SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR IPOIA - WED. AUG. 14TH AT 6 P.M.

Below is a note written to all members of the IPOIA from the president of the association Patsy Morris. I will allow comments to be made on this post however, I ask that you stick to the subject of this post. Friends, here are two important issues before the IPOIA and city council for which your input is needed: Item #1 After the city council executive meeting Thursday night, city attorney Tim McDonough announced that Councilman David Baier is investigating the purchase of a portable office building to be used as a city hall. When Ivanhoe became a city, residents identified two priorities; roads and security. A separate city hall was not imagined. At present, the city hall office and meeting space is leased from the IPOIA whose volunteers use this income for community improvements. In the last few weeks, the IPOIA has spent $2700 for a new ice machine and over $8000 for the community center air conditioner. Just last week we spent $500 to locate and clean the septic tank for the office. A number of parks are mowed by volunteers whose reimbursement, if any, is only the cost of gas when hired mowing can cost as much as $35 an hour. The city council meets for a workshop to discuss the budget on Thursday, August 14th. (Remember: they are deciding how they will allocate and spend your tax dollars). Residents may attend this meeting however you will not be allowed to comment. Within the next couple of weeks, a budget hearing will be held where citizen input will be allowed which will include reading of letters and emails received at the city office about the building of a new city hall. Please make your voice heard. The city council and IPOIA should support each other to make Ivanhoe a better place to live. The current office space is adequate for both. The IPOIA has regular summer office hours of 9-5 on Saturdays and 2-4 on Sundays. The city hall is open all day from Tuesday through Friday and half day on Saturday. We share the building for one half day each Saturday, a half day on Saturday. We share the building for one half day each Saturday, a half day on Friday once a month and a few hours during the week when IPOIA volunteers complete office maintenance chores. Item #2 1. The mayor contacted Patsy Morris, the current IPOIA president to report that the city is countering the IPOIA lease agreement to reduce the current lease amount from $10,000 per year to what he says is "fair market value" and to reduce the percentage of utilities shared by the city. He will present the lease proposal Monday morning. (the city's proposal has been presented and after the Wed. night meeting I will post it for those who are unable to attend the meeting). The IPOIA board will discuss the ramifications of a reduced lease or no lease by the city at a special called meeting at 6:00 p.m. Wed. August 14th in the community center. IPOIA members will have an opportunity to voice their opinions as the board struggles with the decision to accept or reject the city proposal. Please Come! For those of you who wish to express your opinion on the city building a city hall, please address your emails to mail@cityofivanhoetx.com