BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON MOBILE FOOD VENDOR ORDINANCE
The Brenham City Council will continue discussion Thursday on potential changes to the city’s policies on mobile food vendors.
The council will hold a workshop to hear an update from staff on the city’s ordinances pertaining to food trucks. A workshop was also held in February, where discussion was held on changing policies and procedures for applying for and receiving a permit, allowing food trucks to park in city right-of-way, and amending zoning ordinance to allow food truck parks.
Currently, there are six active permits for food trucks within the city. Since the February workshop, city staff have met with two local food vendors and allowed them to temporarily park overnight downtown on North Douglas Street for Country Sunshine and South Park Street for Home Sweet Farm. The vendors are currently permitted to park Wednesday-Sunday in city right-of-way on a trial basis while an ordinance is drafted. Since February, the city has seen an increase in the number of requests for parking food trucks or trailers in right-of-way, both in downtown and throughout Brenham.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, the council will take up several purchases for the fire department. The council will consider purchasing a replacement engine in the fire department’s Rescue 2 Unit, as well as replacing the department’s Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA).
According to the agenda packet for Thursday’s meeting, the SCBA purchase was included in the adopted 2020-21 Fiscal Year budget through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). However, the city was notified in October that it did not receive funding through the AFG.
According to interim Brenham Fire Chief Rhea Cooper, the department’s current SCBA cylinders come to the end of their life span in January 2022, and the current masks, which are approximately 14 years old, are experiencing wear and tear. Cooper said the upgrade will make the department compliant with Texas Commission on Fire Protection requirements, and will also comply with the current National Fire Protection Association standard.
The expected cost to replace the Rescue 2 Unit engine is $58,176, while the estimated cost for the SCBAs is $402,128. The city will look to finance the SCBA purchase with a 7-year note, with annual payments beginning in Fiscal Year 2021-22.
The council will also consider:
- A professional services agreement between the city and CDM Smith, Inc. for Engineering Services related to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Water System Capacity Evaluation Study.
- Renewal of the city’s Group Health Plan with TML Health Benefits Pool and establishment of funding rates for the plan year beginning October 1st through September 30, 2022.
- A resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with TxDOT for the temporary closure of state right-of-way in connection with the 2021 downtown summer concert series (Hot Nights, Cool Tunes) to be held July 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st.
- A recommendation from the Main Street Board for the appointment of Traci Pyle to Position 8 on the Main Street Board for an unexpired term to expire on December 31st.
The council will meet Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Brenham City Hall.