Gainesville — Gainesville City Council approved appointment of a new member during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Keith Clegg is set to serve the position of Ward 3 council member — replacing member Phillip Neelley, who is changing residences and will no longer reside in his ward, thus becoming ineligible to maintain the position. Clegg, who has served on the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation and the Gainesville ISD Board of Directors, will serve until the next regular election of officers on May 11, 2013.

Other meeting highlights:

• Gainesville Police Department Investigator Christopher Garner was recognized as the city’s “Employee of the Month” for June 2012. City Manager Barry Sullivan read and presented a certificate recognizing Garner for his initiative and successful efforts toward recruitment of quality law enforcement officers for the Gainesville Police Department.  Garner was commended for working to develop a recruitment brochure for distribution at police academies and job fairs; for making recruitment presentations at area academies; and for finding free resources to post job openings online.  As part of his official recognition, Garner also receives one day off with pay.

• Council appointed Jayleane Smith to the Main Street Advisory Board, to complete a term expiring December 2013.

• Council approved renewal of the contract with attorney Patricia Adams for municipal court attorney services.  Sullivan said the prosecutor contract is $1,000 per month for two years, and runs concurrent with the municipal judge’s elected term.

• Council authorized agreement with HDR Engineering for “Task Order No. 17” to provide final design, bidding and construction management services for the Gainesville Water Treatment Plant Expansion and Northwest Distribution System improvements.  The anticipated timeline for the project is: design work, June through September 2012; bidding, October 2012; and construction, January through December 2013.  The total amount for the engineering task order contract is $684,200.  The estimated cost for the total project is $7.1 million, which is to be paid with funding through the Texas Water Development Board Water Infrastructure Fund (WIF) and the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) program.

• Council approved release of a demolition lien totaling $8,417.07 (including interest) as requested by the trustee for the property located at 808 Olive St. Sullivan said the owner is requesting the release so the property can be sold.  The owner has a buyer who has agreed to pay the back taxes on the property. Sullivan advised the property is not worth the amount of the lien, and made recommendation for releasing the lien rather than incurring additional cost by letting it eventually be sold at a county sheriff’s sale. Sullivan said he does not like waiving liens, but in this case, mathematically speaking, the city will recover more money than by allowing the property to accrue additional fees and be sold.