Waco City Council authorizes Lake Waco phosphorus study, approves street renaming, youth-program standards and park namings

WACO, Texas — The Waco City Council on May 6 approved several measures addressing water quality, parks and naming, infrastructure acquisitions and routine land-use matters.

The council voted to authorize the city manager and city attorney to retain outside counsel Beverage & Diamond, P.C., and an outside expert to provide advice on “phosphorus reducing mechanisms in watershed into Lake Waco” at an amount not to exceed $325,000 and to execute any documents necessary to effectuate the hire. An unidentified councilmember made the motion; the council then polled and recorded affirmative votes from Fairfield, Rodriguez, Porter Root, Ewing, Chase and Mayor Jim Holmes. Assistant City Secretary Spikes conducted the roll call. The motion passed.

The vote follows an executive-session item posted for possible council action. The motion’s text, as read into the public record, authorized the city to “hire and retain outside council Beverage and Diamond, P. C. [and] an expert to provide advice and recommendations for City Council regarding phosphorus reducing mechanisms in watershed into Lake Waco at an amount not to exceed 325,000 and execute any necessary documents and agreements to effectuate this authority.”

Why it matters: phosphorus loads in Lake Waco affect water quality and downstream uses. The council’s authorization funds legal and technical assistance…