Murchison approves new city secretary
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

The City of Murchison has officially hired new city secretary Sharon Chase to replace outgoing city secretary Megan Harville, who resigned to work for Murchison Independent School District. Chase's first day at work for Murchison was February 12.

"It's been fine," Chase said of her experience as secretary. "There's a lot to learn."

The city council meeting February 12 also saw the approval of over half a dozen other items of interest.

Murchison resident Wilda Gothard addressed the council regarding her water and sewer boundary lines with Splawn Sales, a business located next door to Gothard.

Chase said Gothard wanted to know whether the business was allowed to go into the water and sewer lines for their business.

"The council said `yes, they're allowed to do what they're doing '," Chase said.

Another city resident, Bobby Womack, had a question for the council pertaining to Wren Street.

"He wanted to know if his street would be one of the streets to be overlaid," Chase said. "I don't think so, but it is possible."

Womack's question was in regards to the bids for asphalt overlaying the city reviewed that evening. The council went with the least expensive bid, Daniel Asphalt. It will cost 22 cents per square foot and the bid was for labor only.

Additionally, the council also approved amendments for the 2007 budget.

According to Chase, the city was over budget in certain areas and the council needed to make sure the 2008 budget could fill these areas.

Chase said the city was over budget on the areas of electric, telephone, water, insurance, annual dues, chemicals and auditing.

The council also decided to send letters to people with dual connections, more than one meter on their property. The letters will inform these people dual connections are not allowed.

In the special report portion of the meeting the council approved a $100 fine for people who dig or perform similar acts close to public supply wells.

Finally, the meeting concluded with considerations of a pair of violations.

One violation concerned talk of a water tower for the city. Specifically the violation related to the storage tanks. The second involved a privately owned Laundromat's automatic sprinkler system. The question was about who paid for the water.

The city will send a letter to the owner of the Laundromat and the violation concerning the water tower is still under consideration.