Bonham -- In another regular meeting of Bonham City Council filled with positive indicators of imminent economic development, councilmembers amended a zoning ordinance in order to allow Shady Shores of Bonham to develop a 93-unit nursing facility and 53 cottages on the site of the former Bonham Golf Club, and ratified action by Bonham Economic Development Corporation to provide incentives for a major employer relocating to the facility formerly owned by Kwal Paint.
Dave Struchtemeyer, CPA, City of Bonham Director of Finance, provided Bonham City Council with a brief summary of the City's finances.
"This time of year it is normal that our cash flow begins to tighten up, but this month ours looks worse than normal," Mr. Struchtemeyer advised councilmembers. "We are waiting for our grant reimbursement of a little over $112,500 from TxDOT Aviation for the Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) which we will receive within the next two weeks and we have spent over $90,000 in engineering services for the Island Bayou and Main Street bridge projects. The City bank account does still have sufficient funds to cover City obligations."
"We continue to be challenged with critical machinery going down and incurring costly repairs," Mr. Struchtemeyer added. "Last week the Water and Sewer Department had a dump truck go down and the estimated cost to repair it is $8,000."
Struchtemeyer said sales tax revenue continues its promising trend. The State Comptroller’s office will release sales tax results for the month of August. Currently, Bonham's sales tax revenue is up almost 6% over last year’s collections.
Once the City of Bonham is reimbursed by TxDOT for its share of the Automated Weather Observation Station cost, and reimbursed by Federal Highway Administration and FEMA for a portion of engineering services at the Island Bayou and Main Street bridge projects, the City will be within expected parameters of the budget.
In the next agenda item, Bonham City Council proclaimed August 7-13 as National Health Center Week and Bonham Mayor Pro Tem H. Compton, along with Bonham City Councilmember John Burnett, presented the proclamation to representatives of Community Health Services Agency, Inc., which provides accessible primary and preventative healthcare to individuals in five counties in northeast Texas regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
The ensuing item on the agenda called for councilmembers to consider an ordinance which would amend the zoning at 411 West Russell Avenue from a Single-Family Residential Dwelling District to a Multifamily Residential Dwelling District.
Bonham City Manager Sean Pate led the discussion as a series of informative graphics provided details to Shady Shores of Bonham, which will consist of a new 93-unit nursing facility located on the south end of the former Bonham Golf Club, as well as 53 duplex and four-plex cottages for senior citizens located around a community center on the north end of the property.
"This will certainly be a first-rate operation and something we will be proud of," Mr. Pate remarked.
The zoning change was unanimously approved by Bonham City Council.
The next agenda item regarded an ordinance conveying property at 1120 Chinner, 1014 Pine and 410 Henderson to the highest bidders. The properties were conveyed for $200, $100 and $400, respectively, by a 6-1 vote. Councilmember Bob Thomas expressed disappointment that the city wasn't able to generate more income from selling the properties and cast the opposing vote.
In other business, Bonham City Council unanimously ratified the action of Bonham Economic Development Corporation (BEDCo) Board of Directors to provide incentive to an economic development prospect that must invest more than $10 million and hire 200 full-time workers over a 10-year period. Average salary is expected to be $30,000 plus benefits.
Bonham City Council authorized the submittal of an infrastructure grant application in the amount of $970,000 for the reconstruction of approximately 1,750 linear feet of North Albert Broadfoot Street from the U.S. 82 frontage road north to the north truck entrance at the facility. City council selected KSA Engineers, Inc. for grant administration, engineering design services and reconstruction of this section of North Albert Broadfoot to accommodate semi-truck traffic.
Bonham City Council appointed Tony Rodriguez to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mr. Rodriguez had been an alternate to the commission; Rusty Deets was appointed as an alternate.
Bonham Police Chief Mike Bankston reported that all Bonham Police Officers have been assigned body cameras.
"The body cameras are working very well so far," Chief Bankston told councilmembers. "Every officer will now be wearing one."
Mayor Pro Tem H. Compton commended Bonham Fire Department for the professional way local firefighters responded to a potentially dangerous explosion Monday morning at VPG. Bonham resident Kevin Sangster also thanked members of Bonham Fire Department for their timely response to the emergency.
