Website and contracts on city agenda

The Navasota City Council held a Regular Meeting Monday, Oct. 14, and previewed the city’s new and improved website, awarded a bid for the SCADA system and approved changes to two agreements with CEC (Civil Engineering Consultants).

New look for city website

The City of Navasota will go live with its new citizen-friendly website in mid-November, according to Economic Development Specialist Jonathan Soseby. The new website was developed by a firm that specializes in local government websites, and besides ease of navigation for citizens, it’s “easier to update on the back end.”

The website will include links to Navasota ISD and the Navasota Grimes Chamber of Commerce as well as donate buttons for specific voluntary funds such as the animal shelter.

Scada contract awarded

Council approved the recommendation by Walker Partners Engineers to award the bid for equipment and installation of the SCADA system to Trac-N-Trol, Inc. pending pricing negotiations. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition monitors the city’s water levels.

According to Alan Munger, P.E., three Request for Proposals were received and Trac-N-Trol, Inc. was selected based on weighted criteria that included price, experience with similar projects, project approach and technical support which focused on service after the sale.

The base bid amount for replacing the existing SCADA was $282,730 with Alternate No. 1 bid amount of $23,360 for a monitoring site at city hall and Alternate No. 2 amount of $101,190 for the ability to monitor the six lift stations. The total of the base and alternate bids is $408,280.

Pricing includes three hand-held devices provided to city staff for 24/7 monitoring of tank levels “before it gets to a crisis mode.”

CEC drainage agreements

amended

In separate votes, council approved changes requested by Streets and Sanitation Director Jose Coronilla for two agreements with CEC.

The first was Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $3,000 to survey and redesign two new 6-inch water lines on Teague Street between Nolan and Church Street and replace the aging, leaking fire hydrant. The work is part of the 2019 Street Improvements Project. The change order increases the original design contract amount by 7% from $41,180 to $44,180.

The second vote approved a contract change in the amount of $2,000 to add additional inspections by CEC staff for the Foster Street Drainage Improvement Project. Currently, half the inspections are performed by city staff and the other half by CEC.

Stafford said, “With all the projects Jose has going on, he needs a little bit of help.”

Zoning

Council held a public hearing and received no comments for or against rezoning 260.81 acres surrounding the Navasota Industrial Park currently zoned A/O, Agriculture/Open Space District.

Two of the five properties front Interstate/CR 419 and were approved to be rezoned to B-1, General Business District while the remaining three parcels were approved for M-1, Light Industrial.

Board appointments

approved

Council approved some new and returning applicants to the city’s boards and commissions. Five were approved for Economic Development, four to Planning & Zoning, four to Board of Adjustment, four to Airport Advisory, six to Keep Navasota Beautiful, three to Library Advisory and one to the Navasota Housing Authority which still has vacant seats.

Parks and Recreation was tabled pending review by council. Due to long-term attendance issues preventing a quorum for action, Stafford suggested council consider changing the parameters or combining with another board such as Keep Navasota Beautiful. Another suggestion was a project-specific committee that would disband upon the project’s completion.

Names of the appointees have been withheld pending notification by city staff.

Other council action:

•Approved moving the Nov. 11 council meeting which falls on Veteran’s Day and city office closure to Nov.

12.

•Approved the second reading of Ordinance 904-19 vacating a public alleyway in the McNair addition. Councilman Geoff Horn recused himself from voting.

•Received the City of Navasota Quarterly Investment Report.

•Approved the second reading of Ordinance 905-19 amending Home Occupation Signage with verbiage corrections.

•Approved the Assessment/ Collection contract for 2020 with the Grimes Central Appraisal District in the amount of $11,250 for tax assessment/ collection fees and $56,945 for appraisal fees.

•Approved continuing the grazing and baling lease agreement with Larry and Mildred Ann Wood for $30 per acre for 25 acres at the closed landfill site.

•Approved Consent Agenda items that included minutes and expenditures for September 2019.

Staff, board & commission

reports:

•Received a report of National Night Out results and a status report on Treats on the Street.

•Received the quarterly Library report from Head Librarian Gloria May.

•Received an update on the Washington Avenue/Farquhar crosswalk from City Manager Brad Stafford.

•Received board and commission reports from council liaisons for Planning & Zoning and the Economic Development Corporation.