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Council approves amended TWDB loan ordinance and moves ahead on wastewater plant bids and engineering contracts
Summary
La Marque council on July 14 approved an amended ordinance to proceed with a Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan, authorized solicitation of bids to rehabilitate the wastewater treatment plant headworks and disinfection systems, and selected a recommended engineering firm for the TWDB loan project.
The La Marque City Council approved multiple infrastructure and financing steps on July 14 related to water and wastewater projects, including an amended ordinance needed for a Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) loan, permission to advertise competitive bids for a wastewater plant rehabilitation project, and selection of an engineering firm to support a TWDB loan application and design work.
Amended loan ordinance
The council voted to approve an amended and restated ordinance authorizing the issuance of tax‑exempt certificates and reflecting updated closing and interest terms required by the TWDB as a condition of closing. Brad Hanks, the city's financial adviser, said the revised terms improved the true interest cost relative to earlier assumptions. The council approved the ordinance after a motion and recorded a majority vote.
Wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation (headworks & disinfection)
Public works staff asked council to authorize a public solicitation for competitive bids for rehabilitation of the existing wastewater treatment plant headworks and disinfection system, work described as separate from a planned plant expansion. Staff said the estimated project cost is about $1.9 million and recommended funding from remaining 2020 certificates of obligation (approximately $2.33 million available under a bond line that can be used for water/wastewater projects). Council approved authorizing staff to advertise and solicit bids.
TWDB loan engineering services
Council reviewed a recommended firm for engineering, architecture and surveying (a TWDB RFQ selection process). Staff reported seven RFQ submittals, five were graded and evaluated after two were disqualified for incomplete paperwork or DBE requirements. The council authorized staff to move forward with the recommended firm (ADACO) as the TWDB project engineer to meet the TWDB closing deadline.
What council asked staff to do
- Proceed with the amended ordinance to allow the TWDB loan closing steps. - Advertise and solicit bids for the wastewater rehabilitation project and return with bid results for council action. - Execute a professional services agreement with the selected engineer for TWDB loan services and project design, subject to formal contract review.
Ending
Council members said they would continue to monitor project schedules and the loan closing timeline and asked staff to return with firm contract documents and any grant/loan forgiveness documentation relevant to the TWDB loan.
