Freedom Rock approval

Starr Stanley, a board member of Keep Howe Beautiful (KHB), presented to the Howe City Council Tuesday night in order to obtain approval to place a “Freedom Rock” on the premises. The rock is actually a granite boulder that is to be purchased and painted by an individual who travels around the country and puts his artistic flavors onto these rocks.

The boulder will be roughly 6-foot by 6-foot and will come from Canyon City, Colorado. The rock will cost $2,000, the crane will cost $2,000, and they have budgeted $3,000 to have it hauled here. They will need a $1,500 crane here upon delivery. The artist fee is approximately $16,000. KHB says they currently have $15,000 in fundraising.

Stanley said this will be an attraction and wants it placed near the light pole and the pine tree. KHB is planning a 10-foot pad for the rock to sit and a four foot perimeter with $6,500 fencing. Stanley said all six branches of service will be represented on the fencing.

Local veterans will be featured on the rock with names mentioned of L.B. Kirby and Jimmy Wormsbaker.

tion. They are preparing to use a group from Pilot Point.

Shephard then asked Stanley about creating a new department under the budget. Stanley said the auditors wanted to see the economic development director’s salary, benefits, and budget come from the Type B economic development corporation Howe Community Facilities Development Corporation (HCFDC). He stated that the council first had to first approve the change to the HCFDC. Upon that, the HCFDC board would approve their 2022-23 budget which would include the change. The HCFDC budget has to be approved before the city budget.

Shephard then asked Stanley if the HCFDC board would have any control over the person who is employed as the economic development director to which Stanley said technically they could deny but didn’t foresee that happening.

Council member Sarah Myrick asked who the economic development director would report to, and Stanley said both the HFCDC board and city council and city administrator. She asked who would make salary and employment determinations which Stanley said according to the auditors it would be done through the HFCDC which meets once per year.

“I don’t want to have a city employee report to a board that is appointed and not elected,” said Shephard. “If this is going to cause an issue for our city employee who’s now our EDC Director who’s done a great job for a long time, this is going to cause him to fall under [Type B] boards fire as to whether his employment is continued, then I’m totally against it.” Shephard went on to say that this question needs to be answered and clarified before the next budget meeting. Mayor French proposed to table that line item until the next budget meeting.

The next topic was a vehicle needed for the public works department with a budget line item of $80,000. It is planned for a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

“We can’t go and buy one and pick out a vehicle or even go to one of the dealerships and say, ‘this is what I want,’” said Stanley. “They’re not giving pricing for vehicle for municipalities.”

City budget

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thing. This year, the only thing they asked for was this raise. And we’ll probably do the same thing with public works next year.” Councilman Brett Bearden presented the question whether the city was paying more on overtime than on two fulltime officers in which Stanley said the city is spending a lot on overtime.

Mayor Bill French says after speaking with Police Chief Carl Hudman, the two open police officer positions listed on the TML website have had 1,500 clicks, but no applicants.

“The only common denominator is the money,” said Mayor French.

Stanley said that other surrounding cities are also in competition for officers and have better pay rates.

“I don’t think anyone has a problem with giving the police a big raise like that. I don’t think anyone’s going to argue with you, said Councilman Joe Shephard. “I expressed my concern to you about being fair to the other employees. I think if they understand that the next budget year, they’ll be the ones with the big 15 percent raise. I wish you could do more this year than three percent with inflation at 10 percent.”

Stanley agreed and said with the ad valorem tax adjustment, they could make a one percent adjustment, but it could not be more than that.

“We’re trying to fix a problem where we start to get applicants, but we also need to realize that in five years, we will in all probability have a department that is as much as 50 percent larger than what it is right now,” said Mayor French. “With the needs of the community being what they’re going to be, we’re trying to get a hand up on this problem. We’ve got to be prepared for what’s coming.” Shephard then moved to ask about a proposed increase in water, sewer, and solvent waste rates where Stanley confirmed. The increase is projected to be around $15 to $18 per household.

in the nursery, to a floating teacher in the pre-kindergarten room for three years. She then became the assistant director and upon the sale, she became the director.

She says it sale of the business came as a shock to the employees who were not aware a transition was going to be taking place.

“It was a surprise to the staff and a surprise to me,” said Troxtell who said the most difficult parts were switching software components from one owner to the other. “All the utilities had to be switched over. There was a two or three week period where everything was under the old ownership, but we were under the new ownership, so it was kind of tricky.” But she says the kids have not noticed a change at all. But they kept all the parents as informed as possible of the changes that were taking place.

“There were questions from the parents, but most of them were wondering what the changes would be,” said Troxtell. “They wanted to know if they were still going to receive education here as opposed to just another daycare center. It really is all about learning. We have curriculum that we follow.”

Anytime there is a change in ownership, it can create some hesitancy with staff members. With the new owners, Eric and Leslie Falconer, living in Michigan, some of the workers wondered if it would be a good situation which apparently has been a good situation because all of the staff remained through the change.

“They are just wonderful people. They do what they say they are going to do,” said Troxtell. “They’ve already come in and made improvements.” Troxtell says that she has a lot of creative control on projects that they work on.

“They have projects that they want to work on for the school and I’ll have projects that I want to work on for the school,” said Troxtell who said the new owners have been very open to that creativity. “Eric and Leslie are Photo from KotiAcademy.com

very compassionate and kind people which flows out into the school that they now own.” The original owner of the School Zone was Kathleen Todd who first opened in 1985. Her daughter Haleen later became the director of the School Zone in 2015.

“I love, love, love Kathleen and we miss her,” said Troxtell. “We all were with her and Haleen for years and there are still staff members that miss her and miss some of the things that she brought to it.” Living close by, obviously, the ownership style was different under the School Zone Academy as it is now as Koti Academy with owners that typically visit the locations monthly.

“They’ll have one or two days where the circle all of the schools and say hello and check on everyone,” said Troxtell. “We all enjoy those days when they come. I just really enjoy talking to both of them.” The Falconers own the curriculum that they teach at Koti Academy. Experience Early Learning which focuses on STEM, art, music, social, and emotional learning.

Howe is the sixth school that the Falconers have purchased. Each one is in Texas and are in Frisco, Gilmer, Grand Prairie, Spring/Klein, and New Boston.

Koti Academy currently has 129 students enrolled but are licensed for 213. A building just north of the school has been converted into an after-school clubhouse with air hockey, foosball, art supplies, and games.

“That has freed up a lot of classroom space also which helps us to grow,” said Troxtell.