Brookshire — The City Council on Thursday approved a nonbinding interlocal participation agreement with TASB Energy Cooperative that council members and staff said allows the city to explore alternative electric suppliers and potentially secure lower fuel pricing for municipal fleet vehicles.

Dr. Bautista, presenting the item, told the council the agreement is nonbinding and is intended to let the city move forward in a procurement process that could include offers from NRG and other suppliers. "What we're doing is bringing this forward. This is a nonbinding agreement, and it allows us to seek additional electrical provider through NRG and then, potentially seek a lower cost for fuel for the fleet that we have here at Citi," Dr. Bautista said.

Councilors voted to approve the interlocal participation agreement by voice vote; the record shows the motion passed with “Aye.” The agreement does not commit the city to a specific supplier or contract terms; it authorizes participation in the cooperative process.

City staff emphasized the item is an exploratory procurement step, not a final vendor selection. The motion to approve included a staff presentation and a request that the city proceed with the cooperative-based procurement steps.

The meeting record does not include projected savings figures, contract terms, or a timetable for vendor selection. Councilmembers did not pose detailed procurement questions on the public record during this agenda item.