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Staff outlines facilities, safety and equipment needs: AV, cybersecurity backup, SCBA and fleet purchases
Summary
At the July 14 budget workshop staff identified multiple capital and facilities items for the coming fiscal year, including council-chambers AV upgrades, off-site cloud backup for cybersecurity, a multiyear SCBA replacement for fire, library roof repairs and interior work, and a plan to buy public safety vehicles rather than lease them.
During the July 14 workshop, Navasota city staff listed several facilities, equipment and operational items they propose to fund or advance in the FY2025–26 budget. Key items included upgrades to audiovisual equipment in council chambers, off-site cloud backup for cybersecurity, a multiyear replacement of firefighters' breathing apparatus (SCBA), and library repairs including roof work and interior restoration once leaks are fixed.
Staff recommended acquiring public safety vehicles outright this year rather than continuing to use the enterprise fleet lease program, and said the maintenance-services division the city plans to form will manage fleet maintenance and a small internal lease program for departments. The presenter told council the enterprise program provides limited value for public safety vehicles and that purchasing will simplify repair invoicing and long-term cash planning.
On public safety equipment, staff said the SCBA purchase is a multiyear project for which the city funded year 1 previously; staff identified the current year as year 2 of the program. Staff also mentioned replacing in-car mobile data terminals (MDTs) and continuing investments in downtown and train-corridor cameras subject to available funding.
Facilities items cited for funding include repairs at the library (roof and interior) and some funds for building improvements at the Bridal Services/Animal Services building, which staff said has needed attention for some time. Staff also suggested modest investments in parks landscaping and low-cost amenities (e.g., picnic tables, basketball court resurfacing) to improve near-term usability while the parks master plan proceeds.
Council members asked about event infrastructure such as portable restroom trailers and portable generators; staff said the city currently rents those items for events but noted the city may find value in purchasing trailer-mounted restrooms and a portable generator for flexibility and reduced recurring rental costs. Council members also inquired about a police drone; staff said a department drone currently belongs to an individual officer and is not city property.
The presenter said cybersecurity and off-site backups are priorities, noting towns nationwide face cyber threats. Staff described the AV, backup and equipment requests as relatively modest investments to improve operations and public accessibility of meetings.
