Ivanhoe continues burn ban

IVANHOE – In a brief, special-called meeting last Friday morning, the Ivanhoe City Council tackled a two-item agenda that included discussion about the continuation of a burn ban and a K9 officer.

Mayor Skip Blackstone called the meeting to order and referenced the citywide burn ban issued on July 21, which was good for seven days, unless conditions called for it to be continued.

The county is under a countywide burn ban, issued by the Tyler County Commissioners Court, for unincorporated areas.

Blackstone mentioned the county’s declaration of disaster, which has activated the Office of Emergency Management. The city’s burn ban has flexibility in the way it is worded, that if the county cancels its ban, the city can continue it, if the fire chief and Blackstone determine it is needed.

For the other item on Friday morning’s agenda, Ivanhoe Chief of Police Steve Drumm said that Ivanhoe Police Officer Crossman and K9 Rizzo completed Drug Law Enforcement certification and are certified in five different narcotics.

Drumm asked council to insure the canine officer, at the cost of $204. Councilmember Justin Gregory moved to commission Rizzo and add the dog to the city’s insurance.

Drumm said Rizzo is the only other certified K9 in the county, besides Ivanhoe’s other K9 YaYa, who is out of commission for the time being, as she just had puppies.

“It is a huge resource, a huge tool,” Drumm said, and added that the K9 availability can also help other law enforcement agencies in the area.