TEXARKANA, Texas - The City Council on Monday will vote on authorizing more than $1.84 million in spending that was planned for in the city's recently passed annual budget.
Measures giving the go-ahead to five budgeted expenditures are on the consent agenda for the Council's regular meeting, meaning the Council will vote on them together, without discussion.
The first ordinance would authorize a contract with A.L. Franks Engineering Inc. for services related to improving the Wagner Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The plant was built in 1986, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has notified Texarkana Water Utilities "to initiate engineering and financial planning" for expanding and upgrading it, according to background information published with the meeting's agenda.
The $458,535 contract is for design of the plant's improvements, an inspection fee and preparation of an operations and maintenance manual. A.L. Franks estimates the total construction cost of the project to reach more than $6 million. Preliminary plans include doubling the plant's capacity from 2 million gallons per day to 4 million.
Another ordinance would authorize spending almost $238,000 for the Texas side's portion of a new combination vac-jet truck - equipment used to clear pipes and sewers - for TWU. The total cost, more than $376,000, will be split with Texarkana, Arkansas.
The third expenditure approval on the consent agenda is for expanding sewer mains in the west of the city. The ordinance would award a contract worth more than $980,600 to Kampco Inc. of Texarkana, Arkansas, to do the work.
A separate ordinance relates to expanding sewage service to the areas recently annexed into the city limits. It would award MTG Engineers and Surveyors a $102,500 contract to do preliminary surveying, engineering and planning for the project. MTG estimates the total cost of the work will be $950,000.
The fifth is a resolution authorizing a reimbursement of more than $62,000 to the Texarkana Convention Center for installation of sound panels.
Also on the consent agenda are a pair of budget amendments to account for recent income.
One would add $95,000 to the city's Metropolitan Planning Organization fund. The Texas Department of Transportation recently approved supplemental funding in that amount for the Texarkana MPO.
The second would account for a National Endowment for the Arts grant of $13,787 recently awarded to the city.
A budget amendment on the regular agenda would account for a donation of more than $6,700 from the ArkLaTex 100 Club. The donation is to fund the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department's purchase of plates that improve the effectiveness of ballistic vests.
The Council will conduct a public hearing and vote on accepting and allocating a grant awarded to TTPD and the Bowie County Sheriff's Office. TTPD's portion of the federal Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, $15,518, will be used to update the department's firearms simulator and to purchase a crash and crime scene mapping system.
The Council will meet in executive session, then reconvene to vote on extending and amending City Manager Shirley Jaster's employment contract. It is legal for the Council to meet behind closed doors to discuss personnel and employment matters.
The agenda includes an open forum during which members of the public may address the Council on any topic for up to five minutes each.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 220 Texas Blvd.