Kempner sets budget, updates on project Posted On: Monday, Sep. 14 2009 05:42 AM By Jackie Stone
Killeen Daily Herald

KEMPNER – Public hearings, including one today, on the proposed budget and tax rate for Kempner are set, but the opening of the city's new veteran's memorial in time for Veteran's Day depends on significant progress being made in the coming months.

At the regular City Council meeting last week, Mayor Gene Isenhour announced that the council would have public hearing on a proposed 2009-10 budget today at 6 p.m. A public hearing for the tax rate follows at 6:30 p.m.

The council will consider and vote on the budget at the regular meeting Sept. 22 at 7 p.m., and take action on the tax rate at a called meeting Sept. 24.

Later Isenhour updated council members on progress of the Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park and veteran's memorial. The proposed memorial and park will take up around seven acres of land immediately west of Taylor Creek on U.S. Highway 190.

The city has completed plans for the project, and volunteers are clearing brush as the city awaits the return of initial construction bids.

Isenhour said if the bids come back by the end of the week, he hopes to have the dirt cleared and slab poured by the end of the month.

The plan is to have at least the veteran's memorial completed by the Nov. 11 for a Veteran's Day service. The rest of the park will be completed "as we can" Isenhour said.

"It's a very rough piece of land and it's going to take a lot of work," he said.

Once construction begins, the veteran's memorial is the first priority and the rest will be completed as money becomes available. The city has set aside some funds from the budget for construction, and members of the community are donating labor and cash.

"We're a small city so we have a little money to deal with," Isenhour said. "Already just the driveway itself is $7,000 or $8,000."

Fort Hood-based 36th Engineer Brigade has adopted the community and helped with planning, survey and design work. The brigade will also be helping on some of the construction work as part of its training.

The city will also schedule workdays for volunteers and the military as the weather cools, Isenhour said.

"It'll be kind of a slow process, but you can tell for a small piece of land, we'll have something pretty nice. And for a small city, a young city, it'll be nice," he said.

The memorial will be located near the park's entrance. Granite bricks are available for purchase to be engraved and set in a "Wall of Honor" that will circle the memorial as a tribute to veterans, military retirees or those in active service from the surrounding areas.

Bricks can be purchased at the Kempner City Hall for $50 per brick and 40 cents per engraved letter.

Walter and Jeanette Prugh donated the land for the park with the stipulation that the park be named in memory of Sylvia Tucker.

Tucker owned the Kempner Brick Oven restaurant, served as one of the first city council members for the community and worked for 30 years with the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department.

Facilities at the park will include a large pavilion for events and gatherings, playground, basketball court, sand volleyball, walking trail and a picnic area with covered tables.

Contact Jackie Stone at jstone@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7474.