Published Wednesday, April 29, 2009 6:05 AM
Bryan backs off annexation plans
By JANET PHELPS
janet.phelps@theeagle.com
Bryan City Council members received a standing ovation from Enchanted Oaks residents on Tuesday after voting to halt the possible annexation of the Brazos County subdivision.
More than 30 residents at Tuesday's regular meeting were prepared to speak publicly against the annexation. But they were caught off-guard when councilman Jason Bienski made a motion to direct city staff members to "cease annexation processes until further direction from the City Council."
"A deep and hearty 'Thank you,'" Enchanted Oaks resident Herb Gersbach told the council following the unanimous vote. "We folks appreciate you taking the action that you did tonight. Our national government hardly listens, but the purest form of government is at the local level and, by gosh, you listened."
Council members voted 5-2 on March 24 to begin the six-month process of holding public hearings and crafting an ordinance to annex five areas totaling nearly 6,600 acres surrounding the city.
The council did not address which annexation processes would be stopped, and city spokeswoman April Saginor said the issue could still move forward.
"I didn't sit in on the executive sessions, so I don't know what was said this evening, but I do know that it's not completely off the table forever," she said, adding that the council could discuss annexation at a special meeting Friday.
Council members were not available for comment following the meeting Tuesday night.
Enchanted Oaks residents have publicly opposed the annexation, saying they would be forced to pay taxes without receiving additional services. The area is also served by a nearby volunteer fire department, and residents have said the nearest Bryan fire station would not be able to respond to the area as quickly.
Gersbach, who has spearheaded the community's opposition, said residents presented a petition seeking to be excluded from the annexation with signatures from 100 percent of affected Enchanted Oaks residents, 81 people, at the council's last meeting.
He said he was contacted by several council members, including Mayor Mark Conlee, expressing support of the way the neighborhood had approached the council.
Retired Texas A&M University professor Betty Unterberger told the council members Tuesday their decision could be life-saving.
Unterberger said she and her husband, who are in their 80s, have called 911 twice in recent months for medical emergencies.
"They not only came within minutes, they also kept me on the phone until my husband could be taken to the hospital," she said. "My deepest concern was that if we were joined to Bryan that the distance would be so far that we would not have that same efficient and immediate service that we have both enjoyed gratefully since we have moved into Enchanted Oaks."
But several residents expressed concern, saying they saw the council's action as merely delaying the issue.
Enchanted Oaks resident Brian Bricken said he was taking the council's decision with a grain of salt.
"It seems to me that we're just postponing an inevitable showdown," he said. "I'd rather just get it over with."
He said he still believes that council members wanted to annex Enchanted Oaks to capture the property taxes.
"They just want us for the money," he said.
Also Tuesday:
* Council members asked city staff members to get community input before launching Bryan Police Department's GIS crime-mapping system.
Members were divided on whether to approve the usage of the online system because of victims' privacy and liability issues.
Conlee said the new technology, while cutting-edge, could hurt the city's image.
"One of our council initiatives is image," he said. "What we're fixing to do could be a great tool for somebody to hurt our image, in my opinion."
* Council members delayed making changes to the draft Capital Improvement Program and instead agreed to discuss the issue at a special meeting May 7. The suggested list of projects is set from 2010 to 2014.
* A consultant told council members that an annual report on racial profiling at the Bryan Police Department showed that blacks and Hispanics were more likely to be arrested than whites last year.
University of Texas at Arlington professor Alex Del Carmen, who has worked as a consultant for the department to compile the report for the past five years, told council members that the findings were consistent with past years' and did not necessarily indicate that racial profiling existed in the department. Del Carmen presented a list of recommendations to the council, including more aggressive recruitment of minorities by the police department.
* Brazos County Commissioner Kenny Mallard asked Bryan officials to join plans for a high-speed train that would connect Bryan-College Station with the three largest cities in Texas.
It would cost $25,000 per year for the city of Bryan to become a member of the Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corp. Brazos County and the city of College Station are already members.
Mallard told council members, who took no action Tuesday, that they needed to join to give the area one more vote in the corporation.
Comments
14 comment(s) found!
Posted by:
City IMAGE. On:
Thursday, April 30, 2009 11:28 AM
Comment Title:
Council members and mayor conlee: The city's image has been hurt by your actions and inaction's more so then common Bryan Criminal actions. A few recent points: Police Chief, SGT French, City MGR, The cover up of information, wasted Tax money on the city Hotal downtown, leaks about the past Police problems of the City MGR and Chief. You have a big rug to sweep thing under. It now appears it is getting full under it and things have leaked out. Only do Things that you do not need to hide from the people of Bryan. Simple and effective image control for the Bryan Government.
