Quitman City Council members strengthened the city’s gaming ordinance as a pro-active measure to protect against gambling machines in the city limits during their regular meeting Thursday.

“Several months ago we had a gentleman looking at opening a facility and talking about it. We showed him the rules and he backed off, but we thought we needed to beef it up a little bit,” Mayor J.R. Evans said. “We will strengthen our rules of operations, inspection fees on machines and this kind of stuff which will be somewhat of a deterrent to have very many if any (gaming machines).”

The purpose of the ordinance in section one says “is to prevent establishments from becoming places of illegal gambling. Illegal gambling often attracts the criminal element. Average citizens often conduct business in these establishments which make them easy victims of robberies, assaults and thefts. Often times illegal gambling attracts the sale, distribution and use of illegal narcotics which is detrimental to not only to the youth of the incorporated city limits, but also the quality of life for the citizens.”

City Attorney Jim McLeroy talked about the “amusement redemption machines. “

“Typically if they are true gaming machines if they meet this ordinance they won’t be here very long. The $5 prizes are not what drives this industry. What happens is they will come up with a way to give bigger prizes whether it is Walmart gift cards or whatever,” McLeroy explained. “The bigger prizes are what lures the people in. We don’t have this kind of gambling in Texas but that is what this is if it is successful. Eventually sheriff’s departments get involved and they go in and raid these places confiscating the machines. A lot of these operators are looking for places with no regulations so they can just go in and set up.”

In another matter, the council approved changing insurance to the Texas Municipal League (TML) from Blue Cross. The mayor said that formerly the city insurance was through TML and, “We had some employees with major medical problems raising our rates. We wanted to find something better for our employees,” he said of the switch back to TML.

In another action the council accepted bids on tax foreclosed properties at 504 Central and a piece of land near 210 Flournoy. The city will not receive money for the properties, but it does get the properties back on the tax rolls.