City Council - Regular Meeting

only supply so many meters and we require that the contractors pay for the infrastructure. So if somebody wants to put in a subation they have to pay for the infrastructure but we would have to you know come up with supplying water. your 2010 contract uh amendment to the contract that was based on growth anticipated growth at that time.

No, I believe that was um to accommodate the water plant that we had. So, figuring out a way to to build for that. There's been a couple other small amendments. Um, one was to help pay for the office staff at Central Texas. Um, 2010, I think. Wasn't that Stacy? For the paying the It was to solve ongoing litigation so that we could get the funding to pay for.

I think what what what happened is we resolved that conflict we had so that we could finish our plan. So we can get the funding. Are there plans for any kind of remodel of the plan for the future? Yeah. And the infrastructure such as your piping, things like that. Break it as fix it as you break it. Does it break?

Well, the plant is in remodel right now. Let's give you another million gallons put in it. Um, since I'm with her, we remodeled the plant. new racks, new filters, a lot of things. So, the plant, you know, is an ongoing expense to us. We have to continue to upgrade that. Our capacity is up to what it needs to be right now, but as it needs to be upgraded, it will be upgraded. Okay?

Now, as far as the line and pipes infrastructure, um the first thing that we're going to have to do if we want more water is that line that runs from 195 to 80. We talked about that before. That's a co line. So lamp passes would have to cost sharing that line which would probably be a parallel line and last time we estimated it was about 9 million. So it's a pretty huge expense.

And so that's why I'm saying, you know, we need to start talking about how we're going to solve those problems going forward. Are we going to wait until that hits us in the face and then we have to come up with $10 million? Now I guess we have the numbers for ongoing operation and maintenance. We have those numbers as far as what it costs. Will we bill you? You mean Well, you said there you mentioned ongoing operations and maintenance and you would start giving us more of a itemized list of that and we don't have that at this time.

No, you do. You get that. You get that billing. But you know what I'm curious about is I mean we don't have any sort of proposed rate in front of us, right? And so you you're saying the central Texas water is $4.3 per thousand gallon. Um which is almost the rate that our customers pay currently um for their water. We pay it's a whole that's their wholesale rate. Okay, understood.

Your wholesale rate. We're talking a significant rate increase to get to what you're talking about. And let me be clear in that our water department is solely funded by water revenues, much like you guys are. So while there are some references to possibly outside funding sources, the water fund operates completely independently of the rest of the city's operational funds. So as we are proposing this, it'd be great to know what kind of numbers you're looking at. Well, I did I didn't want to prepare the numbers just yet. Um I felt like we just needed to come to the table and talk. So, we've been trying to do this now for well over a year. I I think the other thing too is coming to the table with you guys today to sit down and talk numbers would be kind of a rude. We would like to talk like Bruce is saying as well as if you see the numbers you guys have that we're facing. It's it's it's roughly for every $100 a member spends $15 to subsidize what passes. Like that's a significant increase over the last five years. Like it only gets more exponential. to answer the questions here that we're kind of moving around. We can sustainably assist our capacity for members through Brazos River Valley and we're continuing to renovate the plant for the needs of our capacity. the problem and lies capacity for everyone else at a pastor's supplementary and paying everyone else's support to get to that to get to the do the dollar each and the contracts of everybody else. We have no issue with Kender with our flow and our contract. It's where everyone else is. We're to the point like the slides have said it's just like KW C1 excuse me the plant can no longer sustain itself the way we're pricing everyone and we

have priced our members to the point where we can't afford it anymore and neither neither can Colleen everyone else has gotten to the point with the plants and the manufacturing that no matter how much we sell and how much we right raise a member we can't sustain it anymore that's the issue from an engineer standpoint point and from a guy who does public and engineering, we are to the point where we're maxed and we need help from people because we're to the point with a cl a plant capacity and a water capacity and a funding capacity. We've hit a wall and in the next five to six years when we hit the Belton still initiative where they start connecting two lakes and they decide through the browsers river valley who gets what water. We will then by 2031 when they complete that project, everyone in this table, no matter what this determination is here today, will then lose the decision on how much water we get as a team to the other side of the corridor because they will save a water plant to help the other side of with Colleen and everyone else. They've already started asking BRA to sell rights to Colleen if everyone hasn't seen that in the news to help bail out that water district and that water plant because they are about two years ahead of us right now with that water. That's why we're trying to come to the table. We need help and we don't want to be there. That makes sense.

How how did we get to this point? To to be honest with you, sir, and I'm new to this. I just got on this board because I saw a lot of issues and every back and forth with the military as an engineer. Just like Bruce is saying, a lot of not talking and a lot of he said, she said, we're all everyone shares here, right? And everyone is

Well, you know, I I run a business and there's several other business guys and when we see we're kind of starting to go underwater. that the problem is is nobody understand it's an issue until it's an issue because everyone's trying to patch the problem or we're to the point where we it's it's SRM, right? Sustain, renovate, modernize. You guys have sustained and renovated as far as you can. You have to modernize your system. That means a full either fix a couple more systems or overhaul the entire thing. You are at your max capacity at the 10 to 15 year mark for your facilities. If people I'm sure some people in this room probably understand you've run facilities construction. It's to the point where you renovate or tear down a building again. You are past that point of no returner. The money has to come in and also so do all the people have to come together on this. This is exactly what they've dealt with on the other side of the aisle already. Well, I think the uh central Texas Water, which I guess you guys are likely to join, so does the county. I think what they're going to try and do is make us more of a collective water system and maybe solve some of these problems. We don't have a water problem right now. The passes doesn't have a water problem right now, but they will have a problem in the future. That's where we're going. And if we don't start somehow paying new infrastructure where we're actually paying the bills, the water bill, we're not going to be able to move on. We're just going to sit here on our hands and say, "Okay, we'll wait till the day comes." It hits us in the face and then we have to go and we got to cough up a lot of money, borrow it, whatever. So, we're trying to get some planning, you know, in place so that we can say, "Okay, this is where we're going. This is where we're headed. You know, I wish your editorial that

came out newspaper would then said that instead of throwing something bus I think you I think put us in a bad light come to the table and try to negotiate after an article like that. Frankly, it just jacks me up. I'm trying to get you guys to come to the table.

I'm sorry. I feel like we're paying for the water bill. feel like we're substit. We all think the same way that we've got a problem, we need to fix it. If the team doesn't do it together, we can't do it alone. We need help from everybody. That's why we have barked on Mr. Swords several times if he's going to meet and he has tried and tried and tried to his to his credit. I can't speak about what happens when he leaves. Sorry about all that. But and I'm sure he does not mean it in any way that if it came across that way, I'm sure. But we we've been trying to get with you guys at least since I've been on the board for about what 11 10 maybe 11 months now. We've just been trying to get a meeting so we can get this up and running because if we don't

question. Yes, ma'am. There was some discussion earlier about the billings and uh some surprises on the billings because of expenditures that came up. Uh how does that work? in your day-to-day operation if you have repairs you build in the city on our lines or how that are you talking about like a line break right any of the repairs or yeah we build that directly they get an overall bill and they pay per so it's build in the the amount of water loss it's built in the labor what are the cost and I understand from a public works director that you have a hand in that billing you review it.

Yes, we we we've we met with Bruce and his staff to to review the building practices and kind of go through it to understand it. It is ridiculously complex, more than it probably needed to be. But yes, I would say city staff does have a little better understanding of how how it's built, how we met. And I think part of the issue on any kind of building is always being able to anticipate and be prepared as you were saying. I think you're already saying about could be the cost here. So, it's hard to have a reaction until we know what kind of dollars we're talking about, what residents are talking about. Our residents already think that we're too high. And so, I think

as as do our members, our members, we're actually everybody.

