The TWDB met on March 3 to discuss several items with a focus on funding, rehabilitating, and replacing infrastructure of water lines in small communities of Texas and Rural Texas. Items 4 & 5 and 6 & 7 were taken up together. A video of the meeting can be found here.

 

This HillCo report below is a summary of remarks intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics discussed. This report is not a verbatim transcript; it is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Board Agenda #1 – Consider Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.

Kathleen Jackson, TWDB Board member

  • Jackson and Chairwoman Paup overview their outreach efforts

 

Board Agenda #2Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator, Chief Financial Officer, and Development Fund Manager to take all necessary actions for the issuance, sale and delivery of Texas Water Development Board State Revolving Fund Revenue Bonds in one or more series; and approving the selection of financial advisor, bond counsel, disclosure counsel, senior managing underwriter, and co-managing underwriters for the negotiation of the bond issue. (Georgia Sanchez) Board Agenda #02 Document

Georgia Sanchez, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Recommends new additions for bond counsel, disclosure counsel and various other teams
  • For banking teams best outcomes for agency’s bond sale and associated documents coordination
  • Will return to board for formal approval of documents within a few months, Executive director recommends approval
  • Chairwoman and Jackson – Agree with Jackson, looking forward to bond sale project completion
  • Jackson motions to approve item for revenue bonds process, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #3Consider approving an application from Cameron County and authorizing the Executive Administrator to negotiate and execute a contract for grant funding in an amount not to exceed $282,216 from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for a federal grant award matching funds project. (Kathy Hopkins) Board Agenda #03 Document

Staff on behalf of Kathy Hopkins

  • Staff – Overviews funding and County’s improvement for water flooding issue and hazard mitigation grant program’s impact
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval for funding of county flood infrastructure
  • Jackson – Good investment for Texas and community
  • Chairwoman – Agrees, 138 structures and 596 people will benefit from mitigated hazard risk
  • Chairwoman motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Items 4 & 5 were taken up together

Board Agenda #4Approve by resolution a request from the City of Breckenridge (Stephens County) for $3,637,809 in financial assistance consisting of $2,325,000 in financing and $1,312,809 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Tom Barnett) Board Agenda #04 Document

 

Board Agenda #5Consider Approve by resolution a request from the City of Breckenridge (Stephens County) for $4,162,420 in financial assistance consisting of $2,935,000 in financing and $1,227,420 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a wastewater system improvements project. (Tom Barnett) Board Agenda #05 Document

 

Tom Barnet, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Overviews City of Barnett’s request to improve wastewater and drinking water project, improvements for water distribution and water loss, manholes, life station rehabilitation, and construction of equalization basin
  • City qualifies for principal forgiveness
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval
  • Jackson – Asset management plan, hopeful in small community’s drinking and wastewater improvement
  • Chairwoman – Political will to invest in infrastructure, applauds Breckenridge

 

Pete Jefferson, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Overviews Breckenridge’s dilapidated water lines and wastewater treatment issue
  • Jackson motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Items 6 & 7 were taken up together

Board Agenda #6Approve by resolution a request from the City of Daingerfield (Morris County) for $3,332,157 in financial assistance consisting of $1,685,000 in financing and $1,647,157 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #06 Document

 

Board Agenda #7Approve by resolution a request from the City of Daingerfield (Morris County) for $3,695,510 in financial assistance consisting of $1,865,000 in financing and $1,830,510 in principal forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a wastewater system improvements project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #07 Document

 

Nancy Richards, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Daingerfield overview of drinking water SRF improvements and wastewater improvements
  • City anticipates replacing PVC lines and install tank to prevent water loss in system
  • City requesting funding from drinking water SRF for projects
  • City’s wastewater system requires rehabilitation
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval of both items
  • Jackson – Appreciate work to aid small community with water and wastewater water line rehabilitation
  • Chairwoman – Agrees with Jackson
  • Chairwoman motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #8Approve by resolution a request from the City of Shenandoah (Montgomery County) for $6,500,000 in financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for planning, design, and construction of a wastewater system improvements project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #08 Document

