Muleshoe City Council held its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 10, at City Hall. Present were Mayor Colt Ellis, Mayor Pro-Tem Earl Behrends and Council members Gary Parker, Crystal Alarcon and Lupe Mendoza.

All motions were unanimously approved.

A motion to approve the minutes of the March 13 meeting was made, seconded and approved.

Council considered four resolutions having to do with the downtown revitalization program. City Manager Ramon Sanchez explained that the resolutions are in the application process at this time.

Council considered Resolution R-791-0423 designating authorized representatives for the city’s 2023 TxCDBG-Downtown Revitalization Program application. The resolution designates the mayor and city manager as authorized representatives and City Secretary Zanea Carpenter as an authorized representative on financial matters. A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and approved.

Council considered Resolution R-792-0423 authorizing submission of a 2023 TxCDBG Downtown Revitalization Program application. The resolution commits city funds up to $75,000 from the general fund as the city’s match for this project. A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and approved.

Council considered Resolution R-793-0423 determining that an area of the downtown contains conditions that are detrimental to the community and constitute a slum and blighted area for the 2023 Downtown Revitalization Program grant application. Sanchez said the application wording has to be as the Resolution is stated. The actual area identified is north of US 84 down Main Street from Ave. E, then from E. 3^rd St. going west to South First, considered the downtown area.

“It determines the scope and the need for the project itself, which is re construction of sidewalks, lighting, ADA accessible ramps, handrails and basically improving the overall appearance and usability of the area,” Sanchez said.

A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and approved.

Council considered Resolution R-794-0423 – Awarding an engineering contract to Parkhill for a Downtown Revitalization Grant. Parkhill was chosen from three proposals submitted. A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and approved.

Council discussed semi-truck compression braking system use in the city limits. Sanchez said he and Ellis had talked about the need for a city ordinance to deter semi-trucks using a compression braking system inside city limits. Ellis said lots of communities around Muleshoe have put up a sign warning drivers not to use the system due to the noise it makes for businesses on the highway.

Parker raised the issue of the enforceability of such an ordinance. Alercon said use of signs raised concerns about safety when trucks need to brake in emergency situations. Chief of Police Benny Parker said that the issue could be handled with a disorderly conduct charge rather than writing a new ordinance. The possibility of a sign with flashing lights warning truckers was raised. Earl Behrends said he would like to see an ordinance drafted. Sanchez agreed to draft an ordinance.

A motion to Receive Investment Summary and Financial Statement for the quarter ending March 31, 2023, was seconded and approved.

In Administrative Reports:

a. Staff attended the TML Region III meeting in Lubbock on March 23, 2023.

In Mayor and Council remarks, Behrends requested that someone from the city attend Senior Citizens Center meetings. He also announced that there is an opening for a new director for the Center due to the resignation of the current Senior Center director.

The meeting adjourned.