NPD eyes license plate reader
Examiner photo by Connie Clements: The Navasota City Council welcomed its newest Artists in Residence at its Monday, May 23 meeting. Christine Holton (left) from Durham, North Carolina and Fort Worth-born Jennifer G. Thompson.
The cld a Regular Meeting Monday, May 23 and approved Resolutions, Change Orders and heard a presentation addressing the gas needs of current and future residents.
One of two Resolutions approved Monday was No. 713-22 authorizing the Navasota Police Department to pursue a grant from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority Auxiliary Grant program to acquire a speed trailer with a License Plate Reader (LPR).
According to Interim Police Chief Mike Mize, the trailer is portable and detects vehicle speed using an internal radar system and the LPR takes photos of license plates to detect stolen vehicles.
Mize said, “It’s grabbing license plates and runs them through the system immediately.”
The cost of the LPR System is $20,000-$30,000. The $20,000 grant requires a 20% match of $5,000-$6,000 which Mize said is in the budget.
Brosig TAP project
Council approved Resolution No. 712-22, authorizing the Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) with TxDOT for the Brosig Transportation Alternatives Project (TAP). The project consists of constructing 6-foot-wide sidewalks on the west side of Brosig Avenue from E. Washington Avenue to Piedmont Road, a pedestrian bridge across Cedar Creek, and pedestrian crossing signage and lighting at the intersection of Brosig and Brule Drive. Eighty percent of the $784,245 project is grant funded. The remaining 20% city match of $156,849 is being provided by TxDOT Transportation Development Credits.
TxDOT speed study scheduled
Following public comments from Washington Avenue resident Paul Stankowitz requesting speed reduction, City Manager Jason Weeks advised council that he spoke with TxDOT last week.
Weeks said, “TxDOT will be conducting a traffic study for the entire city east of the junior high all the way west of Pecan Lakes. As soon as that study is finished, staff will provide that information to Mr. Stankowitz, council and the public.”
During his comment time, Stankowitz discussed two recent near-accidents with speeding semi-trucks on Washington Avenue and requested a TxDOT traffic study to reduce the speed from 40 mph to 30 mph.
CIP change order approved Council approved
Council approved Change Order No. 1 for the Capital Improvement Plan Street and Utilities Reconstruction Project in the amount of $49,500. This brings the contract amount to $916,500. The Change Order will allow additional surveying to connect sanitary sewer lines in six areas not part of the original project.
Those streets are Moore, a portion of Hor lock, Cleveland between Ashville and Dallas, White near Stoneham, Cleveland at Victoria and Foster. Issues to be addressed include adding curb and gutter, closing off a sewer line currently under a garage, realigning a street, drainage and manhole work. Gas study brings
Gas study brings needs to light
Mark Rudolph with Strand Associates presented the results of the recent Gas System Model along with recommended options for addressing current and future gas needs for the west and east side of Navasota. According to Rudolph, the system pressure is sufficient to service the current 330 residents of Pecan Lakes Estates but with 660 homes when built out, pressure will drop.
Rudolph said, “That’s definitely an indication that if this side of town doesn’t get any help, they will definitely see issues with service in a peak demand situation.”
The four options for the west side range in price from $140,000 to $1,300,000.
Rudolph also provided options ranging from $370,000-$700,000 for the area east of SH 6, taking into account the construction of 400 new homes on the south side of SH 90 in the area of FM 3455.
Rudolph credited current connectivity on the east side for not foreseeing a significant impact upon full build-out of the subdivision. According to City Man
According to City Manager Jason Weeks, utility rates typically pay for these types of improvements, but bonds will have to be considered as well as impact fees charged to developers for new construction.
Reports from City staff/officials to council
•Introduction of newest Artists in Residence, Christine Holton and Jennifer G. Thompson.
•Received report on status of AWOS at Navasota Municipal Airport from Director of Utilities Jennifer Reyna. •Reyna reported ‘no viola
•Reyna reported ‘no violations’ noted in the recent Railroad Commission Gas Audit.
•Quarterly council liaison to the Board of Adjustments, Grant Holt, reported on BOA’s May 18 meeting.
•Reyna provided an update on work related to the crosswalk at Washington Avenue and Farquhar, stating it should be complete in approximately three weeks.
•It was also noted that City Building Inspector Jack Kelso died May 14 while on vacation. In the interim of hiring a new inspector, the City is using contract inspection services.
Public comments: In addition to comments made by Stankowitz, Grace Street resident Doris Sauls requested city council place the following items related to the west side of Navasota on the agenda for consideration in 2022: investigate a $10.3 billion HUD grant for housing and community development, build a fire department annex, provide funding for Grace Park in the amount of $1 million and construct sidewalks on both sides of the street. Specific streets were not identified.
View city council meetings in their entirety at www.navasotatx.gov/city-council/pages/ meeting-videos.