• Commissioners didn’t approve re-appointment of four Pampa EDC board members.
The Pampa City Commissioners met on Monday afternoon for a regularly-scheduled meeting.
It was a rather loaded agenda as the commissioners not only held a public hearing concerning a reinvestment zone in north Pampa, they also held a public discussion on the game room location ordinance.
There was no public comment on the reinvestment zone, but city manager Shane Stokes did explain how the action will help bring new businesses and upgrades to local businesses in Pampa.
“We did our first reinvestment zone earlier this year in May for the downtown area,” Stokes said. “We have been approached by one property owner out north who was interested in a tax abatement, and it led us to the discussion we had before and the establishment of North reinvestment Zone No. 1. I do feel like it’s feasible and practical that it would benefit the City beyond any tax abatement agreements we do.”
Stokes added there is an opportunity for development in the zone, which starts roughly at 25th and Perryton Parkway and extends north toward the Shops at Cornerstone, Walmart, the former Pampa Middle School series of lots, etc.
“I expect the benefit of the North Re-Investment Zone would long out-live any tax abatements we do,” Stokes said.
The abatements would only apply to commercial and industrial development. The item was approved later in the meeting.
The commissioners also held a discussion and public comment concerning the game room ordinance passed earlier this year as it pertains to the game rooms’ location.
The interested party involved in the ordinance is Pampa’s VFW Post No. 1657, who had their charitable game room closed in Nov. 2018.
In the spring, the city commission added distance restrictions to their game room ordinance. The restrictions are 1,000 feet of a school, church and park.
“The VFW would like to re-open their game room and we are told the new ordinance amendment wouldn’t allow that,” Stoke said. “They asked if they could come and have a discussion with the city commission.”
Ahead of the public comment, Stokes reminded the commission there was no action to be taken.
Ron Howell, quartermaster for the VFW, addressed the city commission and said there was a change in leadership at the local VFW and explained how the charitable game room helped the VFW support the community.
“The donations we receive from this charitable gaming helps quite a bit with the city,” Howell said. “In the past numerous years we’ve helped pay for outstanding water bills. When the people can’t pay their bills the City sends them to us. We estimate over the last five years we’ve paid pretty close to $30,000 to $40,000 in water bills. We’ve also helped Pampa Fire Department with respirator masks.”
Howell mentioned the VFW has also helped Pampa Police Department, disability-friendly parks, Tri-State Seniors, Kiwanis, Boys Scouts and Pampa ISD students.
Howell said he hoped the amendment to the ordinance was not at the intent of shutting down the VFW, to which mayor Brad Pingel after Howell’s segment said it wasn’t.
“It is not the commission’s intent to target the VFW at all,” Pingel said. “It was for the entire city. There was not any specific game room it was set aside for.”
Paul Melton, president of the Texas VFW Foundation board of directors, suggested the city commission amend the ordinance to exempt the VFW.
After Melton’s address, Pingel asked Pampa Police Chief Lance Richburg if he had any comments. Richburg said the meetings with the VFW were productive and cooperative, but the ordinance as written does present a problem with where the VFW is currently operating.
Stokes added it was said the City didn’t have a problem with them re-opening as long as they operated within the confines of the ordinance.
“Our ordinance, I believe, is a good ordinance,” Stokes said. “If they wanted to re-open, it doesn’t prevent them from doing that as long as they fall within the distance regulations. That’s not to say they couldn’t open it somewhere else where it fits in those and still be a part of the community.”
City commissioner Gary Winton speculated if the commission changed the ordinance that it might set a precedent.
City attorney Lee Waters confirmed Winton’s notion.
“The operation was closed and is seeking to re-open at the same location,” Waters said. “If an exemption is granted to that. Their argument is only for these federally chartered veterans service organizations and nobody else can qualify.
“What will happen if some other charitable organization that doesn’t fall in that wants an exemption for whatever their particular status is? What if someone else coming in with a status of helping orphans or something would want similar treatment?”
Pingel reminded every one the ordinance went into place to protect schools, churches and other businesses from the crime often associated with calls to game rooms.
“It was not to pin-point one specific area of town, one specific game room, one specific building or organization,” Pingel said. “I think that the commission is not trying to stop anyone from opening a game room as long as they are not within the confines of the state law and meets this particular ordinance.”
No one commissioner spoke on the topic and there was no action taken.
Later in the meeting, after executive session, the city commission opted not to accept the Pampa Economic Development Corporation’s board of director’s appointment for the unexpired term. The Pampa EDC board had suggested Carol Fields for the position.
The commission also chose not to approve the re-appointment of Gary Sutherland, Bill Roy, Cay Warner and Bill Bridges to the Pampa EDC board of directors.
Glennette Goode and Troy Newton are still on the Pampa EDC board of directors.
The commissioners approved the following items:
• Minutes of the Nov. 11 Regular Commission Meeting as presented.
• Absence of Commissioner Karen McLain from the Nov. 11 Regular Commission Meeting.
• Awarding bid for the M.K. Brown Roof Repair Project. The city commission awarded the bid to Parsley’s Sheet Metal Company of $165,000. They had another qualifying bid from Trumble Roofing from Texarkana $154,949. Stokes said the City recommended Parsley’s because they are local and have had positive previous experiences. Stokes added this was an insurance claim and will be reimbursed by the insurance company.
• Accepting the Pampa Economic Development Corporation’s 2018-2019 Annual Report as presented.
• Approving on first reading Resolution No. R19-021, a Resolution of the City of Pampa approving an Economic Development Agreement and Grant in the amount of $41,855 from the Pampa Economic Development Corporation to Pampa Independent School District’s Baseball Booster Club.
• Approving the List of Disbursements dated October 2019.