I think that's everybody. Everybody across the board is like water is is just ridiculously high. That's why I got on board. you and I have I came in his office in yellow and was like I have PCs moved with the military across this country several times and have written this man to no end and that is the issue is we are paying way more than what we need to but the problem is is until we fix this prices are that bad across the board because the way we're we're just running plants we're running cost shares that there's so many levers to pull to get that to fix that it's not going to fix it until we fix the entire

So when I lived south of town about 5 miles south of town I was on Ker water supply down towards Mate Creek and um how does that billing compared to what our building within the city limits um as far as building goes our base rate is $8. It's about $7 per 40 something base rate. Base rate 30450 for res and a little bit different for people out of town. Yes. And then your water per

I would say it's safe to say that everything that we do versus you guys is going to be based and then your Do you have a longterm plan for replacements of the time we hear about pipes that were broken or pipes that have purchased? What is your long replacement? As far as what breaks, there's no long range plan for that fixed as it breaks. Now, as far as long range plan for replacing this line that runs through here, um we don't have anything. cost prohibitive is absolutely cost

prohibitive. We got a 5year long range plan that basically covers all of our capacity issues, all of our compliance issues, everything we need. But as far as replacing this line, we don't need to sit down because it's it's reaching its age. You're talking about the 195 to line. We're talking about that 195 entire line. So it's 195 to pass I think it's 38 miles water treatment plant.

So there be no way to bring down the piping by rural if it was city. I think we're at the point now we just need to to come to a fair and equitable payment for the water because if continues to pay a portion of the land masses bill, you know, we're not going to get ahead. We're going to keep building our more and more. Our our long range plan that we've developed recently dictates that we go up about 1.8% per year from 1.8%. 8% per year. So if we don't go up 1.8%. Next year in two years we'll have to go up 5%. So it just compounds. So we realize that a rate increase every year is actually inventory sustain and that's based on you know increase in costs on long range plan realizing that you know in the next 10 years we have to replace that line or parallel that line we've got some big you know expenses that we have in our long range plan. One is that we're going to put a clarifier plant which is about double our capacity at our plant. That's about a $8 million project. That's going to be possible possibly done in 29. That's outside of what you guys you know you're you're sitting on a plant in central Texas and they're struggling to survive. So I don't know how that works in the scheme of things but uh what happens if they stop making it's something we need to discuss and that was the other thing that look I'll be fully transparent with you guys that's why we're meeting um

construction that was the thing that I recommended that we either buy their plan we sell to them and we get out of this business all together if we can't afford the city anymore because it's either we buy them to capacity and sell to everybody. We convert to a WCID because we'll be above I think it's the 12,000 or 15,000 mandatory and that puts us all in the same boat together and that's where we start bonding. then we can turn around and issue bonds and take care of our own construction and take care of the plant and then fully ren it. Right. Long range like Bruce is talking or we're talking about turning around and what's the plant worth and selling getting out of the business all together and turn around and asking them to to to bulk sell water and then do what you guys are doing. We can't afford to do business anymore. I don't know where that's going to put you guys but we won't have a plan for. So you're proposing city line passes water supply purchase central Texas water.

We were just talking about us. If you want to do that, we want to talk that later. Sure. But I mean that's something that it's either we we're going to either have to figure out assets or we're going to have to divest in assets anymore. Bruce, um you had mentioned that y'all are subsidizing us on some unpaid water. What what causes that and how much water do you claim we're not paying for?

Well, specifically the on we get built central Texas. Um the contract only allows you to pay 37% of that. So we pay the other 63% of that. That's the contract. That is the contract because it states that that's the way it works. So and it worked that way because In the beginning that was a shared plan. Okay. So not anymore. My followup question to this is going to be why was it what caused it to not be a shared plant anymore? Built their own plant.

So Ker built decided to build their own plant to increase capacity other places that include that 400 square miles. And in hindsight I wasn't part of that. Thank very we wouldn't have capacity because of that central Texas plant. Do you think that central Texas plant could have been updated if it was still a shared plant to have that capacity but instead what we're seeing is that Kentner expanded its area

on is too high. So, uh, Central Texas came to my understanding, they came to, uh, my passes and said, "Hey, we need 20 million plus to renovate this plant." And we said, "No, we'll just go build our own plan." I I wasn't there. I'm thinking that's what they said. Okay. And so they I asked them for that plant because they didn't want to pay. If Kendra were to purchase the central Texas plant, what would that look like? As far as your onm expenses ongoing, would that help lower them?

No, it probably increase them. So, the plant um it needed $20 million in repair 10 years ago, 15 years ago. Now, I think one time it was a 20 million gall they said the firm capacity right now is feel like they could even do six. The issue with that is is if you're going to purchase that plane, you're going to purchase that midst with all the problems.

Absolutely. That the best case scenario would be that everybody here together agrees that we're all going to be in one kumbaya. We're going to get together and take the plan that we have fully invest in it either rebuild it, do what we can to increase the capacity. Everybody merges together. We're at that point and everybody can merge to a board. You guys can do whatever you need. You can tear up people, tax people, issue bonds, do everything that you want to do and do exactly what they're doing at CLA right now, right? That's like the perfect world because then you can upgrade your plant, you can reno your plant, you can issue out as much bonding as you need to do that, right? But you guys all have to be on the same page. You can merge forwards, whatever you want to do, right? If you start looking at merging other plants, then you got to go back like you're talking with leases and contracts, then you got to start looking at watershed contracts on who owns water. If you're buying somebody out, what are you taking away from somebody else? Right now, we're all in one entity, if you will. Yeah. To explain that, Eric. So, we took our water capacity out of that plant and put it in our You have still have capacity in that plant. Your 4.84 million gallons is your capacity. That's your P reserve in that plant. That's your water in that plant. We don't have water in that plant anymore. That's all your plant. All your water, but yet we're still paying for the upgrade operation maintenance of that plant. That's where my contention is. It shouldn't just be a pass through cost. Just like what I'm having a hard time understanding is earlier you' mentioned, you know, our water comes through there. So, our water's coming before it gets here, right? Absolutely.

And so you claim that some of our water is actually y'all's water comes from your plant, but how do we not know that some of your water isn't water? I mean, uh, central Texas water, you know, it's it's like there's no definition there. It's really vague. We work closely with Central Texas just like we work with you guys, you know. So if they if they're giving us bad water, we tell them we stop, but we take over and we supply our water. When was the plant built? 2010. How much did it cost?

Um it had some renovations, but let's just say so. I know it's not yours, but I made that decision. This board knows nothing about that either. So that's not something that I think they need to get educated on. Well, cuz that is a really poor financial decision.

Well, I think regardless of history, you know, us being educated, which I know I'll speak for myself, I am, but and I know, but the problem there is it was done without our say or your say obviously clearly. So it, you know, beat the dead horse was under the dirt, I guess. But that's kind of what I was getting at, right? Because a lot of things were done with the city pass was notified. So how can we avoid that? Yeah, for sure. And I don't understand how we can't or y'all can't determine what water is yours and what comes from central Texas. They're not a meter that you don't know how much flow is coming to you from them.

Absolutely. But we've got so many gallons in the system in the entire system. You don't know at what time whose water's where. Steve, do you have some to I think to I mean you have to know how much water is coming out of your plant and they have to know how much water is coming out of their plant.