Nancy Richards, Executive Administrator Staff

  • City of Shenandoah’s request includes planning, design, and improvement of plant facilities for overall water line improvements
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval
  • Jackson and Chairwoman – Wastewater treatment plant capacity of city is satisfactory
  • Jackson motions to approve item and recommendations from Executive Administrator, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #9Approve by resolution a request from the City of Fredericksburg (Gillespie County) for $2,602,529 in financial assistance consisting of $2,212,000 in financing and $390,529 in grant from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for design and construction of a drainage improvements project. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #09 Document

Dain Larsen, Executive Administrator’s Staff

  • City of Fredericksburg request to reduce erosion, constructing draining improvement projects will prevent water loss
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval
  • Chairwoman – City is flood prone, appreciates Fredericksburg investment in flood infrastructure
  • Chairwoman motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #10Amend by resolution, previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 21-039, to modify the City of New Braunfels’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund commitment to extend the commitment period. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #10 Document

Dain Larsen, Executive Administrator Staff

  • New Braunfels requesting extension of loan for drinking water to September 2022 to allow for adequate time for board to evaluate situation
  • TWDB anticipate providing recommendation to board in the next few months
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval
  • Jackson motions to approve item according to executive administrator’s recommendation to extension period, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #11Approve by resolution a request from the City of San Marcos (Hays County) for $2,352,770 in financial assistance consisting of $1,200,000 in financing and $1,152,770 in grant from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for construction of a drainage improvements project. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #11 Document

Dain Larsen, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Overviews City’s area of flat terrain, lack of channels
  • City recommends constructing additional channels $2.3-million-dollar commitment of funds includes a grant of over $1.1 million
  • Jackson – Recommends approval
  • Chairwoman – Area floods consistently
  • Chairwoman motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #12Approve by resolution a request from the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the City of Bells (Grayson County) for $7,200,000 in financing from the Texas Water Development Fund for planning, design, and construction of water and wastewater system improvement projects. (Joe Koen) Board Agenda #12 Document

Joe Koen, Executive Administrator Staff

  • City of Bells’ water and wastewater systems are aged and needs additional upgrade to meet TWDB safety requirements
  • Greater Texoma Utility requests funding for development of new groundwater supply well, wastewater treatment plant, and improvements will allow TCEQ violations
  • Executive Administrator recommends approval of city’s request
  • Jackson – Utilizes investment in water and wastewater, mentions low interest financing, will add new data analyzing of operation of system, and new meters will address water loss
  • Jackson motions to adopt proposed resolution as recommended by executive administrator, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #13Approve by resolution a request from the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of Northwest Grayson County Water Control and Improvement District #1 (Grayson County) for $2,360,000 in financing from the Texas Water Development Fund for planning, design, and construction of water system improvements. (Joe Koen) Board Agenda #13 Document

Joe Koen, Executive Administrator Staff

  • Northwest Grayson County requested elevated storage tom comply with TCEQ requirements
  • Greater Texoma Authority requests funding on new 250,000-gallon elevated storage tank improvements and system upgrades to connect to existing system
  • Chairwoman motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #14Approve by resolution a request from the City of Mabank (Kaufman County) for $28,790,000 in financing from the Texas Water Development Fund for the planning, design and construction of water and wastewater system improvement projects. (Joe Koen) Board Agenda #14 Document

Joe Koen, Executive Administrator Staff

  • City of Mabank’s wastewater systems are aging
  • Water treatment plant are operating at capacity, city needs upgrades on plants, and collection system to address demand and alleviate sanitary overflows
  • Developed sanitary sewer overflow plan water improvements on raw water intake structure
  • Building elevated storage tank, wastewater treatment plant improvements recommended
  • Jackson – Recognizes possible wastewater improvements for preparedness instead of remedy for future issues
  • Jackson motions to approve item, motion passes

 

Board Agenda #15Public Comment

  • No public comment requests were made
  • Chairwoman notes the board will not meet in closed session