The Deer Park City Council has voted to settle a dispute with Halme Construction over the city’s aeration lagoon project. The decision was made during a special City Council meeting on August 27, where city leaders chose mediation over litigation to resolve the matter.
The Deer Park City Council has unanimously appointed Tom Gaines to fill a vacant seat, bypassing two active candidates campaigning for the position in the November election. Gaines expects to be sworn in just before a special meeting next week, which has been called to address potential litigation against the city.
Deer Park’s city council has expanded from five to seven members in response to the city’s population growth, reaching 5,000 residents. Ross Hall, a former teacher and coach, and Chase Vining, a local business owner, were appointed to serve through 2025.
During the most recent city council meeting, the features of city parks were a recurring topic. Discussions ranged from citizen input and engineer presentations to council member reports, covering various aspects of the city’s parks and recreational activities.
Pickleball discussion was a break from the business as normal at the last city council meeting. Angela McBride presented some information about Pickleball, the courts, and the community.
Deer Park City is seeking a new city council member following Heather Newsom’s resignation. Applications are now open, and residents have a unique opportunity to shape their local government.
After years of debate, City Councilmembers have now been given access to official city email accounts. The discussion started before COVID and ended following the recent election, with the majority of Councilmembers in favor of joining the rest of the world online.
For the first time in over 20 years, three new Councilmembers have simultaneously taken the oath of office. Former Councilmember Hellen “Dee” Cragun first took her position in 1997, lost her reelection attempt last year.
Dear Deer Park Gazette Editor,
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation to the residents of Deer Park for their overwhelming support in the recent City Council election. It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge the trust and confidence you have placed in me by casting your votes in my favor.
With most of the votes counted, the winners are now clear. Both Deer Park City Council and the School Board will have some new members. Election results were slightly delayed due to evacuations after receiving an envelope containing a white powder.