Collinsville ISD Superintendent Matthew Davenport addressed the City Council at their meeting this month to discuss a potential partnership between the school district and the city regarding drainage repair affecting several streets in town.
The school district is experiencing some drainage problems on Reeves, Walnut, Pecan and Elder Streets. Rainwater collects and floods across the playground and causes problems at streets around the elementary school.
Engineers have explained that concrete needs to be added around the school, but in doing so, two houses would be impacted. Unfortunately, repairing this area conflicts with the width of the road for the city’s Thoroughfare Plan.
According to the plan, the ISD must improve half of the perimeter streets along their frontage up to 18.5 feet in width to match the city’s street section. In the absence of a plan, the ISD is required to improve their half of the perimeter streets to match a 60-foot right-of-way.
Essentially, CISD has to fix the roads up to the Thoroughfare Plan or pay the city escrow to have it repaired.
Davenport then approached the city to explain that the school district would pay to have the road repaired but asked for the city to waive the road specifications/escrow. At that time, the city declined.
“With the development coming to town, the Thoroughfare Plan makes sense because the development owns both sides of the street,” Davenport said. “For what we’re dealing with, it doesn’t make sense.”
Davenport told the council that if the district only repairs their half of the road, then the city road will be uneven and won’t look good. To Davenport’s point, if they’re going to pay to have the road repaired, why not do it right?
The council tabled the discussion at last week’s meeting, but Davenport isn’t deterred.
“I feel like we can come to an agreement,” he said.
Other business handled at the meeting included reports from department heads. Keep Collinsville Beautiful has installed park benches and picnic tables at the mini park by the donut shop. Their annual meeting attracted 25 people, including four new families. Their memorial brick project received good response and hundreds of openings are still available.
The Parks Association is planning an adult kickball league or tournament to take place in September. Enrollment will open soon and people can sign up on the city’s Facebook page. The association will hold one more movie night in September or October with a Halloween theme.
The Chamber of Commerce is working diligently on Pioneer Day plans. This year’s event will include a kids’ zone, petting zoo, balloon art, face painting, mechanical bull, dunking booth and the State Champion baseball team will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal. The group needs bake sale items. Anyone willing to contribute should contact Marva Worsham.
The Collinsville Community Library celebrated the end of their summer reading program with a swim party at the Whitesboro public pool. Teen Trivia in July was a big hit, and Hagerman Wildlife Refuge will bring a presentation to Collinsville. In September, watch for classes on Medicare and Social Security as well as End-of-Life Planning.
Tom Worsham was appointed as Associate Judge to the Collinsville Municipal Court. The council declined to offer water bill credits to the volunteer firefighters.
“We can’t find any other cities that do it, so we’re going to hold off on this for now,” Alderman Chase Guidera said.
A public hearing to replat a non-residential property near E. Hughes and E. Main Streets to become a restaurant location was approved.
Lastly, the council approved the appointment of Michael Proffer and Julie Carney to the Collinsville Industrial Development Corporation Board; and the replacement of Jessica Orsburn with Vicky Norvell as Park Association President.