Exactly. I think to kind of help answer your question, um Bruce is just to some degree he is right. You can't tell what gallons where where it is, but you are correct. It's metered at at very specific locations. So at the end of the day, you take how much water lands actually used and you subtract what central Texas produced and now you know who's over, who's under. So you can easily tell on a day-by-day basis and they do in the bill on if central Texas or if sorry if central yeah central Texas produce more water who actually truly covered land passes in terms of treated water cost

and that's that's reflected in every every month's bill. So to help rectify the issue of us getting water that we don't pay for days that central Texas overproduces are there other days that they over underproduces or there other days they overproduce I wash I would argue that it's not necessarily water that Kickner has a problem with. It's the only on

Yeah. when you when you break it down by per day or per month on who produced what, um TJ, their their plant manager uh on Steelhouse does a very good job of of of throttling one way or the other so that he can kind of make sure that Kipner doesn't go in the red too far in terms of water production that line passes. And for example, this is a breakdown of December's bill. And you can see in the red on the very end um and it's it's real small I know but you can see on a dayby-day basis in red or green who produced in excess and on this particular month um which is the most recent central Texas would have produced excess 800,000 gallons of water meaning central Texas produced everything we would have used that month and would have bought some additional water from. So you go through this bill monthly. Is there any kind of audit process or have we had any issues in the past of where we were building correctly and we had to hold money?

So So I just started going through these bills um uh prior to Aaron Finley was really Finley was pretty religious with it. He would go through it month by month and review any unnecessary charges if there were any um and kick them back if need be. But I will say for the most part

November 24 was the last um time that something was sent to the attorney and and agreed that it wasn't part of the contract that we should be for. Um since then they've done a good job of billing what what we should be held accountable for in accordance with the contract. their their finance side, the ladies sitting on the back do do a pretty good job of kicking back any central Texas charges that they try to sneak through the bills and pushing them back to them so that they don't get related passes if they don't qualify for payment. So you have some good cooperation. Yeah. Yeah.

And so because we we are paying according to our contract. So I have a problem with you saying that we're not paying our part. Now we're determined by the lawsuit that was awarded the land. You were buying from this entity over here and tell me that this entity over here less than this person was buying. How would you rectify that? I could get what you're saying. That doesn't seem that's

I think it's a moral issue almost at this point. Right. But it was an agreed upon contract is and so what what we're having an issue with is things like what we see in the editorial page of the newspaper, you know, stuff like that or us being on blast everywhere for not paying our share whenever we're abiding by an an agreed upon contract that two parties agreed to years ago, went through litigation and proved that we were right. So I think you would have a better chance of working with us if you didn't make us out to be the bad guys.

You know what I mean? I mean response come to you many times even since I've been here. I mean I mean I like the idea of purchasing the central Texas. I mean, I don't know how that would work or what that would look like, but

the issue is to look it up and I get it. I haven't been in a lot of this stuff, too. And I understand contracting. I've done a lot of contracting as well, but contracting somebody did the vacuum. We none of us were there. Again, shouldn't have been that long. Should not have gone that long. It should have been a fixed fixed firm rate. That's not how you contract. Okay? Wasn't your fault. Wasn't my fault. None of our faults, right? what you bought in 2010 is not what we're doing in 2026. It just doesn't apply. You can stick with that rate. That's fine. We can all walk out of here with that. But in 5 to 6 years, if you don't adjust what you're doing with a rate and construction support, we won't have a plan because either we're not going to be able to afford it or we're going to have to sell it. And then it'll either be someone else that you deal with, right? Because that's just the way that's the business. or someone's going to buy it and it's going to be privatized and then we're all going to be in the same boat. That that that's just the reality of it because it is a firm fixed contract over an extended period of time and it's not conducive to all parties involved. I completely understand what you're saying, man, that this is my contract and we're sticking to this. That contract probably should not be where it's at today. Renegotiated contracts may be a little bit more amicable. other alternate solutions of let's get together and start looking at conversions, buying plants, renovating plants together because what Bruce is saying in a roundabout way is absolutely correct. Maybe what we're doing, sure, probably isn't the best way to do it. Understand that I completely agree and understand. It's not what you're saying. I understand. But if we stick to a base rate that is firm and fixed until 2084, we're not you're not going to have 2084. you will hell you won't have one by the time they when Laura is still house connect in 2031 or 2032 I think it gets publicized core of engineers building it

right when that thing is done the first year you might survive a year or two but as soon as they balance that lake based off the browsers river valley agreement the browsers river valley is the people are going to say who gets the water and who's low and then who's high and when they get it to serve somebody else there's only so many straws in that lake Chris Hillhouse and we own the majority of the straws. We own more than anybody else. That that plant, it's ours. We need help to keep it cuz we will not be able to afford it much longer if they start tipping those levels, right? We're looking in many ways to financially make money because we're in my just Joe Spoon's opinion, right? We have financially outpaced members at this point. The members are not going to be able to afford it much longer if we keep doing what we're doing. We're eventually going to get to the point where they're going to pick the gates. They're going to set fire in the boat. We just can't do it, right? So, we need help with everyone. That includes you guys. So, if there's other ways to do it, by all means, I'm all about it. I think this is probably the best way to do it as a team is either conversion WC or

Could you tell me what that stands for? I can I can guess what WC stands for, but I want to hear it to make sure I'm control. Thank you. Thank you. Sorry. Similar to the water controls. So, and that would be like a joint between

it's it's it's basically multiple districts together. It would be almost like a water municipality. It would be a governing body. You could tax, you tariff, you can regulate. Everybody would have a board at that point of no no less than five, right? You have to have a solid entity of people. And this is like multiple counties, multiple jurisdictions. It's the exact same thing we're doing right now in like Colleen. Colleen has one, right? That is what we're looking. It's one of multiple courses of action. It It's kind of one of like in order to convert to a SU to do some of the similar things like water districts, you would have to have every member vote and have a twothirds vote. When was the last time you had all of your members vote to a 2/3? I don't think we get to that. Right. This is everybody says, "Hey, let's vote on a board." You go down to the to the TCQ for and say, "Hey, we we petition change, right?" So that that's a little bit more realistic and reasonable. And then that's we start making decisions based off of that. Male, have we have we had any uh increases in water in the last I mean, I think we're talking uh the last 16 years 2010

in water rates. Yes. Yes sir. So we increased the base rate going into FY24. We are high on our um in doing some comparative studies on our base monthly charge at that $37 a month. Um so going into this fiscal year we recommended a volutric raise in rate and we did we did a dollar per thousand gallons. So just in the last two years there's been but nothing nothing's gone back to camper water. We I mean we haven't increased at all for you with you guys in the last

is because Central Texas has to spend more on their own and so they're billing us more. We're building more but that if you look at your billing history you're paying a lot more. So we are paying we are paying more than you are because costs go up. So the cost of electricity goes up, the cost of go up, the cost of maintenance goes up. So yes, in this grand scheme of things, those bills are higher.

The Central Texas Water is essentially the state Congress got together and said, "Hey, we've got water shortages everywhere, right?" and they're deciding who gets water, how do you deal with water? People stopping here should probably be stonized for the ocean. These people have areas they're supposed to step in and help find people water or give people water subsidies and government grants, state grants, things of that nature. Um, at this point, right now, join the alliance, right? They're it's in its infancy of planning and planning resourcing. Any city government, municipality, specific types of water entities can join it. for the next couple years until it gets up and running. In my opinion, until the bail house, if I get that right this time, the bail house initiative, the two connect, I don't think they're going to be able to help support much until they roll all the entities up and find out who's who and what is actually going to be what with all these bar contracts and what water is is available. make it help fine, but they're going to be more in the inter what money is financially available until the water develops and it'll be water after the fact. Speaking of money, one thing I wanted to bring up. So, we just got news that water supply corporations are not eligible for any of this infrastructure money that the state voted on. So, we're not able to borrow or get grants for anything. So, that means that we have to depend on our members to fund everything. So that that's a predicament for us.

