City council receives update from city manager on local projects

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove city council held a brief meeting on Tuesday evening, the first regular meeting for the month of October. 

City Manager Ryan Haverlah gave the council an update on several local projects for the city, one of which is obtaining the emergency generators that the city council authorized to be purchased with the use of ARPA/Covid funding. 

“All generators have now been received that we have ordered, and the next step is to bid out the installation of those generators,” Haverlah said, noting that it took at least 18-20 months for the city to receive the generators after ordering them. When the question was asked if it was “supply chain” issues, he had another response. 

“If I may comment to that, supply chain issues, I think, is a term that is basically overstated at this point. It has really become more of a common economic environment for a number of things. Chief Young with our fire department just informed me that we placed an order for an ambulance, and it is a 24-month order period. So if we place an order now, two years from now is when we’ll actually receive that piece of equipment.”

Haverlah said that it is unlikely that the emergency generators will be installed by winter, as there is a process the city must go through for bidding out and then the installation. “Installing generators is more of a specialized skill, and it requires the installation of not only the generator, but also the switch on the electrical components in order to take the electricity generated by the generator.”

He said that the new Animal Control facility is tracking to be completed by spring of 2025. 

The State Highway 9 to Business 190 interchange is moving forward, but TxDOT has requested a change order on that project. 

“The project, just so you understand, is fully designed in compliance with all of their requirements. But TxDOT has requested a change order. Again, it’s their turnaround. Once it’s done, it’s an asset of the state. And so, if they want something done to it, well, we’re the designer in essence of the project. We could say no, and then they’ll likely do it anyway. We would prefer that they do it as part of the original construction project, instead of us finishing the project and then and then shutting down the interchange for them to do the additional work that they would desire to do. We are working with TxDOT and our engineer to do that change order, so we’re progressing and trying to be a good partner with them.”

The council also authorized the city manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Dailey-Wells Communications, Inc. for a maintenance contract for the City’s P-25 Radio System. The budget amendment for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget for the City of Copperas Cove was approved by the council, which included the additional $62,000 cost for the agreement with Dailey-Wells Communications.  

The council also authorized the city manager to enter into a contract with Routeware Global for using the Routeware system for city solid waste and related operations. With this softwared, Operation Supervisors can manage all collection routes from a computer, tablet or cell phone from any location. They can create new routes, add new customers directly to the appropriate route, dispatch helper routes and extra pickups, track vehicles (location, speed and heading), view data/pictures to assist customers, view route collections and customer issues as they occur in real time, and communicate with the drivers.

The annual cost is $71,968.92 and the contract is renewable for four additional years. 

“I’d like to give my support to this program. I’ve watched Routeware in action. It’s a great piece of software. It allows for staff to realize efficiencies, and as you said before, pivot in real time, to be responsive to customer needs and what’s happening in the field. I encourage all city staff to be looking at ways that we can improve our efficiencies and our customer service abilities. It is worth the money,” said councilmember Fred Chavez.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the council authorized a payment of $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Copperas Cove for operating expenses.