It appears there’s not going to be a vote called by the city to decide whether a half-cent sales tax collected by the Municipal Development District stays with the MDD or goes to the Rock-dale Hospital District to help fund a new St. Joseph’s-Health Point clinic.
At least not until a great deal more interest is shown in the matter, if that ever happens.
The possibility of calling such an election was the topic of a public hearing Monday evening for consideration by the Rockdale City Council.
PARKING LOT—Just two persons spoke, both in favor of letting the MDD keep the tax. Mayor John King said he put the matter on the October agenda after the council heard in August from supporters of transferring the tax.
The city has the authority to call an election to decide if the tax should remain with the MDD, which has collected it for 10 years. Previously the tax was collected to support Richards Memorial Hospital, which closed last year.
“We’ve heard from both sides now,” King said, noting the absence at Monday’s meeting of anyone speaking in favor of the transfer. “They (transfer supporters) ought to be standing (out the door and) in the parking lot.”
UNI TY—“We really j ust need to let the voters decide,” council member Michelle Larkin said.
“We have these three different organizations, the MDD, Chamber of Commerce and Rockdale Downtown Association. It seems they don’t work together real well,” council member Belinda Hillhouse said. “That bothers a lot of people.”
Dr. John Weed, MDD board president, agreed with the statement and added the city to that mix.
“They all have different agendas,” he noted.
Dr. Weed pointed out a previous Governor’s Office of Economic Development study of Rockdale came to he same conclusion, that local entities did not work in concert.
That was challenged by Mayor King who said the council was not invited to participate in the study which led to those conclusions.
Dr. Weed said he believed there was “no reason” the entities could not work on some strategies toward a common goal.
Gary Griesbach said he believes there’s a need for both economic development and a medical facility and added: “If we had no economic development that would put Rockdale at a great disadvantage.”
The hospital district board originally voted to impose a 16.9-percent property tax rate for the first year of funding for the new clinic, at the former hospital, but later lowered that to 6.5 cents.
Directors have said the rate in subsequent years will be higher unless a revenue stream is found or a sought-after grant is approved.
HOT FUNDS—After statements by hotelier Joan Ratliff, who also spoke in support of the MDD, and Chamber of Commerce Chairman Cassidy Paschall, the council okayed hotel-motel tax (HOT) funds of $26,000 to fund the Chamber and its visitor center for the coming year.
Ratliff maintained Chamber data showing 1.06 walk-ins to the center, and 1.6 phone calls per week indicated to her that the organization spends about three percent of its time on tourism, not the 50 percent in HOT guidelines.
Paschall said the Chamber’s work with tourism comprises far more than walk-ins or phone calls and pointed to the number of events the organization sponsors or co-sponsors, including the recent Fall Music Fest.
The request was approved on a 5-0 vote.
In other business Monday, the council:
• Agreed to contact the Texas Dept. of Transportation regarding a concept presented by Collier Perry to erect at least one permanent set of structures designed to facilitate easy posting of banners across US 79.
• Together with the Rock-dale ISD, renominated incumbents Tim Arledge, Lisa Gerthe, Don Culp, Larry Patterson and Travis Yoakum for new terms on the Milam Appraisal District Board of Directors.
• Gave second-reading approval to an amendment to the city’s Tall Grass and Weeds ordinance amending the amount of uncultivated growth allowed and specifying maintenance responsibilities to sidewalks and curbs. Vote was 4-1 with Hillhouse voting against.
• Delegated Rockdale Earth Day Committee to assume the community’s yard of the month program.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.