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Winnsboro council approves consent items, budget policy and several routine contracts; denies a SWEPCO large-load tariff request
Summary
At its Jan. 13 meeting the Winnsboro City Council approved consent items and a series of staff-recommended actions — including a budget policy, fee-schedule updates, a municipal-advisor change, and ARPA-related seat-belt policy — and adopted Resolution 2026-02 denying Southwest Electric Power Company's proposed large-load tariff.
The Winnsboro City Council approved a package of consent and action items on Jan. 13, including policies and contract approvals that city staff said were necessary for operations and grant compliance.
Key council actions recorded on voice votes or motions:
- Consent agenda: Council accepted minutes, financials and staff reports as presented (motion carried by voice vote).
- Action 7.1 (EDC recommendation): Council approved the EDC recommendation (referred to as 'Estrada' agreement) with a 50% sign match capped at $1,000, as presented by staff.
- Action 7.2 (MOU with Housing Authority): Council approved a memorandum of understanding to have the Winnsboro Housing Authority pay permit cost recovery rather than receiving exempt treatment.
- Action 7.3 (Municipal financial advisor): The council approved updating the city's municipal financial advisor agreement to Government Capital Securities Corporation (GovCap) citing responsiveness and wider resources.
- Action 7.4 (Airport easement support): The council approved contracting with TNP Engineering to assist with airport easement negotiations; staff said work will be scoped and funded from an airport contract line item.
- Action 7.5 (Budget policy): The council adopted a formal budget policy to align council and mayoral oversight and meet statutory expectations noted by staff and the finance director, Tanya.
- Action 7.6 (Bilingual differential pay): Council amended the personnel policy to add Spanish bilingual differential pay for employees who regularly use the language in their duties.
- Action 7.7 (Seat-belt policy): Council adopted a seat-belt policy required by an ARPA grant to avoid grant repayment; staff said the policy is a grant requirement.
- Action 7.8 (Trash fee schedule): Council updated the fee schedule to reflect a contractual 5% increase in Republic trash rates effective Jan. 1.
- Action 7.9 (Public records procedures): Council adopted Resolution 2020-661 designating official methods for receiving public information requests and allowing designation of additional non-business days; staff said a dedicated records email (records@winnsborotexas.com) will be used for official requests.
- Action 7.10 (SWEPCO large-load tariff): Council adopted Resolution 2026-02 denying Southwest Electric Power Company's proposed large-load tariff. Staff said denial forces SWEPCO to seek a Public Utility Commission petition and provide additional justification; denial does not, by itself, preclude a later increase if approved by the PUC.
Where the transcript records only voice votes or recorded 'Aye' responses without individual tallies, vote tallies and mover/second names were not specified in the meeting record. Council motions carried by voice vote unless a roll-call tally was requested and recorded.
