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Gainesville council approves fire, solid-waste equipment purchases, joins DLA LESO program; tables apartment tax exemption and disapproves cemetery shop bid
Summary
The council approved contracts to secure prices for new brush and ladder fire trucks, authorized Police Department participation in the DLA LESO program, approved several solid-waste vehicles, appointed a 'Save the Train' liaison, approved Hotel/Motel agreements, tabled a tax-exemption request for Summit at Lexington Square, and disapproved a cemetery shop construction bid 4-3.
At its Oct. 21 meeting the Gainesville City Council approved a package of equipment and administrative resolutions covering public safety, solid waste and tourism funding and took separate action to table a proposed tax exemption and to disapprove a construction bid for a cemetery shop.
Council approved resolutions authorizing the City Manager to sign proposals with Siddons Martin Emergency Group, LLC to secure contract prices for a new brush truck and a new ladder truck for the Gainesville Fire Department. The brush-truck resolution was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Mary Jo Dollar and seconded by Councilmember Jeff Johnson; the ladder-truck resolution was moved by Councilmember Gary Sutton and seconded by Councilmember Linda Lewis. Both measures passed unanimously, recorded as 7 Ayes, 0 Nays.
The council also voted to allow the Gainesville Police Department to participate in the Defense Logistics Agency Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program, a federal surplus-property program; Councilmember Randy Jones moved the resolution, seconded by Councilmember Gary Sutton, and the item passed 7-0.
For General Services/Solid Waste the council approved purchase of two 2026 Wilkens Steel & Post open-top walking floor trailers (motion by Gary Sutton, seconded by Dakota Nichols) and authorized purchase of a 2027 Mack haul truck (motion by Jeff Johnson, seconded by Linda Lewis). Both purchases were approved by unanimous roll-call votes.
A resolution to provide a tax exemption for the Summit at Lexington Square apartment complex was moved to table by Councilmember Dakota Nichols and seconded by Councilmember Randy Jones; the motion to table carried 7-0.
On procurement related to the cemetery shop and equipment storage building (Bid No. 2025-15), Mayor Tommy Moore moved to disapprove the resolution; Mayor Pro Tem Mary Jo Dollar seconded. That motion carried 4 Ayes, 3 Nays, with Councilmembers Jeff Johnson, Randy Jones and Gary Sutton recorded as voting against disapproval.
The council approved a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax agreements under Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code and to appropriate funds from the Hotel/Motel Fund; Councilmember Gary Sutton moved the item, Councilmember Jeff Johnson seconded, and the vote was 7-0. The council also approved appointment of a 'Save the Train' liaison by resolution (motion by Linda Lewis, seconded by Gary Sutton), 7-0.
With those actions complete the council adjourned at 7:34 p.m.
