Eldorado Mayor Rocky James: It's been a good year

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado City Council, on the eve of Christmas Eve, held the final session of the body for the year and then adjourned to the Community Center where members of council, city employees and retirees and their families filled plates high with food.

From the scrumptious bread of Marietta Briddick to ham and chicken and a large variety of desserts, the community's workers lunched on Thursday and later delivered food to several in need in the community.

During the brief final meeting of the council, Fire Chief Mike McKinnies reported the number of fire calls answered by his department has decreased by 15 during the year as compared to a year ago.

While he is pleased with the reduction, he also expressed concern about one of the possible reasons.

McKinnies said nursing homes, among others, are using outside alarm companies and the fire department is not dispatched until it is determined there is an actual fire.

"I don't like that," he told council. "It just delays our response."

Problems of vehicle burglaries are continuing, Police Chief Shannon Deuel told council.

He again urged residents of the community to lock their cars.

Deuel said on one recent night, three cars were stolen from Eldorado parking spots.

One person was apprehended, Deuel said. "We got him at Huck's, going to get a gallon of milk (driving the stolen car)," he said.

In a short synopsis of the condition of the sewerage treatment plant,

Commissioner Robbie Price said his department "struggle through another year with the condition of the sewer plant."

Mayor Rocky James ended his year commending the departments of the city for working together.

"For a small city, I think we do a great job," Mayor James said.

"It has been a good year."

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