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Whitehouse Council approves drainage policy, public-event alcohol at farmers market, contract awards and other measures
Summary
The Whitehouse City Council approved a package of resolutions, contracts and event permissions at its March meeting, including a drainage-maintenance policy, vendor permission for alcohol sales at the farmers market, a Motorola dispatching agreement and selection of a collections services firm.
The Whitehouse City Council on a series of voice votes on (March 2025) approved a new drainage maintenance policy, permitted limited alcoholic beverage tastings and off-premise sales by Vinland Meads at the Whitehouse Farmers Market for the 2025 season, authorized the city manager to sign a contract with Motorola for enhanced dispatching data and communications software, selected a collections services firm for delinquent municipal court fines, and reaffirmed the city's tax-abatement guidelines under Texas law.
The council opened with the consent agenda — the quarterly investment report and the February 2025 minutes — and approved them by voice vote. Staff then presented a resolution (R-25-0325-01) to adopt a drainage maintenance policy that clarifies the city’s responsibilities versus private-property owner responsibilities under Texas state law; the council voted to adopt the resolution by voice vote.
On special-events alcohol, staff briefed the council that Vinland Meads had submitted the necessary state permits and sought the city’s permission (required by ordinance 18032702) to allow less-than-one-ounce on-site tastings and bottle sales for off-premise consumption at the Whitehouse Farmers Market (109 East Main) across the 2025 season. After a short discussion that included one councilmember saying they opposed making alcohol available at the market, the council approved the request; the motion passed on a voice vote with one recorded “no.”
For municipal collections, staff reported four RFQ responses and recommended a vendor with an existing relationship to the city; the council approved the recommended collections services contract by voice vote.
Public safety staff requested authorization to execute an agreement with Motorola for map overlays, vehicle tracking, hydrant location data and integrated CAD features to be used by police, fire and dispatch. Chief Johnson told the council the project would cost roughly $53,000 in upfront hardware and about $1,900 per year in software maintenance; Smith County 9-1-1 District funds will offset some costs. The council authorized the city manager to execute the Motorola agreement by voice vote.
Council also approved resolution R-25-0325-02 to continue participation in tax-abatement agreements and adopt the city's guidelines under Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code. Council members noted the measure preserves an economic-development tool should the need arise.
Several items involving staff direction were also recorded: council asked staff to apply the newly adopted drainage scoring system to a specific homeowner complaint on Dews Drive (and to email the completed assessment), directed staff to solicit quotes and renderings for replacement of the damaged “Welcome to Whitehouse” sign, and approved a $2,500 target budget for the City Center grand-opening celebration with direction to solicit event donations from the Chamber and EDC.
