BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, CONSIDER TAX PHASE-IN ITEMS

  

The Brenham City Council will potentially authorize the issuance of up to $10 million in certificates of obligation (COs) at a busy meeting on Thursday.

The proceeds from the sale of the COs will go toward the building of a new fire station and in-house street, sidewalk and drainage improvements. 

The projected cost for the fire station, to be located at the intersection of James Nutt Boulevard and Handley Street in the Brenham Business Center, is approximately $8 million.  The other $2 million is for the road and drainage construction.

The first bond payment will be on August 15^th. 

Several economic items are set to be considered by the council, as well.  They include public hearings and possible action to create commercial tax phase-in reinvestment zones for Valmont Industries and North Park Development LLC, a tax phase-in agreement with Stanpac USA LLC, and a Chapter 380 agreement with Academy Sports + Outdoors.

The reinvestment zones, if approved, would designate 80 acres at 2551 Valmont Drive and 2.99 acres at 1809 North Park Street as eligible for tax phase-in.  Valmont is renovating to upgrade the site’s manufacturing production, while PlanNorth Architectural Co. is expanding from its current office space at 107 South Baylor Street.

Stanpac is requesting tax phase-in incentives for eligible property improvements and job creation at its location at 801 Mangrum Street, as the company looks to increase its product offerings and add new employees.

The Chapter 380 agreement with Academy Sports + Outdoors, to be located within the Brenham Market Square development between Cantey Street and Chappell Hill Street, outlines $1.5 million in sales tax reimbursement to the company.  The reimbursement would be shared by the city, Washington County and the Brenham Community Development Corporation, with the city’s portion being $500,000.

The council will also act on a resolution to adopt a new fee schedule for the city’s development services department.  The resolution covers planning and permitting fees for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, health, vendor/solicitor and fire applications.  The current fee schedule has been in place since June 2019 and, according to city staff, is comparatively low to area cities of similar population.

Other business involves a series of resolutions supporting partial closures on Alamo and Market Streets that are needed for filming in downtown on August 2^nd and August 3^rd.  Ick Productions LLC and associate producer Frank Anthony has met with city staff and business owners who would be affected. 

According to the resolutions to be presented to the council, the August 2^nd closure of Alamo Street, between Austin Street and Park Street, would be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The August 3^rd closure of Market Street, between Alamo Street and Main Street, would last from 4:30 to 9 p.m., while the same day’s closure of Alamo Street, between Park Street and Baylor Street, would run from 9 to 11:30 p.m.

Also in session, the council will:

• Act on a memorandum of agreement between the city and Blinn College for the use of soccer fields at Hohlt Park.
• Consider a lease agreement between the city and Brenham RC Airplane Club for property at 2080 Old Navasota Road.
• Consider amending authorized signatories for Bank of Brenham.
• Hold executive session discussion regarding Aviators Plus v. City of Brenham, Texas, Cause No. 37896, 21^st Judicial District Court, Washington County.  There will also be discussion about the legal issues concerning the city’s raw water intake structure at Lake Somerville, 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.