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Lamar council adopts sewer-rate ordinance, approves pipeline first reading and several contracts
Summary
At its June 8 meeting the Lamar City Council adopted a sewer-rate ordinance on second and final reading and approved a range of items including a first reading for a 16-inch ethane pipeline permit, a new phone-recording contract and ARPA-funded public-works purchases.
The Lamar City Council on June 8 adopted an ordinance to amend the city’s prescribed sewer rates and moved forward on a string of operational contracts and equipment purchases.
The council opened and closed a public hearing on Ordinance O-2026-000010 — the proposed sewer-rate amendment — and on a second and final reading approved the measure. Mayor Keith Bell called for the vote after members moved and seconded the ordinance on the record.
Why it matters: The sewer-rate ordinance is a formal rate-setting action that affects utility customers and will appear in utility billing. Council also agreed to administrative and operational items intended to support day-to-day services.
Other council actions at the meeting included: - First reading of a pipeline permit for a 16-inch ethane line from Mark West Energy/MarkWest Energy West Texas Gas Company LLC that would extend a short distance into city limits. Staff said maps and the advanced funding agreement (AFA) with TxDOT are in the agenda packet; Adico, the city engineer, is expected to attend the second reading for detailed questions. Council took the required first-reading vote and will consider the item again at a later meeting. - Approval of an interlocal agreement with Galveston County for animal services; staff said the agreement updates the city’s annual arrangement and reflects a modest budget increase. - Authorization of a contract with SMARSH for call-and-text recording and storage. City staff recommended SMARSH as a replacement for the current subcontracted recorder because it removes an automated on-call prompt that had been causing caller hangups and reduces the city’s annual cost. - ARPA-funded purchases for public works: council authorized the purchase of a compact track loader and a boom-mounted mower (items presented as ARPA bid awards) and accepted final closeout documentation for a citywide solar-lighting ARPA project. - Opportunity Zone 2.0: the economic development corporation and staff asked council to support nominating two eligible census tracts for the revamped Opportunity Zone program. Council approved moving forward with submittal. - Ethics review engagement: council voted to retain the municipal law firm to review proposed ethics-code revisions and to hold individual meetings with council members, with a capped initial engagement (15 hours) to limit legal expense.
What’s next: Several items will return for further council action — notably the pipeline permit’s second reading (company representatives expected), and staff said the finance portal (budget-to-actual reporting) will go live later in June. The city manager and department heads committed to returning with more granular staffing and enforcement timelines on code enforcement, request-tracker use and public-works workplans.
