MINUTES CITY OF AMES, TEXAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 10, 2022 6:00 p.m.  The City Council for the City of Ames, Texas met in a regular meeting in council chambers at the Ames City Hall at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Cornelius Gilmore call the meeting to order at that time. Mayor Gilmore led the prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Mayor Gilmore did the roll call, at that time the members of the City Council who were present are: Mayor Cornelius Gilmore, Audrey Harrison, Michael Trahan, Barbara Domain, Carlton Rollins, and Eddie White.  CITIZEN APPREARANCE citizens is attached. MINUTES  Mayor Gilmore thanked the citizens for being here and to please silence your phones. A listof  Mayor Gilmore asked the minutes to be tabled at this time.  OLD BUSINESS No old business to discuss. REGULAR SESSION  2021-01: EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH MATTHEW GOTT REGARDING LAWSUIT  WITHTHE CITY OF LIBERTY.  Mayor Gilmore made ai motion to enter an executive session with City Council and  attorney Matthew Gott to discuss City business.  Mayor requested a quick executive session with the City Attorney, Matthew Gott, Gerald Hicks talked to other citizens about how Ames need infrastructure in order to grown because people want to move here but they don't have anything to work Af female citizen "maybe Reescano" said "they said 5 minutes and it has been 25  regarding the lawsuit with the City ofLiberty. All in favor; unanimous  with. minutes"  Af few citizens complained about the internet services    Hicks said "it is going to be an hour before they come back" Hicks said "they're having a discussion they don't want us to know about" Dwight Webb "they should have done this at another time, this is not The Mayor, Council Members, Secretary, and City Attorney came back into session and a female citizen said "that was a long 5 minutes"  professional"  Motion to come out executive session Matthew Gott left the meeting.  Motioned by: Councilman Reggie Rollins Seconded by: Councilman Eddie White  All in Favor: 5  Opposed: 0  Regular City Council resumed about 20 minutes later.  2022-02-1 DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTIONTOPAYTEXASDRAINAGE OUT OFTDEM  GRANT FOR DITCH CLEANING FOR THE CITY OF AMES.  Mayor "for those of you that don'tknow, started cleaning ditches starting on Tip Top Road and with all oft the rain over the weekend, there was no complaints but  instead a lot of"Thank You's".  Corrected "digging and cleaning the ditches" Dwight Webb "What kind of equipment is being used?" Dwight Webb "who is operating the equipment?" Mayor "Texas Drainage" Dwight Webb "In all of Ames?"  Mayor "Gradall excavator and the ditches have not been cleaned and dug in 9  years"  Mayor began telling him the routes they will starting on.  Councilman Trahan "Is this to take action on paying using the TDEM Grant?" Mayor told everyone that the TDEM Grant is public knowledge and the City has a grant for $148,000 and that we're getting another $148,000 this year. Whatever  we got to use to fix this problem we will use. Dwight Webb "so it's going to take the whole grant?" Mayor brought up the Comcast situation Dwight Webb "will the citizens have to pay for that?"  Mayor "no"  Mayor "no, not for installation but anything they don't do then we would have to Dwight Webb wanted tol know what kind of agreement does the City have with Other citizens wanted to know how could Comcast work in Ames without letting  cover the cost to finish." Comcast. anyone know?.  Mayor said it was done through the State.    Dwight Webb "how could they come into our city and work without letting the Councilwoman Domain said shel keeps in contact with a guy, Erwin Hernandez, that works with Comcast. She requested a meeting with ai representative sO they can meet up to discuss what project is being done but hasn'tg gotten a response about it other than Covid is the reason for the delay. Comcast got approved to go all the way to Clayton Thibodeaux's house. They're getting approvals are in  City of Ames know about it. That's not right."  sections.  Mayor asked the County Judge ifhel knew anything about Comcast but he  didn'tknow anything about it  They got the meeting back on tasks about the ditches and voted.  