Conversations

Council OKs ESD pact with eye on future

Bill Spinks wspinks@cherryroad.com After considering a proposal for a multi-year contract Tuesday night, the Midlothian City Council chose instead to approve a one-year contract with Ellis County Emergency Services District No. 2 to provide fire and EMS response effective Oct. 1. The district includes areas outside the city limits within the Midlothian ISD attendance zone, but for years the ESD has contracted with the city to provide coverage. These agreements in the past have always been on an annual basis, but Midlothian Fire Chief Dale McCaskill this year proposed a three-year agreement, with a pair of one-year agreements at the end of the first three years if both parties agreed. There was also a one-year opt-out clause in the contract. In return, the ESD would pay the city a base fee of $1.125 million per year, with an additional estimated $175,000 from EMS service billing. The fee would increase in each of the following two years. How much the fee would increase, though, is what concerned members of the council based on the rate of growth in areas outside the city. Councilmember Mike Rodgers suggested using a “punch in, punch out” system to track fire and ambulance usage in the ESD. Rodgers also raised another concern, namely future state legislation, which might fast-track development of municipal utility districts in the state. Already, there are several of these MUDs in the works within the ESD coverage area. “We know this is coming,” Rodgers said. “I can’t imagine doing this more than a year at a time.” Rodgers made a motion to authorize a one-year contract with the ESD, and it passed 5-2. One thing that will change, McCaskill said, is the city of Ovilla’s establishment of an EMS unit that is expected to come online in April 2025. McCaskill said some […]

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MISD growth resumes after slowdown

Bill Spinks wspinks@cherryroad.com After a slowdown in 2023 due to higher home mortgage interest rates, growth within the boundaries of Midlothian ISD has picked up once again, MISD trustees were informed during Monday night’s monthly board meeting. District demographer Brent Alexander painted a picture of home construction activity that was a lot rosier than a year ago, when interest rates spiked. MISD’s population is estimated at more than 59,000 at present, which is up more than 10,000 from four years ago. However, Alexander noted, the rate of growth in school-age population has been slower, with an average rate of 3.3 percent per year since 2020. Alexander said the district, which has a current capacity of 14,600 students, should be able to get to the 2030-2031 school year at the earliest before new capacity would need to be added. Superintendent Dr. David Belding hailed the type of growth MISD is experiencing. “It’s good, solid incremental growth,” Belding said. “It’s not exponential growth, and that’s positive for everyone.” The most housing starts have taken place in the Vitovsky Elementary School attendance zone, while Longbranch Elementary has seen the most closings, Alexander said. Those two schools, plus Baxter Elementary, are adding more potential students than the other five elementaries within MISD. Walnut Grove and Dieterich Middle Schools are sharing in the growth as well, and Midlothian High School is outpacing Heritage High in both starts and closings with activity in the northwest portion of the district, Alexander showed. MISD includes not only the city of Midlothian, but also portions of Grand Prairie, Venus, Mansfield, Waxahachie, Cedar Hill and Ovilla, as well as unincorporated areas of Ellis County. In the second quarter of 2024, new homebuilders within MISD started 313 new homes, while 300 new homes were occupied. Alexander said the occupancy was just […]

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City Council approves budget, tax rate

Bill Spinks wspinks@cherryroad.com With Oct. 1 looming, the approval of a fiscal year 2024-2025 operating budget and property tax rate highlighted the Midlothian City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday night. Following public hearings in which both the budget and tax rate were presented for review, the council held a record vote to approve each and the budget and tax rate both passed unanimously. The tax rate will remain at a total of 65 cents per $100 taxable valuation, of which 34.3882 cents are designated for Maintenance and Operations and 30.6118 cents for Interest and Sinking, or debt service. The tax rates would generate a total of $28.2 million for the M&O portion of the tax and $21.6 million for the debt service, city finance director Ann Honza told councilmembers. Councilmember Mike Rodgers noted that the figures take all homestead and senior exemptions into account. The city’s homestead exemption this year increased from 10 percent to 20 percent. The council also held a separate vote to approve the property tax revenue rate as compared to the current year’s budget. The vote was 7-0. The new budget would increase revenue by just over $2 million from existing properties year-to-year, with newly-added properties chipping in another $2.3 million. Mayor Justin Coffman thanked councilmembers and staff for their hard work in putting the new budget together, and urged citizens who have questions about their tax rate or the budget to contact a councilmember. “Go to the people who really have the answers,” Coffman said. “If you’re going to Facebook to get your answers, you’re flawed. Go to the source and get real answers to solve real problems and get real feedback.“ All councilmembers were present. Other items Mayor Coffman issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 9-15 as Constitution Week in the city. The approved consent […]

