Devine City Council January reports


The following January reports were included in the Council packets at the Regular City Council meeting on Feb. 20.
Water
In January 2018, 8,726,000 gallons of water were pumped from the Edwards Aquifer, and 5,562,000 gallons were pumped from the Carrizo Aquifer for a total of 14,288,000 gallons.
To date, 26.77 acre feet of the City’s authorized Edwards Aquifer withdraw amount of 911.730 acre feet has been pumped.
In January 2017, 7,870,000 gallons were pumped from the Edwards and 5,761,000 gallons were pumped from the Carrizo for a total of 13,631,000 gallons.
Public Works
Two-hundred and ten work orders were issued and 207 completed in January.
One-hundred and sixty-two work orders were issued in the water department, 12 in the street department, three in the sewer department, two each at the George S. Woods Community Center and the police department, and one each at City Hall and the Municipal Airport.
Thirteen after hours and 14 line spot work orders were also issued.
Police
The 11 officers worked a total of 1,532.54 hours in January. The nine hourly officers worked 220.41 hours of overtime.
Devine officers assisted other agencies 29 times, including on 13 calls outside of City limits for a total of eight hours and 52 minutes. Other agencies assisted Devine officers twice.
A total of 430 calls were handled by dispatch. One-hundred and twenty-seven warnings were issued, 103 tickets were issued, and 33 arrests were made.
Calls answered included: 72 for Animal Control; 38 talk to officer; 30 assist Public Works; 29 for disturbances; 26 suspicious activity; 24 alarms; 23 assist public; 18 each for traffic complaint and miscellaneous; 15 assist other agencies; 12 each for theft and information reports; 11 for welfare concerns; 10 for minor accidents; eight each for school resource and assist agency report; seven each for escort and civil matter; six family violence notice issuance; five each for liquor laws and assist EMS; four emergency detentions and narcotics offenses; three each for criminal trespass/info, traffic violation, major accidents, and patrol bys; two each for assault, burglary, child abuse/neglect, criminal trespass, animal adoption, family violence report, and lost property; and one each for criminal mischief, weapons offenses, harassment, assist Devine VFD, found contraband, missing person, natural death, public relations, warrant service, seizures, emergency warning services, and suicide.
Citations issued included: 14 for speeding; 11 for expired motor vehicle registration; 10 for disregarding stop sign; nine for possession of drug paraphernalia; eight for no valid driver’s license; seven for theft less than $100; five each for defective/improper headlamps and possession of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle (open container); four each for defective/improper tail lamps and failure to maintain financial responsibility; three each for operating a vehicle without a license plate, failure to signal turn, driving while license invalid, and defective license plate light; and one each for speeding in a school zone, operating an unlicensed motor vehicle, failure to display driver’s license, allowed unlicensed minor to drive, failure to signal lane change, failure to change address on driver’s license, failure to stop/passing school bus, passing emergency vehicle, failure to yield right of way – turning left, COV – one way street, display obscured license plate, and violation of City Ordinance – running at large.
Arrests included: nine for possession of drug paraphernalia, seven for theft, five for possession of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, four for possession of drugs, three for driving while license invalid, and one each for warrant service, criminal trespass, displaying fictitious motor vehicle registration, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and assault – family violence.
Municipal Court
A total of 1,234 traffic and 1,010 non-traffic cases were pending at the beginning of January.
Eighty-six new traffic cases were filed, 14 were reactivated, and 547 were on the docket.
Seventy-three new non-traffic cases were filed, 25 were reactivated, and 529 were on the docket.
A total of 28 traffic cases and 27 non-traffic cases were disposed prior to court appearance or trial.
Eighty-four traffic cases were disposed and 81 were placed on inactive status, leaving a total of 1,236 cases pending at the end of the month.
Thirty-four non-traffic cases were disposed and 62 were placed on inactive status, leaving a total of 1,049 cases pending at the end of the month.
One active civil case was pending at the end of the month and one new case was filed, leaving two active cases pending at the end of the month.
Two juvenile transportation code cases and one drug paraphernalia case were filed.
A total of 82 arrest warrants were issued, including 78 for Class C misdemeanors, three for Class A and B misdemeanors, and one for a felony. Eight capiases pro fine were issued. Three cases had their fines and court costs fully satisfied by community service, and one case was satisfied by jail credit.
A total of $18,118.25 in fines and court costs were collected, of which $12,873.04 was kept by the City and $5,245.21 was remitted to the State.
Animal Control
One warning and two tickets were issued. One animal bite was reported. One injured deer was euthanized and one possum was released into the wild. One dog was euthanized, two animals were adopted, and three animals were returned to their owners.
Driscoll Public Library
A total of 1,443 library materials were checked out in January. The public access computers were used 514 times. Eight new library accounts were opened, and 31 new library cards were issued. A total of 153 patrons attended programs and classes. Patron count for the month was 1,671.
“GED classes have been very successful and continue to grow in attendance,” Head Librarian Debi DuBose said. “One lady thanked us for keeping such a nice library. She often checks out books, but will occasionally stay to read, and she appreciates our welcoming atmosphere.
“One child was incredibly excited to finally check out a book that he had been waiting over a month for and finished reading in two days (it was 1000+ pages).”
Patron questions included when the library will offer Wi-Fi again, and if the library would offer basic computer classes.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer