The Brownwood City Council met this morning in executive session to discuss a request for a digital billboard to be installed on North Main Street.

In the executive session, the City Council authorized City Manager Bobby Rountree to negotiate a lease with Lamar Outdoor Advertising for a digital billboard to be installed at 402 N. Main.  If an agreement is signed, the new digital billboard will replace an existing traditional billboard already at the location.

Representatives from Lamar Outdoor Advertising said that the type of billboard they are seeking to be installed will rotate between 6 advertisers every 8 seconds.  These types of digital display billboards use Light Emitting Diode Display (LED) technology for clear and vivid photos and graphics.   Advertisers will be able to update the artwork and ads frequently showing new products & prices.  The digital billboard will also have an emergency alert system that will include Amber Alerts.  Above is an example of a digital billboard display.

The City of Brownwood and Lamar Outdoor Advertising will be negotiating the lease soon.

The Brownwood City Council also acted on or discussed the following items:

-The Brownwood City Council held a public hearing regarding the closure of a 5 foot portion of the right-of-way of Johnson Street between West Commerce and Burkett Street.  This regards a 5′ encroachment of part of a structure at Best Body Works.  City Manager Bobby Rountree said that a 50′ easement is all that is required and there would be no problems with taking 5′ off of the current 60′ easement.  Council unanimously passed the ordinance on 1st reading and will address it again on 2nd and 3rd readings in two weeks.

-The City Council also had 1st reading on an ordinance to establish one-way traffic along Wilson Street which used to connect to Carnegie.

-Council approved the 2010  routine Airport Maintenance Grant from the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division.  This is a grant dedicated to airport maintenance of $50,000.  It is a matching grant where the city will contribute $50,000 as well.

-The city ratified amendments  to the Meet & Confer agreements between the city and the Brwonwood Municipal Police Officers Association and the Brownwood Professional Firefighters Association.

-The city also approved a 2009 vendor agreement for meal reimbursement for the Senior Citizen program.  This will increase the payment of 2 center per meal.

-The City Manager also discussed the success of the Rice University/UT Dallas Emergency Management study.  100 residents and city works have participated so far.  He also discussed the success of the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications system calls recently held for law enforcement officers.  He also discussed the fire departments participation in Fire Prevention Week.