During Tuesday morning’s meeting, the Brownwood City Council approved accepting a donation from Wright Asphalt totaling $27,250 which will be earmarked for future police and fire needs not supported by the General or Capital budgets. Wright Asphalt also made donations during the meeting of the same amount to A World for Children, a local foster home for children; The ARK Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Shelter; and Spirit of A Hero, a Veteran and First Responders non-profit.

On October 8-9, Wright Asphalt held their annual customer appreciation golf tournament at the Brownwood Country Club. New to the tournament this year was a live auction to raise funds for area non-profits. From the auction proceeds, they were able to make the large donations.

The Council also approved 16 budget amendments for the 2023-24 fiscal year totaling $2,536,723.27. Of that total, City of Brownwood Director of Finance Melanie Larose pointed out to Council the Brownwood Event Center accounted for $2,114,851, and moving the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department to its new location cost another $248,000. Without those two anticipated major projects, the budget amendments would have been just $173,000.

A transfer of $36,010.58 from reserves to establish the Youth Diversion Fund, required by the Texas Youth Diversion and Early Intervention Act, was approved by the Council as well.

The Texas Youth Diversion and Early Intervention Act, effective on Jan. 1, 2024, requires redirecting children accused of certain Class C misdemeanors away from formal prosecution and only applies to offenses committed on or after Jan. 1, 2025.

All courts have been collecting the Local Consolidated Fee since January of 2020. Five dollars of this fee is put into a dedicated fund called the Local Truancy Prevention and Diversion Fund. This fee has been combined with the regular Municipal Court revenue. The City has collected a total of $36,010.58 since the establishment of this fee and these funds must be moved into a separate Youth Diversion Fund per the requirements of the Act.

All Municipal Courts are required to adopt a Youth Diversion Plan by Jan. 1, 2025. These funds may be spent on a juvenile case manager, or if no case manager exists, may be used to pay for the support of a local mental health authority, juvenile alcohol and substance abuse programs, and other projects designated to prevent or reduce the number of juvenile referrals to court.

City Manager Emily Crawford told the Council, “This a State requirement that is an alternative to community service. It has a lot of hoops, it is a lot more lengthy and it would take an incredible amount of commitment from a youth to participate in this alternative, but it is intended to be more meaningful than community service. But because of the commitment required, we are skeptical of the number of parents who will choose this alternative, but it is a requirement by the State that we offer it.”

Council also authorized the purchase of a 16-foot dump trailer utilizing insurance funds from a damaged trailer and truck.

Earlier this year, a parks truck and trailer were damaged while hauling materials. In October, TML insurance issued checks totaling $9,447.25 for repairs for the damage. Recently, after discussing the condition of the trailer with a TML claims representative, TML declared the trailer a total loss and issued an additional check for $3,364.70, bringing the total amount of insurance payments for the damaged equipment to $12,811.95.

The Parks truck that was damaged was repaired in house. Parks Staff requested utilizing the remaining funds for the purchase of a new dump trailer totaling $10,900 from KP Trailers in Bangs. Parks obtained two other quotes for the dump trailer and KP Trailers was the lowest quote.

A BMDD board action to approve a Building Improvement Inventive Program grant not to exceed $24,000 to Wayne Meadow for a project located at 1017 Austin Avenue was ratified by the Council.

Meadow has purchased the former Bike Peddler shop to convert into a restaurant. The restaurant will be called The Station as a connection to the location’s original use as a gas station.

The renovations for this project will include new paint, new windows, new electrical and HVAC, new sidewalks, flooring, plumbing, lighting and vent-a-hood. Estimated costs for this project will be $48,000. This project qualifies for a BIIP incentive of a 50% match not to exceed $24,000 through the program.

Council also gave the green light for a Parks improvement project at Coggin Park for new basketball courts and extension of the walking trail, not to exceed $330,000. Two new basketball courts at the park are estimated to cost $239,000, and completing the walking trail is expected to be $91,000.

More on Coggin Park can be found HERE.

The City Manager was also authorized by the Council to engage Mead & Hunt Engineering to redevelop the Technically Based Local Limits at a cost not to exceed $92,000.

Following an executive session, the Council ratified a BMDD housing infrastructure incentive with BAM Development not to exceed $16,000.

During the citizen comments, Natasha Brown asked the Council to consider a ban on future circuses that come to town and use exotic animals in their performances.

Also, Allen Andrews also addressed the Council regarding the flood plain and offered suggestions to remedy potential future flooding in Brownwood.