Votes at a glance: Navasota council approves audit, engineering selection, purchasing and investment policy updates, CDBG application and other measures
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Summary
At its March 23 meeting the Navasota City Council approved the annual audited financial report, selected Southwest Engineering for CDBG/TDA grant services, adopted updated purchasing and investment policies, authorized a downtown revitalization grant application (with a $20,000 local match) and authorized a utility rate study (not to exceed $33,870); motions carried by voice vote.
The Navasota City Council approved multiple administrative and grant‑related items during its March 23 meeting. Key votes included acceptance of the fiscal year 2024–25 audited financial report, selection of an engineer for CDBG/TDA grant work, adoption of updated purchasing and investment policies, authorization to apply for the Texas Department of Agriculture Downtown Revitalization Program (with a proposed $20,000 local match) and approval to proceed with a utility rate study.
Audit: Staff and the auditor reported an unmodified (clean) opinion on the annual financial report for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025. Mr. Gessner moved to approve the annual financial report; Mr. Fultz seconded and the motion carried by voice vote with no opposition.
Engineering selection (CDBG/TDA): Council considered competitive submittals for engineering services to support a CDBG/TDA pre-application and selected Southwest Engineering after a committee review. Staff noted the procurement is required to make engineering costs eligible for reimbursement and mentioned a likely 10% local match for a roughly $750,000 project. Council approved Resolution 826‑26 to select Southwest Engineering.
Purchasing and investment policies: Council debated an updated purchasing policy, including the city manager spending threshold. A councilor had asked to table the item until after a manager evaluation, but the motion to table failed for lack of a second; the council then adopted Resolution 827‑26 updating the purchasing policy and separately adopted Resolution 828‑26 to revise the investment policy.
Downtown revitalization: Staff asked council to authorize submission of an application to the Texas Department of Agriculture Downtown Revitalization Program (CDBG) and to designate downtown boundaries and a proposed $20,000 local match (awards can be up to $1,000,000). Council approved Resolution 829‑26 to submit the application; no specific project was identified in the meeting record.
Utility rate study: Council authorized the city manager to proceed with a utility rate study to review water, sewer and gas rates and to align rates with system costs. The authorization included a not‑to‑exceed amount of $33,870; staff said the consultant's recommendation would return to council as a proposed rate structure.
