Council to receive offer on property

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

At tonight’s meeting of the Copperas Cove city council, the council is being presented with a sales contract for 15.744 acres on Boys Ranch Road, known as Lot 1 Block 1, Cove Riding Club Addition, in the amount of $88,246, which includes a little more than $4,400 in closing costs. 
The purchaser is Gary Vaughn, one of the individuals who appealed to the council to go forward with the sale of the property the city presently leases to the Copperas Cove Saddle Club. The club’s lease was reapproved by the council in February 2016 and expires in March 2018. 
As part of the consent agenda for this evening, a change order authorization is up for council’s action regarding the construction of a dais for the meeting room at the city’s new building at 508 S. 2nd Street. At the May 2 meeting, the council made specific requests and dismissed* two offers, going with D&D Custom Cabinetry. D&D submitted a cost estimate for constructing the new dais, costing $19,511,50 for a laminate countertop and costing $22,600.00 for a solid surface countertop. If the council desires a solid surface countertop, a change order for $2,600 will need to be approved.
The Rabbit Fest Pageant—now the Five Hills Scholarship Pageant—float is on the agenda for tonight after a long hiatus. Tonight, the city is seeking direction on a quote received for the parade float and re-establishing funding for the purchase of the float. Lone Star Parade Floats prepared a quote in the amount of $19,930.08, which included a sketch and photos of the proposed float. Funds in the 2015-2016 general fund had been set aside for the float but were never spent.
The subject of concession at the Hills of Cove Golf Course is on the agenda this evening, with the current concession contractor, Er’Thang Cajun, having given a termination notice in December, with plans to stop operations at the golf course in early June. The new agreement would start on May be with Hawaiian Grill, and starting in December 2017, the concessionaire would give 6 percent of its net revenue to the city. 
Six public hearings, four for rezoning and two for Future Land Use Plan Amendments, will be followed by votes during the action items at tonight’s meeting.
The rezoning hearings are for 603 Teinert Ave. to be rezoned from R1 (Single-Family Residential) to B3 (Retail Commercial District); the rezoning of 1714, 1718, and 1722 Risen Star Ln. from B5 (Commercial District) to R3 (Multi-Family Residential District); rezoning City Hall at 914 S. Main St. from B2 (Retail District) to (PF) Public Facility; and rezoning the Copperas Cove Police Department at 302 E. Ave. E from R1 (Single-Family Residential) to (PF) Public Facility.  
The amendments to the city’s Future Land Use Plan are being requested for property located at 603 Teinert Ave., from Low Density to Retail; and for properties located at 1714, 1718, and 1722 Risen Star Ln. from Retail to High Density. 
Atmos Energy and Atmos Texas Municipalities have reached a settlement in the 2017 rate review, in the amount of $48 million, which will mean an increase to gas customers. The council is being asked to approve a resolution resolving this rate review mechanism. 
Also at tonight’s meeting, Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful will recognize volunteers involved in the inaugural Spring Eco Fling, held on April 29.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. and will be held at the Economic Development Corporation building, located at 210 S. 1st St. A time of citizens’ forum is available at the start of the meeting.