Balch Springs council approves streetscape contracts, $4.01 million street program, benefits broker and electronic voting software

Balch Springs City Council on March 24 approved multiple contracts and program amendments aimed at street and corridor improvements, named a new employee benefits broker and authorized a one-time electronic voting setup for council meetings.

The council unanimously approved contract amendments with Lothrop Landscape Inc. for streetscape work on the Lake June corridor (not to exceed $193,400) and the Beltline Road corridor (not to exceed $150,000). Council also approved an amendment with Freese and Nichols for engineering design services for adding sidewalks on Horseshoe Trail (design amendment not to exceed $84,008.50) and a combined street maintenance tax program to reconstruct four priority streets — Platte Drive, Horseshoe Trail, Glenshauer and Summerhill — at a total not to exceed $4,005,750. The council voted to fund the package from the street maintenance tax fund with any overages coming from CIP fund balance.

Council voted to select Gallagher as the city’s new employee benefits broker and to authorize transition from the prior broker (1Digital). The council approved a one-time payment not to exceed $3,000 from council contingency to activate CivicPlus Live Meeting Manager electronic voting; staff will budget the recurring annual fee in future budgets.

Council also approved a housekeeping amendment to the council policies and procedures to add proclamations under the section governing ordinances and resolutions; that motion passed with one recorded No vote.

Nut graf: The actions mark a concentrated effort by city leadership to advance corridor beautification and accelerate a multi-street maintenance program while shifting administrative services (employee benefits) to a new vendor and modernizing meeting technology. The largest single commitment approved at the meeting was the $4,005,750 street maintenance package, which combines reconstruction and new sidewalks on multiple neighborhood routes.

Most important details

- Streetscape contracts: Council approved two contract amendments with Lothrop Landscape Inc. — Lake June corridor not to exceed $193,400; Beltline Road corridor not to exceed $150,000. Staff said the Beltline scope runs from Lassiter to Spring Ridge; Lake June scope runs in the medians roughly from I-635 to Hickory and covers about one mile of median islands.

- Street maintenance program and sidewalks: Staff recommended and the council approved adding sidewalks for Horseshoe Trail via a Freese and Nichols design amendment (not to exceed $84,008.50) and prioritized four streets with an estimated combined construction budget of $4,005,750 (Platte Drive ~ $928,000; Horseshoe Trail ~ $2,000,000; Glenshauer ~ $480,000; Summerhill ~ $490,000). Staff said Spring Oaks was evaluated but deferred for now; the package will be bid this spring with construction proposed to start later in 2025.

- Maintenance responsibility: Councilmembers asked whether the new streetscape work includes long-term maintenance. Staff said the contract amendments do not include maintenance; operations/public services will budget routine maintenance in upcoming fiscal years and the city has shifted some tasks from contractors to in-house crews to control recurring costs.

- Employee benefits broker: The council approved Gallagher as the city’s new employee benefits broker, authorizing staff to proceed with transition from 1Digital and to use a carrier-commission compensation model. Presenters said Gallagher will provide actuarial, pharmacy and compliance expertise and a benefit-advocate center for employees.

- Electronic voting: City Secretary identified CivicPlus Live Meeting Manager as fully integrated with the city’s current agenda software; council approved a one-time expenditure not to exceed $3,000 from council contingency to activate the feature and instructed staff to budget the recurring $2,400 annual service fee in future budgets.

- Council policies: Council voted to amend policy section 3.0 to explicitly include proclamations in the list of items requiring council approval; city staff will return proposed, standardized language for the proclamations process.

Votes at a glance (motion language condensed from the meeting record)

1) Consent agenda (minutes and several routine items) - Motion: Approve consent agenda (minutes for Feb. regular meeting and March 10 regular meeting; remove Mark Morris and Susie Klus from Balch Springs Community Development Corporation; designate authorized city signatories; other listed consent items). - Mover/Second: Mayor Pro Tem Miles / Councilmember Hill - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

2) Amend contract with Lothrop Landscape Inc. — Lake June corridor (individual item) - Motion: Approve amendment not to exceed $193,400 for Lake June Corridor streetscape improvements - Mover/Second: Mayor Pro Tem Miles / Councilmember Hill - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

3) Amend contract with Lothrop Landscape Inc. — Beltline Road corridor - Motion: Approve amendment not to exceed $150,000 for Beltline Road Corridor streetscape improvements - Mover/Second: Mayor Pro Tem Miles / Councilmember Garcia - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

4) Freese and Nichols contract amendment (Horseshoe Trail sidewalks) and Street Maintenance Tax (SMT) program - Motion: Approve Freese and Nichols amendment for design services (not to exceed $84,008.50) and approve SMT program for FY24–25 street improvements not to exceed $4,005,750 (Platte, Horseshoe, Glenshauer, Summerhill) - Mover/Second: Councilmember Whitley / Councilmember Salau - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

5) Gallagher as employee benefits broker - Motion: Approve Gallagher as the city’s new employee benefits broker and authorize transition from 1Digital using a carrier-commission compensation model - Mover/Second: Mayor Pro Tem Miles / Councilmember Whitley - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

6) CivicPlus Live Meeting Manager (electronic voting) - Motion: Approve CivicPlus Live Meeting Manager for electronic voting at a one-time cost not to exceed $3,000 from council contingency; staff to budget recurring fee in future general fund budgets - Mover/Second: Councilmember Hill / Councilmember Garcia (amended motion to one-time contingency payment) - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — Yes; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

7) Policies and procedures (proclamations) - Motion: Amend City Council Policy 3.0 to include proclamations in the ordinances/resolutions section and return suggested language for the proclamations approval process - Mover/Second: Mayor Pro Tem Miles / Councilmember Whitley - Vote: Hill — Yes; Garcia — Yes; Gabriel — No; Whitley — Yes; Mayor Pro Tem Miles — Yes; Salau — Yes - Outcome: Approved

Background and context

Council members repeatedly emphasized the need to plan for maintenance costs when approving capital beautification. Staff said the city has shifted some maintenance tasks in-house to reduce contractor spending and will include recurring maintenance funding in the next budget cycle. For the large street package staff cited updated cost estimates following inflation and site visits; Spring Oaks was evaluated but deferred due to budget constraints and will be considered as an alternate in bidding.

Ending

Staff will proceed with design and bidding for the prioritized streets and corridors, begin the Gallagher transition work, and sign the CivicPlus contract once returned; the city expects construction bidding this spring and work to extend into early 2026 for the street maintenance projects.