Council moves $1.25 million

City Council members on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve moving $1.25 million from the city's general fund for several one-time projects, including $200,000 for a comprehensive-plan study and $100,000 to look into a future Civic Center, but not without debate.

District 5 Councilman Michael Sanchez brought up privacy concerns in his strong objection to appropriating $400,000 of the $1.25 million to cover a citywide phone system upgrade. The proposed upgrade would switch the city's analog lines to a digital Voice Over IP System, where all incoming and outgoing calls can be recorded.

Sanchez said he didn't think it would be fair for all city employees to have the ability to record citizens without their knowledge, adding that it would be possible to "bait" someone into making certain statements during a phone conversation.

And Sanchez questioned if the upgrade would really make the city run more efficiently.

"That (recording ability) is a very, very dangerous element to these things," he said.

Sanchez also took issue with appropriating $200,000 out of the $1.25 million for a citywide comprehensive-plan study, a project that would look at population growth patterns, transport, possible annexations and a parks master plan. City Manager Richard Morton said Odessa's comprehensive plan hasn't gone through a complete update in 20 years.

"Even if we wanted to do a comprehensive plan, we don't know how much it would cost," Sanchez said in the council's 5 p.m. briefing. "What do you get for the $200,000? There's no plan in place. We've just been kicking around ideas at this time."

Sanchez's motion to strike the phone and comprehensive-plan study appropriations from the $1.25 million total died 3-2 after his fellow councilmen stressed that the appropriations were just that - putting the money aside for these projects doesn't necessarily mean the city has to spend it.

Assistant City Manager for Administrative Services James Zentner said the city could explore options to limit the Voice Over IP System to the city's municipal court and billing and collections department, where routine recording is already performed for quality control monitoring.

In other action, Judge Stacy Trotter administered the Oath of Office to re-elected Mayor Larry Melton and councilmen James Goates and Bill Cleaver.

The council also approved:

>> A 10-month contract with Western Industrial of Odessa to provide valves and fittings for the water distribution division. The contract is worth $59,167 and was the lowest bid out of eight vendors.

>> $47,600 in funding for four Solid Waste department grants. The grants will support operating costs for the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Keep Odessa Beautiful's recycling education programs, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service's backyard composting training program and the city's tree limb-grinding service.

>> The '06/'07 fiscal year audit.

>> An $80,410 bid award to Barbed Cross Construction for improvements to the police department's front desk.

>> Canvass election returns and the results of the 2008 General City Election.

>> Odessa Police Department's application with the Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts for continued funding of the Statewide Tobacco Education and Prevention Program.

>> A contract with Alan Plummer and Associates, Inc. to conduct a water treatment plant sludge evaluation study.

>> A utility easement exchange in Parkway Industrial Park.

>> Participation in the Texas Enterprise Zone Program and the nomination of Odessa Regional Hospital, L.P. as a Texas Enterprise Zone Project.