City Council Meeting Recap
By David Montgomery
Before getting city business kicked off, Mayor Johnson introduced Travis Elementary 6th Grader Yamileth Marquez as the Mineral Wells City Council Honorary Member. Yamileth is the STUCO president at Travis and shows great leadership qualities.
In the wake of a joint meeting with wholesale distributors, the Mineral Wells City Council wasted no time working on water related issues. The council voted unanimously to approve a proposal from NewGen Strategies & Solutions to conduct a water/wastewater cost of service and rate design study.
This study is expected to begin immediately and will be ready for implementation during budget workshops preparing for the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget.
“During budget season we noticed that our rate study had come to an end and that we need to re-up for the next five fiscal years,” said Jason Breisch, City Finance Director, speaking to the council.
“All of this is supposed to coincide with the water supply contracts, with our wholesalers, and with the project that’s happening out west,” continued Breisch. “NewGen is familiar with all of those things and will take all of those things into account with this study.”
Director of Public Works, Scott McKennon, spoke next to present a proposed Agreement for Professional Services from Parkhill for 2022 Hilltop Water Treatment Plant Chemical Transfer Improvements.
The Service agreement is a $112,000 project that would allow for the design and construction of a new chemical pump building and associated equipment.
However, the council chose only to authorize Task 5 at a cost of $25,000. This task would seek out a Bed and Banks Permit, which would allow the city to seek TCEQ approval to re-capture any treated effluent downstream of Pollard Creek using a Bed and Banks Permit.
Currently, the City’s treated water is supplied through a wholesale agreement between the City of Mineral Wells and the Palo Pinto County Municipal Water District #1 (PPCMWD #1) according to the Professional Services Agreement.
“That will benefit us with Turkey Peak,” said Scott McKennon. “We’ll have the water rights [with] what’s coming out of the wastewater plant. With or without Turkey peak this will be a benefit to us.”
Members of Leadership Class 27 presented the proposal to donate the new Dog Park at 116 NW 4th Street to the City once construction has been completed. The dog park, once completed will feature around 8,000 square feet of space for dogs to run freely. Featuring two separate areas for large and small dogs, as well as a Dog Wash Station provided and maintained by BJ’s Wash Company. The park will also feature covered seating, pedestrian and pet water stations as well as lighting.
The City asked the Leadership Class to provide more information on potential man-hours for maintenance once the City is responsible for the parks upkeep.
Currently, Leadership Class 27 has secured 3 years of maintenance donations from local vendors. The city is poised to bring this topic back up for vote in the second meeting of January.
Finally, after a long executive session, the City Council voted to:
- Extended City Manager, Dean Sullivan, 90 Days to make formal residence in the City of
Mineral Wells. - Voted to re-appoint Don Crawford and David Turk to the Water Board and appoint Don
Rafael as a new member. - Voted to appoint Sam Singleton to the Board of Adjustments.
