BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ASSISTING WITH WATER FACILITY EXPANSION
The Brenham City Council will consider an agreement to help with construction costs for water facility growth at its meeting tomorrow (Thursday).
The development agreement would be with CTX Development Company, also called Stylecraft, to help with costs for oversizing water lines. City Manager James Fisher says upsizing these water lines would help the city anticipate future growth.
The agreement is not to go over $30,000, based on cost estimates. However, the developer’s cost estimates exceed that agreed upon amount, currently sitting just under $40,000. The eligible costs under the agreement would be for the extensions along Vintage Farms Way and Wild Vine Circle—a future roadway—in the Vintage Farms Subdivision.
Also at the meeting, the council will look to cancel the special election for At-Large Council Position 5, as only one candidate filed for a position on the ballot. Clint Kolby, former Project Manager for the Brenham Economic Development Foundation, will be sworn in at a future council meeting.
The city will also consider a tax abatement for Blue Bell Creameries. Blue Bell is planning on $12.5 million in expansions to its fleet maintenance facility, central transfer station, and office building.
Blue Bell expects to hire five additional fleet technician jobs because of the improvements, which they expect to have complete by August or September of next year.
The council will also continue its discussion on the city’s oil and gas ordinance. At their meeting on October 4th, councilmembers looked at the city’s existing ordinance, along with potential changes to bring it in line with current state law. City Attorney Carey Bovey has made some minor revisions to the ordinance, which will be presented for first reading at the meeting.
In other items, councilmembers will potentially authorize accepting a grant from Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), in the amount of $23,500. The grant will go towards the downtown bollard project previously approved by the council. The removable bollards would be used to help with public safety during events in downtown, allowing for flexibility on road closures.
Fisher says the city will be working with the Public Works Department on a start date for installation, possibly by the end of the year. Total project costs are estimated at $30,000, with the city paying $6,000 of that.
The council will also potentially act upon a services agreement with the city and Ion Wave Technologies, to change the current “hard copy” system for submitting bids. The item was tabled at its last meeting, because Councilman Danny Goss had several questions about the agreement. Fisher says the council has since discussed and clarified the agreement with Goss.
In addition, the council will look to extend its current contract with Kustom Klean Janitorial Services of Brenham, for services for city facilities.
The council will then adjourn into executive session, to continue its discussion on various economic projects brought before the city.
Prior to the council’s regular meeting at 1 p.m., the council will hold a special work session at noon in Conference Room 2-A of City Hall. There, the council will discuss proposed changes to its meeting dates through January 2019, adoption of a social media policy, and a potential amendment to the city’s animal and fowl ordinance.
The council will begin its regular meeting at 1 p.m. on the second floor of City Hall.