The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

One way or the other there will be some new members on the Bridge City City Council after the May 9, 2015 General Election.

Both Kevin Mott, Place 1 councilman, and Robert Simonton Jr., Place 3 are termed out and may not run again.

David Rutledge has filed to run for Place 1 while Tammi Fisette and Steve Quibodeaux have field to run for Place 3.

Richard Savoy, incumbent Place 5 councilman has filed to run again.

Council members serve a two-year term of office.

Applications to run for city council will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 28 through Feb. 27, at the Bridge City City Hall, 260 Rachal St.

Election judge and election clerk pay was raised to $8.50 an hour to work elections.

In other city business, it sounded as though there was a honey-do list that was made.

Jerry Jones, city manager, reported on possible projects regarding renewal of bonds for the coming year during the workshop portion of the meeting.

One consideration is moving the current Bridge City police station on Texas Avenue to the back of city hall. One option would be to build a new building there.

Jones said the property on Texas Avenue is expensive and the city could possibly sell the property.

Police chief Paul Davis said the location on Rachal St. would provide better egress and regress for police so to improve services and response times.

Jones said a new water filtration system would eliminate the problem of brown, rusty water some residents experienced last year.

He added deep wells have iron and maganese in them and tend to rust. The tri-polys chemicals that were causing the problem have been removed.

Mayor Kirk Roccaforte asked Jones if he had any figures for this project. Jones said he doesn't have any definite figures yet for any of the projects but he will have them next week. He estimates $750,000 to $800,000 will cover the cost and the city will break even on expenses.

A 12-inch water line from the well on FM 408 will fill the well on Sunnyside and tie-in all existing lines.

Jones said the FM 408 well is the best one in the city.

The water tank on FM 408 needs repainting and cleaning to keep pace with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality inspections.

A records building is needed for the city.

The majority of the records are being housed in a storage building in Beaumont that cost $17,000 a year. Jones said the city could build an all-season type structure for that cost and pay for it in one or two years.

Roccaforte proposed attaching the new records building to the new police station.

There are five lift stations in the city that still need rehabilitating.

After those are completed, 90 percent of the lift stations in the city will be brand new.

Maintenance is needed to be done on a ground tank and a pressurized tank in the Waterwood Addition.

Ten fire plugs need replacing throughout the city for a total of $20,000. Ultimately, 20 need replacing if the city has the funds.

Jones reminded the council residents passed a bond last year to appeal the FEMA flood plain maps. There should be some funds left over from that bond for water and sewer work.