The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Bridge City City Council approved a six month extension to the interlocal agreement with the city of Orange in seeking BP Deepwater Horizon restoration funding.

The interlocal agreement is in regard to a consulting agreement with Tim Richardson to provide consulting services.

City Manage Jerry Jones said their has been movement, but not in the process. “Everyone is still jockeying on the amounts. I suggest we should extend. This is about the regional wastewater plant,” he said. “We're in a pretty good position.”

At the October 14 meeting of the Orange City Council, an agreement was also extended with Richardson for a six month period for consulting work related to the city seeking BP Deepwater Horizon Restoration Funding for a variety of purposes determined by the city including environmental infrastructure improvements. The term of the extension will be Oct. 1, 2014 and expire on April 1, 2015. The monthly invoice of $4,000 monthly and $48,000 annually as approved in the original agreement.

In other city business, the Bridge City Council approved a resolution supporting passage of a Texas State Constitutional Amendment for the November General Election. The resolution provides increased funding for highway maintenance and construction. Jones said the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission asked the city to support the resolution. “It's a way of ensuring there's money for annual maintenance for state highways. The funding was cut by the federal government,” he said.

In the city manager report, Jones said crews are still working on the street program, working on shoulders and shooting rocks. Crews are also finished installing flush-outs on more than 22 dead end lines. He added this will help with the recent brown water problems in the city. Furthermore, the flood insurance appeal related to new FEMA maps is still ongoing.

The council adopted an ordinance amending the city's personnel policy. Jones said the language in the policy was addressed and some issues in the policy not being used.

For instance, there's a section for evaluating employees every year the city does not do. A group recently met and went line by line over the personnel policy.

Lastly, resolutions were approved adopting affirmatively furthering Fair Housing Policy and for amending the current Fair Housing Activity Statement-Texas form.

Jones said the resolutions are required to receive grants from the federal government.