City takes first step to create TIRZ
Mayor Bert Miller and Interim Police Chief Mike Mize display a Proclamation recognizing July as "Watch Your Car Month" The Proclamation is a reminder that "motorists and businesses in Texas suffer losses of approximately $2 billion due to motor vehicle th
The Navasota City Council held a Regular Meeting Monday, July 25, and approved authorizing City Manager Jason Weeks to execute a contract in the amount of $49,500 with Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP for professional services for creation of a TIRZ (Tax Increment Investment Zone).
At the June 27 council TIRZ workshop, David Hawes said a TIRZ is not a tax increase, an abatement, a subsidy to a developer or a tax break for property owners within the zone but “an economic development tool regulated by the City,” governed by Chapter 311 of the Texas Government Code.
Weeks told council, “There is a process we need to go through. There is a financing document we have to put together. We have to determine the area for what we’re going to consider the TIRZ zone. We have to do public notices, public hearings, and all of that has to be done by Dec. 31.”
By acting before Dec. 31, 2022, property tax collected for 2023 above the base value of the land in the area identified as a TIRZ will be placed in a separate City fund to be used for improvements such as roads, drainage, utilities and public use areas. The area under consideration is the predominantly agricultural property east of SH 6.
Voluntary water cutback
Director of Utilities Jennifer Reyna encouraged city water utility users to join the City in water conservation efforts and reiterated it wasn’t prompted by a water shortage or water quality.
Reyna said, “We’re currently pumping 1.7 million gallons of water per day which is a little above our daily average last summer. We’re just trying to get ahead. Last year during our summer peak hours it was 2 million gallons per day and that was the hottest day in August and we’re already at 2 million gallons per day.”
Suggestions included fixing water leaks, washing the car less often and turning the water off while brushing teeth. Per Weeks’ request, staff cut back irrigation at August Horst Park as they were using 35,000 gallons per day.
Referring to the 2,000 gallons of water used on a water slide at a recent City event and future water slide activity, Weeks said, “The savings we’re doing on our own by cutting in half the daily usage at August Horst will more than cover any use for that type of activity.”
Other council action:
• After a public hearing with no comments against, city council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 1000-22, a voluntary annexation request submitted by James Hassell for a 1.310-acre tract of land and a second voluntary annexation request submitted by J&H Development for a 1.567 acre tract which abut Pecan Lakes Estates.
•Approved Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $73,273 for demolition of the old mud sledge beds at the new wastewater treatment plant site at 108 S. Peeples St.
•Approved renewal of a grazing and baling lease with Larry and Mildred Wood for 25-acres on the City’s closed landfill site with the addition of verbiage disclosing the property was a former landfill, as required by state law.
•Approved acceptance of the City of Navasota Quarterly Investment Report for quarter ending June 30, 2022.
•Approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 999-22 authorizing suspension of the effective date of Entergy Texas, Inc.’s rate increase application for 90 days beyond the proposed Aug. 5 effective date. Statements and comments received from citizens who are Entergy customers will be forwarded to the Lawton Law Firm which is reviewing Entergy’s request.
Reports from City staff/ officials to council
•Mayor Bert Miller presented a proclamation to Interim Police Chief Mike Mize in recognition of “Watch Your Car Month.”
•Utilities Director Jennifer Reyna announced a major water main break in progress on Lakeview Street in River Haven, the CIP water line replacement project on N. LaSalle Street at Washington Avenue is 50% complete, concrete for the AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) at the Navasota Municipal Airport will be poured Aug. 2 and the sidewalk project from Eight and Tenth Streets is being rebid.
View city council meetings in their entirety at www. navasotatx.gov/city-council/ pages/meeting-videos.