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, April 30, 2009 11:14 AM
Comment Title:
Conlee, Image aw come on now, not in the same sentence. City of Bryan image is at an all time low and the council, city manager, police and city staff are too blame. The city needs to clean out everyone and start over.
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Posted by:
Information is Intelligence -COB -Mayor and friends On:
Thursday, April 30, 2009 10:59 AM
Comment Title:
The city council needs to stop funding Police programs like NET-Neighborhood Enforcement Team and neighborhood watch. Since the cities image could be hurt is we arrest someone. This is A major COB-PD program that the city now sounds like it would like to limit it's how effective it can be. See BPD web site under net.----------------------------- "The purpose of NET is to utilize problem-oriented policing strategies to resolve those issues that affect crime, fear of crime and quality of life in Bryan. The NET is striving to build partnerships with Bryan residents, business owners and religious leaders to foster better community involvement in problem solving. The NET will work closely with existing units within the Police Department and City of Bryan such as the Directed Deployment Team (DDT), Drug Enforcement Team (DET), Intelligence and Code Enforcement."------- Just who pockets is all this local drug money? What is the real reason for not clean the city up?
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Posted by:
On:
Thursday, April 30, 2009 4:01 AM
Comment Title: ________Quick, close the gate! The horse is out.______
______________________________________________ Conlee said the new technology, while cutting-edge, could hurt the city's image. "One of our council initiatives is image," he said. "What we're fixing to do could be a great tool for somebody to hurt our image, in my opinion." ________________________________________________ Sorry Mark, it is way too late for you to pretend that you are trying to be proactive.
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:22 PM
Comment Title:
"Conlee said the new technology, while cutting-edge, could hurt the city's image. "One of our council initiatives is image," he said. "What we're fixing to do could be a great tool for somebody to hurt our image, in my opinion." THIS IS NOT RED CHINA AND THE OLD USSR. IF YOU HAVE TO HIDE IT FROM THE PEOPLE THEN YOU NEED TO STOP IT. DO NOT DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL IF YOU DO NOT WONT PEOPLE FINDING OUT.
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Posted by:
AGREE 100% On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 1:12 PM
Comment Title:
"What does conlee need to hide now? Conlee's closed Government is already hurting the city with his 3 person council agenda rule." Agree with this statement. Vote for Proposition 4."
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:14 PM
Comment Title: Transparency
This is the cry of the American people, whether real or imagined, how can the Bryan council not want all citizens to address them unless they have a small group with a closed agenda. This is a really ugly situation and the people must speak.
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Posted by:
PHARAOH On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 11:28 AM
Comment Title: VOTE FOR PROPOSITION 4
"What does conlee need to hide now? Conlee's closed Government is already hurting the city with his 3 person council agenda rule." Agree with this statement. Vote for Proposition 4.
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:31 AM
Comment Title: How Great is this.
BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE. Thank you council for listening and remembering.
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Posted by:
I agree with the mayor. We need to hide what the Government of Bryan employees do. On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:31 AM
Comment Title:
"""Conlee said the new technology, while cutting-edge, could hurt the city's image."""" I agree the People of Bryan may find more things out. Like what the Police Chief of Bryan and the City MGR have been doing. WHO knows what others have done. Bryan's still needs to keep things under the rug. Let make sure people do not find out about what going on in Bryan. It could hurt the city's image more then the Chief of Police and city MGR.
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:29 AM
Comment Title: Finally
The council did the right thing! Now do not stop keep listening the citizens that elected you may be smarter than you think.
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Posted by:
What are they hiding now in Bryan? On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:12 AM
Comment Title:
Bryan Police Department's GIS crime-mapping system is needed I use the {College Station} web-site in Business. Keeping us safe should be Job one for the COB. Not hiding public Information from us. We have had criminals arrested on some of CS Properties because of knowing what going on in the area. We have more properties in Bryan and no Information on what crimes have been taking place in the area. We need all the crime fighting tools we can get to protect workers and Business in Bryan. Anybody can do a open record request and and get Public info anyway. Why hinder public safety information? All crimes are against the people. Maybe we need to get the City of Bryan Mayor and city council a copy of the US constitution. What is wrong with the Bryan mayor and some council members?
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:46 AM
Comment Title:
If the amount of crime in Bryan could hurt its image, then clean it up!!
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Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:24 AM
Comment Title:
Council members asked city staff members to get community input before launching Bryan Police Department's GIS crime-mapping system. Conlee said the new technology, while cutting-edge, could hurt the city's image.--College Station has had this for years. it is a in portent tool for public safety in CS. Bryan residents need to know what is going on in their city also. All crime is public information anyway. What does conlee need to hide now? Conlee's closed Government is already hurting the city with his 3 person council agenda rule.
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