Aransas Pass council signs off on preparing a tax note to cover equipment, a pump‑station bid gap and a small lift‑station shortfall

Aransas Pass city staff presented a package of 17 capital projects and asked the council for consensus to fund the purchases through a tax note expected to be issued in February. The items include vehicles, mowers and public‑works equipment, engineering for a new Public Works building and repairs at wastewater facilities.

"We have 17 capital items that we're proposing for council consideration," staff said, and estimated the total at "about $1,200,000." The list included extrication tools for the fire department ($39,000), a mosquito sprayer ($18,000), a boom mower/articulator (~$270,000), a remote‑control mower ($80,000), Public Works engineering ($250,000) and other vehicle and equipment purchases.

City staff also described a funding gap on the Hough and Wheeler pump station, which staff said is a roughly $3,000,000 project funded largely by a General Land Office (GLO) grant. "We have $2,800,000 in grants to do this, but, unfortunately, the bid came out at 3.04," Public Works staff said, adding the gap is about $206,000. Staff recommended including that gap in the tax note "so we don't risk losing the grant."

Public Works flagged two additional wastewater items: a Yoakum Lift Station recoating estimated at $220,000 (with about $74,000 in engineering already), leaving staff "short roughly about 45 to 50,000" to complete that rehab; and a turnkey screw‑press dewatering system estimated at about $3,000,000. Staff characterized the screw press as a longer‑term, turnkey project that requires outside engineering and construction.

Finance staff explained how the tax‑note payments would be allocated: depending on item classification, payments would come from water/sewer and property‑tax (INS side) funds rather than the general fund. Staff told council they expect a significant drop in debt service next year that would accommodate new issuance without raising property tax; a 5‑year structure was suggested with an annual payment estimate in the $150,000–$170,000 range, depending on final structure.

Council signaled consensus to add the Yoakum Lift Station supplement into the package; during discussion staff said that would raise the tax‑note total in that exchange to "about $1,100,000" in the course of the meeting (discussion reflected both the $1.2M and a later $1.1M estimate depending on final inclusions). Staff said they would work with bond counsel and return an offer for formal approval in February.

Next steps: staff will refine current vendor quotes, finalize the list of included projects with counsel, and return to council with formal documents and a sizing recommendation in a February meeting.