Council moves to centralize oversight of water and wastewater projects, pauses rezoning and plans next steps

The council discussed the preliminary engineers' recommendation to use roughly 90 acres for a phased wastewater lagoon expansion and explained the city purchased the owner's full 139-acre parcel after negotiations. Council members debated rezoning the property (light industrial vs. commercial), potential impacts on neighboring property values, and whether to delay rezoning until the sewer and water projects progress further.

Speaker 5 explained the engineers had suggested a 90-acre first phase but that the landowner sold all 139 acres; the mayor/chair said the lagoon construction schedule targeted December if plans stay on track. Concerned members urged focus on completing the sewer and water projects before adding new development priorities. The council voted to dissolve the separate water and wastewater project committees and designate the city manager as the single point of contact to streamline decisions.

Council also requested staff check costs and feasibility for adding a second logo or sponsorships to the water tower, and asked engineering staff about options for lighting and safety without incurring undue maintenance costs. For wastewater infrastructure, members discussed whether to use screens/clean-out plates (which can plug and require frequent maintenance) or invest in heavy-duty chopping pumps and at least one backup unit; the council asked staff to include these technical considerations in follow-up discussions with contractors.