Texarkana, Texas, City Council will hold a public hearing on the city's new budget Monday at its regular meeting.
The budget proposed for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017, assumes a 4.59 percent increase of the city's property tax rate, from $0.669293 per $100 of assessed valuation to $0.7 per $100.
At the meeting, the council will hear a first reading of an ordinance that would raise the tax rate. A public hearing on that ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 22, and a vote for Sept. 12.
The move would increase city property tax revenues by more than $1.1 million over fiscal year 2016.
The council will also hold a public hearing on a resolution to authorize contract negotiations with Waste Management Inc.
The resolution would allow City Manager John Whitson to negotiate an extension of the city's garbage-collection contract, which expires Feb. 28, 2017, with Waste Management. Whitson could also accept bids for residential trash collection service if the negotiations were unsuccessful by Nov. 1.
The City Public Works Department staff recommends working out an extension, citing 70 percent approval of Waste Management among residents who responded to a recent survey, as well as a desire to ensure continuity of service.
The meeting also includes public hearings on:
- rezoning and granting a special use permit for the property at 1502 Beaumont St.,
- rezoning the property at 3403 Moore Drive,
- granting a special use permit for the property at 2505 Phillips Lane,
- adopting a revised master fee list for fiscal year 2017,
- authorizing a contract with J.R. Pope Co. Inc. for the South Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant compost concrete pad and road improvements in an amount not to exceed $405,866.15
- and approving the fiscal year 2016 Ark-Tex Council of Governments Homeland Security grant project submission to the Office of the Governor.
The council will vote on a pair of ordinances regarding the cleanup and renovation of downtown's Kress building. One ordinance would appropriate more than $465,000 to fund the project, and the other would authorize a contract with ERI Consulting Inc. of Tyler, Texas, to do the work.
The agenda includes an open forum during which members of the public may address comments to the council, limited to five minutes each.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 220 Texas Blvd.
Online
City of Texarkana, Texas, draft budget for fiscal year 2017
ci.texarkana.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/3693