Hewitt council approves sign variance, street work contract, speed-limit changes and other measures

Hewitt — The Hewitt City Council on April 7 approved a set of ordinances, contracts and authorizations covering a sign variance, street maintenance work, fire station repairs, a well capping, speed‑limit changes on FM 2113 (Spring Valley Road), a school‑zone speed designation, a police grant resolution and a utility gas‑line connection to the new fire station.

The most immediate actions included the council’s approval of an ordinance granting a sign‑variance application for a pylon sign at 311 Enterprise Boulevard (the Discount Tire development). Council also unanimously approved a $176,257.27 contract for slurry seal street work, authorized $14,298 in repairs and upgrades at the fire station bay doors, awarded $59,250 to cap the old Marina/Lorena well, adopted a 40 mph prima facie speed limit on a segment of FM 2113 and a 30 mph school zone within that corridor, authorized a police grant resolution to apply for Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority funds, and approved an Atmos Energy agreement to extend gas service to the new fire station.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 2025-08 (sign variance) — Approved unanimously. Motion to approve made by Mr. Potter; second by Mr. Turner. The item followed a public hearing during which a representative of Pusher Signs and Lighting, who filed the variance application, said the single 30‑foot pylon sign would improve visibility from I‑35 and reduce visual clutter compared with multiple monument signs. Staff (Mr. Thomas, city staff member) recommended approval under Chapter 58 (sign regulations).

- Slurry‑seal contract (streets) — Approved unanimously. Council approved authorization for slurry‑seal services in the amount of $176,257.27. Staff materials in the meeting packet referenced Viking Construction as the bidder; the motion as recorded named Bicom Construction. The council vote authorized the contract as presented. (Packet list of streets and the funding plan — use of a $135,000 street reserve and remaining funds from the street maintenance line — was included in the backup.)

- Fire station bay doors (repairs and upgrades) — Approved unanimously. Council authorized the city manager to proceed with repairs and upgrades on fire station bay doors for $14,298, using remaining CO facility‑improvement funds from 2022 as available.

- Capping of the old Marina/Lorena well — Approved unanimously. Council authorized capping the well at the old Lorena plant and awarded the work for $59,250. Staff presented a competitive procurement process in which a local vendor (Jergensen Pump) had been a responsive bidder; the motion awarded the contract to Kirkpatrick LLC for the stated amount. (Staff noted the work had not been budgeted this fiscal year and offered options to fund it from utility unrestricted funds or remaining 2024 CO utility funds of about $52,583.)

- Ordinance 2025-09 (Speed limit on FM 2113 / Spring Valley Road) — Approved, 6–0. The council set a prima facie speed limit of 40 mph on Spring Valley Road from FM 2063 (Sun Valley Boulevard) to FM 1695 (Hewitt Drive). Staff (Mr. Thomas, city staff member) said the corridor’s development and residential access supported reducing the previously posted 50 mph.

- Ordinance 2025-10 (School zone on FM 2113) — Approved unanimously. Council established a 30 mph school zone on Spring Valley Road for the linear segment described in the ordinance (start and end points were given in linear feet from local landmarks) and maintained the existing school‑zone extents while changing the posted speed.

- Resolution 2025-01 (Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant) — Approved unanimously. Council authorized the police chief to submit a task‑force grant application worth $78,750 (an 80/20 grant); the city’s required 20% match was stated as $15,750.

- Atmos Energy agreement (gas line to new fire station) — Approved unanimously. Council authorized the city manager to enter into an agreement with Atmos Energy to extend gas service to the new fire station; the direct cost from Atmos to the city was stated as $63,176.

What council said

Staff presentations were led frequently by Mr. Thomas (city staff member) for ordinance and contract items. On the sign variance, Mr. Thomas told council that the requested single pylon sign would not create site difficulties and "will help with visibility for the local business." A representative of Pusher Signs and Lighting told council the pylon sign was requested "to keep in line with the rest of the area" and to increase visibility from the highway.

Funding and procurement notes

Staff identified available funding sources for unbudgeted items: a street reserve fund (approximately $135,000) plus the street maintenance budget for the slurry work; remaining 2024 CO utility funds (about $52,583) and/or unrestricted utility funds for the well capping; and CO facility‑improvement funds for the fire station door work. Several items were described by staff as unbudgeted but payable from existing reserves or line items, subject to council authorization.

Context and next steps

The council’s approvals authorize staff to execute contracts and process the TxDOT and procurement steps necessary to implement the speed limit changes, order signs, schedule street work, proceed with vendor work on repairs and well capping, and submit the police grant application by the stated deadline. Several items noted timing dependencies (for example TxDOT must process speed‑limit changes and order new signs).