Brownwood City Council moved steps closer at Tuesday’s meeting towards the construction of a new fire station on Adams Street in Brownwood.

Council approved the termination of the lease and a bill of sale agreement for the purchase of the Red Cross building where the new Central Fire Station will be built.  According to City Manager Bobby Rountree, the City of Brownwood entered into a 50-year land lease agreement with the Red Cross in 1980, at its current location, 600 East Adams Street.  The lease amount was $1.00 per year and the Red Cross paid for the construction of the building.

Rountree stated that the city has been working with the Red Cross for the past several months on relocation options so that the fire station can be constructed in this location.  Recently, arrangements have been made for the Red Cross to relocate into the Family Services Center.

The value of the remaining portion of the land lease (17 years) and the improvements were established by an appraisal performed by David Harding, Real Estate Appraiser and Consultant.  Funding for this purchase will come from the certificates of obligation Fire Station fund according to a briefing sheet from the council.

According to Rountree, the Red Cross has agreed to be out by the end of this month and city crews will begin working to demolish the building as well as the existing slab of the Red Cross building and of the former Boy Scouts building.

Architecture work planning in the new station is near completion, according to Rountree, and the plans will be turned over to electrical engineers soon.

The council also approved an ordinance on first reading to close and abandon the portion of East Chandler Street between Greenleaf and Congress Streets.  The city owns the property surrounding this one-block portion of East Chandler and as designed, the new Central Fire Station will be constructed where the Red Cross building is currently located and will extend east across this portion of East Chandler Street.  This matter of street closure will again be before the council most likely at the next regular meeting, on the consent agenda in second, third & final readings.

In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:

*Council approved an ordinance on second and third/final readings changing the zoning classification of 1.0 acre of Robert Malone, Survey 48, Abstract 656, known as 1609 Wood Street from R-1 Single Family Residential District to RR Residential Rural District.

*A resolution was passed endorsing certain legislative changes to enhance the competitive electric market supported by Texas Coalition for Affordable Power – TCAP.

*Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an “Advanced Funding Agreement” for the Market Place Blvd. extension/Riverside Park Drive project.

*A resolution was approved authorizing the mayor to execute a Municipal Maintenance Agreement with Texas Department of Transportation.

*Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the Texas Colorado River Floodplain Coalition (TCRFC) and appointing members of the Executive and Technical Committees.

*City Manager Bobby Rountree announced a date of April 9th has been set for the FEMA meeting which will be held from 4:00-6:00 PM.  FEMA and National Flood Insurance Program will be present at the meeting to discuss the proposed flood plain maps along with flood insurance information.

*Rountree gave a reminder that Drought Contingency Stage 3 restrictions are still in place.  Now that spring is here, residents need to be aware of their allowed watering restrictions according to odd/even street addresses.