The College Station City Council opened Thursday’s meeting by naming Frank Simpson City Manager on a permanent basis. Simpson, who was the interim following the retirement of David Neeley, had served as deputy city manager since 2011, overseeing Public Works, Water Services, and the Electric Utility. Simpson also worked in various administrative capacities with the City of College Station from 1989-93.
Agenda items approved by the council Thursday included nearly $9 million dollars of capital projects.
Five years ago, voters approved a bond issue that included extending Jones-Butler Road from Luther to George Bush, connecting to Penberthy Road on the A&M campus. The council approved a $3 million dollar contract to extend the street with sidewalks, bike lanes, and street lighting.
Another $1.5 million will be spent to repair Bird Pond Road from Rock Prairie to the city limits.
Then there’s more than $2 million going into laying almost 1.5 miles of new sewer lines along Bee Creek from Bee Creek Park, crossing Harvey Mitchell Parkway, and ending west of Welsh Avenue in front of First Baptist Church. This is the first of a four phase replacement.
There are a couple of things in the Northgate district. One involves a new electric substation at University and Wellborn where the city will pay $1 million for land and a transformer. And the council approved purchasing the remaining land needed to create a loading zone along University between the former College Main and Lodge Street.
In other business:
The council approved a unanimous planning commission recommendation that amends a proposal for a new funeral home to be built along the freeway’s southbound service road between Stylecraft Builders and a self-storage business.
The council approved several budget amendments, two which affect the police department. At the beginning of the month, Police Chief Jeff Capps said the mass shooting on Fidelity Street last August identified the need for more rifles, ammunition and heavy body armor. The council approved spending $180,000 dollars to ensure all officers are properly equipped. Approval was also given to add two new officers that will be dedicated to the new unit primarily covering the Northgate district. That’s a cost of $190,000 dollars.
And changes were approved to College Station’s animal control ordinance includes. The list includes ticketing owners when animals are left in a parked vehicle or trailer for more than five minutes when the temperature is at or above 85 or at or below 35 degrees. There’s a six page list of what constitutes a dangerous dog and how they are to be handled. And falcons and hawks are allowed if the owner has a state permit.