Monday morning Police Chief Jerry Penny was sworn in. We had a large turn-out from the public, and want to thank everyone who came to meet him on his first day. Chief Penny and I met with Sheriff Hauger and Chief Deputy Angell on Tuesday to discuss law enforcement coverage going forward. Chief Penny will be primarily responsible for responding to calls during the day until he hires additional officers, however the Sheriff's Office will continue to assist as needed. Chief Penny has already contacted several Police Officer applicants and has scheduled written and physical tests prior to interviewing them.
Last Friday we had the largest number of visitors to the swimming pool on a single day in five (5) years. We also had a surprise audit at the pool, and the lifeguards performed excellently. We will be recognizing the lifeguards at the Council Meeting on Monday.
The Fire Department responded to seven (7) calls for service. Four (4) of the calls were in the County, and three (3) were in the City. Of those seven calls, four (4) were EMS, one (1) was an Environmental call, and two (2) were grass fires.
The Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board met this week to review a request for a conditional use permit. The City Council will review and consider the recommendation at the Council Meeting on Monday.
The series "Landman" utilized the Police Department to film several scenes for Season Two. Only the exterior of the building will be seen, and they changed the sign to read "Odessa Police Department". The City also hosted the crew and extras at City Hall to provide an eating location and a place to cool off.
The Building Inspector completed nine (9) inspections. He also continues to address high grass and weeds around town. Additionally he is working on three structural abatements, as well as the next round of junked vehicles.
The Distribution and Collection Crew responded to thirty (30) calls for service. They also continued to work on the installation of a new water line on Depot Street.
Our Employee Spotlight of the Week includes all our dedicated Lifeguards. As I mentioned earlier, they completed an outstanding audit and continued to keep everyone safe as the number of residents utilizing the pool continues to increase.
Our next City Council meeting is Monday, July 14th, at 5:30 PM.
Respectfully,
Mike S.
MICHAEL R. SMITH, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
City Manager