Bonham, Texas -- The Bonham City Council met for a regular meeting on Monday, April 14, 2025 at Bonham City Hall. Mayor HL Compton called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm. All council members were present.
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Council approved the minutes of the March 10, 2025 regular meeting.
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Council approved the financial report for the month ending March 31, 2025. Sarah Osburn noted that the check report looked different because of a software change. Council member Ernie Quintana stated that this report was easier to read. Osburn agreed and said that the budget reports will be easier to read, too. Osburn noted that sales tax was flat and property taxes have come in.
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Citizens Opportunity to Speak
Troy Waggoner, Fannin County Commissioner, Pct 1 who lives in Ravenna, handed out a report to each council member. Waggoner said that a 391 commission has been formed by Fannin County and City of Savoy and he issued an invitation to the City of Bonham to join. City Manager Sean Pate spoke up and said that the city would likely want to be a part of this effort, and asked Waggoner to get more info to his office so that this topic can be added to a future council meeting agenda.
William Harnett of Bonham expressed thanks to the city for their efforts to clean up Stephenson Park. Harnett noted that he complained about this park at a previous council meeting. He felt the city staff did a great job getting rid of dangerous playground equipment and that he recently noticed kids playing with soccer and footballs at this park in south Bonham.
Council member John Barnett expressed thanks to all of the volunteers who worked at TMOM Dental this past weekend. This event provided over $700k free dental work for about 600 people. Several other council members echoed Burnett’s positive comments about this event.
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Council approved a Proclamation for Vive le Bois d’Arc. Jenn Knight introduced David Keene and John Baecht, who have been the motivating force to make this event happen. On Saturday, May 3 Bonham will be celebrating all things bois d’arc at 10:00 a.m. at the Fannin County Courthouse.
Knight explained that representatives from the Caddo Nation and the French Consulate will attend this special event. Baecht will lead a special tree planting of a bois d’arc tree that he is donating to the county.
Keene will be presenting special pens made out of locally harvested bois d’arc wood to dignitaries at the event on May 3. After Mayor Compton read the proclamation, Keene gave a commemorative pen to each council member and the city manager. A limited supply of these pens will also be available for sale at the Creative Arts Center in Bonham.
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Council approved an amendment to the Owner-Engineer Agreement between the City of Bonham and KSA Engineers, Inc. for the Water Distribution System Improvements Project (TWDB DWSRF Contract No. 62809). Pate noted that they are still working on a couple of yards to fix and there will be a one year warranty after project is officially closed.
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Council adopted a Resolution approving final payment to Timco Blasting and Coating, Inc. and project close out with the Texas Water Development Board for Bonham Collection System Improvements Project (TWDB DWSRF Contract No. 62809).
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Council approved a contract for Election Services between the Fannin County Clerk and the City of Bonham for the May 3, 2025 election. City Secretary Heather Stockton noted that the city does this every year and it is less expensive than the city purchasing voting equipment. Bonham ISD is also holding an election, so the cost is split evenly between the two entities.
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Council approved the sale of a water truck to Fannin County (1998 Ford F800 Water Truck 1FDPF80C5WVA33475). Obsurn said that they had listed this on an auction site but this action would pull it off the site and Fannin County would purchase it for $8k.
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Council approved Amendment #1 to the Hayter Engineering contract for engineering services under HMGP DR-4885-066 to include required federal provisions. Obsurn said that a grant will provide 90% of the funds for this $1 million project and therefore only cost the city $100K of city funds.
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Council adopted a Resolution authorizing the Director of Administrative Services, the City Manager and the City Secretary to act on behalf of the City of Bonham for the purpose of filing for ownership of unclaimed property held with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Obsurn said that when she went to the ClaimItTexas.gov website, she noticed that the city is owed some money and this action will allow the city to reclaim some funds.
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Council took no action on a Resolution approving a Development Agreement with Fieldside Development, LLC for a 200-acre development.
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Council held a public hearing and listened to testimony regarding the proposed creation of The Preserve at Bonham Public Improvement District in accordance with Section 372.009, Texas Local Government Code. Pate explained that this involves a 200 acre tract on Hwy 82 that will eventually have 1000 homes built over several years. He said this would be second Public Improvement District (PID) created in Bonham. Pate described a PID as a tool to fund infrastructure expansion. The people who buy homes in the district will pay for the improvements to water, street and sewers. Pate said that this PID will also help widen Silo Road in the future.
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Council approved a resolution creating The Preserve at Bonham Public Improvement District.
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Council held a public hearing and approved a Resolution approving the Land Use Assumption and Capital Improvements Plans.
Ross Altobelli, Director of Community Development, summarized the history of how this plan was formulated. He said it is a projection of the housing and commercial development for Bonham over the next ten years. The projection includes residential growth estimated to include 1900 single and multifamily housing. He said this is based on actual developments already underway, discussions with other developers and an examination of available land. Pate said this plan calls for street improvements, including some to be widened. He this plan also includes new ground storage tanks for water and upgrades to water treatment facilities. Pate said if you go to Anna and Melissa and see two lane roads that are now nice paved 4 lane roads with trees and grass on sidelines, it is because of this type of planning. Altobelli said that the council will look at this plan at least every 2-3 years or more frequently as the growth happens. He also noted that as more growth happens, the lower the impact fees will be.
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Council adopted a Resolution setting May 12, 2025, as the public hearing date to discuss, review, and adopt Impact Fees.
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Council approved a resolution approving the execution of a special warranty deed conveying to the Bonham Economic Development Corporation an approximately 0.068-acre tract of land situated in the John P. Simpson Survey, Abstract No. 1017, City of Bonham, Fannin County, Texas. Joey Grisham, BEDCO Director, explained that he is working with a developer who wants to purchase the offices and upgrade them. This building currently houses the Bonham Visitor Center and the Bonham Chamber. Graisham explained that BEDCO did own this building, and then gave it to the city and now BEDCO was asking for it back. The developer would plan on leasing out bottom floor to the city and Chamber and then renovate the upper floor for more offices. Pate said that the cost of historic downtown is a challenge, as it is difficult to maintain the older buildings. He said this building is in a great location and it would be extremely expensive for the city to rehab the upper floor. Pate thought this would be a good thing for city. Grisham noted that this deal would get building back on tax rolls too.
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Council approved a City of Bonham Animal Control Quarantine Agreement. Police Chief Hawkes explained that this will remove the payment plan option, because once folks get their animal back, they usually stop payments.
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Pursuant to chapter 551, Texas Government Code, the Councill went into closed executive session at 6:11 pm, to discuss the following:
(A.) §551.072: Deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property concerning 36.702 acres of land, a part of the Mary Caldwell Survey Abstract Number 180, a part of the Joel Anderson Survey Abstract Number 12 and a part of the William McCarty Survey Abstract Number 706, lying and being situated on the North side of Lake Bonham in Fannin County, Texas.
(B.) §551.071 Consultation with attorney to seek legal advice on pending or contemplated litigation or a settlement offer as it relates to ETJ litigation in Cause No. D-1-GN-23-007785, City of Grand Prairie et al v. State of Texas.
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Council reconvened in open public session at 7:04 pm. For Item A, the council approved authorizing city staff to move forward with the property negotiations. For Item B, the council took no action.
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Meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
