Council debates $385,000 MRB design proposal to pursue up to $5 million Texas water grant
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Summary
MRB presented a proposal (discussed at about $385,000) to design a new water well, storage tank and booster station in Falls County to make the project shovel‑ready and improve ranking for the Texas Water Development Board grant (up to $5 million). Council expressed support with concerns about risk if the grant application fails.
The Bruceville‑Eddy City Council discussed and voted on a proposal to hire MRB for design services for a new Falls County water well, ground storage tank and booster pump station intended to improve the city’s ranking for the Texas Water Development Board Water Supply and Infrastructure Fund.
Arman of MRB told the council the state program is a 100% grant and ranks applications in part on median household income metrics; projects that are shovel‑ready receive a significant boost — “an additional 10 ranking points,” he said — making award more likely. MRB said communities under 150,000 population can qualify for up to $5,000,000 under the program; the MRB design proposal discussed in the meeting was described by council members as approximately $385,000.
Council members weighed the risk and potential payoff. One council member framed the decision as a calculated investment: spending design funds now could secure a large grant later, and even if the city is not awarded the grant the community would still gain design work that can be used for local construction. Another member raised the possibility of spending public funds for a grant application that might not be successful.
A motion to approve the professional‑services proposal for MRB to design the well, ground storage tank and booster station was made and seconded. The transcript records a council vote of four in favor and four opposed; the recorded exchange did not include a clear statement of the motion’s final disposition (for example, a mayoral tie‑breaking vote was not recorded in the provided transcript). The minutes should be checked for the official outcome.
If the contract is executed, staff said MRB could either accept a set contract amount or work on an hourly not‑to‑exceed basis; MRB said hourly not‑to‑exceed could reduce risk to the city while still advancing shovel‑ready status.
The city will decide how to structure the contract (lump sum vs hourly with not‑to‑exceed) and whether to move forward after confirming funding and risk appetite. The project, if funded by the state, would fund the construction; local design costs would be counted toward the grant if accepted.
Next steps: council staff will finalize contract terms with MRB if the motion is recorded as approved in the official minutes; if not approved, staff may return with revised options including phased work or a reduced scope.
