Jacksonville students Olivia Boggs and Ta'Kyeria Montgomery were in the right place at the right time recently, and they were recognized for their efforts during the Tuesday night Jacksonville City Council meeting.
According to city officials, on Oct. 28, Olivia, a Jacksonville Middle School seventh-grader, was a passenger on the school bus when suddenly the bus driver had a medical episode resulting in the bus veering off the roadway and hitting
a guardrail.
During this time, the other children on the bus became anxious and scared. Olivia then stepped up, taking a leadership role in checking on the driver and taking it upon herself to calm and reassure the other children on the bus. Although Olivia was scared and anxious herself, she managed to put aside her personal emotions at that moment to ensure everyone involved was calmed and attended to until help arrived.
On Nov. 4, Ta'Kyeria, a ninth-grader at Jacksonville High School, noticed that something was not normal with her teacher, Jan Gowin. After a quick assessment, Ta’Kyeria realized that Gowin needed immediate medical attention. Her attention to details and realizing abnormal behavior from her teacher initiated fast medical attention and early treatment that has lead to a successful rehabilitation for Gowin, who recently has returned to the classroom.
“They helped in what could have been a lot worse situations if they had not been where they were and when,” said City Manager Greg Smith.
Also recognized during the Tuesday meeting was Tigerlillies Florist & Soap Emporium as the “Employer of the Month.” Owner Lindsey Terry accepted the award.
“This award is not about how many employees a company has, but rather a recognition of their hard work and dedication,” said JEDCO President James Hubbard. “Small businesses are the backbone of communities, and their owners are some of the hardest working and most determined people around.”
Two people spoke during the “Citizen's Participation” portion of the meeting. One woman asked for information about setting up a 5K run for springtime in Jacksonville, and a man spoke about needing speed humps for an alleyway near Fort Worth and El Paso streets.
Emily Morrow of Keep Jacksonville Beautiful gave a presentation about KJB's current and upcoming projects. She mentioned work done at the Vanishing Texana Museum, the Jacksonville Public Library and in downtown Jacksonville. She said in 2020, the group hopes to get a project completed at the Rose Garden on Fort Worth Street and to inform residents about the importance of “composting.”
The council approved the re-appointment of Donna Brumbelow, Helen Keller and Morrow to the KJB Board. The council also re-appointed Jerry McDonald and John Taylor to the Vanishing Texana Museum Board and Barbara Huggins to the museum board to fill a vacancy.
The 2020 holiday schedule was also approved on the consent agenda.
Two resolutions allowing Jacksonville City Manager Greg Smith to approve utility easements on city property were approved.
“This will help speed up the process for anyone who may need an easement from the city,” Greg Smith said.
A resolution suspending a proposed rate increase by Centerpoint Energy was also approved.
An ordinance approving sanitation rate changes, as presented by Republic Services, was approved in accordance with a fixed 3-percent cost-of-living increase. Smith said the increase will be approximately 37 cents per month for residential customers.
One bid was received from Austin Bank for the financing of city fleet vehicles. The council accepted the bid at a 3-percent fixed rate.
After an executive session, to consult with attorneys, talk about the police chief position and discuss economic development negotiations, the council reconvened.
From the executive session, the council approved the city manager to request all of the funds owed to the city by Gardendale Nursing Home, which recently closed.
Dist. 2 Councilman Jeff Smith was absent from the meeting.
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