Read MoreCity Council approves budget, tax rate

Council approves license plate readers

Bill Spinks wspinks@cherryroad.com The purchase of license plate readers at the request of the Midlothian Police Department drew lots of questions about civil liberties from some Midlothian City Council members Tuesday night. Following more than an hour of discussion, councilmembers approved the purchase by a 4-2 vote, with the addendum that a subcommittee be formed to oversee the camera system program and ensure it is being used appropriately. Councilmembers Allen Moorman and Mike Rodgers voted against the purchase, and Mayor Pro Tem Clark Wickliffe was the only councilmember not present. Rodgers stated that while he supported the goals of a license plate camera program to reduce crime, he could not support the city moving toward an increasing surveillance environment. “I don’t know that I can bring myself to take the first step to decide for the citizens that’s the life I want to live in my city,” Rodgers said. Moorman said his main concerns were over-enforcement in the case of an emergency, abuse by rogue investigators, and the eroding of Midlothian’s small-town atmosphere. Moorman suggested forming an oversight subcommittee to ensure accountability, which was added to the motion. The purchase consists of Flock Safety license plate readers to be placed throughout the city at a cost not to exceed $209,100. Police Chief Carl Smith told councilmembers that Flock license plate readers have been used by neighboring cities to catch criminals such as Mansfield, Cedar Hill and Waxahachie to great effect, calling the cameras “a force multiplier.” In Midlothian’s case, the cameras would not be deployed along major roadways, but instead in locations where crime is a concern, such as parks. The cameras log license plates of passing vehicles and sends them to an encrypted database accessible only to law enforcement. If the license plate matches that of a vehicle that […]

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City Council addresses electioneering complaints

Bill Spinks wspinks@cherryroad.com With a big election coming up in November, changes to electioneering rules at city-owned polling locations and problems during past elections drew the most discussion during Tuesday night’s regular semi-monthly meeting of the Midlothian City Council. Assistant city manager Clyde Melick said the city’s electioneering ordinance, which was originally approved in 2018, allows the entire parking area of the Midlothian Conference Center to be open for campaigning. However, that has been found to conflict with state law, which restricts electioneering within 100 feet of the doorway. To conform with the law, Melick proposed pushing all campaign activities back to the north and west parking areas at the Conference Center. Mayor Justin Coffman said he received “no exaggeration, a hundred complaints” from voters about candidates setting up tents and canopies in the past election cycle. Coffman said the intent is to allow voters to cast their ballot without walking through a gantlet, while still allowing candidates to meet voters. Councilmember Allen Moorman said he was against a restrictive ordinance, but councilmember Wayne Shuffield warned against a “free-for-all” if the law is not enforced. “I don’t think we had as harsh of a campaign cycle this time as we could have, but I think it could’ve been very harsh under the circumstances and if we don’t have some kind of guidelines, it’s going to get worse,” Shuffield said. City Attorney Joe Gorfida said the ordinance gives teeth to city officials to enforce restrictions. Councilmembers ultimately left the existing ordinance intact but agreed to move the electioneering area back one parking spot, or approximately 20 feet, in order to allow voters to enter, park and exit without interference. All councilmembers were present. Other items The council agreed to create a downtown advisory subcommittee at the request of Mayor Coffman. Among […]

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