Lois Hubbard voted mayor pro tem

The Odessa Town Council voted for Lois Hubbard as the mayor pro tem for the next six months. The mayor pro tem takes over running of the council meetings in the absence of the mayor.

The town continues to struggle to maintain and operate all of its properties and assets, said Mayor Doug Plinski. Following the budget process, the mayor and council members were all looking a bit shell-shocked. The revenue to Odessa from liquor sales since voters took the state out of the liquor business has fallen from about $13,000 annually a few years ago to around $4,000 in 2014. The cannabis businesses that were intended to take up the slack have not yet borne much fruit.

Maintenance of the Odessa Cemetery leaves a budget deficit each year of between $14,000 and $18,000. The aquatic center runs several thousand dollars in the red each year.