Administrator to facilitate grant app approved
COMO—The Como city council approved a resolution at their regular meeting Tuesday evening to accept GrantWorks, Inc. as the administrator for the process of applying for a community block grant.
Cloy Richards, a senior consultant with Grant-Works, was present to witness the approval.
The city of Como sent out five proposals, according to City Secretary Mary Doss, and received back one. Richards said the city should expect more.
“There’s a big mitigation deadline on the 28th of October, and the smaller firms are trying to get that done,” Richards said.
The 2020 Texas Community Development Block Grant is through the Texas Department of Agriculture. GrantWorks will handle the application process.
MAINTENANCE
Director of Water Operations Craig Vaughn had at the city’s Sept. 8 meeting anticipated being able to bring well one on-line after receiving repairs over the past month.
“We can’t put it on-line at this point in time, because the water’s just not right with it,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s an aquifer problem or something else. We’re going to have to regroup there and try to find out what the answer is.”
The water being pumped from well one previously appeared reddish-brown in color; however, Vaughn said they’ve been treating it, so it now appears “milky white.”
“At least it doesn’t look like a glass of tea,” Radney said.
Vaughn said at this point, it could be a problem with the old pipes or other parts of the original system, which have been in place since the 1960s.
Radney said in speaking with engineers, he is motivated to upgrade rather than repair, since “to invest in something like that that’s going to last 40 years makes more sens…. That’s the direction we need to go with something for the future, rather than something temporary.”
Vaughn reminded the council of an action with the state for which they had been fined $14,000; however, he said they have not heard anything from the state regarding the repairs that have been done or the fine since the COVID-19 shutdown in March.
“We had an issue at the wastewater plant where the clarifier went down. It created some problems with our discharge, so based on that, we got a letter from the state addressing those issues,” Vaughn explained.
The problem, he said, has since been resolved.
According to Radney, the state will attempt to strike a balance between the work that has been done and subtracting that from the original fine.
“We were already doing some work. …They take that into account,” Radney said. “As long as you’re working on it, they work with you.”
OTHER BUSINESS
Como city council approved expenditures, the budget and the September city council meeting minutes, as presented.
Additional reports included updates on water well pumps and plant maintenance, as well as mowing and general maintenance in different areas around Como.
Councilman Steve Smith was absent due to illness, Radney said.