Marc Maxwell presented the following monthly city manager’s report to Sulphur Springs City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021.
COVID-19 RESPONSE –The Delta variant wave of COVID-19 seems to have peaked. The number of active cases in Hopkins County decreased 36% since our last meeting with 240 active cases as of October 3. There are 18 patients in the COVID unit at the hospital Monday (and 15 Tuesday), down 7 from last month.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING – We are waiting for the steel market to normalize.
SAPUTO SEWER MAIN – This project is nearing completion. The contractor hired to bore under Interstate 30 has equipment and materials on site, but he has not begun boring yet. This is the last segment of the project. I should be able to report completion at our next meeting.
This $750,000 sewer project is funded entirely by a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture. The new main will supplement an older undersized main. The path of the new main begins at Saputo and continues under the interstate. It then continues South for 3,500 feet before connecting to an existing trunk line. The new main has a 15-inch inch diameter. This grant is made possible because of a $50 million plant upgrade at Saputo and their cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture. Without their cooperation this project would not have been possible.
COLLEGE STREET – Work has begun on the project. The Capital Construction Division is installing new sewer main in the 200 block of College Street.
CLAIMS – We did not have any workers compensation claims or liability claims in September. We did have one liability claim for a broken window. The claimant states that a city mower threw a rock into their automotive window. A claim has been submitted to TML.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of revenues and expenditures.
RUNWAY/TAXIWAY REHAB – This $1.9 million project is in progress. 90% of the project cost is covered by a TxDOT grant. The project is approximately 75% complete, and we expect the contractor to finish by mid-November.
All the concrete and asphalt surfaces on the operations side are being completely rehabilitated and the ramp is being significantly enlarged.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – One additional street segment was paved in September, Texas from Lee to Industrial. Two segments remain: League from Bellview to Pampa, and Lee from Davis to Broadway. The contractor, Texana Land and Asphalt, plans to be completed by Thanksgiving Day. The following highlighted streets have been completed:
Miscellaneous
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Repaired 244 potholes.
- Replaced various street signs and warning signs.
- Hauled street sweeping spoils to the landfill.
- Made 3 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
- Conducted 12 building inspections, 8 electrical inspections,15 plumbing inspections, 3 mechanical inspections and issued 18 building permits
- Responded to 272 fire/rescue calls, including 2 structure fires and a vehicle fire.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 68 fire hydrants.
- Performed 14 fire inspections.
- Responded to 196 animal control calls while achieving a 76% adoption rate.
- Made 8 felony arrests in the Special Crimes division.
- Responded to 27 accidents, wrote 476 citations, recorded 35 offences and made 41 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- Treated Wastewater to a monthly average total suspended solids reading of .86 mg/L.
- Performed preventative maintenance on several items at the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant.
- Repaired 11 water main ruptures.
- Unstopped 17 sewer mains.
- Replaced 13 water meters.
- Washed 75,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Treated 174 million gallons of potable water.
- Flushed 36 dead end water mains.
- Pressure washed sidewalks on Connally and Main Streets.
- Checked out 3,139 items from the library plus 817 e-Books.