Thought about reconfiguring your organization. Yes. Becoming a WC. So could y'all become a WC on your own without us? Sure. And then that would allow you to do what y'all need to do with the upgraded plants and the bonds possibly. Yes, ma'am. But we're partners with y'all. We call on the line. I don't know how that works.

That's what I'm working with. I'm going to be honest with you. We're in this together, so to speak. I would rather work with y'all because I converting to a WCID would give us access licensed bonds and tariffs. You're a member of us. We could tariff you, right? So I we can raise rates for anybody that is a part of us regardless. So I would rather we work together and find a good amicable solution now instead of Kinder converted to a WCID1 and raise tariffs and tax the limit. That's not his intention. If we can do this together and work out, then we be in the paper.

I would rather us come to the table and figure this out. So that way it's a team effort instead of just figuring this out, doing something on their own. We're all on one waterline regardless. I think we're talking baby steps come together and say agree that we need to talk about what we're going to do. Okay. Is there an issue today? No. There's going to be an issue. We need to figure out how we're going to do this. And y'all said that that the lake's going to combine in 2013. Yes, ma'am. You can look that up all along. Yeah. Yes, ma'am. I didn't know about that. So, you know what's happening in that lake is that water's going to Georgetown. So they've got the most take out of that thing because Georgetown's out of

Well, it's everything on Still House.

So regardless, that comes from all of us. So we're losing portions of the the VR. That's why they were trying to take portions from Colleen Deote. You give up portions of your contracts in the water now, which is portions of the waterworks that you guys are on right now, your homestead. I think we're just trying to come up with a solution now so we can move forward here in the future, you know, maintaining the sites that's in the contract. All we're saying is listen, we come to you at some point and say, "Hey, we got to do this because we can't get to this tank because the roads washed out." But you will say, "Okay, no, we'll go pay on that." or we say, "Hey, we can't even get to this line to fix it because it's covered with a forest, you know, and and you say, "Okay, that's reasonable."

Well, there's so much technical detail in what you have and I think we have some good staff members working with your staff members that that communication needs just to go in and put a road in without us being aware that's problem. So, let's not get our people In my defense, I hit this three different how would you how would you guys like to do that? You want to set up monthly meeting office calls and we're all about it. How would you like to venture that forward?

My thought is a technical team, but I'm just one person here. So, a technical team and there's already supposed to be some sort of monthly meeting. I think in terms of the contract with uh support staff, Bruce, myself, um Bo, Van, I think for the most part any any large items need need to allow us the opportunity to budget for them appropriately. So, this would be that time of year all the way up until May. We need to know later than June 30th. Yeah. No later than June 30th if it's if it's going to be a large item. I'm not talking about just some of a pot or something like that. We're talking a full repair. You know, I proposed we have this meeting again in March. We tell you, okay, this is what we're going to do. That makes sense.

This again? Yeah. Well, not not necessarily this, but yeah, I mean staff. Yes. Abs. Absolutely. You can do that. But you're saying that meeting is supposed to be held monthly. Well, there's there is a staff meeting that I believe is supposed to be held monthly. Monthly just to supposed to be the contract. You guys have y'all read the the contract? Okay. All right. Never mind. I'll let that out. It it allows it allows for you the opportunity to discuss things like this, joint projects, um budget preparation, stuff like that. So, and many other things, but yes, important. Very important.

And we have to some degree we we have been having them at a at a not not necessarily that frequency, but yes, we've been cutting them to some degree. Um is that every time the line breaks? SO REPLAY GOOD, MAYOR. We're good. I'm good. Don't mention I think

I I have one question. Um Mr. vote. Um, and I really asking your opinion on this. Is it your opinion that the connection between Lake Belt and Still House um once that connection's complete in 2030, the BR may not uphold its responsibility. Oh, no. I think agreements.

I think they're definitely going to uphold or agree. The problem is is I think core of engineers here I you're going to see some changes and you're not going to like them uh one way, shape, form or another because core of engineers is building that project, right? and 20 well by 2031 or maybe 2032 it might delay you know weather etc. Um, you're going to have to see changes because who's going to make decisions? This is just me thinking, planning future. The BRA has all the contracts for all the water rights, watershed, surface rights. You're going to tie Stillhouse, who only has a couple of the manufacturing portions, but then you're going to tie Belton and Balora into all of that. Now, you're going to have competing entities on several sides, and they're going to have to start making decisions. What's your decision support matrix? Who is making that decision and why? No one's going to give a decision. No one's going to charter that. No one's going to write that down. Um, so it's kind of one of those questions of who's going to regulate that water and why. We all have contracts, but they're all competing. None of them say one's more important than the other. That's going to be the issue. What's the priority? What's the precedence? Because they don't have that right now. So, they're going to have to redo that. That's not getting done in alliance. It's not getting done in a vehicle and there is no if and like I look I treat you I'm in the military and I work for the court. Like that is not one of those things that they're going to publicize. You're going to have to find out the first couple of times it happens. Unfortunately,

we have reserve and you have reserve. We have more reserve than we need. I think what he's talking about is reserve that we're not actually using. Yeah. And then say we all have an emergency at the same time. Florida and still house. Who's the priority? The people that aren't using it out here or the people in town? I'm just being honest. Yeah, that's that's an extreme situation. But is there a is there a growth number that we should be looking at that?

No, I don't think we can predict that. I mean, uh we've got a lot of entities down between here and breaks that want to develop. We get that all the time. Whether it's a data center or it's, you know, 1,200 acre development. All they want to know is how much water you can possibly give them. You know, when do you know? We say no. We say no. We say it will cost you this much to give it to you. And they the data center is like it doesn't matter what it costs. We're like, well, we really don't have it. They're like, "Okay, when will you have it?" So, that's kind of where we're at.

The planning factor here is also going back to your VR. When you hit the threshold on not only how much you can give people, but also what your emergency and then also what your draft tolerance would be. There's a number in there. Whenever you hit that, that's going to be Well, that's that's what I was thinking that it's more alluding to when you get more crows like we were couple years ago. Yes, sir. And that's what worries me like we're alluded to. We have to start making decisions based off levels. So,

all right. Good. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you.

Make a motion. Second. All in

favor. There's one Hernandez. All right. At this time, I'd like to call our regular workshop session to order. Uh, first item up is discussion regarding L Passes County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center orderly report. I'm going to have myself tonight. Feel like a big girl. Uh good evening, mayor and council. Thank you so much for having me. Uh in your packet, you will find my quarterly reports. Um as we discussed at the end of last year, uh I will be coming now quarterly, three months at a time. So uh hopefully the reports are a little bit easier to read uh in that they will be a three-month um report for y'all. So uh in the report you will find information on visitors numbers information on the website uh modules um all of our inhouse visitation reports uh for the quarter and then a listing of all the events um that we have supported or hosted or been involved with in some capacity. Um the

other information that you will find in here are the receipts for the 3 month time period. Um, in this case it will be the October 1 through December 31st and it's broken down into the different codes for expenses. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to take them at this time.

And you said the hot that's in your noted here. Is that correct? So these um hot funs are not event hot funs. Um event hot funds I come and ask for separately. Um these are all the operational expenses for the visitor center at the 40%. Yes. And then that spreadsheet on the front is just a breakdown from overall just to look at it really quickly. And then there's uh supporting receipts here. Any other questions? Very good. Yeah. Okay. Great. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Item number three, discussion regarding a fee schedule changes for the host housing rental contract.

