If you like clean drinking water, you might want to attend a public hearing in Chico Monday.
The city is applying for a grant for a filtration system on the city’s drinking water. The Community Development Block Grant is provided through the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The grant process requires a public hearing, so one will be held at 5:15 p.m. Monday at Chico City Hall. Chico Mayor J.D. Clark said the purpose is to get feedback on the project.
The Chico City Council met Sept. 4 and approved the budget and tax rate. No one spoke at a public hearing on those items.
The $1,733,692.40 budget will be funded by a tax rate of 48 cents per $100 valuation – the same rate as 2011-12. The budget is 15.8 percent less than the 2011-2012 budget.
The council also agreed to enter into a contract with KSA Engineers for geotech analysis and certification of one of the containment ponds at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
“If we get heavy rainfall, and the plant gets heavy intake, we need a place to move the waste,” Clark said. “These ponds were built in the early ’80s. We want to use one pond more, but we need to make sure the clay liner is intact for TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) standards.”
The engineering work will cost $7,500.
In other business, the council:
- accepted the resignation of EDC board member Terry Hand. Hand lost his business, Chico Auto Parts, in a fire in July and could be seeking assistance from the EDC.
- agreed to close the 100 block of South Weatherford and West Jacksboro streets from noon to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, for Chico High School’s homecoming parade. The same streets will be closed Oct. 20 for Chico Fest.
- canceled the city council election scheduled for Nov. 6. The special election had been called when no one filed for two vacant council seats in the spring. Since then, Aracely Cuevas decided to sign up for another term but did not draw an opponent. The other seat, previously held by Chris Richey who did not seek re-election, will remain vacant as no one signed up to run for the seat.
