BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, VOTE ON WATER RATE INCREASES

  

Thursday’s meeting of the Brenham City Council will include the issuance of up to $11 million in certificates of obligation (COs) and a vote on an increase in water rates.

The COs will be used to fund water and wastewater system improvements.  Notice of intent to issue the COs was provided by the council during its January 4^th meeting. 

Of the total, $1.9 million is planned for groundwater projects, $1.6 million is for the water plant expansion, $1.6 million is for water distribution projects and $5.9 million is for wastewater collection projects.  The water projects include the first phase of the city’s water system expansion, which is currently in the engineering design phase.

Shifting to the water rate increases, the city says they are needed to recover higher costs driven by the new debt for the aforementioned water plant expansion and groundwater well projects.

According to a water rate table included with Thursday’s agenda packet, residents using 5,000 gallons of water per month will pay an extra $3.41 per month, while those using 10,000 gallons will pay an additional $6.01 monthly. 

Incorporated into the water rate increases is a change in the commercial water rate class.  Currently, every commercial customer pays the same minimum monthly charge regardless of water meter size; the proposed amendment would assess a higher minimum monthly charge on larger water meters. 

Commercial customers with a water meter less than an inch and who use 50,000 gallons monthly would need to pay $52.28 more per month, while an account with 200,000 gallons of usage would have $233.78 added to their monthly bill.

Also of note at Thursday’s meeting, the council will recognize Brenham Police Chief Ron Parker, who is retiring this month.

In other business, councilmembers will:

• Consider a request to change the zoning district from a single-family residential district to a planned development district for approximately 28.09 acres of land at the northwest corner of West Jefferson Street and North Saeger Street for the Wilkins Valley subdivision.  The item was tabled during the council’s meeting on February 1^st.
• Potentially approve an ordinance on its first reading amending the city’s 2023-24 adopted budget. 
• Act on an agreement with Aqua Metric for services related to the installation of a second advanced metering infrastructure base station.  The city says the second base station will ensure it has the means to receive meter data in case of equipment malfunction or weather-related damage.
• Consider accepting a bid for the Brenham Business Center sanitary extension project.
• Repeal an ordinance for the non-exclusive franchise granted to General Site Services Dumpster Service for the operation of a roll-off container service in Brenham city limits.
• Potentially grant a non-exclusive franchise to Drop and Go Dumpsters to operate a roll-off container service in Brenham city limits.
• Hold work session discussion on the tax phase-in compliance review committee and the Fiscal Year 2023-24 first quarter financial reports.
• Hold executive session talks regarding Commonwealth Development, Inc. v. City of Brenham; Fair Housing Case No. 06-22-3294-8.  The case involves the proposed tax-credit housing development on Pecan Street that was rejected by the city council in February 2021.  Additionally, the council will consult with an attorney regarding legal issues concerning the city’s wastewater treatment plant, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and associated matters.

The council will meet Thursday at 1 p.m. at Brenham City Hall.

Click here to view the agenda packet for Thursday's meeting.