Good evening, mayor and council. We made the recommended changes to the fee schedule that were discussed at our January 12th meeting during workshop. We did make one addition which was the uh 4 hours and 8 hour rental for 501c3 corporations. I appreciate that. I did ask about the nonprofits. I've had several questions about people successfully nonprofits. Uh as of right now, we don't have them split up per floor. That is for the entire building. U kind of complicates things a little bit if we if we split it per floor. I know one of the concerns was during spring hope for uh class reunions. Our idea is to have one class do the rental and they work together to separate floors if they choose to use the pool.

I still think it should any other comments or concerns.

You don't have to change the rates. It could be a per like with the rental and it could be per one could be per four but I think it should be because of the outstanding reason not staff is concerned for liability purposes. For example, if there is a rental on the first floor and the second floor and the rental on the first floor backs up sooner that you have to go through the first floor because of the elevator to exit typically and if there are any damages then on the first floor. Which party do you hold accountable? The party that rent the first floor or the party that rent the second floor?

How do you know or how you prove it? Correct. So, we wouldn't be able to recoup anything on on damages. Additionally, the bride's room is on the bottom floor to the next to the elevator and there's no way to partition that off. So, if someone wanted a small wedding on the first floor and they didn't rent the second floor, people would be going through the bride's space to access the elevator to get to the second floor. And you walk into the hallway, which is directly outside of the bride's room. between the bride's room and the restroom. It's not the same space. It's just

there's not a way to partition it off. I just think I think that I don't know. I just I really feel like it needs to be separate. But that's just my opinion, which is I know staff hasn't wanted to do it because you feel like it's a headache. That's not our hesitancy for doing it. Not just because it's a headache. concerns about liability reasoning. I might be okay with someone renting the top floor if I have a baby shower downstairs, but Aaron might not be. That's not staff's call to make. That's why we feel like it's not a headache. It's not the word I would use, but it's it's a little out of our realm of possibility at this point.

One thing I think would be kind of neat to do is uh cuz I was talking my wife knows these numbers better than I do. So, I was looking at these and asking, she says, you $2,000 weekend is really cheap, you know, for a a venue. Um, if you kind of need to offer like a $2,000 if you're a Lasses County resident, if you're coming from out of the county and you have an up charge, you know, like a local charge and then an out county charge, make a little money off of people. That's what was in the feed previously. We charged a county rate and a non-resident. I mean, and I thought that was good because I mean, as a resident, they deserve to pay less because they're already paying city taxes for someone outside.

We can work into the rental agreement a discount that you could approve for city residents if that's the route that you choose to go. I mean, I think we need to approve this e schedule so that we can get it rented. Can we approve this and then we can work on changes later? Yes. Is that possible? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Discussion regarding any items on regular session for February 2nd, 2026. No discussion regarding any items not included on the regular session for February 2nd, 2026. consideration of future agenda. No action can be taken by the city council.

Mayor, I do have a couple of items I want to bring up to the public and to your attention and the council and the mayor. A couple of things that happened this last couple of weeks. We had a winter weather event and I want to thank the city staff, the police department, the sheriff's department, the fire department that was going out into the bad weather. Um people were having broken lines of waters and all those things that I was out and about because of the Salvation Army work that I volunteer with and we did some incredible work. Our staff, our police of course helped one man who was very confused about where he was going and uh they understood the situation and they they dealt really wonderful and uh want to thank him and recognize them for that. We also had several nonprofits who helped people who were very cold. We had laundry stations set up and we had St. Mary's Catholic Church and church helping. We also had overnight stays at the concern uh gave us very good rates for individuals who are both homeless and some who were homeless and some who were simply in the house with no heat and no electricity. Um so I think our city really geared up to it and really reached out to people and helped a lot of people that could not have been helped otherwise. The other thing I wanted to thank you um There's a new transit authority coming in. It's called CAR. C A R R. It's city rural and rural rights. And there's some copies of some business cards in the back. I learned about this in going to the senior center because the new transit authority is starting uh March 2nd. And that transit authority is open to both nonprofits, excuse me, to low-inccome people, but it's also open to seniors. It's also opens with kids that need a ride to the store.

The only only thing they have to do in advance is set up a meeting time and to get a set of time to be picked up. I'm sorry. Are you a future agenda? No, I Yeah, it's a possibility, but I don't think I need to. I just wanted to attention that car is out there and 800 call. There's also um some marketing ideas that are going around the city that I attended a couple of different meetings with on marketing and um coming up with more information on

Mayor and Miss Harrison. Um there was a couple of ideas tossed around with our workshop workshop meeting with large supply. Can we put on a future agenda executive session to discuss some of those ideas? I don't know that should be on executive or not. The main idea is purchasing part of the plant or into their plant.

Um certain items can be discussed in executive session particularly consideration of the purchase of real estate and um some utility matters although those generally apply to electric. Okay. So not water.

I would like to discuss that at some point. Can we get that on the workshop? Okay. And item number six, uh, get a motion to adjourn our workshop session. So move second. All in favor? I.

And, uh, we will get our Chief Cummings if he'll come up and all rise. Let us pray. Dear heavenly father, we're grateful to be in this beautiful community tonight with a great group of people. We thank you for the information that we've already exchanged, decisions made and plans for the future. We pray you'll be with us for the rest of the evening and do the same. We thank you for the uh moisture that came with our snow this last weekend and we are grateful for the limited problems that we had. We ask that you be with us and safety. Watch over till we meet again as always in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen.

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible and justice for all. I aliance to the Texas one and indivisible. some uh presentations and proclamations tonight and and somewhere I and I don't see it in my packet anywhere. Uh Ellie must have forgot it because I saw somewhere she was the

employee of the city passes. So, so we want to congratulate you. I was coming TO THE PROPERTY. YOU NEED TO BUY AN AD FOR THAT. WELL, I actually made the nomination. Thank you, Kaylee, for for all that you've done. You've been been a great asset to us here last not quite here, but getting pretty close. Pretty close.

Thank you. Um, Lord, help. know where I've started. We've got a uh resolution proclaiming March 2026 night sky awareness month. Uh whereas the city of Lamp Passes, Texas supports the effort to preserve the night sky and encourage such practices and technology to further preserve, protect and celebrate our night sky. and the city has reflected in resolution 21-14. Whereas the city works with its partners to educate and encourage land owners, businesses, resident communities, and public entities to join in this commitment. Whereas upcoming events raises awareness, including the March 7th, 2026 Stars at Night Star Party at the Lamp Festa Sculpture Garden and Pavilion. Whereas the city recognizes the importance of educational awareness building to continue to encourage our citizens in protecting the enduring beauty of the night sky. Now therefore, be it resolved by the city council of Lancast, Texas, the city hereby declares March 2026, night sky awareness month. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon this passage, passed and adopted by city council on the second day of February, 2026. City passes. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor and Council. We appreciate your continued support of our night skies. You know, uh I'm Martha Noel, part of the night sky committee

and uh we have we definitely would like for you to come out to our March 7th event. It's a communitywide event. It's a lot of fun and it's educational and great for kids. Uh but also, I just wanted to to point out that we take some of this so for granted. I don't know how many of y'all saw the moon last night.

I mean, it wasn't it amazing. I mean, I think we we don't realize if we didn't live in a city like Lassus, we we may not have that view. And and our dark skies are one thing that we uh once they're gone, they're gone. And now we can go out and you know, 90% of the people in the US do not see the Milky Way. I can stand in my backyard and see the Milky Way. And also, night skies are a great source of tourism. So people will come to our community to enjoy what we take for granted. And we really really appreciate your continued support and let us know what we can do to help or advice. We're going to keep plugging away at it. Thank you very much. Thank you.

