Borger city manager reports steady finances, updates on pools, city hall and utility projects

City Manager Brandon told the Borger City Council on June 17 that the city’s general fund and water and sewer fund are overall tracking near budget, and he reviewed multiple capital projects and staffing updates.

Brandon said the city is “still pretty good on everything” in the general fund and that industrial district payments received in June help push revenues above expenditures. He said sales tax is “still trending a little bit below where we were last year but in line with our budget.”

The report outlined completed and ongoing projects. Brandon said pool heaters were activated and the pool was “pretty much 100% operational,” and that staff planned minor nighttime temperature adjustments as summer heat rose. He said the new pool had used less chlorine than the old pool and noted recent heavy rain forced partial draining.

City hall renovations are in the finishing phases: downstairs fixtures and flooring are complete, and work on upstairs bathrooms was planned within about four weeks. Brandon said the air conditioning is functioning well.

Brandon said the city is still waiting on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to approve the water permit for Well 13 and that a second new well permit has been submitted. He also said the screw pumps for the wastewater plant are custom manufactured and “probably next year, next budget year” before that project begins.

On emergency equipment, Brandon described a mobile command vehicle inspected in Milwaukee and expected to arrive the following week; he said the unit has aluminum framing and satellite capability and is “built to last.”

Grant and hazard mitigation updates included a state-submitted project to FEMA for a detection camera system and a hazard mitigation grant application that could fund wastewater generators. Brandon said a Third Street drainage project remains under state review (step 6 of 8) for another hazard mitigation grant.

Department notes: HR is onboarding seasonal employees and testing new benefit-management software; parks and streets crews are stretched by rapid summer growth after heavy rain; code enforcement activity and automated notifications have increased; IT will start replacing noncompliant cameras; and the fire department completed industrial firefighting training sponsored by Phillips 66. Brandon said the city is switching its mass-notification software from D4H to Voci on July 1.

Brandon closed by inviting questions and noting one agenda item was placed on the July meeting in error and would be carried over.

The council did not take separate formal action on the monthly report during the meeting.