Yoakum city council
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Yoakum City Council provides updates, institutes ordinance

By Clayton Kelley

  • The Carl and Mary Welhausen Library 2025 Summer Program held a Twisty Art Storytelling June 11 at the Grand Theatre in Yoakum. Participants enjoyed the ballon art along with storytelling.
    The Carl and Mary Welhausen Library 2025 Summer Program held a Twisty Art Storytelling June 11 at the Grand Theatre in Yoakum. Participants enjoyed the ballon art along with storytelling.

    The Yoakum City Council gave an update on the Carl and Mary Welhausen Library Kick-Off event that happened recently at the June 10 meeting.

    “The Library Summer Reading Program got kicked off with the Bike Rodeo,” City Manager Michael Mitchell said. “They had an awesome turnout for that. The police department, fire department and our city staff was out there helping out with the event.”

    There were 74 participants with 565 overall attendees according to City Clerk Theresa Bowe. There were also 106 people who visited the library table.

    The Yoakum City Council also officially went out for bids for the city’s park improvements project. They awarded Myers Concrete Construction for this project. This project is being funded by the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife grant.

    “The first thing they are going to be working on for this project will be the walking trails and bathrooms,” Mitchell said.

    The council also tied up some loose ends with a city ordinance involving fowl and livestock. After holding a public hearing, they officially instituted the ordinance. The previous ordinance allowed for 20 fowl within the city limits. This new ordinance now allows for no more than 10 fowl per parcel of land, one acre or less in size, or 10 fowl for each additional acre. Some people questioned the definition of fowl.

    “Fowl includes chicken, turkeys, geese and ducks,” Council member Michael Brandt said.

    The reason this is necessary is because this is deemed a noise nuisance. The ordinance also states that fowl will be allowed at a minimum of ten feet from the property line. This is different from the previous ordinance which allowed a minimum of five feet.

    Other items on the agenda include:

    • Council nominated councilmembers Tanya Wenzel and Michael Brandt to the Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission General Assembly Delegates for fiscal year 2026.

    • The city will be closed Thursday in honor of Juneteenth.

    • Council aims to schedule a mid-year joint city council and Yoakum Economic Development Corporation meeting.

    • Council will be receiving the audit of fiscal year 2023- 24 budget soon.