During Tuesday morning’s meeting, the Brownwood City Council approved a Resolution denying the Oncor Electric Delivery Company’s Application to increase system-wide transmission and distribution rates by about $834 million.

On June 26, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC filed an application with cities retaining original jurisdiction seeking to increase system-wide transmission and distribution rates by approximately 13% over present revenues. The Company asked the City to approve a 12.3% increase in residential rates and a 51% increase in street lighting rates. This requested increase on an average residential customer would be cost about $7.90 per month.

In a prior City action, Oncor’s rate request was suspended from taking effect for 90 days, the fullest extent permissible under the law. This time period has permitted the City, through its participation with the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor, to determine that the proposed rate increase is unreasonable.

Consistent with the recommendations of the experts engaged by the Steering Committee, Oncor’s request for a rate increase should be denied. Accordingly, the purpose of the Resolution is to deny the rate change application proposed by Oncor.

Once the Resolution is adopted, Oncor will have 30 days to appeal the decision to the Public Utility Commission of Texas where the appeal will be consolidated with Oncor’s filing currently pending at the Public Utility Commission.

Also Tuesday, the City Council selected Freese & Nichols to complete administrative and project related engineering, architecture, and environmental services for the EDA Disaster Supplemental Grant Program.

The City of Brownwood is eligible for the grant, which requires an 80/20 federal-to-local match, with higher local matches improving competitiveness. Typical awards range from $2–5 million. To maximize opportunities, City Staff recommended leveraging the anticipated downtown Certificates of Obligation issuance as the City’s local match.

The City awarded grant administration services to GrantWorks. The next step is awarding engineering services. The City received three Statements of Qualifications for engineering services including Freese & Nichols, The Estes Group, and Enprotec Hibbs & Todd.

Freese & Nichols has extensive experience in planning services for federal grant funds. Staff recommended Freese & Nichols, which is currently engineering and designing the phase I downtown master plan projects as this federally funded grant opportunity will align with existing work being completed. After awarding engineering services a project scope will be identified in conjunction with GrantWorks and City of Brownwood based on the grant submission.

Council also passed a resolution approving ten new capital leases totaling $1,948,965 with Citizens National Bank and assigning a property tax pledge.

The City will be borrowing for the following items:

• Parks Department – Motorized Boom Lift: $50,160
• Street Department – Tymco Sweeper: $290,301
• Street Department – Traffic Signal 4th & Magnolia: $105,289
• Sanitation Department – Autocar Automated Trash Truck (22/23): $223,652
• Sanitation Department – Autocar Automated Trash Truck (23/24): $246,163
• Sanitation Department – Kenworth Rolloff: $153,945
• Landfill Department – John Deere Dozer: $648,873
• Landfill Department – Recycling Baler: $96,655
• Fleet Department – Kenworth Haul Truck: $63,164
• Info Tech Department – Computer Hardware & Software: $70,764
• Total: $1,948,965

In other action items Tuesday, Council:

• approved an ordinance on first / final reading updating the positions, salary, longevity, and certification pay for all Civil Service Fire Fighters and Police Officers.
• ratified BMDD board action to approve a Building Improvement Incentive Program grant not to exceed $25,000 to House of Wheels, which is relocating at 901 Riverside Drive.
• ratified BMDD board action to approve a Building Improvement Incentive Program grant not to exceed $12,500 to Super Sudds of Texas, LLC for a laundromat located at 1615 Belle Plain.
• approved the solid waste disposal contracts for Waste Connections Lone Star, Inc and County Waste Service, as beginning Oct. 1 the outside city limit scale rate will be $52.00 per ton, which would set the contract rate at $49.40 per ton.
• awarded a two-year HVAC Maintenance Contract to Heart of Texas Mechanical for $72,541, an increase of $10,934 from 2023.
• ratified the Mayoral appointment of Marco Sandoval and reappointment of Jon Oplotnik to the BMDD board of directors.