June 20, 2017 - The Tenaha City Marshal's Office has been participating in a court ordered monitoring since the settlement over interdiction activities involving past administrations of the Marshal's Office, Constable's Office and District Attorney's Office.
The council re-visited the Tenaha City Marshal’s Office policies to consider their approval during the May 22, 2017 meeting. These policies specifically include a. Racial Profiling Policy; b. Internal Review Policy; and c. Storage of Police Unit Video. Natalie Harris, alderwoman, asked Marshal Jimmy Wagstaff for clarification on what the policy meant.
Marshal Wagstaff explained the police unit video storage has to do with the storage of video from the patrol unit dash cameras, which per federal order resulting from the Tenaha lawsuit alleging illegal interdiction activities, the recordings have to be retained for four years whereas opposed to the normal 90 days. According to Wagstaff, those policies were adopted in the end of 2013 to early 2014.
The internal review policy is a review of traffic stops and Wagstaff said by statute, as chief administrator, he is to review 10% of all traffic stops. Part of the monitoring situation is 10% of the videos also have to be sent in to the court appointed monitor.
The racial profiling policy prevents officers from stopping people based on their race, color, creed or any other reason beyond a traffic violation. Mayor Jernigan confirmed for Cliff Lloyd, alderman, the lawsuit is over, but the monitoring is still ongoing and may come to an end September 2017.
A motion carried to approve all three policies presented by the City Marshal's Office.
Earlier in the meeting, Tenaha VFD representatives Mark Odum and Austin Barna addressed the council about the fire department, where previous equipment came from and what the fire department does.
Odum reminded the council the firemen had spoken with the council about getting some funding to assist the fire department in purchasing needed equipment. He said it seemed things had gone south since that time and he didn't want any hard feelings between the city and the fire department. Odum said he realizes the majority of the council do not realize how bad the department's equipment condition is currently.
"We have hose on our fire trucks, all the hose on our fire trucks that's 2 1/2 inches are over 30 years old, and it was handed down from the Houston fire department," said Odum.
Odum explained there is a great need for tools just for hooking up a hose to a fire hydrant as they have only one set and it takes two to quickly connect hose to a hydrant and a truck. He also informed them radios are a necessary need which can be used at crash incidents, grass fires and house fires to help make it safer for everyone.
"We're on call 24/7 on a moments notice. We leave our jobs, we leave our warm beds, whatever happens we get up and go. We'd love for anybody that's here to want to come and look and see what we've got and join. We'd love to have more members, any of you that want to join," said Odum.
Odum proposed instead of the city giving $10,000 to the fire department to help them get the needed equipment, he asked for an additional $1 to be added to the city water meters to help fund buying some of the equipment.
Barna spoke about being a new addition to Tenaha and the fire department and the hardships the firemen all willingly face with the intent to help others as they leave their families to respond to calls and at times endure unfavorable conditions.
"There's a strain that gets put on even my relationship with my wife sometimes when we have to get up, I'm sure some of our firefighters can attest to that too, when we get up at 3 in the morning for a call," said Barna. "Get out of our bed and literally put our life on the line so we can go up on somebody's worst day, somebody's very worst day we walk up and we can make it as best we can."
Barna explained the firemen do their part because they love Tenaha and the people, and want to be there to help someone on their worst day.
"Whatever you guys decide to do, I just pray that you do it because you love Tenaha and because you love and you care about protecting the citizens of Tenaha," said Barna.
Following brief discussion of revisiting funding for the fire department, Lloyd made a motion to do away with tabled agenda item #5 from the May 4, 2017 Special Called meeting which would have approved funding equipment for the Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department, and to add to the next meeting agenda to accept a $2 donation to be added to the water bill.
During the council comment portion of the meeting Lloyd expressed a desire for executive sessions to be on every agenda. Mayor Carl Jernigan informed him that executive sessions are only for personnel issues, specific financial issues and legal discussion. An argument immediately ensured regarding social media posts and an argument between council members citizens in the audience. With no further action being necessary for the meeting, it was adjourned at 5:59pm.
The Tenaha City Council held another meeting on June 19, 2017 which was to take place entirely in executive session. The meeting ran from 5:15pm until 7:21pm and upon reconvening in open session, no action was taken.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Minutes of the April 24 regular meeting and May 15 special meeting. 2. April 2017 financial report. 3. Haltom Construction as recommended by Hayes Engineering. 4. Policies presented by Tenaha City Marshal's Office. 5. Advertise for bids for Water Aeration System needs. 6. Advertise for bids for cleaning of the water ground storage tank. Agenda items disapproved 7. Do away with agenda item #5 from the May 4, 2017 Special Called meeting to approve funding equipment for the Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department, and to add to the next meeting agenda to accept a $2 donation to be added to the water bill.
