BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER NEW TAX RATE, COMMUNITY EVENTS, NO PARKING ZONES
The Brenham City Council will get its first look at the proposed tax rate for the new fiscal year at its meeting Thursday.
The city is looking to adopt a total tax rate of 50.4 cents per $100 valuation, one cent lower than last year’s tax rate. The new rate consists of 32 cents for maintenance and operations—unchanged from last year—and a one cent decrease in the debt service rate from 19.4 cents to 18.4 cents. As the proposed rate does not exceed either the no-new-revenue tax rate or the voter-approval tax rate, a public hearing is not required.
While the average homestead taxable value in Brenham increased from $175,980 in 2019 to $178,009 in 2020, the tax on the average homestead will actually decrease from $904 to $897.
If approved, the council will take up formal adoption of the tax rate at its meetings on September 3rd and September 17th.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, the council will reopen talks on previously postponed summer events and discuss potentially rescheduling them in the fall. At the council’s meeting July 2nd, it voted to postpone the Hot Nights Cool Tunes concert series, Movies in the Park, the Summer Sip and Art Walk, and the July 19th community picnic. The events were delayed after Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order June 26th declared that outdoor gatherings of over 100 people must be approved by local governments, with certain exceptions.
The council will also consider an ordinance providing for no parking zones in certain areas along West Second Street, West Fifth Street, Green Street, and High Street. According to Public Works Director Dane Rau, Blinn College has reached out to the city to ask about establishing no parking areas on portions of these roadways, which all front College property.
Staff currently recommend approval, as they say these no parking areas will coordinate with Blinn’s parking plan and help keep students dedicated to specific parking lots. Staff also say they will allow for better maneuverability from emergency vehicles and add protection for pedestrians and students.
Also in session, the council will:
- Hold executive session discussion to speak with the city attorney regarding pending litigation: T. Hyde v. Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Brenham Police Department.
- Consider the termination of a contract between the city and Southern Flyer, Inc. for Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services at the Brenham Municipal Airport. Southern Flyer sent notice to the city in June detailing its desire to cease being an FBO at the airport, after signing the original FBO contract in 2000. The cancellation agreement reads that the termination between the two is mutual.
- Consider the purchase and installation of Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights at the Brenham Municipal Airport.
- Discuss a professional services agreement between the city and Strand Associates, Inc. for engineering services related to the Atlow elevated storage tank rehabilitation project.
- Consider awarding a Request for Proposals (RFP) for engineering/architectural/surveying services for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) projects.
- Consider awarding a Request for Proposals (RFP) related to leasing telecommunications space on city-owned water towers.
- Hold public hearing and potentially approve the rezoning of approximately 5.08 acres of vacant property at 1303 and 1305 Prairie Lea Street from industrial use to commercial research and technology use.
- Hear an update on the city’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.
The council will meet Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m., at Brenham City Hall.
Click here to view the agenda packet for Thursday's meeting.