The Street Improvement Program, concessionaire services and May election highlight the March 2 Sulphur Springs City Council meeting agenda.
As has been the practice through most of the last year, Tuesday night’s City Council meeting will be conducted virtually, with Council members and city employees participating in the meeting connecting through Zoom conferencing platform, which will be streamed on the City of Sulphur Springs Meetings YouTube channel for community members to view. A phone number will be given and time allocated at designated times during the meeting for anyone who wishes to address the council to call in and do so. The meeting is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Council Election
The City Council will be asked to consider accepting the certificates of unopposed candidates for Places 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the May City Council Election; and orders cancelling both the General Election for places 1-3 and Special Election for Place 5.
Harold Nash Sr. was appointed to Place 2 on the Council in December 2019, when four council members turned in their notices of resignations from the council in the same week. Nash then ran for place 2 and Oscar Aguilar for Place 3 on the council in the May 2020 Special City Council Elections, which were postponed until November due to COVID-19 pandemic. Both Nash and Aguilar were unopposed for the remaining months of on the terms for Places 2 and 3 respectively on the council. Gary Spraggins finished ahead of Ricardo Chavarria in November for Place 5 on the Council, for which more than a year remained on the term. Jay W. Julian finished ahead of Mark Bradley for the remaining months of the term for Place 1 on the Council in a December runoff election.
The incumbents were the only candidates who filed in February for a place on the ballot for a full term in their seats: Place 1 Councilman Jay W. Julian, Place 2 Councilman Harold Nash Sr. and Place 3 Councilman Oscar Aguilar. Incumbent Gary Spraggins was the only candidate to file for the 15-month term for Place 5.
Other Action Items
The agenda also calls for discussion on and consideration of contract bids for the annual Street Improvement Program. The City of Sulphur Springs budget $500,000 raised from the street maintenance fee collected on city utility bills and Capital Improvements funds to pay for improvements on the designated streets, along with various preventative maintenance measures.
City staff estimates that more than 2 miles on 6 different street segments will be paved using the street maintenance fee revenue in 2021, but noted that actual resurfacing and maintenance depends on the bids received by the city for materials and certain work. This year, will be the second full year the street maintenance fee has been in effect. The street maintenance fee is $5 per month per residential unit, $5 per month per unit for multi-family units, $12.50 per month for commercial units and $30 per month per industrial unit.
In 2020, the Street Maintenance Fee, enabled the City to pave 5.45 miles of city streets, 3.04 miles more than the regular Summer Paving program allows, according to the FY 2020 Street Maintenance Fee Report.
The City Council is also scheduled to discuss and consider bids for a contract for concessionaire services at designated city parks.
Presentations, Reports
During the presentations, proclamations and announcements portion of the meeting, a Texas History Month proclamation is slated to be given and Judy Moore to be recognized. The City manager’s report will include status of capital improvements, wastewater treatment plant operations, accidents and claims, and a review of expenditures and revenues (the latter is typically given by Finance Director Lesa Smith).
