation of May 3 election, item 5: Mayor Aubrey Stewart and new Councilman Daniel Harper were the only two to file, so they get the nod and will continue to serve. No one filed for the open seat, so the Council is operating with 1 vacant seat. You can read the ordinance regarding the election cancellation on pages 3 and 5 of the meeting documents.

  4. Ordinance 20.03, item 8: The Council approved the repeal of 20.02 and replacing it with 20.03. You can find the new ordnance about water meters on pages 7-19 of the meeting documents. This change is about the discussion in the last meeting concerning the transfer of unused water meters; see my reference to Dead Meters on this page.


 

Here are some of trees that might be the ones sacrificed for the new bridge:


North side, east bank, of the High Water bridge on FM 72 at Spring Creek.
North side, east bank, of the High Water bridge on FM 72 at Spring Creek.




Copyright 2025 G Noelke


 
 

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