SAUNDERS, TATE, WRIGHT SWORN INTO BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL

Josh Blaschke May 16, 2019

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Adonna Saunders (left) is sworn in to the Ward Four Council seat by Mayor Milton Tate.

The Brenham City Council officially has a new look.

Adonna Saunders received the oath of office and took a seat behind the council desk for the first time at the council’s meeting today (Thursday).

Saunders, owner of A Wild Hair salon in Brenham, takes the Ward Four council seat formerly held by Danny Goss, who had been on the council since 2005.

Mayor Milton Tate receives the oath of office from Washington County Judge John Durrenberger. Tate was re-elected earlier this month to another term as mayor.

Also sworn into office were Mayor Milton Tate and Ward Two Councilmember Albert Wright.

Tate has been mayor since 2003, after a special election to succeed the late Walter Schwartz. Meanwhile, this will be Wright’s first full term in office, after his appointment last September to fill the seat of the late Weldon Williams.

Following the oaths of office, Ward Three Councilmember Andrew Ebel was selected to continue serving as Mayor Pro Tem.

In regular session, councilmembers went over upcoming council meeting dates with City Manager James Fisher, who is working with staff on finalizing the budget calendar. The first pre-budget meeting is slated for June 13^th at 9 a.m., in the EOC at the Fire Department.

Albert Wright (left) is sworn in to his first full term as Ward Two Councilmember by Mayor Milton Tate.

Fisher noted this will be the first budget process for three councilmembers, including Saunders, Wright, and Ward Five Councilmember Clint Kolby.

Ward Six Councilmember Susan Cantey called it “cruel and unusual punishment” to have this budget process “thrown to the new councilmembers”. Fisher admitted the process is “daunting”, but he joked there would be plenty of Blue Bell Ice Cream to help the council get through it all.

Fisher said the city is in “great financial position” and has “done a good job of managing and taking care of things”, but also said it has to make some hard choices about its future and projects that need decisions. He said city staff are “committed to work with every councilmember” to help them understand all the pieces of this $65 million budget.

Ward Three Councilmember Andrew Ebel was selected Thursday to continue acting as Mayor Pro Tem.

Currently, there is a special joint meeting with the Planning and Zoning Commission scheduled for May 23^rd at 11:30 a.m., for discussion on the city’s sign ordinance.

The council is also tentatively planning a joint meeting June 17^th at 11:30 a.m. with Planning and Zoning and the Brenham Board of Adjustment, concerning the comprehensive plan.

Also in regular session, councilmembers:

Accepted the bid of R.E.C. Industries, Inc. of Bryan for HVAC service and maintenance work. The contract is for one year at $20,264 annually, with the option to renew for two more one-year terms. Hourly rates will apply for situations not covered under the base contract, such as callouts on holidays.
Approved a two-year contract with Gorman’s Laundry Co. of Schulenburg for uniform rental services for various city departments. The contract falls under $50,000 annually, with the actual amount determined by product, according to Public Works Director Dane Rau. Rau said he’s planning on much better service from Gorman’s than the month-to-month service from past provider Cintas, which he said has been “absolutely horrible”. Cintas bought out G&K Services, the city’s past provider, last year.
Approved an assignment of lease and memorandum of lease with G3 Investments, LLC for hangar space at the Brenham Municipal Airport.

The council then adjourned into executive session to discuss possible incentives for a business prospect potentially coming to Brenham, along with the purchase of real property in the downtown area.

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