Montgomery council approves water, wastewater and roadway contracts and authorizes studies for multiple developments

Montgomery — The Montgomery City Council on Aug. 26 approved a package of infrastructure and development actions including wastewater pump upgrades, waterline and water-plant work, roadway design authorizations tied to developer deposits, and a firearms-range agreement for law enforcement use.

The actions move forward city projects the council and staff said are needed to support recent and planned development and to maintain water and sewer service. Several approvals were conditioned on developers depositing funds before the city executes contracts or before design work begins.

Council-approved items included: a range-use agreement authorizing the police chief to sign a use contract with a private range operator; an award for Lift Station 10 improvements to add a third pump and plumbing and electrical modifications; an escrow agreement and feasibility study authorization for SR105 LLC’s proposed development (described in staff materials as 2.1 acres within a larger 14.9-acre tract); authorization for preliminary design of the Buffalo Springs / C.B. Stewart public infrastructure and roadway projects (both noted as contingent on deposits from BCS Capital Group); acceptance of the engineer’s recommendation to award the West Lonestar Parkway 12-inch waterline extension to the lowest responsive bidder; and award of Water Plant 3 pump work funded through the ARPA program.

City staff and councilmembers stressed that some projects are proceeding through a staged process: design or contract work will not be executed until the city has received the developer deposits specified in each development agreement. Council members raised routine procurement questions at several items, including why one bid on the Lift Station 10 project was much lower than others and what protections the city has against change orders if the low bidder withdraws. Staff said the contract documents reserve the city’s rights in those cases and that the low bidder would be required to provide bonding and meet contract requirements.

The council also voted to take no action at this meeting on a proposed partnership with a local publisher for a “Montgomery Neighbors” print/digital program; the motion to take no action passed by vocal vote.

Actions recorded at the meeting included motions and majority voice approvals; the meeting minutes show aye/nay voice votes rather than roll-call tallies for these items.

Ending: Council members said they expect some of the projects to return with final contract documents for execution once deposits and additional procurement steps are complete. The council meets next on Sept. 9, when staff indicated several of the items that were contingent on developer deposits could be updated if funds are received.