After saving over $1 million from the expected cost of construction of cells at the City of Brownwood’s landfill, excess funds will soon be used to fund four capital projects at the landfill. The cost of the projects, totaling $215,000, was approved unanimously by the council and will be paid from excess proceeds from the 2013 Certificates of Obligation (CO) for landfill cell construction projects.
Thanks to a very favorable bid from Ranger Excavating, LP of $2,204,035, after paying engineering and issuance costs, the City of Brownwood will have an excess of funds totaling $1,040,000 remaining from the COs. The terms of the CO allows the city to use excess funds for capital improvements at the landfill, so city official came up with four projects that needed funding.
The first project would be a new baler to bale recyclables, primarily paper and plastic. The cost of the new baler is $85,000. The current baler at the landfill is approximately 20-years-old and is not capable for baling newspaper. According to city officials, it is too small, worn out and needs $14,000 in repairs. The city baled 227,774 pounds of cardboard and plastic bottles last year.
The second project is paving recycling center and landfill road maintenance, at a cost of $30,000. City Manager Bobby Rountree stated that one of the chief complaints the city receives is from residents and employees of the recycling center is dust. Although there is a good layer of base, paving these roads would be beneficial to keep dust down and prevent mud when it rains. The landfill road needs repairs and maintenance and there are areas that need a level-up and the entire road needs a seal coat, according to Rountree.The third project is the purchase and placement of a storage building for baled recyclables, which would cost $50,000. A metal storage building would be placed onto an existing slab left over from World War II. The building would be used to store baled cardboard, plastic, newspaper, white office paper and paper shreds until they are picked up by processors, which would save the city from having to deliver these bales. When the city delivers these bales, they use shipping containers which hold approximately 18 bales and cost $4,500 each. If processors pickup the bales, they use trucks which can transport 36-40 bales, depending on weight. Loading and unloading from a large metal building would be much more efficient and would save the city freight costs, explained Rountree.
The last project would be a glass pulverizer for recycling. The cost of the pulverizer is $50,000 which includes the cost of equipment, freight and installation. The pulverizer would turn glass into sand or gravel with no sharp edges, which would be usable for blast media, bedding for water and sewer pipes and used in flex base, sand and mulch. This would allow us to keep this glass out of the landfill or incur the heavy cost of shipment to Midlothian, one of the few (and closest) location that still takes glass for recycling.
The $825,000 in left over funds after the cost of the four projects, would then be used to pay down the principle on the CO. A resolution calling a this $825,000 portion of the City of Brownwood, Texas Combination Tax and Revenue Certificate of Obligation Series 2013 for redemption prior to maturity and enacting other provisions relating to the subject was passed to allow this. The payment on the COs will save the City of Brownwood $172,600 in interest costs while paying off almost three years of the sixteen year bonds.
In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:
*Council authorized the city manager to execute a professional services agreement in the amount of $8,800 with Ron Morrison of BSP Engineers Hydrology Division to prepare documents to submit to FEMA to address the city’s comments and to update on the Federal Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS).
FEMA will not redraw any of the floodplain lines without hydraulic data to support the changes. Ron Morrison performed the flood study for the city and the county will provide that data. FEMA has given the city until April 9, 2015 to provide this additional information. Mr. Morrison has submitted a Proposal for Engineering Services to address needed information in the amount of $8,800.
*Council ratified action by the Brownwood Economic Development Corporation Board to repurchase property from Brent Stroebel nullifying the real estate lien note in the amount of $19,120. Storebel purchased 1.912 acres located at 1509 Drisco Drive from BEDC in order to construct a warehouse on the property and lease it to a bakery foods distributer. Stroebel’s purchase was made on a job credit payback; there was no financial transaction at the closing of this real estate deal. Stroebel had intended to begin construction on the warehouse on April 4, 2013; however, his negotiations with the prospective tenant did not succeed, which led to BEDC’s need to buy back so the property could be used to create other industrial opportunities.
*Council passed an ordinance on second and third/final readings establishing a temporary construction speed limit zone of 30 mph on Austin Avenue (FM2524) from 320’ northwest of Willis Creek to Oak Park Drive (Norwood to Brooks Street). The existing speed limit is 40 mph.
*City Manager Bobby Rountree reported that the new fire station is very close to completion with only a damaged overhead door track to be replaced. Fire administration will be moving into the building next week to test out phone and other communications networks within the structure before the entire department makes the move. It is expected that the firemen and equipment will be moved in March 23. A dedication of the building along with placing a Mason’s monument will be planned in the near future, according to Rountree.
*Rountree reported that the city’s Parks and Recreation survey is getting good response with between 300-400 surveys already completed. The last survey completed in 2000 received under 300 completed surveys, said Rountree. He encouraged the public to participate in the survey, which is available at several locations at City of Brownwood buildings and online. CLICK HERE to complete a survey online. He thanked the HPU students who are working on the survey project.