And have a certificate of appreciation to Ricky Haney for 10 years of service here. He's not here tonight, but uh we do recognize him for all his hard work.

All right, we'll move to 1.0 public hearings and citizens comment and Mayor and council. Um I just wanted to invite you to our next CDC meeting which is being held a week early. It'll be on uh February the 11th. It's next Wednesday. U for those of you I think the mayor and Dorothy were at our last one. Uh we invited some people in to talk about EDC strategies from our uh actually our sister city in in Burks, Texas. Mayor Pro Tim and director of the EC came down and gave us a really nice 45minute presentation. U and I call them sister city because it was actually named after Burles Burles Creek a cousin. So city B is actually named after the same family that settle in passes. So you missed the treat last week. I don't I we invite you not to miss this one. We have uh asked u a movie sound production team to come in and pitch us on uh how we're going to market our city, what we see them what we want to see the city to be uh the vision that that we want to offer as an EDC and in hopes that that u is conducive to what you also want. Uh I think we have some ideas on what we want the city to be and uh I think the the team that's going to come in give us a presentation 15 or 20 minute video presentation which we will actually screen this Wednesday on our own. We'll have it set up for the meeting. So we're inviting all the community leaders the heads of all the different departments or or the community lead you know friends of the night sky uh

on and on and on. We hope to fill this chamber full of people who really want to see what uh what our community is at least what we envision our community can be and your input your feedback be more than welcome and appreciated. So what time is it?

Uh 5:30. It's it's our regular schedule meeting. Uh but we just moved it out a week because I'm leaving the country. Uh but anyway, next Wednesday night at 5:30, we'll have hopefully we'll have the computers up and everything. It's it's it's all about marketability, the marketing of our community, what we have to offer between the creek and and our and our life here, the way the way we want our life to be, not the way that that lives thrust upon us if we don't do something about it. After this meeting, I thought about this a number of times and kind of with you guys direction. I thought about doing a throwing that thing wide open out to our community uh citizens that aren't involved on a on a everyday daily. um you know thinking about our community and this and that by kind of answering those questions is where do we come from who are we and where are we going to go type of type of deal and uh maybe tonight's not tonight to set a date but I would like to think uh coming up soon is to have some type of town hall where we together as a community and and be able to talk about that kind of plays right in along with EDC and and kind of where you guys been going and that type of thing.

Well, I assure you that everybody on the board, at least the ones I've spoke to, and I think it's pretty much unanimous that that we're in agreement with what we want to envision the city to be. And I think this meeting next Wednesday, if you will take the time, an hour of your time to come see what these young gentlemen, and they are local uh movie producers, sound producers. They make music. They they've scored uh several movies. They produce several movies. Uh so, so they're quite proficient in what they do. The presentation, I assure you, will be worth seeing because I've already seen a preview of it. And uh it's quite remarkable what they managed to throw together in three days because we we uh we approached them last Friday and uh by yesterday afternoon they' already sent me a preview of what they can do, what they're capable of doing and super talented.

What's the name of that?

Uh well, they have several different different uh names. I'm not sure exactly what they're going by right now. They have a new movie coming out, The Wolf on Lamb. Uh you you all probably know it's it's it's the Cougar boys. Uh it's Jordan and Chase Cooger. Uh local. They've been doing this for a long time. They've been in the entertainment business. They they've been in California. They produce movies, lots of movie scores, music. Chase writes his own music. He's got a production team. And I'm not sure you're aware that their their studio that they uh that they planned a grand opening a couple of weeks ago burned to the ground. Um, but they're going to rebuild and it's going to be bigger and better than they ever envisioned. And I'm trying to convince them to bring their visual part of their production company to Land Passes. The music part is pretty much set. Man, it's that's backing them as a builder and developer in the Vernon community. He's built million dollar plus homes. And so the actual uh music part of it, postp production part of it will continue to be in virtual, but we want to get them here for their actual production of their movies. So if they're familiar with Taylor Sher, which I know you've all heard the name, he's on every uh basically TV show on TV right now, Yellowstone, Land Man. So they're familiar with all these people and they have a great resume and their passion for this city is probably unrivaled by anybody here. Like I said, they've been all over the world, all over the country, and they chose Lamp Passes to come back to like a lot of us have. And so their passion for our city is, like I said, unparalleled. And I think you'll really enjoy it. So hopefully you can make time. And quite frankly, I hope this room is overflowing. And by the time we reach out to all the the charitable organizations, the community leaders, u I think it's going to be quite a spectacle. So if you would

please try to make time to show up. I thank you.

Citizens comment. Any citizen who desires to address the city council on a matter not included on the agenda may do so at this time for possible posting discussion. Council on future agendas. The city council may not deliberate on items presented under this agenda item and we have none. So uh citizens comment any citizen who desires to address the city council on the matter that is included on the agenda may do so at this time. There is none. Go to the consent agenda. 21 discussion, possible action regarding the approval of minutes on the regular meeting held on January 12th, 2026. Discussion and possible action regarding the second reading of an ordinance amended chapter 78 traffic and vehicles amended article three stop standing and parking section 78-223 of the city codes ordinance parking time limit general generally exception regulating the parking of vehicles on public streets providing repeater clause severability clause cost and providing an effective date. Move to approve consent agenda.

Second. Any discussion? All in favor? 3.1 public works annual report for electric switch. Good evening, Mayor Council. And here with the water and wastewater 25 24 25 fiscal year annual report. There's a picture of the group minus Mr. Su who has stepped up and graciously became our public works director. Thank you very much. It's been it's been a blessing. I want to say that it's been a blessing working to meet you. Sure. Not that wasn't facitious at all.

Y'all aren't hugging this.

We are and will continue to be a superior public water system. There are uh here's the team. Uh you have myself and Brandon at 15 years and underneath each of our names is the uh license that we hold. Um Brandon along with Mr. Shul has become a class A water operator. It's a huge huge step for him. Um Mr. Cox with nine years and Mr. Yoho one of the one of the leaders on the team. Uh Jacob u fine upstanding young man. Uh his team Anthony Raza and uh Mr. Coleman Cyrus. Um great guys, great guys. And Mr. Chisum works with Mr. Cox in the construction department and we just hired Glenn's brother Jesse for the wastewater treatment plant today. So, he's he shows a lot of promise. Uh very interested in what we're doing. Um JD um has explained to us that he will be retiring in March or April time frame. and Aaron who has stepped up and was promoted into the plant supervisor position taking Mr. S's spot. So, our annual water budget $5 million and I graciously thank you all very much. Um, I know it takes a lot of time out of y'all's personal days and personal family time to come up here and argue and fight with me when I'm begging for money. Um, but I I graciously appreciate that. Some of the large ticket items in this main this budget are the meter meter replacement program,

which we just finished up another round of, and our water system maintenance fund, which funds all water leaks, uh, extensions and major projects. when somebody's building a subdivision and we have to extend a water line to them or sewer line to them. Our sewer line collection uh budget um a main item in that one is their uh lift stations and their maintenance replacing pumps and repairing the system electrical the sewer plant. Um the SCADA system and equipment and maintenance are huge line items in this. Um we have some capital improvement projects coming up for the solids handling and hopefully here in the near in the near future pre-recruitment facility located off of our grounds. some uh projects that we completed. Um when Tex dot rebuilt the creek bridge, it required us to remove water line off of it. So we had to move it 600 we had to remove 620 ft of water line for them to complete that project. We installed the fire line and the domestic line for the host of South project. We installed 560 ft of 2in water line on Brown Street. We installed 350 foot of water loop on Avenue A from Walnuts to Broad. The same on Broad Street from 8th to 9inth Street. We had a 4-in main installation on East First Street from Live Oak to Western. Something that we were involved in

