City council takes no action on EDC’s performance agreements

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

The council held an executive session during its four-hour meeting on Tuesday evening, during which it deliberated on two performance agreements submitted to the council by the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation. The CCEDC board approved the two agreements, but the council emerged from the executive session to take no action on either agreement.
The two performance agreements came from applications by two businesses seeking to expand in Copperas Cove, and according to the agenda were highlighted as requests for assistance with “certain infrastructure improvements.”  One agreement was for $75,000 and the other for $50,000.
Councilman James Pierce Jr. said the two agreements are headed back to the EDC for further clarification on what those infrastructure improvements are. 
“It was given back to the EDC interim director for clarification on what they were looking for in terms of assistance from the EDC. What do they mean in terms of infrastructure reimbursement? Over in the location next to CVS, a good indicator would be, for example, assistance with building the retaining wall. So, how much is it going to cost to build a retaining wall? Would they ask for assistance in building that, or moving the sewer lines or water lines, establishment of parking lots, etc.”
Pierce said it’s important to seek out all types of businesses within the city, and that although he understands what a 4A (EDC) is, if there is a restaurant that would like to open in Copperas Cove, they should be encouraged to do so and if they qualify for assistance, that should be considered.
Another item on the agenda related to the EDC, that of moving the employees under from “the control and direction” of the city manager, was pulled at the request of the item’s originator, councilman Charlie Youngs. 
The city council and the EDC have a joint meeting slated for next week, Youngs said, and he thought it more appropriate for discussions to be held at that time along with representatives of the Texas Municipal League. 
“Before we try to get into any discussion on this at all, it would be more prudent to have our meeting with the EDC, with the folks from TML, and then I am going to request it be brought back to the 3 April meeting,” Youngs said.
As far as an item regarding the possible approval of a contract for “cleaning and grubbing” for The Narrows Business & Technology Park, interim EDC director Diane Drussell said the EDC chairman of the board requested that item be pulled. 
“The specifications that were used in the RFP did not define certain items very specifically, so the board would like to revisit that RFP and possibly reissue it,” explained interim city manager Ryan Haverlah. 
The council approved both the final plat for Green Meadows Subdivision and for The Ranches of Twin Mountain, and an interlocal agreement for mutual emergency aid with Bell County. 
A contract with LMC Construction in the amount of $387,825 for public library renovations was approved by the council. 
After a brief discussion and learning more information from Deputy Fire Chief Gary Young, the council approved authorizing Interim City Manager Ryan Haverlah to enter into an agreement with Change Healthcare Technology Enabled Services LLC. for the collection of unrecovered Emergency Medical Services fees from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The agreement will help the city recoup some of the unpaid EMS charges to Medicaid and self-pay patients through a program with the Texas Department of Human Services. 
Councilman Dan Yancey said some of the questions he originally had were information if there was any other competition, if there was any bidding process for the service. Interim city manager Ryan Haverlah said he learned just prior to Tuesdays meeting that the current company that collects for the city has a subcontractor that could provide the same service, however, no information known on the cost for that service.
The council also approved amendments to the city’s Capital Outlay Plan for fiscal years 2018-2022 and the city’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2018-2022, and also approved an agreement with Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC for streetlight maintenance for LED light replacements.