Votes at a glance: Council approves consent agenda, cancels November election and awards $3.285 million wastewater contract

Copperas Cove City Council on Sept. 2 approved a set of routine and substantive items, including the consent agenda, an ordinance canceling the November general election because three candidates were unopposed, a $3,285,000 construction contract for the Northeast wastewater treatment plant, an amendment to the city purchasing policy and a new debt management policy.

City Secretary Lisa Wilson told the council that three candidates — Howard Hawk (Place 3), John Hale (Place 4) and Del Treadway (Place 5) — were the only filings for their respective seats and that no write-in candidates filed. By ordinance number 2025-31 the council declared each unopposed candidate elected and canceled the November election after a motion to approve passed unanimously.

On the Northeast wastewater treatment plant project, Assistant Public Works Director Chris Altot said the work will replace four aged blowers (installed in 2005–2006) and some valves in the lift station and in each sequencing batch reactor basin. The solicitation produced one bid from Matus Construction: a base bid of $2,860,000 and alternate B1 of $425,000, for a total contract amount of $3,285,000. Council authorized the city manager to execute the contract.

Velia Key, director of financial services, presented an ordinance to amend the city purchasing policy to reflect state changes in competitive-bid thresholds and local administrative adjustments. Key said the state’s statutory competitive-bidding threshold rose from $50,000 to $100,000 and staff recommended aligning city policy; the ordinance also updates approval levels, raises petty cash from $50 to $100 and clarifies language about the adopted annual budget. Council approved the ordinance.

Key also presented a revised debt management policy that adds reporting requirements for interest earned on bond proceeds, clarifies authorized uses for that interest and establishes a bonds fund review committee to allocate recorded savings. Council approved the resolution adopting the policy.

All motions noted on the agenda were moved, seconded and approved in formal votes recorded in the meeting minutes; where individual roll-call tallies were not stated in the verbal record, the minutes state the motion carried.

What passed (selected items):

• Consent agenda items F1–F7 approved (minutes; interlocal agreements with Copperas Cove ISD for police and facility sharing; amendment to NE wastewater design professional services; landfill post-closure environmental monitoring contract; investment policy resolution).

• Ordinance 2025-31: cancel Nov. 4, 2025 general election; declare Howard Hawk (Place 3), John Hale (Place 4) and Del Treadway (Place 5) elected (presented by Lisa Wilson).

• Contract award: PW2025-01-84 — Northeast wastewater treatment plant blowers and valves replacement project to Matus Construction, total $3,285,000 (presented by Chris Altot).

• Ordinance 2025-30: purchasing policy amendments to reflect state threshold changes and local administrative updates (presented by Velia Key).

• Resolution 2025-21: adopting the city’s debt management policy (presented by Velia Key).

Council’s formal actions were made by motion and approved during the meeting; staff will proceed with contract execution, ordinance publication and implementation steps described in each agenda item.