heavily was the Highway 29 waterline relocation. And the cemetery, the backflow device and meter were on private property and we have removed that and installed it on cemetery property now and we have our ongoing GIS data collection from water and wastewater some of our wastewater projects I'm sorry wastewater projects um upgrade right on East 7th Street from Bean to Western from Key Avenue to Ridge on Fifth Street that is currently ongoing. Um a water loop on Second Street from Spring to Summer and a water line upgrade on Broad Street from 3rd to 5th. Um a water line tiein on Willis First Street that was a water quality issue that Mr. Jewel and Jason Jones found um we had some customers in that in that vicinity calling about uh 30 water all the time and come to find out that the velocity in the main that feeds the NYX tank was actually slowing down and it was allowing the bofilm to grow in the main. So there's a dead end line that wasn't connected and there was no way to flush it. So, we've connected the line and we've added a fire hydrant so we can actually do some flushing in the area to help those citizens. We had close to 1,800 line locates. Um, that's crazy, but a lot of that was with the new gas project in town. Uh, that's kept Brandon very busy this year. Um, our water leaks

down from years past. uh flushing down from years past. Um sewer backups, new water taps are down, which is kind of bad. Um but this change uh water change out, water meter change out. Sorry about that. Uh we just did 700 and new sewer tax um has fallen a little bit. Y'all any questions before I hand this over to your new electric superintendent?

That uh 620 ft of water line that was placed for the Texas Cemetery Creek bridge. Where is that project? Okay. East Third Street. Okay. that that personal bridge you come to there. I was thinking cemetery, right? All right. How close are you guys to finish with those waterers? We are complete with the 3/4 in. We are halfway done with the 1 in. So, next year we will finish the 1 in and move into the 2 in. And that will be the last of the contractor doing it for us. And then we will handle the large three, four and six inch in house.

Yes, ma'am. Why you said our our flushing was way down from where it has been in the past? Yes, sir. What's the cause of that? I mean, we doing just doing a great job. A wonderful job, actually. Yeah. Um, a lot of that has to do with Kitner putting the injection site at Ivy Mountain. Okay. Before they were doing that, the chlorine levels that we were receiving at the entry points were not adequate enough to make it all the way through our system. So, we would have to flush to bring that chlorine all the way through our system. Okay. So, the the injection side of IVM is is helping us. Okay. All right. Free chlorine conversion.

Oh, yeah. We didn't

Yeah, we did the free chlorine conversion in previous years. We didn't have we haven't done one in 25. Okay. Good evening, mayor and council. On behalf of the electric department, uh our mission state is to provide the citizens of land passes with safe and reliable power at an affordable price. We strive to provide prompt service while continuously growing through the technology and training. For the crew, Wayne now is retired from what we hear and we see him every now and again. He's quite enjoying it. Um, obviously I've taken over superintendent and John here is filled in as the crew supervisor. Um, as far as the years of service, some of these don't exactly reflect the I guess the uh full scope of what the employees know cuz John, he worked for contractors LCR. Um, so he has a lot more experience than two years. As well as Juan and Luke both came from LCR. Um, Luke's just starting distribution. Juan had done distribution prior. Mike King, um, y'all are probably familiar. He's a local guy. He is the journeyman electrician. So, he's really helped out with some inspection and uh the uh the normal electrician side of thing that we do around here every now and again to help out. Um Kyle and Thomas, both of our apprentices moving up through the system. Um we do have one more employee. We are fully staffed for the first time in a while. Uh Sean Richards, uh he just started last week. um experience, a lot of service work experience in the overhead and a lot of underground. So, we're happy to have him on.

Um, as far as the uh certifications here, not a whole lot to talk about. We do have quite a few employees now with class A's when class B is the only thing that's required. So, it's nice to have that. I know we've helped out water department in a pinch pulling their excavator around with our new bucket that's equipped to pull the the panel hitch trailer. Y'all are uh obviously more familiar with the budget than I am, but uh our projects um y'all know about Turnerfield. That was a big one last year that you know uh when the summer came, as soon as they shut down for the year, we went in there and wrecked out everything. We trenched for days on in laying um underground pipe. Not our normal cup of tea, but the guys really handled it well. Um that turned out great. If y'all haven't been by, um definitely take a look at it. The other notable one on here is a Highway 190 West pole uh relocation. That's another one of those um for the road widening going towards Lomia. We had no idea that it was going to be a conflict until they met with us, I believe March or April. Me and Wayne went out there and he says, "Well, there's like 13 poles here that are in the right way that y'all are going to have to move and uh they wanted it done within 2 months, but they're ended up uh pulling that project a little bit, waiting for rightways. But at the same time as Turnerfield when we have a break there, we were changing poles out on 190 trying to get that project finished. Everything went got uh good. The guys really rolled with the punches and uh went above and beyond. Uh Christmas lights, it's a normal every year thing for the 2026 U pole inspection and replacement. Obviously the poles as they age, they go bad. So when we're just out

on a normal job, it may it may turn into a big job having to change out a couple poles that have been out and nobody saw. Um that's an every week thing. LC system study um basically electricity is complicated and they come in and um identify any points that that we need help with or uh just kind of an overview of our system. uh Tesla supercharger that'll be some underground primary transformer. The next link pole change outs, you know, uh they're bringing fiber in. There's quite a few poles that are too short to accommodate another set of communications to maintain all the clearances. So, we're working with them to get the poles changed out that need to be so that they can get in, get fiber over the the city. And then currently, we are working on a Sulfur Creek urgent care. I think we've changed out three poles. Uh they need to be taller. Part of that's for the next part of it um is we're transferring uh to three-phase. So uh I think we're at three out of five poles. That'll be done before too long. As uh Van mentioned quite a few uh line locates last year with the gas and everything around town. That's a everyday thing now. Somebody has to break off for a couple hours and and get that taken care of. John's headed up and uh done a great job. So, it it's been a lot, but it hasn't been an issue. Um pole change outs have probably on the down uh slip of that just a little bit just dealing with all the other projects that came up. Like I said, this year we're going to get back into the replacing the older poles. Um not a whole lot else on there this year that y'all can't figure out. That'll be it for me. Any questions?

I just want to say you guys did a great job during last. I don't think there was any big major outages. Zero outages for our system. That was awesome. Thank you.

Evening, mayor, council. Um, of course, there's our mission. provides safety, connectivity, mobility, mobility while maintaining improving city on streets, rideways, drains, princes, safety, welfare of our citizens and general public. It's our highest priority. Uh there you see our crew. Uh we've had a pretty solid last couple of years. We hadn't had any major changes. Uh I'm street superintendent. Uh February 18th, I'll have 22 years. Uh Joe will have 18 years. Mike 17. Uh I don't know. I know one of our crew leaders probably he's probably about three or four years left and they're retiring. So that'd be a I I don't look to replace that position. We'll hire someone on the bottom end. Uh Brian Hall's been with us. He's been a great asset. Uh Cody Keer's been a great asset. Williams been here two years. He's uh a little tough to figure out, but he's he's a great hand. So, and then Ben Brown, he's been with us one year. Our certifications, uh we don't have many certifications we we require. Biggest one is class BCL. I have all of us. I only have one guy that does not have it. And uh if it's I brought it up before, y'all know the new federal regulations. It's tough to get one now. So I think I myself am uh certified to do the class. I think Van seems correct and Micah. No. So I guess me and Van are the only two in the city to do that. So uh so we're doing that. Work zone traffic control.

