City to establish Library Advisory Board

The board will consist of five regular members and two alternates appointed by the city council, and will be Aledo library cardholders. 

Discussion ensued about the number of board members, qualifications, and terms, including a total of five library advisory board members (four City of Aledo Residents, the fifth or alternate could be a parent of an AISD student). The duties and responsibilities of the board shall be to work with the library director by acting in an advisory capacity to the city council and other city boards in all matters pertaining to the library, such as facility planning and programming, including the development of strategic plans and long-range capital improvement programs. 

Also at the meeting, Aledo City Manager Candice Edmondson discussed the proposed Parks and Facility Naming Policy, which will apply to the city’s parks and open spaces, trails, athletic fields, playgrounds, community centers, and public buildings.

Facilities could be named based on outstanding physical or ecological characteristics, historical significance to the City of Aledo, landmark, street name, subdivision, or neighborhood identity. The policy also allows for financial underwriting and naming rights, which would allow for a corporation to potentially sponsor a park, trail, or city facility as deemed appropriate by the city council.

There are exclusions in the policy, such as the name shall not be associated with tobacco, smoking, or vaping products, alcohol, religious organizations, political candidates, or partisan organizations, and the subject matter may not be deemed offensive, discriminatory, or inconsistent with community standards. In addition, proposed naming changes would be submitted via application to the city manager’s office.

Applications would include the name justification for proposed name documentation, community support, and any petitions submitted must include printed names, signatures, address, and contact information. In short, the city manager will review the submissions for compliance with the policy and share qualified proposals with the city council.

 The approved a newly revised Design Standards Manual. The final draft was made in February. New highlights include details utilizing CAD software. The manual is aligned with the recently adopted UBC manual and includes LIDAR data topography. Utility clearance requirements have been updated for water, sewer, and storm drain lines. 

The council discussed and adopted signage amendments to the City of Aledo Unified Development Code regarding historic decorative pole signs. The city has established criteria for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for monument signs in the Downtown Zoning district. 

The council deemed it necessary to establish terms and definitions for adult stores, cash advance establishments, pawn shops, and vape/CBD shops by amending the City’s Uniform Development Code by inserting terms and definitions. 

Next Aledo City Council will take place on Thursday, Apr. 2 at 6:00 p.m.