Brownwood City Council approved funding of $789,200 for the construction of the city’s new soccer complex at their meeting earlier this week.

Council awarded a bid to Waldrop Construction Company for $574,300 to construct two concession/restroom buildings

Although five contractors received bid packets, Waldrop Construction was the sole bidder and was awarded the contract.  City Manager Bobby Rountree stated that one other contractor arrived after the 11:00 a.m. deadline, and this bid was not opened.

Plans and specifications for the construction of the concessions/restroom buildings were prepared by Kimley-Horn and their opinion of the probable cost, about 18 months ago, was $250,000 per building.  The buildings will have matching exteriors and will include concessions, restrooms, and storage, according to Rountree.  They are also a little larger than the Massey Sports Complex buildings, having 1120 sq. ft in comparison to 918 sq. ft.

Another bid for the installation of the irrigation system for the complex was also awarded at the council meeting.  Council approved awarding the lower of two bids received in the amount of $214,900 from Extreme Exteriors of Abilene.  Plans and specifications for the irrigation system were prepared by City of Brownwood staff and designed by RJ Rose Waterworks, Design Professional, who estimated the cost at $219,980.

The contractor could get started before the first of the year, if everything goes as scheduled, stated Rountree.  Substantial completion should be by April 1, 2015 with final completion by April 15, 2015.

Bid documents call for 155 calendar days with significant completion by May 27, 2015.

Funds for the projects come from certificates of obligation sold in 2012. Council authorized the mayor to execute the contracts and city manager to execute any change orders required during the construction and irrigation installation.

Rountree stated that the soccer field project has $920,000 remaining in funds and remains within the estimated budget.

In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:

Council approved an agreement with Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd for the 2015 Landfill Non-methane Organic Compound (NMOC) Air Sampling and Reporting and authorized the city manager to sign said agreement.  The emissions calculations will be based on sampling of the landfill sites where waste has been in place for at least 2 years.  Sampling will be conducted by Gainco Field Sampling over a five day period.  eHT will prepare the emissions rate report based upon the analysis results and the report will be submitted to TCEQ by May 2015, at a cost of $28,500, which has been budgeted into the current 2014/2015 FY budget.

*City Manager Bobby Rountree was authorized by the council to execute a professional services agreement with Environment Concerns Incorporated (ECI) of Waco, in the amount of $2,750, for the asbestos services required for the demolition of the structure at 405 W. Anderson Street.  This action authorizes the expenditure of the funds for the professional services agreement; however the demolition/abatement contract will be brought to the Council for action in February.  A second professional services request for the project was also received on December 4th for $13,250 from ESESIS Environmental.  The second bid considered a longer time required to remove the asbestos (10 days as compared to 3 days by ECI) at a slightly higher rate per day.  Rountree stated that ECI has worked on the first portion of the project and “knew more of what they are getting into.”

*Council approved a Change Order #1 of the Fisk Street Project, in the amount of $23,820 for the addition of pedestal posts assemblies to activate the “walk mode” for pedestrians.   This addition was necessary due to the layout of the new ADA ramps at the three signalized intersections on Fisk Street.  There will be a total of 12 posts installed in the signal areas.

*The city manager was authorized by the council to execute a professional services agreement with Public Sector Personnel Consultants in the amount of $47,500 for a city-wide compensation study to identify pay related adjustments that may be needed across the city.  The market will be surveyed which will help determine a course of action with regards to future salary considerations for city employees.  PSPC has a national office in Arizona with regional offices in Austin and Dallas.  Rountree stated that PSPC has recently performed similar studies in Killeen, Carrollton, Grand Prairie, Addison, Belton, Georgetown, DeSoto, Frisco, Allen, Midland, Odessa, Baytown and Pearland.  Three other proposals were received from The Persimmon Group, LLC; Arthur J Gallagher & Co; and CPS HR Consulting with costs ranging from $49,500 to $89,900.

*Council authorized the mayor to sign a sub-lease agreement for office space at the Harvey House to the Tarleton SBDC from the West Central Texas Council of Governments.  This allows for a sub—lease, with written authorization of the city.  The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) from Tarleton is placing a full time small business counselor in Brownwood, and has requested to sub-lease space in the Harvey House from the COG.  The COG is responsible for utilities and janitorial care of the space in the Harvey House.  The SBDC will lease the space from the COG for $200 per month for 12 months (December 1, 2014 – November 30, 2015) with annual extensions available.

*Council approved a resolution establishing an Excessive Force Policy in compliance with the Community Development Block Grant guidelines.  In 2010, the city received a $275,000 Community Development Block Grant (DCBG) for the replacement of serer infrastructure in the Bluffview Addition.  The project was completed in 2012.  Although the Police Department has an Excessive Force Policy, the CDBG staff desires specific wording that complies with HUD regulations.

*Council approved several mayoral appointments and re-appointments to various boards and commissions of the city.