Council approves replat, pavilion name, fiber contract and grant applications

Decatur — The Decatur City Council voted on a package of routine and policy items during its meeting, approving a property replat, the naming of a park pavilion, a three-year fiber Internet contract for city facilities and two grant-application resolutions.

Staff said these items met ordinance and program requirements and required simple majority approval. Council approved: (1) RP25-0008, a replat of about 13.799 acres at 1400 Deer Park Road to accommodate an internal utility-easement relocation and campus expansion for Crossroads Church; (2) a motion to name the new pavilion at Lou Ida Willis Park the Mike Bell Memorial Pavilion, funded in part with a $60,000 Christelle Wagner Foundation grant; (3) a three-year service agreement with Fiber First to provide dedicated fiber Internet to City Hall and the City Hall Annex; (4) a resolution authorizing application for a U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning grant (staff said the maximum planning grant is up to $525,000 and would carry a 20% local match if awarded); and (5) a solid-waste grant application through the regional council of governments and TCEQ to help purchase equipment such as an air curtain burner and heavy equipment (staff said the grant value is up to $200,000 and indicated no local match is required unless equipment costs exceed the award).

Council also approved the consent agenda and a three-member budget committee appointment (see actions list). No public votes failed on these items.

Why it matters: the replat clears a path for a church campus expansion, the pavilion naming memorializes a local community leader and the broadband agreement and grants aim to improve municipal services and infrastructure planning. The SS4A planning grant, if awarded, would finance an engineering and action-plan phase that the city expects will increase competitiveness for future construction funds.

Details and next steps: Planning staff said the Crossroads Church replat met zoning and subdivision requirements and received a favorable Planning & Zoning recommendation. The pavilion is expected to be finished and open in roughly 30–40 days per parks staff. The Fiber First contract covers both City Hall facilities and includes an option to cancel or extend after three years; staff said the quoted cost equates to $18.46 per month total ($9.23 per facility per month). For the SS4A planning grant, staff said the city would be responsible for 20% of any award (approximately $105,000 on a $525,000 grant) and that additional engineering work by a consultant (Kimley‑Horn) is intended to strengthen future applications. For the solid-waste grant staff described the air curtain burner as a cleaner alternative to open burning used for disposal of storm-generated yard debris.

Votes at a glance (items approved): RP25-0008 — replat (motion approved); Mike Bell Memorial Pavilion naming — approved; Fiber First Internet service agreement — approved; Resolution authorizing SS4A grant application (R2025-017) — approved; Resolution authorizing solid waste grant application (R2025-018) — approved; Budget committee appointments — approved; Consent agenda — approved.

No formal appeals, ordinance adoptions requiring second readings, or contested roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes for these items. Staff said any award of competitive grants would require further council approval if funding or matching commitments exceed currently budgeted amounts.

Ending: Items approved at this meeting will move to implementation steps described above and, where applicable, to subsequent administrative actions or project kickoffs pending contractor scheduling or external grant awards.