A proposed Shenandoah Toddler Park fence and a settlement agreement with Hou-Scape were among discussion items during Shenandoah’s regular city council meeting, Aug. 9.

Council members Byron Bevers and Ron Raymaker were absent from the meeting. City Attorney William Ferebee also was not present.

To view the entire Aug. 9 agenda, click here.

1. The council called for a town hall meeting to allow residents to discuss the proposed fence at the Shenandoah Toddler Park.

A potential fence at Shenandoah’s Toddler Park has been a topic of debate among residents and council members since the park first opened in June 2016.

One of the proposed fence routes discussed during the Aug. 9 meeting would cost an estimated $33,110 for engineering, site work and materials.

“The park committee recommended to not put up a fence,” former council member Darrell Frazier said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “The committee is made up of residents who are moms and dads, and $30,000 is a lot of money.”

The town hall will take place Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. The item will remain tabled until after the town hall meeting.

2. The council also opted to table the approval of a settlement agreement with Hou-Scape, the city’s landscaping company, for breach of contract.

The council adjourned into executive session to discuss the matter. Council decided that the item would be brought back to council when the city’s attorney, William Ferebee, is in attendance.

3. The council discussed the potential formation of an audit committee, in accordance to the Government Finance Officers Association best practices.

Finance Director Jennifer Calvert currently facilitates the city’s auditing process. The actual audit is conducted by a third-party company, BrooksWatson Co., LLP.

Calvert cited some of her concerns with the item included the level of involvement, education and cost it would take to form an audit committee.

“I don’t want to come across as we’re against [the formation of an audit committee], but I think if we create one, [the finance department] should be a part of it because we are the ones that have to facilitate [the audit],” Calvert said.

In a related item on the agenda, council unanimously approved a one-year extension to the exiting contract for auditing services with BrooksWatson Co., LLP.

4. Council will look into alternative options to Entergy’s proposed overhead power line on the east side of I-45.

The proposed power line would provide an addition circuit to provide redundancy for Shenandoah, according to Entergy officials.

Tim Crawford, the developer for Centro, a new mixed-use development on the east side of I-45, advocated for an alternative power line route that would not run in front of the new development.

Council members and Crawford also advocated for an underground power line for aesthetic purposes.

The council and Entergy agreed to continue exploring alternative options to find a balance of both aesthetics and functionality.

5. Mayor Ritch Wheeler and Council Member Ted Fletcher addressed a city employee who discussed the reasons behind her resignation during the citizen’s forum.

The employee cited the May election, which resulted with three new council members taking office, as one of the primary reasons for her resignation. According to city officials, the employee announced her resignation to council and city staff July 31.

“I decided to leave the city because I do not want to be a part of the hate that is portrayed by this council,” Heather Smallwood said. Smallwood worked as a customer service supervisor for the building department.

According to former council member Jean Teague, who spoke during the meeting's ending public comment portion, there have been five city employees who have resigned since the May election.

Council members did not address this number as it was not a formal agenda item during last night's meeting, however Wheeler addressed Smallwood publicly before the meeting was adjourned.

“This blindsided me so I obviously didn’t do a good job of making sure that you were happy with where you are in the city or happy with what’s going on,” Wheeler said. “I do think that in our positions, we should at least have a good feel for how the staff is doing. The jobs that staff does here is helping us have a better quality of life and I appreciate everything [you all] do for us.”