BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

  

The Brenham City Council moved today (Thursday) to adopt a new three-year strategic plan to guide economic development.

Brenham | Washington County Economic Development Director Teresa Rosales said the department’s plan aligns with the City of Brenham’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the “Bigger.  Better.  Texas.”  Statewide Economic Development Plan.  Rosales said in order to maximize the potential stemming from the growth in the area, the plan emphasizes strategies that are practical and keep with the region’s identity.

The plan lists a set of strategic priorities for the department to pursue, including business retention and expansion, targeted business recruitment, marketing and promotion, workforce and talent development, and entrepreneurship and innovation.  It also identifies several targeted industries to attract to or expand in Washington County, such as advanced food and beverage processing, biomedical supplies and packaging, ag tech and animal health, precision metal and equipment manufacturing, and value-add wood products and modular housing components.

Additionally, the plan analyzes organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that shape the economic development department’s ability to succeed.  For example, it describes the dedicated incentive funds in city and county budgets as a strength in supporting flexibility, while it cites limited staff capacity as a weakness that impacts the ability to respond to emerging needs.

Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jamie Rankin shared a letter of support for the plan and thanked Rosales for prioritizing thoughtful planning for the future.

Rosales said the next step for the plan will be to continue working with Marketing Alliance, Inc., who assisted the economic development department with creating the plan, on site selection prospects. 

Also at today’s meeting, the council:

• Approved Chapter 380 agreements for the purpose of reimbursing applicants approved to receive funding through the city’s life safety grant program.  Grant applications were approved for properties at 216 West Alamo Street and 114 East Alamo Street, which will receive grants of $47,102 and $57,500, respectively.  Per the Chapter 380 agreements, reimbursement will cover half of the actual cost of eligible improvements to the properties.  The grant program has a total of $120,000 to allocate during the current budget cycle, with a maximum award of $60,000 per property.
• Held a work session to receive an administrative services update on city secretary’s office, purchasing services and animal services. 
• Approved a revision to the city’s contract with the Texas General Land Office for the Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Program, relating to drainage projects that received grant funding for Hurricane Harvey disaster relief.  The revision is to prepare for final payment and reflect approximately $302,297 in cost savings throughout the seven projects.
• Accepted a bid from Lhoist North America of Texas, LLC for the purchase of lime for the city’s water and wastewater utility system.  The bid is at a cost of $336.79 per ton for a 12-month term, with the option for two additional one-year renewals.
• Passed a resolution authorizing the execution of an equipment lease purchase agreement with Cadence Equipment Finance.  The council approved a financing proposal with Cadence on January 22^nd for the purchase of a street sweeper for $369,340. 

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