By Colin Killian, Public Communications Director
Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council meeting on Thursday, Oct. 12. It's not the official minutes.
The meeting starts after 6 p.m. and is streamed live on Optimum Channel 19 and cstx.gov/cstv19. You can participate online through Microsoft Teams by entering Meeting ID: 223 427 023 174 and Passcode: MvPmTr. You can also call 833-240-7855 and enter Conference: 952 310 468#.
Before the regular meeting, the council participated in a joint meeting with the College Station Independent School District to discuss partnerships, agreements, infrastructure, building use and location, events, related ordinances and policies, and strategic planning.
6:12 p.m.
The meeting has started. The council took no action in its executive session. Councilman Mark Smith is absent tonight.
6:20 p.m.
Community Planning Month
Mayor John Nichols proclaimed October as Community Planning Month in recognition of the role planning plays in creating safe, resilient, and prosperous communities. Pictured below are Mayor Nichols and Planning & Development Services staff members.
6:24 p.m.
College Station History Week
Mayor Nichols proclaimed the week of Oct. 15-21 as College Station History Week in recognition of the 85th anniversary of the city’s incorporation on Oct. 19, 1938. The city will have a birthday bash next Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at city hall, featuring the unveiling of a history wall timeline. Pictured below are city council, city staff and members of the Historic Preservation Committee.
6:25 p.m.
Chiropractic Health Month
The mayor proclaimed October as Chiropractic Health Month to promote using non-drug approaches, such as chiropractic services, to alleviate pain, restore function, and help people resume activities that matter most.
6:52 p.m.
Hear Visitors
Eleven people spoke during Hear Visitors, when citizens may address the council on any item that does not appear on the posted agenda.
- Luke Morrison, Andrew Applewhite, Sam Langenbaum, Rawley Schott, Grayson Sims, Cade Sims, Ben Crockett, Corbitt Armstrong, Marcus Glass, and Will McIntosh spoke about affordable housing and against enforcement of the city's no-more-than-four ordinance.
- Tre Watson spoke in support of mandatory rental inspections and the no-more-than-four ordinance.
6:58 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council voted unanimously to approve the entire consent agenda:
- A $35,000 FY 24 funding agreement with the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley for the operations and maintenance of the arts programming and gallery operations at the Arts Council facility.
- A $560,953 FY24 hotel tax funding agreement with the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley for affiliate funding, operations and maintenance, tourism marketing, and public art portions of the Arts Council facility.
- An annual $276,000 expenditure to the Aggieland Humane Society.
- A $5,000 funding agreement with the Amber Alert Network Brazos Valley for FY 24.
- A $350,000 funding agreement with the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation for FY 24.
- A $25,000 FY 24 funding agreement with the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce for the annual banquet and Economic Outlook Conference.
- A $30,000 FY 24 hotel tax funding agreement with the Memorial for All Veterans of the Brazos Valley for repair and maintenance in the memorial grounds.
- A $48,230 FY 24 funding agreement from the Solid Waste Fund with Keep Brazos Beautiful for operations, reimbursable expenses for community enhancement projects, and events such as the Annual Awards Gala, Texas Trash-Off, and other public landscape and litter-abatement projects.
- Contracts not to exceed $364,855 with KBS Electrical Distributors and $154,500 with Techline for long-lead materials for the Northwest Electric Substation.
- Renewal of an interlocal agreement for the City of Bryan to manage the Larry J. Ringer Library as a part of the combined Bryan + College Station Public Library System.
- Renewal of a $330,770 contract with DXI Industries for sodium hypochlorite as a disinfection agent in the water treatment process.
- Renewal of a $250,000 contract with DXI Industries for chlorine gas as the primary disinfection agent in the water treatment process.
8:09 p.m.
Wellborn District Plan
After a public hearing, the council voted 4-2 to amend the planning areas and future land use descriptions in Chapter 2 of the Wellborn District Plan. The item amends associated maps in the Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Master Plan, including the Proposed Bicycle Facilities Map and the Proposed Pedestrian Facilities Map.
Councilman Bob Yancy and Councilwoman Linda Harvell voted against the motion.
8:30 p.m.
Elder Aid Federal Grant Agreements
The council voted unanimously to approve two federal funding agreements with Elder Aid regarding the property at 1106 Carolina: An $85,000 Community Development Block Grant agreement to acquire the property and a $159,475 HOME Investment Partnership Program agreement to demolish a dilapidated structure and construct a single-family house as an affordable rental unit for an income-eligible elderly household.
8:48 p.m.
Recreation Center Feasibility Study
The council voted unanimously to approve a $180,768 contract with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects to study the feasibility of a recreation center. The study's first phase includes a needs assessment and market analysis, while the second phase covers operations, design, and cost analysis.
9:09 p.m.
Housing Action Plan Steering Committee
The council appointed Charles Barr, Blanche Brick, Tiona Broussard, Fred Dupriest, Katherine Fisher, Mike Holmgreen, Blake Jennings, Geralyn Nolan, Delia Perez-Nunez, Carla Robinson, Diana Wood, Jodi Warner, and Suzanne Droleskey to the 13-member Housing Action Plan Steering Committee. Warner was named chair with Brick as vice chair.
9:19 p.m.
The council discussed its calendar, items of community interest, committee and board reports, and future agenda items.
9:20 p.m.
Interlocal Agreement with COB
Mayor Nichols directed City Manager Bryan Woods to bring back to the council a negotiated interlocal agreement with the City of Bryan to address the East Side sewer issues, the West Side sewer issues, the Valley Park lift station, City of Bryan facilities located in College Station, and direction on a Northeast trunk line route.
9:21 p.m.
Mayor Nichols adjourned the meeting. The council meets again on Thursday, Oct. 26.
About the Blogger
Colin Killian has been with the City of College Station since 2010 after serving 23 years as the associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. He has also worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., Killian graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor's degree in journalism/political science.
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