BURTON CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER LEASE AGREEMENT WITH ZOCHNET, RECONSIDER LAWN MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE

  

The Burton City Council will potentially move forward with a lease agreement to allow an Internet service provider (ISP) looking to expand into Washington County to set up in Burton.

The council at its meeting Tuesday will consider a communication sites lease agreement with ZochNet, headquartered in Giddings, who talked with councilmembers at their last meeting about setting up an arrangement with the city.

At that meeting, ZochNet, who has acquired Brenham-based Texas Broadband, Inc., told the council it was looking for an exclusive agreement to place a receiver and transmitter at Burton’s water tower. In exchange, ZochNet would provide fiber-optic Internet for Burton residents and businesses.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, councilmembers will continue talks on a lawn maintenance ordinance, after tabling action on the item at their last meeting and the meeting before. The ordinance would encourage lawn maintenance, the cutting of grass that becomes a nuisance, and provide for the enforcement of the ordinance.  According to City Secretary Angela Harrington, the ordinance coming before councilmembers contains all revisions as requested by them.

Before the meeting, a public hearing will be held on the 2020-21 City of Burton General and Water/Sewer Budgets. Councilmembers will then vote on the budgets.

The council will also consider:

• A certification of unopposed candidates, followed by an ordinance cancelling May 2^nd’s general election.
• Yearly renewal of a 12-month promissory note refinancing $20,176 on the city’s 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle, or approving complete payment of the amount owed.
• The hiring of a part-time office assistant.
• Closing North Railroad Street between West Washington Street and the post office from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 18^th.  Burton Roadhouse is having outdoor entertainment following the Cotton Gin Festival.
• Closing North Railroad Street between West Washington Street and the post office from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 25^th.  Burton Roadhouse is having a crawfish boil that evening.

The council will meet Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 p.m., at Burton City Hall.