Downtown golf course, volunteer fire department discuused at City Council meeting

Tuesday, Sept. 7, the Commerce City Council had a special meeting to discuss various resolutions. All council members were in attendance, as well as approximately 15 Commerce citizens.

Commerce Mayor Quay Throgmorton began the meeting by proclaiming the week of Sept. 4 to Sept. 11 as Harvey Martin Classic Week. A&M-Commerce plays Angelo State in the third Harvey Martin Classic on Sept. 11 at the Cotton Bowl.

"We just recognize the importance of Harvey Martin and what he did for the Dallas Cowboys but also the recognition he brought to A&M-Commerce," Throgmorton said. "We're honoring his achievements."

The City Council was presented with a resolution authorizing a conditional use permit for an indoor mini-golf course. The 9-hole course would be located on Washington Street and could be open as quickly as this Thanksgiving.

"We certainly need more business to open up in the downtown area, and we're hopeful that this venture will go well," Throgmorton said.

The council approved a resolution for a new apartment complex on Monroe Street.

The council then approved a resolution allowing Commerce Fire Chief Brian McNevin to submit an application for grant funds from the Department of Homeland Security's SAFER program. The funds would be used to help recruit A&M-Commerce students to join the Commerce Volunteer Fire Department.

McNevin already has a commitment from the university to continue funding the program after money from the SAFER program runs out if the application is accepted.

"The demographic of volunteers that we usually seek is dwindling down to almost nothing," McNevin said. "I sit here and look at A&M-Commerce with over 10,000 students and I think that here is a demographic of people that we aren't even attempting to recruit."

If the application is accepted, the Council will vote on whether or not to continue with the project.

The Council then passed a resolution by a 3-2 vote increasing the interim city manager's salary by five percent. The two dissenting votes were from council members Doug Rohrabaugh and Throgmorton.

"In these tough economic times we need to be very cautious about the way we spend the money," Throgmorton said.

After the executive session, the council toured the new music building before adjourning.

"The new music building is going to be a great asset for the university and for the city," Throgmorton said. "It's going to bring in folks going to concerts, and people who haven't been in Commerce will come to see the performances and who will frequent our retail and restaurants and stay at our hotels. The old building needed to be replaced."