Brownwood Revises Drought Contingency Plan; Stage 3 Restrictions Still in Place

Brownwood City Council approved on first reading revised drought contingency plan watering restrictions at Tuesday’s meeting of the council.

According to Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree, the Brown County Water Improvement District met with its water providers in the area to discuss watering restrictions and revised stages of the drought contingency plan.    Rountree stated that all providers “have agreed to mirror our drought stage responses in their respective plans.”

A briefing sheet provided at the meeting stated that the Texas Water Code and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires all public water systems in Texas to prepare a Water Conservation Drought Contingency Plan, which is required to be updated at least every five years, to be in compliance.

“Due to the current drought conditions, our plan needed significant updates,” stated Rountree.

Currently, in conjunction with the Lake Brownwood elevation level, the drought contingency plan calls for Stage 2 restrictions; however local water providers along with the Brown County Water Improvement District agree to keep restrictions at Stage 3 in order to continue conservation of the area’s largest water source.  The new plan better outlines specific restrictions for Stage 4 and Stage 5 if they are ever needed.

The new stage restrictions approved in first reading will be considered again in second, third and final readings at a future council meeting.  They are as follows:

*Hand held hose, watering can or bucket only

Council members discussed printing a refrigerator magnet to distribute to water customers for clarification and to help remind citizens of restrictions.

In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:

*Council approved an ordinance on second and third/final readings changing the zoning classification for approximately 34.5 acres out of the David J. Jones Survey Number 50, Abstract Number 549; the I&GN RR Co. Survey Number 500, Abstract 1220; the Taylor Smith Survey Number 600, Abstract 821; located at 1811 Shaw Drive from R-1 Single Family Residential to A-1 Agricultural District.

*Council approved an ordinance on second and third/final readings changing the zoning classification for 124.483 acres located in the Kerr County School Land Survey Number 277, Abstract 570, part of Blocks 22 & 23 located at the NW intersection of FM 45 and Indian Creek Road, from A-1 Agricultural District to M-1 Restricted Industrial District.

* Council approved an ordinance on second and third/final readings changing the zoning classification for 3.91 acres out of the Kerr County Land Survey 278, Abstract 576, Block 18, located in the 2000 block of Indian Creek Road from R-1 Single Family Residential District to C-1 Local Business District.

*Council awarded a bid from Patricia Nickerson for the Coliseum concessions contract.

*Council approved directing publication of notice of intention to issue combination tax and revenue certificates of obligation for improvements to the City of Brownwood Landfill.  According to Brownwood Finance Director Walter Middleton, the city will begin construction of cells 12 and 13 at the landfill in late September.  The projected cost is 3,815,000.  The city will put off financing the construction until October so that the debt service will not begin until the new fiscal year; however he explained that the city must begin the process of issuing that debt now in order to get funding on time.

The council proposes to issue this debt through a Certificate of Obligation (C.O.).  The new cells are expected to last for approximately 16 years according to Middleton.  The debt service is being proposed by the city to be spread over 15 years with annual payments projected at $345,000.

Middleton explained that the first step is to notify the public about the city’s intentions to issue a C.O. not to exceed $3.9 million.  The action taken Tuesday authorized that notice, which will be published twice in the news media on August 9th and 16th.

The C.O. ordinance will be brought before the council during its September 10th meeting as a one reading ordinance.  Sale of the certificates will take place shortly after with funding toward the end of September.

*Council approved re-appointment of Councilman Draco Miller for a two year term to the Center For Life Resources Board.  Draco’s current term expires on September 20, 2013.

*Council approved the nomination of Mayor Stephen Haynes for re-election to the TML Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool Board of Trustees.

The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool (TML-IEBP) is seeking a member for its Board of Trustees from Region 6.  Mayor Haynes is the incumbent Board member; his 3-year term expires on September 30, 2013.  Mayor Haynes has expressed interest in continuing to serve on the TML Board.    The TML-IEBP’s purpose is to provide Texas political subdivisions with an alternative to the commercial insurance marketplace.  The Board of Trustees reviews administrative costs and takes an aggressive position towards cost management and healthy initiative services.