Coppell awards $115,000 contract for smart-city master plan amid mixed council views

Coppell City Council approved a contract May 26 with Inno City Partners LLC to produce a smart-city master plan, authorizing up to $115,000 from the general fund. The contract is intended to deliver an inventory of existing technology, stakeholder interviews and a strategic roadmap aligned with the city's Vision 2040 pillars.

Staff said the consultant will assess current smart-city initiatives, meet with internal staff and the Smart City Board, and produce a phased roadmap that could guide pilot projects and policy. "They will come and do an assessment and inventory of our current smart city items ... and help develop that framework and kind of a roadmap forward," staff said.

Council discussion focused on the balance between consultant-led strategy and concrete, short-term projects. Some members argued the Smart City Board and staff had already identified specific priorities (for example, a digital-twin pilot and targeted mobility initiatives) and urged staff to advance tangible pilots rather than a broad study. Others said the consultant's experience with similar municipal plans would help the volunteer board and staff prioritize limited resources and policies.

The council approved the contract after debate; minutes record opposition from Council Members Walker and Matthew. Separately, the council later removed a Smart City Board alternate for attendance violations and authorized staff to open the seat for the boards-and-commissions appointment process.

Staff said the master plan work is phase-based and may lead to future project-specific budget requests if council approves pilot initiatives recommended in the roadmap.