2022 RECAP: BRENHAM MAYOR MILTON TATE
"State of the Community" forum held on March 9th
at Blinn College in Brenham.
As we turn the corner into 2023, KWHI is talking with officials in Washington County to review the happenings of 2022 and take a glimpse at what is to come in the new year.
We continue with Brenham Mayor Milton Tate, recapping events of significance during this past year and previewing the year ahead.
Tate says a huge driver for 2022 was the amount of new homes built to meet the needs of a rising population.
Economic projects also played a large role in 2022, a year that saw the opening of the highly-anticipated Brenham Crossing shopping center and the start of the Market Square development, which is set to feature businesses like Academy and Chick-fil-A. The city also introduced a new city manager, fire chief, fire marshal and airport manager. In addition, Henderson Park and the Blue Bell Aquatic Center received recognition from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society and the Texas Public Pool Council, respectively.
Earlier this year, city officials were informed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the city’s water plant is at 85 percent capacity. Tate says one of the key issues of next year will be making strides in water plant expansion or construction.
In the next year, Tate hopes to see resolution to the city’s litigation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, concerning the raw water intake structure at Lake Somerville, and with Aviators Plus. Regarding the Brenham Municipal Airport, the city will flesh out updates to the airport master plan and determine what is next for the terminal building after the closure of Dreamliner Diner.
Tate believes that 2023 will continue the trend of growth, which brings with it its own set of challenges.
Tate has served as the mayor of Brenham since 2003.