Council approves gaming permit for VFW and denies waiver for Blue Mountain

Equipment to pay for a storm water drainage line to be placed on their property

By Brandi Hart
McKinneyUpdate.com editor
Created at 10 p.m. on Jan. 23

The machines are not slot machines and are not used for gambling, and the VFW did not have a gaming permit to operate the machines so the issue was brought before the council. VFW Post Commander Jim Nichols told the council the post uses revenue from the machines to help local non-profit organizations and charities such as the Local Boy Scout Troop No. 2150 and if the machines were taken away it would adversely affect the post’s ability to help local charities.

All council members voted in favor of the permit except for Council member for District 1 Gilda Garza, who stepped down from voting on the issue because she works for the North Texas Job Corps, which is within 300 feet of the VFW.

The council also denied an appeal from Blue Mountain Equipment for the city to waive a requirement of the company to install a 60 inch storm water sewer line on the company’s site that would cost $160,000. The city is requiring Blue Mountain Equipment to install the storm water drainage line for public improvements associated with expansion on the site. The city is asking that Blue Mountain Equipment build the storm water drainage line be built to supply storm water drainage on the property when development occurs adjacent to the Blue Mountain Equipment property. Council member at-large Pete Huff made the motion to deny the appeal and asked that Blue Mountain Equipment secure a bond for the line to be built. All council members voted in favor of the denial except for Council member for District 4 Ray Ricchi and Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cox.

Local attorney Bob Roeder represented Blue Mountain Equipment and asked the council members to approve the waiver to help ensure Blue Mountain Equipment stays in McKinney and doesn’t take their tax dollars that they contribute to McKinney elsewhere. Roeder asked the council members to consider the strain that companies are feeling due to the national economic crisis and waive the requirement of Blue Mountain Equipment having to build the line.

The council also tabled action on an amendment to the hotel development agreement with the city and the McKinney Shores Hotel Partners, Inc., which is a subsidiary of O & S Holdings, Inc., who is developing the Westin Hotel and the McKinney Convention Center, for the McKinney Community Development Corporation to pay an additional $5 million to O & S Holdings, Inc. for the development of the hotel and center. The item was tabled until Feb. 3 and is at least the third time the council has tabled the hotel amendment as city officials have been negotiating with O & S Holdings officials since mid-October to ensure construction resumes on the hotel for the project to be completed.

The council also discussed in its workshop meeting held prior to the meeting an ordinance the police department is crafting that would prohibit the use of cell phones and other communication devices by drivers of vehicles, whether they’re in motion or parked during the pick up and drop off of students at school zones for schools in McKinney. The usage will be prohibited during the time of school zones before and at the beginning of each school day and at the end and immediately after school during pick up of students. The council will revisit the ordinance at its Feb. 3 council meeting.

In other news, the council:
*Approved a $3.49 million contract for engineering consulting services to design infrastructure improvements on Custer Road from US 380 to Far-to-Market Road 1461, which is also Lake Forest Drive.
* Tabled action on appointing new members to the McKinney Airport Development Corporation as former MADC Chairman Vic Lattimore has resigned. City Manager Frank Ragan said that Collin County Judge Self will be a member of the airport board. The council still needs to appoint Lattimore’s replacement, which will be a voting member of the board.
* Approved a site plan for a 7.228 square foot O’Reilly Auto Parts store to be located on 0.87 acres on the west side of Eldorado Parkway and approximately 260 feet north of Medical Center Drive, near a car wash facility.

The council will next meet at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 at the council chambers of city hall, 222 N. Tennessee St. For more information, call 972-547-7500 or visit www.mckinneytexas.org.

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