The Brownwood City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved, subject to legal review, an agreement with Public Management for an administration contract regarding an American Rescue Plan grant.

The City of Brownwood is estimated to receive a $4,572,890 allocation in two payments as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The City has an ongoing relationship with Public Management, and since 2019 has applied for $700,000 in federal grant programs through their assistance.

“The American Rescue Plan is providing the City with federal dollars of about $4.5 million, and with all federal grants there are significant hoops and documentation that must be completed,” said Brownwood City Manager Emily Crawford. “What we recommended today to the council was to engage with a grant management firm who could make sure we are providing all the proper documentation needed that in the event there are any audits we will not have any findings. They also work with multiple other cities in regard to grant funding for other federal grants and the American Rescue Plan. We feel like having someone that’s very familiar with this particular grant would be beneficial to the City and the citizens so that we’re using the funds properly, accurately, and that we, in the future, will not have any regrets of any decisions we have made locally.”

Grant administration is an eligible use of the grant funds, and there is no direct financial impact to the city budget. Administration work associated to American Rescue Plan (ARP) Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (CLFR), the City of Brownwood agrees to pay PMI a fee not to exceed $190,000. The fee calculates to just over 4% of the allocated amount, or an estimated annual cost of $63k over three years, or depending on project close out dates $38k over 5 years. The City does not have a grant administrator on staff, in order to comply, fulfill obligations, and dedicate the time commitment needed a new staff member would need to be hired if we do not contract grant administration

Administration Services associated with the American Rescue Plan that will be dedicated to identifying, designing, and implementing this funding opportunity for the City. The scope of services will include:

• Creating local recovery plan, identifying City priorities, and helping determine eligibility.

• Assisting with procurement of other professionals, vendors, services, and materials related to ARP expenditures.

• Environmental review for ARP expenditures.

• Compliance oversight of applicable Civil Rights Conditions of the ARP.

• Labor Standards compliance oversight for construction expenditures.

• Financial management review and assistance.

• Reporting requirements.

• Project review and closeout coordination.

• URA Acquisition process, if needed.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the city council passed a resolution committing the City to increase the total contribution rate (City and firefighters combined) to the Brownwood Firemen’s Relief and Retirement Fund by two percent from 30% to 32% effective Oct. 1, 2022.

The city council also unanimously passed a budget amendment to re-allocate unused payroll funds from vacancies in the General Fund into the Landfill and Sanitation Funds

A total of $13,945 in payroll and benefits from the General Fund of the Fleet Services Department will be moved into the Sanitation and Landfill departments. The change will be made now to capture the payroll savings in the current budget. This adjustment will primarily benefit heavy equipment operators and CDL drivers, with an average increase of 88 cents per hour.

The city council also ratified a Brownwood Municipal Development District board action to purchase two sets of illuminated street signs for Baker Street, Center Avenue, and Fisk Avenue, in Downtown Brownwood for $6,582.29.

The consent agenda was also approved unanimously, which will resulted in the ratification of the Brownwood Municipal Development District (BMDD) action to approve a Building Improvement Incentive Program grant to Don Morelock not to exceed $20,000 for a property located at 305 Fisk A venue.

Lisa Dick with the Brownwood / Brown County Health Department gave a COVID update and addressed the uptick in numbers as more than 100 positive results were confirmed last week. Approximately 33 percent of the eligible residents of Brown County have been fully vaccinated, but the health department is hosting a vaccination clinic from 3 to 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Depot. To schedule an appointment, call 325-646-0554.

Withdrawn from the city council agenda prior to Tuesday’s meeting was an item to consider ratification of the Brownwood Municipal Development District (BMDD) action to purchase two parking lots from Downtown Brownwood, Inc. located at the Comer of Fisk Avenue & E. Lee Street and 201 E. Anderson for a purchase price of $55,440 and spend an additional $7,500 for repairs to create additional free public parking in Downtown Brownwood.