Orange Council meeting moves along swimmingly

The Orange City Council is already getting ready for summer after they approved resolutions for a school and a swim team to use of the Orange Municipal Natatorium.

Community Christian School will use the facility each Tuesday and Wednesday from June 3 to August 14. There will be two certified lifeguards during the hours. Likewise, the City of Orange Swim Team will use the natatorium from June 1 to July 31.

The council also approved a resolution awarding a contract to Watch Guard Video LLC using HGAC pricing for in-car video systems for Orange police patrol vehicles in the amount of $72,870.

Chief L.L. Martin reported the video recorders will go into 12 vehicles. The current recording equipment is 12 years old and it’s becoming more difficult to find repair parts.

“It’s time to upgrade,” Martin said.

The new equipment will be paid for from the department’s assets forfeiture fund. The equipment can be transferred to another vehicle and the video data is automatically downloaded into a server at the police station.

Several other ordinances, some pertaining to signage, were approved.

The city approved annexation of 40.56 acres and 76.44 acres out of the David Odom Survey after a somewhat lengthy process. The request was made by First Baptist Church of Orange, 7637 Martin Luther King Drive.

The size of digital billboards will be limited in size in certain areas of the city. Also, the placement of billboards on habitable structures is now prohibited.

The use of awning signs on the premise of a sexually oriented business was prohibited. Signage for group day care homes has been eliminated.

The city has partnered with other entities on Exxon Valdez Environmental Fine Parity for Deepwater Horizon.

City Manager Shawn Oubre said the partnership is to recover funds from the BP spill in 2010. The equation for settlement is based on the Valdez claim and how much the spill was valued.

Voting locations and times within the city for the May 10 election were announced.

Early voting will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each weekday from April 28, 2014 to May 6, 2014 at the Orange Public Library, 220 N. 5th St. The polls will also be opened from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 29 and May 6.

Election day polling places on May 10 will be:

• District 1- Salvation Army Building, 1950 MLK Drive, Orange, TX

• District 2- Little Cypress Intermediate School, 2300 Allie Payne Road, Orange, TX

• District 3- North Early Learning Center, 801 Cordrey Ave., Orange TX

• District 4- West Orange-Stark Middle School, 1402 W. Green Ave., Orange, TX

Applications for ballot by mail shall be mailed to:

Tina Barrow, Administrator

Orange County Elections Administration

123 S. 6th St.

Orange, TX 77630

Applications for ballots by mail must be received not later than the close of business on May 1, 2014.

Jay Trahan, Orange Economic Development Corporation director, announced two free events occurring in the city this week.

North Orange Baptist Church will sponsor the Ugandan Choir Thursday evening at the Performing Arts Pavilion.

The Orange Conventions and Visitors Bureau will host Family night on Friday night at the Pavilion. There will be baseball activities and the movie, “The Sandlot” will be shown. The Kiwanis Club is partnering for the event.