Motioned by: Councilman Reggie Rollins Seconded by: Councilman Michael Trahan  All in Favor: 5  Opposed: 0  2022-03. - DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR LESS THANHALF PRICE ($8,950.00), GENERATORS, ETC., FROM VOLT UNLIMITED,  LLC( (SEE ATTACHED QUOTE).  Erwin Semien mentioned that this equipment would be good to have back up: for the City. Mayor "VoltI LLC came to our mini-excavator training showing us new equipment at half Itconsisted 2 oft the things we needed for the City such as a generator with lights and a Erwin said everything is needed because of the quality oft the equipment that we already have is not trustworthy or dependable. We have 2 trash pumps and one works fine and the 2nd one won't prime. Our generators aren'to dependable for emergency situations. Volt generators has a welder, air compressor, automatic start, and lighting which is everything we need. The welding machine could be used to build an attachment for our mini excavator sO we won'tdamage any utility lines. The City doesn't have aj pressure washer.  The current equipment is not dependable, especially the generator.  the price for the "end ofthe year'."  trash pump.  He felt it is worth the purchase. Rollins "how often will it be used?" Erwin : it depends on the job"  Domain 4 what are we, going to need it for? For $9,000 how often is the equipment going tol be used?" she didn't see the need for a welding machine or the lighting attachment. She suggest purchasing the light from Harbor Freights for $40. When a light is needed. Trahan "I heard a couple of (have to haves) and a couple of (nice tol haves). We should  only entertain the (have tol haves) and let the (need to haves) go." Domain "we could use $9,000 for something else." Rollins - would any citizens like to speak on it?"  White "all oft this equipment is worth $20,000 but we are being offered it at $9,000" Mayor "it's better to have it in case we need it. It's like having it on standby.    A citizen asked "Do you have a welder?" Mayor "Erwin can do it?" Erwin "yes" Rollins "but are you certified?" Erwin "no I am not certified" Ac citizen 4 but you can weld?" Erwin "yes, I can weld." Trahan "T'm for the trash pump on this list" Rollins "we have 2 already. G6 Acitizen "but it barely works Erwin "it'si not worth fixing"  Rollins 4 we can pay to get that fixed and it'll be less than $9,000 to do that"  Ac citizen asked how old is the equipment that we have Domain "we have a brand new generator in there" Mayor 4 the trash pumps are not new"  Domain felt like the only necessity would be the trash pump but everything else wasn't  needed  Motion was made: not to purchase this equipment  Motioned by: Councilman Reggie Rollins Seconded by: Councilman Michael Trahan  Alli in Favor: 0  Opposed: 5  2022-04- COUNCILMAN ROLLINSTO: SPEAK ON ANOTHER TRANSIT SYSTEM.  Councilman Rollins spoke on getting a green bus system stationed in Ames. The system is like Metro. He believes it will bring jobs. He wants to take one Saturday to have a Citizens "a customer will have a chance to purchase cards to: ride the bus system?" Rollins wants to ask the Catholic Church if we could use their property to station the buses and mentioned that the City is in the process of purchasing 16.7 acres and hopes to turn that property into a station. He wants to put electric stations at the city hall for people to charge their vehicles. He feels it is a better system than what we have. He said it is not  workshop amongs the mayor, councilmembers, and city employees.  20t to 25: mini-buses and vans.  really coming out of our money. They voted to meet on January 22nd @ 10 am.  MAYOR'S REPORT  He spoke on the ditch digging again and about how the lights on the light poles are being changed out and light poles being added around the community. He discussed about the country club being    in ames and how we should be charging the country club. He discussed the lawsuit with Liberty.  He spoke about the speed installation.  ADJOURNMENT  All council members were in favor of adjourning the meeting at 7:10 p.m.  Coumann bme Cornelius Gilmore Mayor  Attested: City_secretary FD    Page to Approve Minutes for. January 10, 2022 APN  Michael' Trahan, Councilman, Position1 Al Carlton Rollins, Councilman, Position 2 Bddi HK Eddie White, Councilman, Position. 3 BarbararDoman, B  Councilwoman, Position 4  Audrey Harrison, Councilwoman, Position 5