Some additional streets are to be repaved in Fairfield this summer to use up the remaining funds earmarked in the 2008-09 budget for street repairs.

Fairfield city council members picked the streets from a list compiled by KSA Engineers of Lufkin.

The city has $40,915 to spend on paving projects, or about 20 percent of the amount contracted for street repairs this year, a statutory limit.

S. Mount Street from U.S. 84 south to Reunion Street will be leveled and chip seal applied, getting it ready for a 2-inch asphalt overlay next year.

Picked for completion with asphalt overlays are N. Mount from Gregg north to its end and the parking area at the fire station.

The fire department paving will add additional parking behind businesses in the 100 block of E. Commerce Street.

City administrator Jeff Looney recommended the four projects and the council agreed.

The council addressed two Fairfield chamber of commerce projects, the Show of Wheels which has been moved from June to September and the Fourth of July fireworks display, to determine what help the city can provide the chamber.

Chamber budget for the Show of Wheels is $14,000, which the organization requested the city assist with funding out of hotel-motel tax money.

Looney reports that he met with chamber directors last week to discuss their projects and ways in which the city could help make them more successful.

"They really want to involve the city in their work. I think this would be a good gesture," the city administrator says.

He also says that he would like the council to consider creating a community development director position in city government who would be charged with helping civic organizations expand their work, especially as it relates to drawing visitors to town.

On a motion by Luke Ward, Jr., seconded by Joe Lee Kirgan, the council voted 3-0 to provide $14,000 to the chamber car show.

A review of the Fourth of July fireworks show revealed that an XTO Energy donation to expand the show to 45 minutes could not be used for contractual reasons, and that the display wound up being stretched to meet its 30- minute agreement.

"That was a 20-minute show and you paid for 30 minutes," Mayor Roy Hill told chamber representatives at the council meeting.

Hill reports that he was at the rodeo arena when the fireworks were being detonated and overheard one of the pyrotechnicians remark that he would have to space out fireworks to make a half hour, for which the chamber paid.

XTO donated $2,500 to the show to extend it to 45 minutes but the display company declined to expand the show because it was contracted for a half hour. The XTO donation was not spent.

"I am apologizing to XTO for their donation not being used and I am instructing the city administrator to give their money back," Hill says.

The mayor also reports that, years ago, Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department put on the fireworks display and that the department would be willing to take the job on again.

A complaint made almost a year ago by Danny and Carolyn Robertson, 445 Oakridge Street, that the city damaged their sidewalk and driveway while replacing a sewer line was finally settled last week with the city agreeing to pay $2,500 for repairs to the driveway—-the sidewalk already has been fixed.

The Robertsons filed the claim in August 2008 and Texas Municipal League, the city insurance carrier, denied the claim for the driveway damage.

The couple reports that a portion of the driveway end broke and has sunken about one and one-half inches.

Looney inspected the driveway recently and agrees with street director Gary Crook that the damage was not due to city negligence, although Crook says a backhoe was set up on the driveway.

"The problem here is we have four people who don't lie," Hill says.

It was determined that repairing the driveway by replacing its end section would cost about $2,000 and the council authorized the repairs.

On a motion by Kirgan, seconded by Ward, the council approved a resolution seeking a $70,238 grant for the COPsync Interoperability Project through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The grant will pay 100 percent of the costs of providing laptop computers and software for police cars. The equipment allows officers to make immediate background checks on drivers and criminal suspects from their cars, instead of relaying information over a radio and waiting for the information.

Assistant Police Chief Bill Rogillio reports that it will cost about $17,000 annually to maintain the system after it is put into service.

In addition to the ability to make instant background checks, officers will be able to file field reports from their patrol cars, and each computer is equipped with a locator to assist in moving manpower or locating an officer when unable to communicate.

In a reports section of the meeting, Looney told the council that the I-45 elevated water tower control system was damaged in a recent thunderstorm and that aerator problems continue at the Mims Creek wastewater treatment plant.

To help alleviate the aerator problems, the city administrator says he will invite one of the engineers of the facility to spend a day with the city operators reviewing the plant operations manual to ensure the plant is being run correctly.

The review of operations could help determine if the plant has any design flaws.

Looney also told the council that he would like to seek a second round of street repair bids if money is left in the budget.

The council spent 10 minutes in executive session with City Attorney Reed Jackson discussing a contract between the city and Fairfield Independent School District under which Fairfield assigns a police officer to the school district. No action will be taken until the school board meets on the matter.

Council members conducted a 6-month review on meter reader William Chavez and agreed to raise his pay to $11.74 an hour.