BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES SUBMISSION OF CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND APPLICATION

  

The Brenham City Council approved going out for state COVID-19 relief funding at its meeting today (Thursday).

The council approved the submission of a funding application through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), a program created as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide financial resources to state and local governments.

City Manager James Fisher said the city was made aware of this program last week, and is eligible for roughly $195,000 in assistance.  He said the fund is not meant to cover revenue shortfalls, but more so to act as an opportunity for reimbursement for COVID-19 related expenses.

 

Of the $11.24 billion the state received from the U.S. Department of Treasury, 45 percent of it will go to local governments, totaling $5.06 billion.  All costs must be incurred by December 31, 2020 to qualify for funding.

Mayor Milton Tate asked Fisher if the city could be reimbursed for the $50,000 it contributed toward the Washington County COVID-19 Response Fund, which was created to provide grants to local small businesses.  Fisher said it is not a certainty, due to the criteria on what is and is not acceptable for compensation being confusing, but it is a possibility.  Fisher said he will look to get this application in to the state by the middle part of June.

Also during session today, the council approved a professional services agreement between the city and Strand Associates to design, inspect, and conduct bidding services for improvements to Old Chappell Hill Road at Blue Bell Road.  The proposed improvements include a new concrete street that will require less maintenance, widening of the roadway, and improvements to the intersection turning radius.  The value of the professional services agreement is $200,000, while the city’s budget for the improvements, including engineering, is $1.1 million.

During Fisher’s update on the city’s ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, he said the Blue Bell Aquatic Center reopening its indoor and therapy pools this week has been received “extremely well”, and that the city intends to open the leisure pool starting June 5^th, so the whole facility would be open for weekends.  He also said the city is slowly working on getting public restrooms in parks open, along with creating a plan to open playgrounds and basketball courts, although he admitted Governor Greg Abbott has not given clear direction on the latter two.

Fisher added that the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County intends to open up June 8^th with a modified program and schedule, along with reduced student capacity.  He also gave a reminder that the Recycling Center will close after May 30^th.

The council also approved:

• The second reading of an ordinance providing for the annexation of roughly 52.4 acres south and west of Dixie Road. The council will also take up the second reading of an ordinance assigning the subject tract Planned Development District Zoning. This will allow Stylecraft Builders to extend the current Vintage Farms subdivision and allow for the development of a single-family home subdivision known as The Lakes at Vintage Farms.  A small and separate portion of the tract of land, to be referred to as The Cove at Vintage Farms, is planned to be developed with patio homes.  Development Services Director Stephanie Doland said at the council’s meeting May 7^th that the new subdivision will add roughly 150 new homes to the 260 currently in the Vintage Farms subdivision.
• A facility use agreement between the city and the Brenham State Supported Living Center for pool use at the Blue Bell Aquatic Center.