Council OK’s plan for services to annexed land

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PEARSALL ADDED ACREAGE IN 2018; WATER SEWER LINE MAP IS READY

MAYOR HOPES TAXES REVENUES WILL FLOW WHEN PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED

Pearsall city councilors unanimously approved a task order for the design of the Business Loop IH-35 infrastructure project on Tuesday, February 14.

Stacey Barna, a representative from CDM Smith, the private engineering firm hired by the city, highlighted portions of the design summary regarding the sanitary sewer service during a presentation to councilors.

According to Barna, the firm recommends a design option which would run two parallel sewer lines along the east and west sides of the business loop. Those lines would connect near a lift station that has yet to be built.

“The first option was done a few years ago and it crossed that highway several times, which would make the road rough,” Barna said of the numerous connections between the parallel sewer lines proposed in Option A.

Councilors quizzed the engineer over concerns with sewage back-up and repairs if there was only one lift station and one connection line.

“Every five hundred feet there will be a manhole to access any backup that may occur,” Barna said.

The task order approved by councilors comes with a $467,000 price tag and includes the preliminary design which contains 100-percent bid-ready design drawings, according to CDM Smith. Included in the order are bid-ready specifications services and a manual, a survey, geotechnical investigations, base property acquisition and optional condemnation property acquisition.

“We are looking for funding resources,” Pearsall City Manager Federico Reyes said. “We are looking for principal forgiveness loans.”
Barna said the sewer infrastructure project is included in state funding and has the potential to qualify for loan forgiveness.

Public Works Director Hector Gandara supported Barna’s recommendation and explained to councilors the inconvenience that the earlier proposed option would place on the city.

“From a design perspective, I recommend Option B,” the public works director said. “Option A has fourteen laterals, that would be a nightmare to have to go through TxDOT for every single lateral.”

The city annexed 250 acres in May 2018, stretching city boundaries north to a produce business along the business loop. At the time, councilors estimated that sales tax revenues would increase by $300,000 with the annexation, and property tax revenues to the city had the potential to rise by $200,000.

“The revenue generated from the annexation is quite substantial,” Mayor Briscoe said during the Tuesday night meeting. “The key component here is to be shovel-ready so as money gets here, it is important to have the lines there and to be ready.”

Briscoe said he expects the city to ‘tag-team’ the sewer infrastructure project with the water line project.