BURTON CITY COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH ZOCHNET LEASE AGREEMENT, TABLES LAWN MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE
The City of Burton will soon proceed with getting fiber-optic Internet.
The Burton City Council at its meeting Tuesday granted authority to the mayor to enter into a communication sites lease agreement with ZochNet, with any needed adjustments. Those adjustments include the addition of Burton ISD consideration, and any other necessary clauses.
Through the agreement, ZochNet, headquartered in Giddings, will get exclusive rights to place $100,000 worth of equipment at Burton’s water tower, including a receiver and transmitter. The new equipment will replace that of Texas Broadband, Inc., which ZochNet has acquired.
ZochNet CFO Roger Turner said the fiber project will not start until the fourth quarter of this year, likely in November, and will “certainly be done by Christmas”.
Turner said the exclusivity arrangement only pertains to equipment at the water tower, and does not limit other Internet service providers (ISPs) from servicing the city. He added that, once ZochNet establishes a fiber line down Highway 290 through Brenham, it will not need the same kind of equipment on the tower.
City Secretary Angela Harrington said the city will terminate its contract with Broadwaves as of March 31st, and will date the ZochNet agreement in April.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council once again tabled motion on a lawn maintenance ordinance, which was also tabled at its meetings in January and February. The item was cancelled in order to allow councilmembers to consider putting in a fine for ordinance violators.
The council voted to approve the 2020-21 City of Burton General and Water/Sewer Budgets, following a brief public hearing with no comments.
The council also:
- Approved complete payment of $20,176 on the city’s 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle, using funds in savings.
- Approved the hiring of a part-time office assistant. Mayor David Zajicek said Harrington is the only person that knows where everything at City Hall is located, and that the city needs someone to relieve in her absence. The assistant will come in up to three days a week, 18 hours a week.
- Approved a certification of unopposed candidates, followed by an ordinance cancelling May 2nd’s general election.
- Approved closing North Railroad Street between West Washington Street and the post office from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 18th. Burton Roadhouse is having outdoor entertainment following the Cotton Gin Festival.
- Approved closing North Railroad Street between West Washington Street and the post office from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 25th. Burton Roadhouse is having a crawfish boil that evening.