The City of Pampa Commissioners met over Zoom for a regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday afternoon.
During the meeting, the Commissioners approved a bid to Royal Glass of Amarillo, LTD of $364,925 for City Hall windows and a bid of $91,000 for City Hall doors replacement project.
Director of Community Services, Dustin Miller, said three companies bid on the project and Royal Glass was the lowest bid.
“It’s been quite a process and it involves the Texas Historical Commission,” Miller said. “Going through the project and to get them involved, they wanted us to replace all of the entryways at City Hall. That’s where Phase 2 came in.”
Miller added it’s unknown if there will be any funding from the THC for doing the doors, but it is not expected.
This project has already been budgeted and the completion of the project will keep City Hall on the THC registry and eligible for any funding now the road.
The Commissioners also approved and awarding a bid for the Mowing and Maintenance of Select City Parks and Facilities for the 2020-2021 calendar years to Verde Landscape Companies, Inc. in the total amount of $35,468.40 annually.
Miller said Verde Landscape will only be responsible for City Hall’s lawn and any park under the size of an acre.
“We’ve been with Verde since 2016 and it was a two-year agreement with an option to add a year every year after that,” Miller said. “It’s time to update it. They do really good work for us and it helps our parks department tremendously by freeing them up to take care of the huge park system we do have.”
Earlier in the meeting, the Commissioners approved the extension of Declaration of Local Disaster and Safely Opening Pampa- Business and Activity Expansion.
City Manager Shane Stokes said the City of Pampa has a variety of re-opening strategies in regards to City Hall, MK Brown Civic Center and Auditorium and Hidden Hills Public Golf Course.
Stokes said City Hall and Lovett Memorial Library will re-open on June 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We will be closing at 4 p.m. to allow the custodial staff the ability to clean and disinfect the buildings entirely before the beginning of the next business day,” Stokes said.
Pampa Animal Shelter will also re-open on June 1 with normal hours.
MK Brown and the Armory will open on June 15 at 25 percent occupancy based on the room being used.
Hidden Hills Public Golf Course will open up to 50 percent occupancy on June 15 in the Pro Shop.
“We will continue the single-rider carts until we get more guidance from the governor on golf courses,” Stokes said.
Recreational adult sports leagues will be allowed to open on June 15. As for Pampa H20 Water Park, Stokes said the governor has allowed them to open on May 29, but it will take Pampa three to four weeks from the time they decide to open until they actually can open.
“We’ve got to do some painting and the reason we haven’t at this point is because it’s about $6,000 worth of paint and until we were sure we were going to open we didn’t want to put the paint down for the sun to start degrading it immediately without getting water on it,” Stokes said.
“The water park is one we want to get guidance from the city commission on whether we want to open it this year, not open it, etc. City of Amarillo has said they are not opening their pools this year and the City of Perryton is not going to open their water park.”
Mayor Brad Pingel and Stokes discussed the staffing and what it would mean to open the water park for the community.
Stokes, Pingel, commissioners Jimmy Keough and Matt Rains said they should look at opening the water park even if it’s a tough season financially.
Rains asked if it would be possible to screen those coming into the water park. Stokes said if they could get the equipment it would be possible.
The city commissioners discussed the possibility of waivers from the risk of COVID-19 and even online registration since there are limitations on capacity.
Stokes suggested the City staff gets together and make a plan before taking any action toward whether or not opening the water park.
Stokes also said the July 4 firework show is still on in some capacity, even if spectators are asked to stay in their cars or other guidelines are in place.
After thanking the members of the COVID-19 Task Force, City Commissioners and essential personnel, Stokes explained the Disaster Declaration, which runs through June 8, is simply putting the City in line with the State of Texas’ Disaster Declaration.
“It lines us up with all of his (Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s) orders up to and including GA-23,” Stokes said. “We keep this in place for the City of Pampa because it keeps us eligible for state and federal funding.”
The Commissioners also approved a resolution allowing for a grant application with the Texas Division of Emergency Management for the Coronavirus Relief Fund.
Each city with a population less than 500,000 has been allocated money based on capita for federal funding.
The City of Pampa’s allocation was around $930,000 with 20 percent immediately available.
“We will probably get it soon,” Stokes said. “It can be used for mitigation and dealing with COVID-19. Anything we purchase throughout this pandemic will fit in to that. We will be reimbursed for it.”
The Commissioners also agreed to an interlocal agreement between the City of Pampa and Gray County for 9-1-1 dispatch services.
“This is basically combining the two dispatches,” Stokes said. “It’s something we’ve talked about for a long time and the opportunity has presented itself to act on it.”
Stokes said the City of Pampa will add three new dispatch positions and one new console. There will be two dispatchers on duty 24/7.
The cost annually will be $189,000 and the County will provide funding for the City. There will also be some remodeling needed at City Hall for the third console.
“It’s going to make everything a lot more simple and put everything in one room,” Stokes said. It’ll eliminate any delays that may be happening now if we get a 9-1-1 call here and have to turn around and call the County’s dispatch.”
The Commissioners also approved the following items:
• Minutes of the May 11, 2020 Regular Commission Meeting as presented.
• Absence of Commissioner Karen McLain from the May 11, 2020 Regular Commission Meeting.
• Adopting on second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1733, an Ordinance by the City Commission amending the revenues and appropriations for the support of the City of Pampa for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019 ending September 30, 2020.
• List of Disbursements dated April 2020.
