Click Here to Watch the April 17 Council on the Go Meeting
The City of Schertz held its second Council on the Go meeting in 2018 on Tuesday, April 17 in the northern region of Schertz, at the Scenic Hill Community Center. The meeting began at 6:30 PM with a meet and greet, which gave residents an opportunity to meet and visit with City Council and City Staff from all departments. Presentations proceeded shortly after on various topics included updates on FM 1103 construction, area drainage project updates, an overview of the Northcliffe water main replacement, and FY 2017-18 Budget updates.
The FM 1103 expansion project was part of a voter approved bond election in 2015. Voters approved 2 million dollars to go toward road improvements, and TxDOT is currently finishing right-of-way acquisitions and working with all utility companies to have utilities along the road relocated. The scheduled let date, or construction contract date, is targeted for October 2019. Residents may have noticed work being done on the FM 1103 bridge over IH 35. This project is being funded entirely by TxDOT and when complete, will widen the bridge to provide additional lanes and also a turn-around lane. TxDOT’s current scheduled completion date is estimated for Winter 2018.
The City is working on several drainage projects this year. The primary concentration of these projects is removing the silt build-up from the drainage channels and to protect the side walls of these channels with concrete. Silt removal is necessary maintenance as it maintains the design capacity of the channel. Some of the drainage channel banks are steep and the concrete not only protects the channel from erosion, but also eliminates the need to mow those banks.
As the City grows, the infrastructure such as waterlines, ages and reaches a point where it needs to be replaced. These replacement projects are very expensive and are often done over the course of several phases, as to spread out the cost. The Northcliffe Waterline Replacement Project is an example of this. This project began in 2010 with four phases planned and was completed in 2017 with an estimated total project cost of $2 million dollars.
The FY 2017-18 budget presentation covered areas that residents identified as a focus for city staff based on the results of the 2016 Citizen Satisfaction Survey. Areas included additional staff for police services, facility maintenance of parks and new trail connections, storm water runoff channel maintenance, and more enforcement of city codes and ordinances. The current budget approved 22 new personnel, 20 work vehicles, and funds for street maintenance around the city.
After staff presentations, the meeting concluded with a brief question and answer session. Residents were encouraged to visit with City Staff and Council members after the meeting to discuss their concerns and needs. The final Council on the Go meeting of the year will be held on May 29 at Laura Ingalls Wilder Intermediate School.
The Council on the Go meeting initiative started in February 2016. The concept was to enhance City Council’s community outreach by hosting quarterly town-hall style meetings in nearby neighborhoods to address area-specific topics. The goal is to offer residents a closer, more accessible and convenient venue to interact with City Council and staff.
