Parks, drain pipes, and lighting on short city agenda this week

Following a budget workshop meeting prior to the council session convening, a lengthy discussion on a contract for city parks Master Plan Update and Texas Parks & Wildlife project application led to the item being tabled without action.

City manager Chad Nehring noted that the item needed discussion on potential projects for current grant application and planning.

The current Parks Master Plan, adopted in 2019, is current through 2024 to comply with TP&W requirements for submitting any potential grant for 2024.

Nehring also pointed out that the master plan update could also be delayed to correspond with next year’s budget.

Fire Station Drain Pipe Also discussed at length was a continuing issue with a drainage pipe at the fire station that eludes any simple resolution. According to Nehring, when the Fire Station was built in 1999, the TXDoT drain discharging stormwater from Logansport Street (FM 699), was extended as a pipe drain to the rear of the fire station property, connected to outfall pipe from the Wimberley Place subdivision and continued with pipe across private property to a new outfall in the ditch line on the north side of Hwy 7. The pipe has deteriorated, likely from being undersized according to the city, and has eroded a substantial crater in the open field behind the fire station.

The original plan was to open the area allowing temporary retention and flood control for the water draining off FM 699. The engineering review and design recommendation was a small retention basin. The city acquired cost estimates to open the current wash out into the designed retention basin with the cheapest bid at just under $65,000.

An alternative recommendation was attempting to reconnect the original pipe at a cost estimated to be as little as $12,000 for material and equipment rental if completed by street/utility staff.

The alternative recommendation at a lesser cost was approved.

Also approved was a State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) Grant Award for Civic Center Lighting Retrofitting.

The SECO contract for the complete retrofit of all lighting within the Windham Civic Center with LED fixtures was an “amount up to $210,000.” Nehring pointed out that unlike the competitive contract awarded for similar project at the Senior Center, this contract does not stipulate the 20% local match, but the final project costs could require some supplement beyond the maximum award depending on material and installation bids.

Partial lighting replacement was budgeted at $25,000 for the facility but postponed pending application for the grant funds.

With approval, city staff will coordinate engineer contract for construction specifications and bidding of the project which requires council approval.

Items of lnterest 1) Financial Reports a) Sales Tax report - April receipts 2) Board/Committee Minutes/Reports Board/ Committee Appointments 3) Staff Report & Information: a. Department Reports March b. Proclamation for Gretchen McNealy c. Sewer System - SSOI letter of acceptance form TCEQ Staff is already progressing with the initial phases of monitoring and data collection as submitted for inclusion in this program. d. Sports Tourism Initial layout/concept presentation is included for any preliminary input from Council members. Final plan expected in 60 days. e. Fire Rating classification community report f. Portacool Park- Playground repaired with some replacement equipment and now operational and opened for the season g. ETEX Broadband Phase 1 system installation has just 9 miles of fiber route remaining and individual customers, business and the residential available along routes. h. Airport i. CIP - Airport Layout Plan ii. CIP -Supplemental Geo Tech evaluation -pending at TXDoT iii. A WOS replacement-TXDoT staff has responding to recent request to be included in the A WOS replacement program. i. Annual Street EDC Program - With only Walker St remaining, the contractor is waiting to open the surface for drier period. Concrete installs on Austin and Express are being evaluated and pending possible repair/replacement. j. Water System i. Aiken Rehab Project -construction plans being finalized for presentation and authorization to bid this summer. ii. Water Reuse Project - staff is working with the design engineer to coordinate the next steps of submittals to TCEQ to proceed to the pilot study. k. SECO Grant(s) - The Senior Center retrofit project should have materials on site within the next two weeks and electricians are being presently being solicited for quotes on installation. l. Hotel/Motel Remittance Audits - Finance staff is already coordinating the initial year of remittance audits by hotel. m. City Hall & Library Roof Evaluations are underway.