Council votes to increase water and sewer grant application

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the council voted to increase the amount it is requesting on an Economic Development Administration grant application.

The vote, which passed 6-1 with Councilwoman Diane Yanez (District 2) dissenting, will amend the city's request from $5 million to $6,825,000, while increasing the city's required 20 percent matching funds from $1 million to $1,365,000.

“Our engineering firm did the cost estimate on that project – basically, it's extending our infrastructure west of the airpark to the reliever route, to open up some development in that area, acres of it,” said Assistant City Manager John Medina. “So when we did do the budget for it, it came in at $6,825,000. Twenty percent of that is a little bit more.”

According to documents provided with the meeting's agenda, the funds will be used for water and sewer system enhancement.

Mayor Shannon Thomason inquired about the grant's deadline. Medina and Big Spring Economic Development Director Mark Willis both said they didn't know the exact deadline, but that it's important to apply early because the grant is competitive.

Following the meeting's invocation, offered by Family Faith Center's Pastor Sam Segundo, and the Pledge of Allegiance, Thomason opened the floor to public comment, and no one chose to address the council.

The council held a public hearing concerning continuance of the juvenile curfew currently in effect in Big Spring. No members of the public chose to address the council on the topic.

City Manager Todd Darden reported on several items. He reminded residents of the city's District 2 Large Item Pickup for their district will take place Aug. 18; reported that this year's seal coating work has been completed and that the contractors have moved on to conducting warranty work on last year's seal coating project; reported on the successful grand opening of the city's new Big Sandy Landfill; reported on landscaping at the Roy Anderson Sports Complex; reported that rubber mulch for the Kids' Zone playground will be delivered Aug. 17 and that Kids' Zone will be closed Aug. 16-20 to allow city staff to prepare the playground and install the mulch; and reported that contractors have begun work on the waterline replacement program on Austin Street.

The council approved vouchers totaling $668,039.77 for July 29; and $851,466.27 for Aug. 5; and approved a bid from insurance provider Mutual of Omaha for city life and long-term disability insurance. The insurance bid from Mutual of Omaha matches the current rate being paid by the city to Dearborn/Blue Cross Blue Shield, while the new bid from Dearborn/BCBS increased by 9.08 percent.

In new business, the council acknowledged receipt of the Planning and Zoning Commission minutes for their regular meeting held July 20; and unanimously approved the Howard County 9-1-1 Communications District's 2021-22 budget, which includes payments for