City looks at repairs

September 16, 2020

Wild hogs rooted up areas of Fairlawn Cemetery in Comanche early last week. The police department and animal control have been working on the problem. Comanche assistant police chief Mike Moore said the hogs appear to be passing through the cemetery instead of staying and they are trying to figure out the timing of when they come through. An officer goes out to the cemetery every morning and there have been live traps set.

The Comanche City Council followed the recommendations of a consulting firm in regards to what streets will need to be addressed first if a REAP grant is approved.

City manager Chuck Ralls said Chisholm Trail Consulting did a survey of all the streets and turned in a five-year plan on street repairs.

The first streets to be addressed should the grant be approved will be S. 8th Street from Patterson to Highway 53, N. 8th Street from Church Ave. to Wilson; Hickory Ave. from S. 9th Street to Highway 81; and Wilson from N. 9th Street to N. 9th to N. 4th Street.

The 5-year plan also includes repairs to all streets west of Highway 81. Streets east of Highway 81 were redone four years ago.

In other business, the council approved the purchase of a new brush truck with the help of a rural fire department 80/20 reimbursement grant. Fire chief Scooter Bivens said the department does have the matching funds available in the rural fire fund.

The council also approved the leasing of two mowers and a mini excavator for the city.

“The fuel savings alone will pay for the excavator,” Ralls said.

During the city manager’s report, Ralls said animal control and the police department were working on solving a wild hog problem at the cemetery. The hogs are coming through and rooting up the grass.

“Fortunately, they haven’t damaged any headstones,” Ralls said.
He also said an ice delivery truck had damaged the septic tank at the golf course and it was going to be repaired.

Beyond repair, however, was the big freezer at the Senior Nutrition Center. Ralls said it had gone out and they were needing to purchase a new one. The issue forced some last-minute menu changes for the center.

In the Public Works Authority meeting, the trustees approved leasing the 15 acres at Comanche Lake for grazing at $700 a year.

They also approved the underwater inspection of both water towers, which have not been inspected since 2016.