The Brownwood/Brown County Health Department will soon get updates to the building’s lighting system which were approved at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brownwood City Council.
According to officials, the building, located at 501 East Lee Street, was last renovated in 1992 and at that time the light fixtures were replaced. During the last 6-8 months, the Brownwood Fire Department has been called to respond to lights burning up at the health department. Fire Marshal Buddy Preston has recommended replacement of all of the older lights in the building due to the current safety risk. In addition, city officials state that some of the fixtures are obsolete and that replacement bulbs are no longer available.
The building belongs to the City of Brownwood; however in 1992, Brown County paid 30% of the cost of renovating it and agreed to provide 30% of the funding for the health department in return for the city operating the program. Brown County officials have agreed to pay 30% of the costs for replacing the light fixtures up to $5,000. City officials state that replacement of the lights is expected to be approximately $10,000. Funding for the city’s portion of the project will come from reserves with a budget amendment presented at the year’s end.
In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:
*Council approved the cancellation of the second regularly scheduled City Council meeting in December (December 22, 2015).
*Council ratified BEDC action to lease the Burkett Hanger office space to Heritage Helicopter Services, Inc for 2016. The lease, according to BEDC Executive Director Guy Andrews, is $150/month and usually paid by the company an entire year in advance.
*Council approved an off-premise sign to be located in the City of Brownwood right-of-way at 114 W. Lee for Kirbo’s Warehouse.
*Council approved on second/third and final readings adding stop signs at the railroad spur on Memorial Park Drive.
*Council approved an ordinance on second third and final readings approving the fiscal year 2014/2015 budget amendments.
*Council ratified the agreement between Brown County and Lifeguard Ambulance Service of Texas, LLC and approved the City of Brownwood’s pro-rata portion ($3,185.87) of the subsidy to be paid to Lifeguard. The proration is based upon population and Brownwood’s share is 36.41% or $36.41/month. The contract for Lifeguard to provide exclusive ambulance service for Brown County has a five year term.
*Council approved a resolution to declare 21 City Hall display case items as surplus property and authorize the disposition of said items to the Brown County Museum of History and the Lehnis Railroad Museum.
*A resolution was approved, naming City Manager Emily Crawford, replacing former City Manager Bobby Rountree, as an authorized representative for two investment pools, TexPool and TexStar.
*Council approved a $244,130 bid to Pruett Concrete & Construction for flatwork at the Camp Bowie Soccer Complex. After having received bids above the amount budgeted for the project, city officials reworked bid specifications to reduce sidewalk width and size of bleacher pads. This change in specifications resulted in the city receiving a lower bid for the project which reduced the bid amount by $135,966.
*Council awarded a bid to All Seasons Foam Coating and Services of Sanger, Texas in the amount of $366,500 to rehab and recoat the interior and exterior of the 2.5 million gallon ground storage tank that served the southeast pressure plane and is located at the corner of Roanoke and Cottage Streets. According to city officials, the rehab project should increase the life of the facility and add approximately 20 years before major work like this is necessary again to the outside and possible more than 50 years on the inside. The design life on the interior coating is 75 years. The project is to be completed by April 1, 2016. Last year, the tank was cleaned and inspected after it was discovered that small pin holes had formed in the floor plate of the tank from paint system failures.
