Jersey Village council approves ambulance chassis purchase, FEMA home-elevation contracts, golf-range lights and Safe Streets plan

The Jersey Village City Council on Monday approved several measures affecting emergency services, flood mitigation, recreation and transportation planning.

Ambulance chassis purchase: The council approved an amendment to the city’s capital replacement budget not to exceed $73,900 to acquire a chassis now so the city can enter the manufacturing queue for a replacement ambulance scheduled for 2027. Fire Chief Mark Bitz told council ambulance bodies are subject to lengthy lead times; staff said the chassis must be acquired now to secure a production slot and estimated a 29–34 month delivery timeline for a completed vehicle. City staff said about $355,000 is already set aside in the capital replacement fund for the overall ambulance project; the amendment moves funds between capital accounts so the chassis purchase can proceed.

FEMA home-elevation grant contracts: Council approved a resolution to authorize the city manager to enter into an agreement with Jeffrey S. Ward & Associates to serve as grant administrator and project manager for the city’s FY2023 FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) home-elevations grant application. Staff said the grant application is under FEMA review and that no contracts will be signed or funds spent until FEMA issues final award documents, expected in spring or early summer 2025. Council also approved a separate resolution selecting two contractors — Architecture and Allied Foundation — as prequalified firms to perform home-elevation work on the two homes included in this funding round. Staff explained FEMA program rules require elevations to a specified height (the project work plan submitted with the grant proposed raising homes roughly 3 feet above the 100-year floodplain) and that grant funds cannot be commingled with homeowner-requested extras; homeowners will select among prequalified contractors and individual change orders for extras would be privately contracted.

Golf course driving-range lighting: The council approved a budget amendment to reallocate green-fee revenue so the golf course can purchase and install new driving-range lights from Facility Solutions Group. Staff said the total project price for conduit and lights is $92,807 and that the golf operation expects to fund the work from its revenue; the ordinance before council increased the golf course capital improvements item by up to $26,000 with corresponding green-fee revenue adjustments. Staff said the contractor designed shielded fixtures and a lighting layout intended to produce zero foot-candle spill outside the property; temporary testing in December and January produced roughly $1,000 in additional range revenue over about 16 nights, staff said.

Safe Streets action plan: The council authorized the city manager to enter a $120,000 contract with Half Associates, Inc., to develop a Safe Streets for All action plan, with an additional $5,000 allocated for grant administration costs. Staff said the plan will run through October 2025 and will guide future USDOT grant applications for construction; staff reported USDOT has obligated $100,000 toward the project and the city will apply a $25,000 local match from its traffic safety fund.

Other formal action: The council approved the modified consent agenda (items not removed were adopted) and, after a closed session on real property, authorized the city manager to proceed with negotiations as discussed in executive session. All board motions recorded at the meeting were adopted unanimously; the transcript records unanimous passage for these items but does not include roll-call tallies of individual yes/no votes.