By Cori Smelker
Contributing Writer

Live Oak City Council members continue to question the need for an agenda item regarding the presence of the city attorney at all city council meetings, as requested by the city’s mayor.

During the city’s March 11 meeting, Councilwoman Pat Kauts requested that the attorney attendance-and-pay matter be stricken from the agenda altogether. Councilwoman Anne Jorrie, referencing the item on the agenda the events of 2007 -- with the firing of three city officials, including one, former police chief Mark Jackley, who has now sued the city -- asked Edwards if he thought the investigation was flawed. He said he didn’t believe so, but said he had questions about the invoice and bill, which have been resolved to his satisfaction.

Edwards pointed out policy that states the city attorney should only be present at city meetings when needed. Councilman C.J. Deigel responded, “We are utilizing his services, we need him.” Jorrie agreed:

“The city attorney has helped the city council do things correctly. I think he needs to be present at the meetings.”

Council agreed the attorney should be present, although he is not permitted to take part in the discussions, only to give advice when asked.

Another hot topic was whether the city needed two finance directors. During “Citizens to be Heard,” resident Mark Cymbalist questioned the city’s practice of paying two finance directors. “Mr. (Leroy) Kowalik has been here for a month, why keep Ms. (Dorothy) Nixon on?”

Kowalik cited backlog and adherence to the recent city as reasons to have one person devoted entirely to addressing these issues.

“Ms. Nixon is the expert, so she is focused on that,” Kowalik said. “There are 10 pressing items to work on right now. If I worked on the other things that have to be done, we would never get to those 10. As it is, Dorothy (Nixon) has a list of 31 things the city needs to do right now.”

The council discussed whether they needed to keep Nixon on past the last day of March, her final work date. Councilman Emilio Serrano said it is possible the finance department would need to fill another position. “It is apparent that Dorothy is not acting as interim finance director any longer, but is filling another spot entirely.”

Kauts said two people currently are doing what one person used to. “It is obvious the city is growing and we tried to stay with the small stuff. But we are no longer small.”

City Manager Matt Smith and Public Works Manager Mark Wagster addressed the latest cost estimates for the new public safety building, equipment and furniture. The city is currently on cost and actually has extra money, the two reported, because the contracts are being managed well.

A moving tribute was paid to Roger Dennis Jr., a San Antonio firefighter and Live Oak city resident who suffered a heart attack and died Feb. 29 His widow, Mary Dennis, graciously accepted a proclamation from Edwards, honoring Rogers’ life.

The council took up the issue of parades. In years’ past, the city held two summer parades, a Memorial Day parade hosted by the Lions Club, and a July 4 parade, hosted by the city. “Two parades in one day is taxing,” Jorrie said, referring to Live Oak’s participation in its own July 4 parade and the annual Schertz July 4 Jubilee parade.

Council agreed that Live Oak will continue to participate in the Schertz July 4 parade and a voted to continue the Memorial Day parade, which was dropped by the Lions Club. The parade will be extended so it loops through the Woodcrest subdivision, one area that has missed out in previous years.

Staffing the parade will be something the city will look at in the next couple of weeks.