City denies request to turn over property

COLDSPRING — A request from representatives from the Emergency Services District to have the Coldspring VFD building turned over to them was denied by the Coldspring City Council.

Mayor John Benestante said that at the May 5 meeting of the Coldspring City Council, members discussed a letter from the city to the ESD denying the request.

The city recently took over ownership of the building from the school district, and Benestante said the agreement with the FD is to take possession and put it on city insurance.

“The ESD wanted the city to give them the deed, but we will not do that and stick to our mission to upgrade the facility,” Benestante said. “We have done a roof and are working on the sewage system. We will maintain that property for its intended use as FD and EMS building. We will maintain ownership.”

In other business, council members:

• approved a final design on upgrades to the Community Center, and approved moving forward on necessary repairs;
• discussed interlocal agreements and will be signing a new agreement with the Youth League;
• discussed a new link on the city website for Visit Coldspring, which will list RV parks, campsites, and items and events of interest in the Coldspring area;
• approved a public events ordinance, which requires event sponsors to make arrangements with the Sheriff’s Office, the Fire Department and any other agency necessary;
• approved donating two sewer taps for Johnnie Berger, who donated land for a lift station; and
• discussed creating a quarterly newsletter to be sent to residents, which will contain information on anything that pertains to Coldspring residents and businesses.