BRIAN SCHEFFER HONORED FOR SERVICE TO BRENHAM FIRE DEPT.
The City of Brenham gave thanks today (Thursday) to a long-serving member of the Brenham Fire Department as he approaches retirement.
Atwood Kenjura and the city council for his
upcoming retirement, following 26 years with the
Brenham Fire Department.
The Brenham City Council recognized Assistant Chief Brian Scheffer for 26 years of service in the department.
Scheffer was originally set to retire from the department effective October 27th and transition into a Regional Training Coordinator for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. However, Mayor Atwood Kenjura announced that Scheffer has agreed to stay with the department in an interim basis while it searches for a new fire chief. Kenjura said, “To me, that says everything about this young man.”
Scheffer said it has been an honor to serve with the fire department for so many years and that he is available to help however he can.
Scheffer started at the fire department in May 1997 as a volunteer and was promoted to apparatus operator in July 2000. He advanced to captain in September 2012 and took on the role of assistant chief three years later. He was twice named the department’s firefighter of the year, in 2001 and 2008.
recognition of her five years of service with the City
of Brenham. Dudenhoeffer is currently a utility
customer service supervisor.
A reception to honor Scheffer is being held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Fireman’s Training Center.
In regular business, the council voted to adopt a commercial tax phase-in agreement for 209 South Market Street, which is being renovated to become The Southern Folly, an entertainment and meeting venue and bar in downtown. The agreement allows the business to receive tax phase-in incentives based upon eligible property improvements and job creation.
The estimated capital investment in the project is $185,000, with work on the building having included masonry improvements, window/door sealing, repairs to the fire suppression system and fixing the patio, wood flooring and interior walls. The business expects to have 10 employees.
Councilmember Shannan Canales voted against approving the agreement. She said she felt there was a lack of information on the building upgrades to prove that the abatement was necessary.
In other action, the council:
- Approved the purchase of a street roller from Mustang CAT for the city’s street department in the amount of $62,900.
- Accepted a contract bid from Texas KB Utilities for annual concrete work. Public Works Director Dane Rau said Legacy Concrete Works previously had the contract with the city for over 14 years, but they have merged with Texas KB Utilities.
- Approved the annual Routine Airport Maintenance Program (RAMP) grant agreement with TxDOT for Fiscal Year 2024, regarding maintenance items at the airport.
Click here to view the agenda and packet for Thursday's meeting.
Councilwoman Canales thanks for not approving a tax break without sufficient data. Where was the data? I am losing faith in this local Brenham government. It seems like it is a pick and choose who have laws applied to whoever and who does not. As a businessman I just asked the city about building a new laundry mat. I was told that a water use study was required. And a sewer study is required. Did the new laundry mat at Blue Bell Rd and Old Chappell Hill have to pay for a water use study? And a sewer study? This all seems fishy to me. But I will find out why preferential treatment is being given to some business owners but not to all!
That building was just totally gutted and rebuilt new doors, windows and all into the music venue only a few short yrs. ago and the city approved the construction why was a fire system not mandated then and the city should have had to have inspected it then, just because it doesn’t meet the layout of the new owner it shouldn’t need a whole lot of work as they are asking to have done
I was a carpenter on the original remodel. Building was gutted for theater. Fire alarm system was installed, and fire sprinkler system with steel pipe was installed.