Conroe council approves series of consent items, water projects and program changes; one bid fails

The Conroe City Council on Jan. 23 approved a range of consent and action-agenda items related to public works, utilities and administrative programs and declined or deferred others during a meeting that included workshop follow-ups and a pulled payment item.

Key outcomes included approval of a change-order reconciliation for the downtown alley conversion project (item 6), authorization to proceed with Water Well 20 rehabilitation (item 7), and approval of a resolution assessing liquidated damages against Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors for delays on Water Plant 27 (item 8). The council also approved a design and construction-services proposal from LJA for Water Plant 34 (item 10) and approved changes to the TMLI program moving to the CMO program (item 12). Item 9, the bid award for CIP project 24-19 (Water Plant 32, North Northwest region), failed for lack of a second.

Several items had been discussed at a prior workshop session; council members moved the consent agenda (items 14 through 32) and approved it in a single motion. Item 11 was deferred; item 5 was deferred earlier in the meeting. The council approved adding a new announcements section to the agenda (item 33) to permit time-limited public announcements.

Payments and construction status: Council members pulled a payment item related to Brookstone Construction to ask questions about electrical work at a building under construction. City staff said the electrical disconnect had not yet been completed because parts were not received, and that the project's expected completion was mid-June (with the possibility of slipping to the end of June). Staff said they were continuing daily payments and were comfortable with the work completed so far; council members asked that the vendor or their representative attend future payment hearings.

Other approvals included the resolution assessing liquidated damages for Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors for delay on Water Plant 27 and the council's approval of contract and design motions discussed at the workshop. Where votes were taken by voice, the public record lists approvals and, where recorded, abstentions or failures; the bid for Water Plant 32 did not receive a second and therefore did not pass.

The council also agreed to schedule follow-up work on water-system issues after public questions and workshop discussion, with one council member requesting a special workshop to hear from staff and consultants compiling water plans.