Snyder City Council renews chamber tourism contract, approves equipment purchase and several routine reports; new grant project outlined

Snyder City Council on Feb. 2025 renewed its publicity and tourism agreement with the Snyder Chamber of Commerce, approved several routine financial and operational items and discussed a Texas Community Development Block Grant project that will repair streets in a low-income area on the north side of town.

The council voted unanimously to renew the publicity and tourism agreement after amending the proposed contract to set administrative pay for the chamber at $17,000 per month and limit that amount to no more than 50% of total hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds. The council also approved a purchase order for a Caterpillar CB4.4 utility compactor for the street department at $89,650 and accepted the Snyder Fire Department's required 2024 racial-profiling report.

The chamber's quarterly and annual HOT (hotel occupancy tax) reports were presented during the meeting. The chamber reported fourth-quarter HOT revenue of $177,921.85 and annual HOT receipts to the chamber of $616,173.05 for 2024. Chamber representatives described plans to add three events in 2025 (a pickleball tournament, a gravel bike race and an additional tournament) and to pursue volunteers and partnerships if those events are awarded. Councilors requested that the chamber's proposed 2025 budget be revised to align with the city fiscal period that ends Sept. 30 and tabled final approval of that budget until the revision is provided.

Council members received an update on a Texas Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project (CDBG CDB23-0066 as referenced by staff) that will address streets in a north-side area bounded roughly by Huffman and College avenues. Staff said the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will take about six months to complete an environmental review; designs are under way with a consultant, and staff estimated bidding this summer with an award around November and construction likely to begin in January. A council member asked whether the grant…