During Tuesday morning’s meeting, the Brownwood City Council approved accepting a grant award of $51,209.52 from the 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant and purchase equipment from Casco Industries for the amount of $55,632.50.

The purchase will include five MSA self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), ten spare bottles and other associated equipment from the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The AFG program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. The grant award of $51,209.52 covers approximately 92% of the total cost.

The City Council also approved public hearings at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20 regarding the proposed property tax rate and budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which runs Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025.

The Council announced a proposed property tax rate of $0.6995 per $100 valuation for the 2024–2025 fiscal year following a budget workshop on July 9. This is more than three cents higher than the current fiscal year’s rate of $0.6659. The proposed budget for the 2024–2025 fiscal year is $45,615,217, which is a 7.75% increase from the current budget of $42,334,148.

In other items of business, the Council:

*Accepted a Ground Power Unit (GPU) donation from John Harkey.

The GPU will allow staff to offer a new service to customers who need to keep their planes operable while on the ground or when needed for start-up. The City will have to replace the batteries on the unit at a cost of $3,500 before placing into service. A new unit would cost approximately $25,000 to $30,000. With the donation acceptance of the Ground Power Unit for the airport, the City will need to set the fees to be able to charge for those services. The City recommended $75 per hour with a one-hour minimum.

*Approved an ordinance on second and third/final reading granting a franchise to Atmos Energy Corporation to operate a gas delivery, transportation, and distribution system in the City of Brownwood.

The agreement gives Atmos the right to use and occupy the present and future streets, alleys, highways, public utility easements, public ways and other public places to operate a gas delivery, transportation and distribution system in the City of Brownwood. The term is 20 years beginning Jan. 1, 2025 and ending Dec. 31, 2044

*Approved an interlocal agreement with Tarleton State University to provide field office space for the Small Business Development Center.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) based out of Tarleton University, has a long history of providing small business services in Brownwood. They provide important tools for small businesses such as consulting, business plan development, workshops and training at no cost. They have been a great partner to the BMDD, Chamber, City, and the business community for a long time.

Because of demand for their services, in 2017 the SBDC hired a full-time employee to service Brown County. With that hire, the City provided office space for them on the second floor of the Harvey House building. Staff changes in 2021 caused this office to become vacant and our agreement with them at the time expired.

The SBDC has now been able to hire a new full-time person for their business analyst position and they are requesting office space again. The proposed interlocal agreement will provide them office space in the Harvey House with use of the common areas for a one-year term.