The Dublin City Council voted to prohibit parking on Moore Street during school hours to ease school traffic and decided on a 7.03% rate increase on trash service.
Dublin Police Chief Cameron Ray advised the full council that officers had seen that parking on Moore Street between Thomas Ave. and N. Post Oak had contributed to congestion during school hours as parents traveled to drop off or pick up children at Dublin Intermediate and Dublin Elementary.
He requested prohibiting parking on the street in that area during school zone hours (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday) to see if that eases up congestion. Ray was asked about homeowners on Moore parking on the street. He responded that those residents were never observed parking on the street, but that officers would show leniency and understanding for residents in those cases.
Council members unanimously approved prohibiting parking on Moore Street from Thomas to N. Post Oak during school hours.
The council also discussed a 7.03% rate increase presented by Waste Connections based on changes in the consumer price index. City Secretary Melissa Minor reported that the initial rate increase was high but Waste Connections agreed to waive fuel cost increases. The current contract between the city and Waste Connections allows for annual increases based on the CPI.
Minor reported the city had previously absorbed a 1.26% increase in Jan. 2021 and absorbed half of a 7.37% increase in Dec. 2021. The 7.03 % increase would raise residential base rates from $20.77 to $22.22.
Minor said there was “no wiggle room” for the city in absorbing costs currently with the rising costs in items like fuel.
The council voted to pass the rate increase to residents with Councilmember Keegan McInroe voting against.
The council unanimously approved a request from John Johnson on behalf of Dublin Volunteer Fire Department to move funds from capital expenditures for the purchases of breathing systems and uniforms/bunker gear. Johnson noted that the cost of breathing systems are rising and the bunker gear needed replacing badly, saying that the shelflife was 10 years and some of the gear was 20-30 years old.
The council also unanimously approved the rezoning of a 37.848 acre plot and a 6.578 acre plot out of the William Thomas Survey from Agriculture to Single Family District.
The land on the north side of town near the Shamrock apartments was purchased by Mack Stewart for development and housing. A unanimous vote was also carried for spending up to $7,600 for the purchase of nine computers and two monitors to replace outdated and underperforming machines. City Manager Bobby Mendez brought forth the request, noting that the money could be moved out of TML fees since they were expected to spend $23,000 less than budgeted thanks to a credit. The council also approved the 2020-21 budget presented by BMY auditor Jeremy Shell and accepted a request from the Chamber of Commerce to waive park fees on March 16-18 for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival.