City officials give nod to service agreement
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

In a half-hour meeting Tuesday night, the Lampasas City Council approved a $58,000 contract for architectural services on a new animal control facility.

The council voted 5-0 to approve the contract with Fort Worth-based Burns Architecture Inc. The city and county will split the cost of services, which include $15,000 for schematic designs, $18,000 for construction documents, $5,000 for bidding and $20,000 for construction.

The architect may not begin work on or incur expenses for construction documents without the city's prior written approval. The city has adequate funds in a general fund contingency item to pay for the schematic design phase, but City Manager Michael Stoldt said his staff and council members need more time to plan the budget for the remaining architectural expenses.

Original proposals for architectural services totaled about $74,000, but city and county officials were able to negotiate down the price.

Council members tabled discussion of an interlocal agreement with the county for construction and operation of the facility, which both entities will use to house impounded animals.

The city will use an old municipal animal shelter to house some animals until the new facility is built. The former shelter is not big enough to serve Lampasas indefinitely, Stoldt said, but the city saved $14,000 to $16,000 by not contracting with an individual who offered temporary care for impounded animals.

An animal control employee will check animals twice daily, but the city does not need a staff member at the old facility 24 hours a day, Stoldt said.

In other business, the council accepted Debbie Fuller's resignation from the City Council. Ms. Fuller is moving to Cedar Park with her husband, Wayne Hickenbottom, who has accepted a teaching job at the University of Texas.

The council will deliberate in closed session at its June 9 meeting, when Mayor Judy Hetherly said she hopes the council can announce Ms. Fuller's replacement.

In addition, the council voted 5-0 to amend the city's Key Avenue engineering contract with Turner Collie & Braden Inc. The amendment increases the cost for design and removes the construction portion of the contract, changing the overall price from $154,000 to $139,926.

Because the Texas Department of Transportation has put off plans for improvements to Key Avenue and Loop 257, Turner Collie & Braden will submit final plans and specifications to TxDOT and close the contract. The amendment allows for final submission and closure of the agreement.

The City Council also approved an Interconnect Agreement Draft and a Transformation Service Agreement Draft with the Lower Colorado River Authority. Both agreements last for 30 years and are renewable thereafter in fiveyear periods until either party cancels.

In his update to the council, Stoldt said LCRA recently increased its per-kilowatt-hour charge by one cent and may increase the rate again later this year. The increases are unrelated to the City Council's vote May 12 to raise the Distribution Energy Rate by one-eighth cent per kilowatt-hour. The city will not gain any additional revenue from the LCRA rate hikes, the city manager said.

Mayor Pro Tem John Cole was absent from the meeting.