City council postpones decision on expanding police-department building
City council postpones decision on expanding police-department building
Council discussed how to expand the Police-Department building, bond sales, Texas Legislation and more at Monday's meeting
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Burleson City Council postponed deciding how to expand the Police-Department building, approved $42.3 million bond sales and discussed recent Texas legislation and more at City Hall Monday.
Council postponed the Police-Department building-expansion decision two to four weeks because the available expansion options require spending more than voters approved or postponing potentially necessary construction.
The options council will explore further will cost between $36 million and $56.3 million. Voters approved $36.4 million in May 2022.
“I think a number of us just don’t want to visit this now and have to revisit this in three to five years because we need to plan long-term, and the dollar signs, obviously, are only going to increase,” Councilmember Victoria Johnson said at the meeting.
Resident Bill Janusch expressed concern about spending more money on the building in the future at the meeting.
Burleson public works director Eric Oscarson will present the council with select expansion options at a meeting in two to four weeks after presenting six options Monday.
City manager Tommy Ludwig supported postponing the decision even though the Police Department is “busting at the seams” because he never wants the council to feel rushed, Ludwig said.
Council also approved Burleson selling a $9.4 million bond package and a $32.9 million bond package at the meeting Monday.
Council approved Burleson finance director Martin Avila’s recommendation to sell up to $9.4 million in Series 2023 general-obligation bonds and up to $32.9 million in Series 2023 certificate-of-obligation bonds.
The certificate-of-obligation bonds cover Burleson’s tax supported debt, water and sewer fund, Lakewood Drive project, park projects and Old Town parking.
Council also discussed recent Texas legislation at the meeting Monday.
Focused Advocacy partner Snapper Carr presented the council with an overview of recent Texas legislation at the meeting.
Some of the legislation involved Texas taking away city ordinances, which concerned Mayor Chris Fletcher and resident Brenda Gammon.
Gammon requested the council members call Texas State Representatives DeWayne Burns and David Cook and Texas State Senator Phil King to give their opinions on the legislation.
Fletcher has been meeting with mayors, judges and city managers to discuss how to deal with the legislation, Fletcher said Tuesday.
Council also approved changing the utility customer-service leak-adjustment policy to allow citizens to have their water-bill adjusted due to a leak once every 24 months.
A resident emailed Burleson about the leak-adjustment policy, which is what brought about the change, Councilmember Adam Russell said.
Council eventually agreed to change the policy to every 24 months after Councilmember Phil Anderson initially preferred changing it to every 12 months.
“I’m always opinionated,” Anderson said. “If somebody knows me, I’m very opinionated, but I also like this council and we work together, so 24 [months] is great.”
In 2015, the leak-adjustment policy was changed from once over the life of the account to once every 10 years.
Council also approved the 2023-24 annual service and assessment plan update for the Parks at Panchasarp Farms public improvement district at the meeting.
The Parks at Panchasarp Farms will include 659 lots, a multi-family lot, a commercial site, a school site and 25 acres of parks.
Council also approved a $2.3 million 62-month contract with BuyBoard to buy Axon Enterprise Incorporated in-car camera, body-worn camera and taser services and products at the meeting.
Council also approved establishing rules and regulations for amusement centers and requiring permits for amusement centers with coin-operated machines, adopting an emergency medical and ambulance services billing policy and adding private-development engineering review-and-inspection fees at the meeting.
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