Mayor Debbie Tuckfield thanked the citizens of Taylor last week “for allowing me to serve the community by being a council member. I hope all that serve know what a wonderful, wonderful community you are representing. It is a town that protects its heritage. I believe that we all have a right to heritage whether we’re born here or not. Taylor has been a town that shows much love and caring even to transplants like myself. Part of the legacy passed down would be that we are always open hearted, that we are always accepting and that we always welcome those that pass through, and that our heritage becomes theirs.
“Most of you are aware of the events that have taken place with my family the last two weeks,” said Mayor Tuckfield, referring to the loss of her grandson Houston Smith on May 17.
“I publicly wanted to make some statements of gratitude and thanks. I wanted a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to Taylor and Snowflake. No one can image they would lose a small child. We traveled home only to have friends from both communities embrace us and give our family strength through thoughts and prayers. The meals were unbelievably wonderful, and hugs and tears were too numerous to count,” she said.
The mayor also thanked the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department for “making it possible to take Houston home in a horse drawn carriage,” and asked Chief Jerry VanWinkle to thank all of the officers who were there.
Plaques were given to each of the retiring council members.
Mayor Tuckfield served 15 years on the town council, as mayor from 2009-2011, and vice mayor from 2000-2005 and in 2009.
Jay Whipple served seven years, from 2003-11, and as mayor from 2005-2007.
Robin Palmer served four years, from 2007-11.
Former Vice Mayor Jordy Fuentes was also honored. He recently resigned to attend law school.
Mayor Tuckfield acknowledged the staff, noting that Town Manager Eric Duthie always kept the council informed, Town Attorney Sterling Solomon “probably kept us out of jail” and Kelly Jones kept the minutes.
The sitting town council opened the meeting holding a public hearing on text amendments to the ordinance. Duthie explained that the public hearing was scheduled and published, and there is a technical issue if they have a new council, explaining the process would have to be done again. He stated, “That’s the reason the existing council is here and taking action on this item,” because of the technical issue with a new council because they didn’t hear the first public hearing.
Jeff Johnson explained these were text changes to town code Subdivision Lot Development Standards. He said that in the past when some of the new codes were adopted, they were added to the code book without going to other sections to see if there were any conflicts with other codes and some had not officially been changed, causing conflicts.
Johnson said that the Taylor Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that the council approve the changes, and then explained the changes to the council.
A motion to accept the text changes to the town code passed unanimously.
Outgoing members of the Taylor Town Council were honored with plaques for the service they gave to the community, including (left to right) Jay Whipple, who served seven years, Councilman Mark Reed, Mayor Debbie Tuckfield, who served 15 years, Robin Palmer, who served four years, Councilwoman Jane Lee and Jordy Fuentes, who served two years.