Uh our certification is good for three years. Three years and we'll be doing that class coming up this year sometime. And the good part about that is I can get a you get old UT UT Arlington and they will send out a trainer and it's no charge to the city and uh it's a two-day course. So that's open for anybody in the city and that also covers the flag certification. So, we do have to have that certification. Like I said, we're up for it. So, we'll get that going. Straight up farm budget. Uh 1.453 million. Um there's not really much just basic rent there. Uh street farm projects. We assist textile with east third street bridge second street rebuild inspection western street western avenue culbert you recall that's where the cover failed all those are rock walls and we have rock walls underneath chestnut underneath Maine we have a wooden bridge underneath that live oak that's probably going to need some attention one of these days u we chipped 25 tons brush when our brush stripper was going. I think we got it going now. Um, old Austin Road is as I don't know if you're aware or not, we maintain Old Austin Road up to the city property due to the business park. So, that used to be the county, but that is now ours. So, in uh West Street leveling, we went in front of the Church of Christ over there where the curb was higher and we milled that and got everything back to normal. We kept on getting complaints about people tripping. So, we took care of that.

Future projects asked from the council to me to the street department. Uh drainage. So, we're concentrating on drainage projects. Uh fairy drainage feasible study. Uh we're still waiting on that. General drainage issues. We've been working on that hard. uh Avenue Edge low water crossing. So, we're in the process of getting that taken care of and the CDG project for Cemetery Creek that is ongoing as we speak. This year's uh work orders mainly street repairs and uh mainly street repairs is what we do mainly. We where the water department's been going and doing all these water on llus. We come in behind them and fix them up, patch them back up. Citizen collection. So to provide citizens land pass alternate solution for removal of debris recycling material from their properly located eliminating the need to travel out of seating limits to dispose of material. Elizabeth has been with us for a year and a half. Um since collection's budget station cost 70,000 there you have the fees the hall charge per ton tons collected uh city and county recycle. So we do allow the the county recycle per feet and uh that has cost that's costing us a lot of money to recycling. So we're in the process of working to lower that and figure out a solution for that. uh tons collected this year 395 compared to other previous years. So

it's the collection station's getting used in the future. I think uh I know this year's budget uh talking with Stephen and Aaron and the new city manager where my goal is to get that open up full time. So are you any plans on like a transfer station? I don't I don't have a clue. That's something that we could possibly talk about. Yeah. So, questions.

Thank you. Thank you guys. The only thing I would like to add is the one person that actually made the presentation is sitting right there. If you don't know her, you've heard her before. we've seen her. Um, and that's Rob. Um, she's our first administrative assistant and valuable asset. Thank you.

All right. 3.2 upcoming special events meetings. Okay, February 13th is the deadline for filing a place on the May 2nd, 2026 ballot. I currently do not have any applications turned. Talk to your friends, co-workers, all of you. February 16th, all city offices are closed for discussion possible action concerning the approval of the contract for election services between Less County, Texas and the city of Les, Texas for May 2nd, 2026 general election.

And council, this item is on the agenda we bring to you every year about this time. We do partner with the county to do all of our election services. Uh we will have two uh election day voting sites. One of them is in Kentner and one of them is at the county annex building here on the square. Uh a uh early voting is April 20th to April 28th and election day is May 2nd. Uh on May 2nd election day, the office will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Every other day is 8 to 5.

Any questions? I move to approve the contract election services between county Texas city general election authoriz. Any other questions? All in favor? 4.2 Two, discussion of possible action regarding the first reading of an ordinance amending appendix A of the city code be scheduled concerning fees for chapter 54 parks.

Mayor and council, this is the ordinance that was discussed during the hosted talk. It trying to get the appendix all of the fees with their changes that were discussed during workshop. Move to approve the first reading of an ordinance amending pendance A of the city code fee schedule concerning fees chapter 54 parks and recreation post house providing for a repeal of conflicting ordinances providing for repealability clause providing an effective date second any discussion all in favor

4.3 discussion possible action regarding of lease agreement renewal with quadrant and new x i5 mailing system. Mayor and council, we have a mail machine at city hall that stamps all the mail that we send out. Um, it's quite a timesaver, but we do have a 5-year contract with them that is up for renewal in October. They do have an agreement with us that we can start it early, but our new rate won't start until October. They'll give us a new machine and it's uh $8 a month more.

Second. Any discussion? All in favor? discussion and possible action regarding the awarding of the bid from Texas uh Multi Kim in the amount of $49,620 for the repairs to Turner field caused during the July flood.

Good evening, Mayor Mayor Cros. A couple months ago, we brought you a long laundry list of all the damages that occurred during the July flooding. Um after those were approved um city staff did get together amongst all the departments and create somewhat of a priority list of what we would like to do these projects in. Turnerfield is one of the top the top parks and recreation project uh on that list just uh simply due to the fact that LCLA is anticipating starting their season at this facility in early March at the latest. Um, we did on December 19th go out for sealed bid with the anticipation that this project would be over $50,000. Um, we had it out for several weeks over the holidays, uh, nearly a month, put in the, uh, newspaper four times. We had a bid opening on January the 12th with one incomplete bid submitted out of almost 40 people on the plan holders list. Um after that in discussion with um parks and rec staff as well as Aaron thought it may be a good idea to go out for quotes instead to see if we would get a quote under $50,000 and which we did. Um, and so, um, the hope is to award this bid tonight, and I've already spoken to the contractor, um, in the event that he does get this contract and he is ready to start this project ASAP for it to be open for LC LCA spring softball, baseball, and football season.

So, this this was this was itemized on that list that we saw back in December. Correct. FEMA actually budgeted approximately $52,000 for this project and the bid came in at 49 and change. I move to approve the bid of $49,620 from Texas Multi Kim for the Turner Complex Repairs and authorized. Second. Thank you. Any discussion, questions? All in favor? And with that motion to adjourn to executive session.

All in favor? City council city of Lancast executive session for Texas government code chapter 551 as follows. Section 551.087 economic development to receive and evaluate financial information received from business to discuss same deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the city has received from a business that the city seeks to have, locate, stay or expand near the city with which the city is conducting economic development negotiations and or to develop an offer of any financial or any other incentives to any business prospect as described above. Project Sweet Train 5.2 2 section 551 072 deliberate about real property deliberation concerning potential purchase exchange lease acquisition sale or value of real property. The land passes trucking and ready mix at 1550 North Highway US 281 6 street Avenue J Avenue I 5.3 section 551 074 personnel matters to deliberate point employment evaluation reassignment duties or discipline of a public officer city manager or any other personnel matters as allowed by Texas Government Code Chapter 551 and adjournment in executive session and reconvene into regular session and we will go into executive session.

We're live. All right. Um, welcome back. And then I get a motion to Oh, we don't need a motion, do we? Come back into regular session. Yeah. All right. Um, we have a couple of things coming out of executive session tonight. Um, you're

in accordance with the notice given by the city manager on January 23rd, 2026, the Land Passes Trucking and Readymix due to the company's unfortunate inability to comply with the terms of their 2014 lease of purchase agreement with the city of Lampasses and the 2014 economic development agreement with the city of Lampasses and the Land Passes Economic Development Corporation. I move to terminate both the lease to purchase agreement and economic development agreement with Land Passage Trucking and Ray Mix um located at 1550 North US Highway 281 and direct the city manager to seek damages and reimbursements for the provided economic development incentives, professional fees and remediation expenses associated with the project located at said address. Additionally, the property must be vacated by lease by the lease by March 23rd, 2026 at 5:00 pm.

Second. Any discussion? All in favor? And the next item up. Yes, sir. I make a motion to remove the title of interim finance director and appoint Aaron Harrison as finance director of the city of second. Any discussion? All in favor? All right. Now motion to go home. Second I