Published: September 12, 2006 02:46 pm      

Loan opens door for new business

Palestine — The Palestine City Council approved a $125,000 revolving loan fund request Monday night that will open the door for a new business to start up in the old Pabco building.

Labeled Project Xpad by the Palestine Economic Development Corporation, the Xpad company plans to use the $125,000 three-year loan to purchase the Pabco property and building, located outside the city limits on Texas 294 near U.S. 79, according to company president Darryl Daniel.

PEDC Director Brian Malone told the council that Xpad will create 25 new jobs in the community.

Xpad currently is based in Quitman, Miss., about 25 miles south of Meridian, Miss. According to the company Web site, it manufactures and distributes evaporative cooling pads.

Daniel said after the council meeting Monday that when the Palestine location comes online early in 2007, it will manufacture cooling pads designed to keep large poultry cool in production houses, using technology that removes moisture content and allows the air to cool quickly.

According to Daniel and Malone, equipment should be delivered in October to the former Pabco site. Daniel said he hopes to be at least partially operational in January.

In addition, the council voted to reappoint a number of citizens to seven local advisory boards and commissions. Mayor Carolyn Salter noted that several of those nominated from reappointment only recently had begun their service, but were being brought back before council because changes have been made to make terms begin in October rather than at other times of the year.

Approved to serve were Dr. Robert Pate, Dolly Anna Ruth Elliott-Hames and Norman Mollard on the Airport Advisory Board; April Johnston, Bob Stech, Eric Cates and Charlene Hutchinson on the Arts Advisory Board; Ross Williamson, Dr. Leroy Mathis and Brandon Seat on the Health Board; Sid Walton, Robert Greening and David Webb on the Historic Landmark Commission; Reba Hayes, Leslie Malone and Anne Coleman on the Parks Advisory Board; Jamie Kraft on the Planning and Zoning Commission; Natalie Byrd, Beki Webster and Fran Lindsey on the Tourism Advisory Board; and Charlotte Whitaker to replace Michael Cook on the Tourism Advisory Board.

The reappointment of Robert McElvey to the Civil Service Commission was tabled in a 4-3 vote, with Steve Presley, Billie Dyer and Salter voting against the delay and Jim Yelverton, Andrea Baird, Vickie Chivers and Vernon Denman voting for it.

During closed session, the council convened to discuss the L.D. Jones vs. City of Palestine lawsuit and an economic development project named TSRA. No action was taken once the council reconvened in open session an hour later.

Prior to the regular meeting, the council met for a work session at 4:30 p.m. to discuss a nepotism policy and proposed amendments to the parks ordinance. The group decided to continue discussion of the parks ordinance in a work session prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting, set for Sept. 25.

In other business, the council:

• OPENED bids for road materials and swimming pool chemicals and maintenance. Submitting bids for road materials were Henderson County Asphalt Inc., S&S Trucking in Athens and Armor Materials Inc. Those companies who bid on the swimming pool items were Johnson Lab and Supply Inc., Trinity Valley Pools Inc. of Palestine and USA Pools of Dallas, located in Grapevine.

• HEARD an update from City Manager Dale Brown on the police complaint form. Brown said that forms and a locked box in which to deposit them have been placed on the counter by the payment windows in City Hall. The forms were designed not only for citizens to lodge complaints against the police department but also for city employees to file complaints, Brown said.

• HEARD an update from councilman Steve Presley on the Texas State Railroad Preservation Task Force’s efforts to keep trains running at the railroad in future seasons.

• APPROVED minutes from the work session and regular meeting held Aug. 28.

• APPROVED a replat of Lots 1-2, Hampton Chase Addition, and Lots 10-11, Block 3, Southview Addition.

• APPROVED authorizing Brown to execute a grant agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for routine airport maintenance for AWOS and NADIN systems.

• TABLED amendments to the parks ordinance, after agreeing in work session to continue discussion of the ordinance.

• APPROVED an ordinance authorizing budget adjustments and amendments.

• APPROVED an ordinance amending Section 307 of the Fire Prevention Code relating to outdoor burning.

• HEARD a mayor’s proclamation honoring Rev. Obie Bowser for a lifetime of service to the community.

• HEARD a mayor’s proclamation declaring September to be Addiction Awareness Month.

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Beth Foley may be contacted via e-mail at bfoley@palestineherald.com