City's goal to save soccer

Grimes County Youth Soccer Association (GCYSA), which serves hundreds of youth each year, announced last week there will not be a fall season. The post on GCYSA’s Facebook page read, “Hello everyone. Sorry to inform, but due to complicated schedules unfortunately there will not be a season this year.”

Former president of GCYSA, Michelle Hernandez, told The Examiner that she is unable to continue to run the league due to her complex schedule. Hernandez has been a great leader of the program and her children have had great success in the sport. She now has two daughters in college and another playing on a competitive soccer team. Having dedicated countless hours to the league and expanding the game in Grimes County, Hernandez is hopeful someone is able to continue the league or start a new league.

Navasota City Manager Jason Weeks said The City is in preliminary discussions to help save the season for the youth. “City Council has made it clear to me that they want to see things for kids to do here in Navasota,” explained Weeks. “Since The City couldn’t have a swim season due to equipment supply chain issues, I wanted to do something to help the kids in our community have some type of outdoor activity sponsored by the City of Navasota. Staff at the City are eager to hopefully make recreational soccer the first Parks & Recreation program offered in quite some time to our community. We will do what we can to have a soccer season for our youth!”

Weeks said the first step is an internal meeting then more information will be released to the community. Follow the Navasota Examiner for future updates.

Proposed tax rate, budget hearings set

By a show of hands, council members approved proposing to adopt the Voter Approval Tax Rate of $0.5560/$100 valuation for fiscal year 2022-2023 and scheduling the required public hearing. The rate proposed is $0.0133, or 2.3%, lower than the current tax rate of $0.05593/$100 but projected to bring in revenue of $3,333,501, of which $106,000 is from new value. It is also the highest tax rate which can be adopted without voter approval.

Of that $0.05560, $0.49686 will go to Maintenance & Operation (General Fund) and $0.0592 to Interest & Sinking (Debt Service). The No New Revenue Tax Rate, or the rate which would produce the same amount of taxes if applied to the same properties taxed as last year, is $0.4958/$100. According to Finance Director Lance Hall, the Grimes Central Appraisal District (GCAD) reported the 2022 Assessment Roll Grand Totals for the City to be $599,550,579 - 18.47% higher than 2021 taxable values. The taxable value of property under protest is $5,368,500. Addressing the tax rate and budget, City Manager Jason Weeks said, “The proposed budget decreased our tax rate. There’s no proposed utility tax rate, however, there is a passthrough trash rate increase. Part of the new contract with Republic Services requires CPI adjustments. Next February we’re looking at 4.83%.” Weeks said the budget includes hiring three patrol offi- cers, a dispatcher, firefighter and gas technician as well as compensation adjustments to “retain the qualified employees that we have and also attract some good professional employees.”

According to Weeks, the majority of the proposed $12.5 million budget will go to Capital Improvement Projects.

Referring to the additional $452,000 in revenue, Weeks said, “The additional money, no matter how you slice the pie, is going to provide for public safety.”

A public hearing and first reading of the budget, tax rate, Republic Services CPI adjustment and tax increase ratification will be held at 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 200 E. McAlpine on Sept. 12. The second reading and final vote will be held Sept. 26 at the same time and location.

Wildflyer Mead wins city bid After meeting in Executive Session in accordance with Section 551.072, Texas Government Code, council members approved awarding RFP No. 202201, Redevelopment of the Former City Warehouse, to Wildflyer Mead Company. The proceeds from the sale of the Public Works building at 200 S. Railroad Street and the adjacent vacant lot at 215 S. Railroad Street will be deposited equally in the water, natural gas and wastewater funds and used to offset the cost of the new Public Works warehouse under construction at 108 S. Peeples Street. While the details of the two bids submitted were not released, city staff have budgeted $300,000 for the sale of the property in the 2022-2023 proposed budget.

Other council action:

• Approved appointment of Deborah Grimes to the Library

Advisory Board.

• Received a summary of the Annual Activity Report from Phyllis Allen with the Grimes Health Resource Center and approved assistance to the Center in the amount of $6,000.

• Approved entering into a Master Service InterlocalAgreement with the Brazos Valley Council of Governments for fiber internet services at a cost of $3,600 for fiscal year 2022-2023 plus a one-time installation charge of $100 and $700 for the final months of the current fiscal year, August and September.

• Approved the Consent Agenda which included minutes and expenditures for July and the second reading of Ordinance No. 1000-22 approving voluntary annexation requests from James Hassell and J&H Development.

•After meeting in Executive Session as permitted by Section 551.071, Texas Government Code, approved Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $25,629 to the contract with Green Dream International, LLC for the Downtown Revitalization Project – W. Washington Avenue, Eighth – Tenth Street.

Reports from City staff/ officials to council

• Mayor Bert Miller announced that City Manager Jason Weeks received the designation Credentialed Manager from the ICMA (International City Managers Association), and council member Pattie Pederson was elected Vice-President of the Texas Municipal League (TML) Region 14.

• Received a report from councilman Bernie Gessner about the Aug. 3 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting.

View city council meetings in their entirety at www.navasotatx. gov/city-council/pages/ meeting-videos.