BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS DIGITAL BILLBOARDS
Discussion of signs is on the agenda for this afternoon’s (Thursday) meeting of the Brenham City Council.
Two weeks ago, the board heard a presentation from Sign Ad Outdoor regarding digital billboards within the city limits.
City staffers are currently developing new wording regarding billboards within the city limits, and what kind of variances can be requested.
According to City Manager Terry Roberts, staff would like the council to further define what type of prohibited signs would be allowed variance requests in the future.
Also on today’s agenda, the council is expected to award a contract for the MM Owsley Memorial Serenity Garden.
The city has received over $777,000 in donations from the Owsley Family Foundation and other private donors. Staff is recommending a bid from Coons Construction of College Station, for just under $454,000.
This, when combined with the cost of the playground features and total engineering, would reportedly still leave about $24,000 for unforeseen costs.
The city council is also expected to approve $78,000 in change orders for the modernization and renovation project at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library.
The council will also hear the quarterly report of the Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. They will also meet in executive session to discuss with the city’s attorney, a building considered sub-standard at 209 South Market St.
The city council meets this afternoon at 1:00pm in council chambers at city hall, on West Vulcan St.
To There’s Still Hope: I’m not a government employee and do understand that people vote in and out officials.
That said I have been following the library update for some time and know that they indeed were delayed due to rain last year and this year, among other factors. And seeing for myself first hand the damage of sinkholes, including the one at Burleson, I would rather there be a delay to ensure that foundation of the library is solid now instead of paying MORE tax dollars to have a major fix, or worse, condemn a building.
To Mr. Joe Citizen – I have seen plenty of “sturdy” bridges, roads etc. fall victim to these heavy rains the past year, so I do not buy the “it won’t happen because it hasn’t happened” explanation.
Also, it DOES matter if corporations have paid or not. There are plenty of misinformed people in the public who seem to think that the library renovation is all taxpayer dollars. That simply put is NOT true – and I grow weary myself of people making those false claims that do affect potential corporations donating MORE money to reduce the taxpayer burden.
The only departmental building I know that has been replaced was the police department. They have built an additional EMS (needed), they are currently renovating parts of the fire station (including in previous years renovating the original meeting hall into offices), and the aforementioned renovating the old Police Station (first one) into a health clinic. As I recall correctly the first PD had mold issues and they spent a lot of time renovating the interior to get rid of it. I have yet to read any news there have been health issues from the mold – past or present, so obviously it was cleared out correctly.
I fully hold council responsible for many of their actions and vote in the elections if I do not agree. But I do think that folks are erroneous in their claims on the issue of the library, or misinformed at best.
Tax Dollars, There is still hope, and Joe Citizen : Ditto on all counts. Flush them all out at the polls, and not with the same type of persons now on council. They do not need to be from the usual conservative party, BECAUSE, they are anything BUT conservative. Voters, do your job!
Can we please have more information on why the taxpayers are having to shell out $78,000 additional dolllars in “change orders” for the already over priced library?? Good grief, you would think that our esteemed city officials, with their inflated salaries, would be able to get this right. Now more of our money has been wastefully spent on this project.
We need answers. And why is the council expected to approve this? What is going on behind the scenes? As taxpayers who are paying for this library, the public needs answers. There needs to be accountability with the council and at City Hall.
I’d like to point out that there have been several large organizations who have donated money to the library project. This is not just a taxpayer-paid project.
It also was delayed for some time due to the massive rains we had last year. This is probably why the “change order” – the permits alone would have to change due to the delay.
In fact – the delay is long term cheaper than them working on the library with unsound land underneath, which would’ve lead to possible sinkholes/landslides and more expensive construction.
Dear Mac. I am sure you are a government employee. Most government employees believe in the system. Hopefully, the working tax payers will eventually weed out the unfit managers, politicians, planners, accountants, that are crucifying our country. God Bless America.
The old library was on this same site for how long without and landslides/sinkholes if memory serves correctly. In addition, it makes no difference whether corporate sponsors paid for part of this project or not! The council should always be accountable to us whether they spend one dollar or a million dollars……when they are not, it’s time to replace them. Sadly, this appears to be happening right before our very eyes, in my opinion.
The bigger question I believe people should be asking is why has the city replaced almost every major departmental building at taxpayer expense in the past 3-5 years? The once “mold infested police station” is now a health clinic………….anyone else see what I mean?