City Updates More Ordinances

The city council continued to update ordinances during the council meeting held on Tuesday night.

The council approved the adoption of building codes that were adopted from the 2006 International Building Codes, and amended by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The codes are for new construction and set guidelines for plumbing, insulation, fire, mechanical, fuel and gas, residential and energy.

The council also approved new sign ordinance, but mayor Scott McGriff said that enforcement would not immediately begin.

"I think part of the responsibility of the city is to educate the public regarding new ordinances," McGriff said after the meeting. "We’re going to spend some time helping business owners and citizens understand what the ordinances are, and give them time to comply."

The mayor estimated it might take several months before enforcement would begin.

In other business, representatives Larry Gilley and Scott McCoy, from the Union Pacific Railroad, answered questions regarding train traffic.

Members of the council raised concern that previous promises regarding times and lengths of stoppage on the tracks were not being kept.

McCoy and Gilley stated that neither of them are in the dispatch department, but provided direct phone numbers for dispatch officers.

Council person Deby Frye also raised concern about the length of train whistles as trains passed through town, and train personnel visiting businesses during lengthy stoppages.

McCoy confirmed that blowing the whistle from one end of town to the other was a violation, and advised that the time and date of the violation should be reported. Regarding personnel that visit businesses, McCoy stated it would only be a violation if it delayed departure.

Gilley also gave a brief presentation on Operation Lifesaver, a program used to teach railroad crossing safety, and offered to make the presentation to Wills Point students.