BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS LOCAL DISASTER DECLARATION, RECEIVES COVID-19 UPDATE
Brenham City Councilmembers approved an extension to the local disaster declaration pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic at their meeting today (Thursday).
The council approved continuing the mayoral declaration of a local disaster due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19. The declaration, which was first issued in March and adheres to the provisions outlined in the executive orders from Governor Greg Abbott, has been reviewed and amended several times due to changing circumstances.
City Manager James Fisher said many had hoped that the pandemic would be going away around this time, but as it is, the effects are still being felt and the city is still working through it. He said that while vaccines are becoming available now, there is more to the situation than meets the eye.
When Councilmember Susan Cantey asked how police are handling COVID-19 compliance, Fisher said they have enough on their plate without having to worry about investigating individual complaints.
Cantey also asked about the Uptown Swirl on January 16th and how it will be held. Fisher said businesses are attempting to self-police the event as much as possible, and that the city will move forward with it and hope it works out like the city’s fall events did. He said the city is trying to do everything it can to help struggling businesses stay open.
Councilmember Keith Herring asked about the city’s parks and basketball courts, to which Fisher said there have not been a lot of challenges there, but the situation is being monitored. He said if large crowds continue to gather there, the city may consider taking down the sports goals again. The same goes for playgrounds; Fisher said if case numbers continue to go up, the city may look into restricting the usage of playground equipment.
Also at today’s meeting, the council approved an ordinance on its first reading to temporarily modify the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) reporting and payment schedule.
Fisher said the local lodging industry “really took a hit” as a result of COVID-19, and wants to give hoteliers breathing room to get ready for the Round Top antique shows, Bluebonnet Festival, and other spring events that are able to occur. With approval of the ordinance, the deadlines for filing monthly HOT reports and payments from December 2020 through March 2021 will be modified and extended.
The council also held a public hearing on and approved a municipal services agreement with the owner of 5.15 acres of land at 1751 Highway 290 West, as well as an ordinance to annex the property into the city and provide it an industrial zoning classification. River Eagle Real Estate, on behalf of Mike Hopkins Distributing, asked for the property to be annexed and given industrial zoning so it matches the adjacent property and accommodates commercial expansion.