EDC approves up to $50,000 for new monument sign at Business Industrial Park entrance

The Bastrop Economic Development Corporation board on March 17 approved a resolution authorizing up to $50,000 to fund a new monument sign at the Business Industrial Park entrance, with design, foundation, masonry and electrical work to be paid from the Business Industrial Park improvement budget.

Staff said the project is intended to improve the park’s curb appeal and better showcase current and future tenants as part of the EDC’s 2025 strategic plan. The presenter noted the park’s existing sign is hard to read from the road and showed examples of similar signage from peer jurisdictions.

Staff described plans to match the masonry and design of existing park features, to include integrated lighting and to use modular name panels so tenant listings can be updated as new companies locate in the park. The presenter estimated space for roughly 15–18 tenant panels depending on design and said Accutronics and Fiesta (future tenants) were not included in the current tenant count.

Board members questioned whether the sign is the best use of funds in an industrial park where most occupants do not rely on drive‑by consumer traffic; staff responded that international and corporate tenants value visible entrance signage and that the park needs basic beautification and maintenance (irrigation repairs, landscaping), arguing the sign is a one‑time investment to support recruitment.

The board approved the motion by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the public transcript. Staff said the project will use the park improvement line, which currently has a $200,000 allocation for the fiscal year.