During the regular meeting of the council on Tuesday, approval was granted for the city manager to sign an agreement with Texas Department of Agriculture “Texas Feeding Texans: Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program.”
This grant is subject to availability of appropriations and authorizations by the Texas Legislature. The grant funds are based on census numbers and the number of organizations that sign up for the grant. In the last census, Brown County had 9,634 people 60 years or older.
The funding grant is not eligible for Congregate Meals or Home Delivered meals that are funded by Title #3, #19 and #20.
One requirement to obtain the grant is for the county commissioners to approve a resolution for this grant. Brown County Commissioners Court approved such a resolution supporting this grant on October 19, 2015.
If a county has multiple meal providers, the individual county qualifying grants will be totaled to determine the county’s overall participation level. Brownwood/Brown County has received the grant since 2009 in amounts ranging from $2,602.42 to $7,007.44, which provides an average of $4,804.93 each year. Last year the grant provided $7,007.44 to the local program.
The term of this agreement is February 1, 2016 – January 31, 2017. The amount to be received locally should be known by the end of December of this year, according to Brownwood Parks and Recreation Director David Withers.In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:
*A public hearing was held regarding the proposed closing/abandoning of Sixth Street between Coggin Avenue and Avenue E. The issue was tabled until Coggin Avenue Baptist Church can complete a real estate transaction on the street.
*Council ratified the BEDC Board action for approval of a consulting contract with Decision Analytics to coordinate a rail project which will provide rail service from Texas Rock Crusher Railway (TXR) to Lortscher Animal Nutrition, Inc. and VRC Technologies. This rail project will help the city retain two businesses and allow for railway operations across Morris Sheppard to connect future development areas. The agreement was approved in an amount not to exceed $30,000.
*Council ratified the BEDC Board approval of the annual business services contract with the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce. The agreement is unchanged from the prior year’s agreement and provides marketing services to the BEDC by promoting business development and trade and industry in Brownwood. It also provides consultations for entrepreneurship and business start-ups as well as administration of the USDA IRP loan program for the area. The term of the agreement is 12 months and begins October 1, 2015.
*Council approved an ordinance on first reading prohibiting parking along a portion of Calvert Road: along the east side of Calvert Road to Horseshoe Trail, north 75 ft.; along the west side of Calvert Road beginning 75 ft. north of Horseshoe Trail to Milam Drive; and along the east side of Calvert Road from Sundown to Milam Drive. The mayor said he will look at other options with staff before final approval.
*Council did not award a bid for the Roanoke Tank recoating project due to an issue with the initial bid requirement.
The project will be re-bid.
