March 5, 2024

A Holiday Inn Express, Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, utility easement release for Real Cold Storage, aquatic facility update, school resource officer pay, Fire Station No. 1 renovation, and Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals appointment were discussed in Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Upcoming Meetings

March 19 – Regular Session

April 2 - Regular Session

April 16 – Regular Session

Project Holiday Performance Agreement:

               Council approved the Chapter 380 Economic Development Performance Agreement with Lockhart Hospitality, LLC to build a Holiday Inn Express at the corner of City Line Rd. and SH 142/W. San Antonio St. The proposed hotel will house 90 guest rooms, exercise facility, business center, meeting area, and pool. The agreement includes City property tax incentives for five years, and an incentive rebate of Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds over the next ten years.

Texas Monthly BBQ Fest UPDATE:

Council approved the Event Sponsorship Agreement with Texas Monthly to hold the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest in November 2-3, 2024 at the Courthouse Square for the BBQ World’s Fair and City Park for the Top 50 Picnic for the third year of the event.

Texas Monthly will provide the planning, production, staffing, event lineup, marketing, ticketing services, and sponsorships.

Utility Easement:

               Council approved the release of a prior blanket utility easement located at 1925 FM 2001 to allow for a new 16” water line and dedicated utility easement for the upcoming Real Cold Storage facility.

Aquatic Facility UPDATE:

               Council approved Work Authorization No. 5 for Halff Associates to assist in in identifying funding opportunities and a potential site for a proposed aquatic facility.

School Resource Officer:

               Council approved the First Addendum to the School Resource Officer (SRO) Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Lockhart ISD along with a corresponding amendment to the City’s assignment pay stipend. The addendum, made at the request of LISD, would temporarily increase the SRO special assignment stipend paid to Lockhart Police SROs from March 25, 2024 to May 26, 2024 to provide a parity pay rate consistent with rates paid to off-duty officers providing similar services to the school district. LISD will fund the temporary increase. The LISD Board will consider the addendum at a future board meeting.

Fire Station No. 1 UPDATE:

               Council approved a proposal from Studio Steinbomer, an Austin-based architectural firm, to provide construction documents and observation for the renovation of Fire Station No. 1. Studio Steinbomer will assist the City in developing and publishing the Request for Proposal (RFP) for procuring a Construction Manager at-Risk (CMAR), which is the preferred delivery method for the project due to Fire Station No. 1’s historic preservation considerations. The building’s project scope includes life safety upgrades, enhanced living and working quarters on the second floor, exterior upgrades, and abatement of asbestos containing materials.

Additionally, in preparation for renovation, Council also approved Burcham Environmental Services, LLC’s proposal to provide consulting services for the asbestos abatement for Fire Station No. 1.

Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals Appointment:

               Mr. Arnold Proctor was appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals for a term to expire November 2025.

City Manager’s Report

• Kid Fish 2024: The next KidFish Tournament will be held at City Park Pond on Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. No pre-registration required. Admission is free.
• City-wide Bulk Cleanup: The next City-wide bulk cleanup has been scheduled for Saturday, March 23. This event is FREE and open to Lockhart residents ONLY. Republic Services, the City’s solid waste contractor, requires participants to place bulk items at the curb by 7 a.m. the day of collection. The bulk cleanup event DOES NOT include apartment complexes and commercial businesses. For a list of eligible and non-eligible items, head over to the City’s website: https://www.lockhart-tx.org/page/article/580
• Comprehensive Plan UPDATE: The second open house for the Comprehensive Plan will be held on Monday, March 18, 6 – 8 p.m. at the Connection Center, located at 200 S. Blanco St. It will start with a formal presentation by the City’s Comprehensive Plan consultants (Freese and Nichols) followed by interactive stations addressing economic development, mobility and transportation, housing and community, and infrastructure and public facilities.
• Water Treatment Plant Update: City Staff, the City Engineer, and GBRA received training on the two new generators recently installed at the Water Treatment Plant. The 600 kw generator will run all the main components of the water plant such as the four high service pumps and transfer pumps and the smaller 40 kw generator supplies power to the main building during power outages. Should a power outage be experienced at the plant, both generators have the capabilities of keeping the water system functioning on standby power for a minimum of 24 hours before needing refueling. This project has significantly improved resiliency and preparedness should a power disruption or nature event impact the water system.
• New Building Official and Finance Director:
  • Mr. Andrew Devaney has accepted the position as Lockhart’s new Building Official. He brings nearly a decade of experience, most recently serving as the City of Alpine, Texas’ Director of Building Services/Building Official and Interim Director of Utilities.
  • Ms. Keeli Michna has accepted the position as Lockhart’s new Finance Director. She brings nearly a decade of accounting experience in both the private and public sector, including the previous four years serving as Staff Accountant with the City’s Finance Department.
• Downtown Revitalization Project Update: Here’s the updated schedule of the Downtown Revitalization Project:
  • Design: June 2022- August 2023
  • Permitting:  August 2023 – February 2024
    • Lockhart Historical Preservation Commission-Approved.
    • TCEQ - Water and Sanitary Sewer Approved
    • TxDOT - Roadway, Drainage, Water, and Wastewater Approved. (Final approval from TxDOT on February 29, 2024)
    • Texas Historical Commission (THC) - Approved
  • Competitive Bidding:  March 2024 – April 2024
  • Bid Receipt:  May 9, 2024
  • Award by Council:   May 21, 2024
  • Construction:  June 2024 – Jun 2026

ATTENTION: This is a recap of the highlights of action taken at the March 5, 2024, Council meeting. The complete agenda can be found by visiting: City of Lockhart, TX (lockhart-tx.org).