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During Tuesday morning’s meeting, the Brownwood City Council, following a 53-minute executive session, ratified the Brownwood Municipal Development District’s recent action to provide fill dirt to a commercial project located at 515 E. Commerce.

The site of the former OYO Hotel is being subdivided into three parcels, and details on the occupants have not yet been made available by the City.

“We have been working with the developer and some retailers there,” said BMDD Executive Director Ray Tipton. “As an incentive they’re going to have a need for dirt to elevate out of the floodplain. We did approve providing some of the dirt, subject to their engineering specifications.”

Also during the executive session the City Council approved a financial incentive, though no dollar amount was provided, to Tabat Properties, which is bringing Shoe Dept. Encore and, in the future, another yet to be determined business into the former Kroger building at 302 N. Main Street.

“We are negotiating the terms of that agreement, and (Tabat) is negotiating the terms for the tenants, and at this time there is not any additional information we can provide,” Tipton said.

The City Council on Tuesday also:

* Authorized the City Manager to sign an agreement between the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for $47,242

This grant agreement is to assist Medical Reserve Corps Units in building capacity and capability to help their respective communities be prepared for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This takes the form of providing technical assistance, designing tools and resources, providing training opportunities, and supporting exercise efforts on a daily basis.

* Approved a Hotel Occupancy Tax services agreement between the City of Brownwood and the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce

Under this proposal, the Chamber is requesting $5,000 of HOT funds to continue the management of the highway banners that are used to promote events that hang across E. Commerce between Chili’s and Popeye’s. They are also asking for up to 3 free rentals per year at the new event center complex to host events. Under this agreement, the Chamber would also fulfill its contractual duties with National Sign Plazas to complete the wayfinding signage project on major corridors and Downtown Brownwood. City staff are assisting and heavily involved in this effort.

* Passed an ordinance on first reading amending the FY 22/23 City of Brownwood budget amendments for year-end

Nine budget amendments resulted in expenditures totaling $117,623.18.

* Amended the 2023-24 fiscal year Utility Rate Ordinance No. 23-14 on first reading, adding the delivery charge of $75 within city limits and $125 outside city limits for compost/mulch.

In the past, the delivery charge was calculated at $3 per cubic yard delivered with a minimum of 20 cubic yards which would have cost an additional minimum of $60 to deliver. The proposed rate will be a flat rate that will be charged on top of the material rate just as the previous charge did.

* Ratified replacing Jennifer McNiece on the Library Board with Mike Rodgers for a term set to expire Dec. 31, 2026

Mike Rodgers has served on the Planning and Zoning Commission since 2016, and he is the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration for Howard Payne University.

* Designated leftover funds from 2022-23 fiscal year parks capital items in the amount of $90,200 as special purpose funds to be used toward Bennie Houston Center, which will be undergoing renovations.

During the 2022-23 fiscal year, the City budgeted $100,000 to be used to upgrade the Bennie Houston Center. The following monies were expended – Asbestos study $1,943; Conceptual study & design $5,354; Gas range $1,036; and Pool table/Ping Pong table $1,467; for a total of $9,800.

Also Tuesday, the Budgetary Control Report for the 2022-23 fiscal year and the Investment Reports for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 were also presented.