Council proposes same property tax rate
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
The Copperas Cove city council took a record vote on Tuesday to unanimously propose a property tax rate of $0.79708 per $100 valuation.
Because it is higher than the proposed effective tax rate of $0.785421, the council also set the dates for two public hearings regarding the tax rate, of August 15 and August 22, with a date set to adopt a tax rate of September 5. The proposed tax rate would also increase general fund revenue by $107,895.
The council also approved an ordinance to order a special election on November 7 with a proposition on the ballot to create a Municipal Development District within the Copperas Cove city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
This was approved 5-2, with councilmen David Morris, James Pierce Jr., Kirby Lack, George Duncan and Matthew Russell casting “aye” votes, and councilmen Dan Yancey and Jay Manning voting against placing the proposition on the ballot.
The proposition will allow Copperas Cove voters decide whether or not to create an MDD, which is a method of economic development option available to cities.
No one spoke at two public hearings held Tuesday evening, for the proposed Economic Development Corporation budget and one for the proposed city budget for the next fiscal year.
The council held a public hearing about an ordinance amending the city’s code for the maximum allowable height of a fence located on residential zoned properties. The maximum height has been increased to eight feet, which the city planner may now authorize, based on specific proposals. The council went on to pass that ordinance on Tuesday as well.
The council approved three professional services agreements with BSP Engineers totaling just over $1 million
BSP Engineers will be performing basic design services, the NEPA basic environmental report and contract bidding for the FM 116 and FM 3046 sidewalk projects, sidewalks for The Narrows Business & Industrial Park, along with the Business 190 median project.
Councilman Jay Manning asked what required matching funds the city will be responsible for, with cit manager Andrea Gardner confirming that for those projects, the city’s share of construction cost will be no more than 20 percent, with the EDC kicking in 10 percent toward constructions of sidewalks in The Narrows.
Two appointments were made to the city’s library advisory board, with Jill Stelow and Margie Holt voted to those positions.
Food trucks will now be able to apply for permits to operate in Copperas Cove City Park, thanks to an agreement approved by the council on Tuesday night. Food trucks will pay within a range of $75 to $250 per day, or week.
The Copperas Cove Fire Department will be getting new radios, and receiving credit for 41 old radios being declared surplus by the council and used as trade-ins for the purchase of the new radios for $94,565.67.