At Monday night’s meeting, the Collinsville City Council entertained a presentation that would bring a mental health fair to town.
Mental Drive Inc. is a local nonprofit that harnesses the universal appeal of cars to connect with people in need of mental health care. The organization works with mental health facilities to provide people the resources they need. From paying their bills to coordinating entry to a halfway house, Mental Drive Inc. is “driven by passion and fueled by compassion.”
Executive Director Ryder Ortowski has spent the past two years building the nonprofit and, with a brick and mortar location in Collinsville, wants to bring a day-long festival to the city to help raise awareness and funds.
In his presentation to the council, Ortowski proposed a date of March 29 for a downtown event that would feature vendors, a car show, a drift and motorcycle event and a barbecue dinner and auction.
While the board generally liked the idea of the event, they had initial concerns about road closures and the event duration, and how these things would impact local businesses.
After some guidance from the city attorney, the board approved Ortowski to proceed with plans, with the stipulation that he must meet with city staff and the police and fire chiefs to map out a more concrete plan and work out the logistics of a successful event. Further details will be released as plans become more firm.
Local organizations presented their monthly reports, many of which contained happy news. Keep Collinsville Beautiful (KCB) has finally gotten an update from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) regarding the $90k grant it won in 2023 to create new sidewalks on the west side of the downtown square.
TxDOT will schedule a meeting with KCB in the coming weeks to discuss the project and find ways to make the sidewalk slope safer.
The KCB Holiday Tour of Homes was considered a success, although participation was down from last year.
“There’s just too much happening during the holidays,” KCB Chairperson Betty Graham said. “But the event was a success, and we have some ideas on how we can increase numbers this year.”
The organization is preparing for its citywide clean-up day in early April and has plans to purchase new holiday décor for downtown with funds it received from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
The Collinsville Area Chamber of Commerce is making plans for its 2025 members meeting and banquet to be held on March 22 at Ranch 82 in Whitesboro. At this Casino Night-themed event, the chamber will be electing 2025 officers for the year.
The Collinsville Community Library had a busy holiday season. Gate count for December was 126. Their Letters to Santa mailbox was used and each child received a letter back from the man in red. At their booth during the downtown Christmas event, the library gave out seven gallons of wassail.
They continue to hold successful community events, with a current snowman scavenger hunt taking place at the library and plans for a Jan. 30 Dog Man party are in the works.
The EDC held its first stakeholders workshop last Saturday. The organization is moving from its visionary phase to a practical phase, and they felt this workshop was an important step toward creating its comprehensive plan.
CEDC Chairman Joseph Cartwright explained the EDC hopes to share their vision for Collinsville by educating people about their role in town, meeting and greeting people at events and maintaining a presence at city events.
“We want to go beyond the needs and increase our sales tax base,” Cartwright said. “We’re really positioning ourselves to be marketers for Collinsville. We want to provide employment opportunities, healthcare services and drive tourism traffic. In 2025, our team seeks to lay the foundation for direction of growth for Collinsville.”
The EDC is seeking to fill one open position on its board. Meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
In other business, the council approved:
-The resignation of Molly Gengenbach from the Park Association board of directors
-A contract for consultant Sheryl Reed to provide project management services to the EDC/IDC
-A resolution for property insurance for the Annex Building to be added to the city’s policy
-To order the May 3, 2025 General Election
-To appropriate money from the Cellular Read Fund Balance to the Cellular Read Expenditure line
-A normal contractual increase to solid waste and recycling agreement
-An ordinance to adopt solid waste collection fees as required by the Franchise Agreement
-A voluntary petition for annexation for the Swindle Ranch property
-A new EDC/IDC logo
The council also approved an interlocal agreement that would enable the Collinsville Fire Department to borrow a firetruck from the City of Whitesboro. A Collinsville firetruck is currently out of commission as it awaits parts for repairs due to an internal engine intercooler explosion that damaged the radiator and other parts.
After an executive session, the council returned and took no action.