Quitman city council members approved the museum building at Jim Hogg City Park as a temporary COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Thursday’s meeting. The Northeast Texas Public Health District is hoping to open a vaccination clinic pending receiving a grant. 

“Right now, most of the shot sites are mobile where they set up for a day and tear down when they are out of vaccine,” City Administrator Rodney Kieke explained. “The new goal is to set something more permanent and when I say permanent I mean a piece of time until the county is vaccinated. We are just trying to get out in front of things and make the space available. They may or may not choose us. The goal will be 500 shots a day and would be complete by June.”

Mayor Randy Dunn echoed his support, “We want to help citizens. A lot of people are frustrated trying to get the vaccine.” 

In another matter, the council approved amending the ordinance establishing a parks and recreation board.

“What we want to have is a committee that works on the vision because there is an opportunity for grants,” Dunn said. “That will put us in the position to apply for grants if we have an organization and a committee that things go through. I have some people who have expressed an interest in the board and would serve in that capacity.”

The park board would consist of a minimum of five and maximum of nine people. They will meet the second Thursday of each odd month at a time to be determined.

In other action, the council approved a resolution in opposition to SB 234 / HB 749 which would impact the county and cities. The bill would limit the voice of cities and counties in the state legislature. Complaints by cities and counties concerning the bill included limiting the ability of rural counties to participate in the legislative process; creating an inefficient use of county resources by requiring each county official to separately communicate with legislators; preventing counties from expressing a collective position through non-profit associations; limiting legislative communication to private, special interest groups; and discriminating against local officials while continuing to allow the use of state funds for legislative communication by state agencies.

Quitman Public Library Director Delene Allen gave an update. “For those of you who didn’t know we were recently awarded the 2020 Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award from the Texas Municipal League. This is the second year we have received the honor,” Allen stated. “Right now the library has 8,611 patrons. We have had right at 750 visits per month and that’s roughly 90 people per day. I don’t spend even half of what the state recommends you spend on books and magazines. That is mainly because the people here in this town and county love this library. I get new books from people who will buy them, read them and then donate them to the library. We have four magazines now that are sponsored by people who just want to give them to the library.”

Patrick Woods of the Perdue-Brandon law firm reported on tax collections. “The good news is you don’t have much of a delinquent tax roll. Taxes are due Jan. 31, and as you know, they become delinquent Feb.1,” Woods said. ‘I get those delinquent taxes July 1 and try to collect them for you. We don’t file lawsuits or anything like that; we simply call taxpayers and try to work it out. Only on a very few delinquent taxes, do we initiate a lawsuit.” 

The council approved a joint election agreement with Quitman ISD for the May 1 elections for the city and school district.