Latest news with #CleburneCityCouncil
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cleburne wins distinguished budget award
Thirty-four consecutive years and counting, Cleburne Finance Director Craig Boonstra said of the city's latest award. Boonstra, during Tuesday's meeting of the Cleburne City Council, announced that Cleburne has once again won the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. The Association announced the award March 11. This year's award is in connection with Cleburne's annual budget for the 2025 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. 'This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting,' Boonstra said. 'Its attainment represents a significant achievement by a city organization.' In choosing recipients for the award, the Association consider several criteria, Boonstra said. 'In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as a financial plan, as an operations guide, and as a communications device,' Boonstra said. Cleburne's long running tradition of receiving the award each year speaks volumes, Mayor Scott Cain said. 'It speaks to the professionalism and quality of our finance department,' Cain said. 'It also speaks to our other city departments who support and work with the finance department in creating the budget.' Amendments and renovations Based on a desire to support the development of non-profit, affordable housing within the city, council members unanimously approved an amendment to city codes dealing with impact fees. 'The hope is to provide financial relief through the exemption of impact fees [in certain cases],' Public Works Director Jeremy Hutt said. 'This effort aims to reduce development costs and encourage the construction of affordable housing units by non-profit entities.' Such an exemption already exists within the city for public school construction projects. This addition, Hutt and others said, should help spur construction of affordable housing. Hutt, in answer to Councilman Oliver Cozby's question, said the exemption will apply both to construction projects involving single homes as well as multiple home projects. 'To request an exemption, the applicant must submit a formal letter to the director of public works, which includes a description of the proposed development, including location and number of housing units as well as documentation verifying the applicant's non-profit status and supporting information demonstrating compliance with the requirements for affordable housing,' Hutt said. 'If an exemption is granted but the development is not constructed as affordable housing or later ceases to qualify, the city shall assess and collect applicable impact fees based on the rates in effect at the time of building permit or water meter issuance.' Council members also approved the replacement of 39 windows at city hall for a cost not to exceed $115,000. Council also agreed to hire Strong Commercial for the project. The post office previously occupied the current city hall building, which dates to the early 20th Century. 'The existing windows are in poor condition and require full replacement to improve energy efficiency, aesthetics, and overall building performance,' Hutt said. 'The project scope includes the replacement, demolition, and proper disposal of a total of 39 windows.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council honor librarians, dispatchers
Members of the Cleburne City Council paid tribute to the city's librarians and dispatchers during their Tuesday meeting. "I encourage all our residents to visit our library to explore its resources," Mayor Scott Cain said. "This reminds me of my first experience, when the library was still at the Layland Building, of getting my library card and being able to spend my summer reading books. I didn't have any idea then that it was going to lead to a lifetime of continued learning, and I still read every day and love every moment of it." The Cleburne Public Library received two mentions during Tuesday's meeting, the first being recognition of having received the 2024 Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association. Cleburne librarians are no strangers to the award having now won it four years in a row. To be considered for the award, a library must support standards of excellence in 10 categories. "Those include serving the underprivileged, digital literacy and other benchmarks," Library Manager Tina Dunham said. Dunham thanked the council and city administration for their support of the library. "But especially our staff," she said. "They are hard working and go over and above to serve the community and make it a better place." Cain referenced the fact that the library and Cleburne Police Department have shared the same building for decades and both have outgrown that facility. "I look forward to the day we can give you all the resources you need," Cain said. "I can't imagine what you guys can do with state-of-the-art facilities. We look forward to being able to get that for you one day, hopefully in the near future." Cain also proclaimed Sunday through Saturday as National Library Week in Cleburne. "Libraries spark creativity, fuel imagination and inspire lifelong learning," Cain said. "They offer a space where individuals of all ages can explore new ideas and be drawn to new possibilities." Cain, joined by Police Chief Rob Severance and CPD dispatchers, proclaimed Sunday through April 19 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Cleburne. "They are the vital link for police and firefighters through monitoring their activities by radio and providing them quality and accurate information to ensure their safety," Cain said. "Through their diligence and professionalism they keep our residents and our city safe." Cain called the dispatcher's ability to remain compassionate and calm under pressure absolutely amazing. "I think back to the tornadoes that came through in 2013 and all the chaos that went on because of that," Cain said. "These women humbly handled all the 911 calls coming in from the get go. They remained professional and understanding in helping our first responders and helping everyone stay calm."
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council accepts easements from Cleburne ISD
The Cleburne City Council accepted a donation of 4.6 acres of right-of-way easements from Cleburne ISD during the council's March 25 meeting. 'I want to thank CISD for dedicating this land to the city,' Cleburne Councilman Blake Jones said. 'This is a big deal and I look forward to our continued partnerships with the district.' The easement dedication affects the city's planned extension and improvements to University Drive. Plans, targeted under the city's master thoroughfare plan, call for increasing University Drive into a four-lane, divided roadway, Cleburne Director of Public Works Jeremy Hutt said. A portion of the new roadway will parallel CISD-owned property at the northeast corner of Surry Place and University Drive. The CISD board voted to dedicate the right-of-way parcels, which consist of five separate easements, to the city, Hutt said. The parcels include a 90-foot right-of-way for University Drive plus additional property west of University Drive, which will become stranded parcels once the right-of-way becomes established. The portion of University Drive to be enlarged is part of the Legado subdivision and is part of a development agreement with Forestar Development. The construction is expected to take about 18 months, Hutt said. }The agreement helps coordinate the interests and participation of multiple developments and property owners with the city's participation costs to total $3,169,897. 'This plan has been on our thoroughfare masterplan as a critical and key gateway toward the southern part of our community for a long time,' Mayor Scott Cain said in 2023. 'It will bring desperately needed relief around the Smith Middle School area.' Through partnership between the city and developers, construction of the roadway will come in a timely manner at significant saving, Cleburne Public Works Director Jeremy Hutt said. }Forestar Development is developing the Legado subdivision, a 147-acre subdivision of about 500 single family lots located south of West Henderson Street and east of Mayfield Drive. Council members during the March 25 meeting also approved a resolution requiring a license agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and also approved payment of license fees and any costs associated with the project. The project, Hutt said, involves installation of a 16-inch water main loop. '[The water main] will provide a more reliable and robust means of water distribution for the eastern half of the city and the northern industrial park,' Hutt said. The new system will improve water quality and improve system pressure, Hutt said. 'And add redundancy to the water supply system, ensuring the city can continue to serve its residents and businesses effectively, even during maintenance or unexpected failures in other parts of the water distribution network.' Construction of the project involves crossing a portion of BNSF's right-of-way, something requires planning and approval from the railroad company. Hutt said the council's approval of the resolution addressing and authorizing the matter represent critical steps necessary before construction can begin and ensure necessary regulatory requirement are in place before construction begins. The agreement will also help prevent delays during the construction phase, Hutt said. Council members also amended ordinances addressing fire lane access easements in subdivisions. 'This streamlines the process without sacrificing safety,' Jones said. Current ordinance mandates that fire lane access easements — at least 24 feet in width — be included on plats for all subdivisions. Doing so ensures that fire lanes are established early in the development process, Community Development Director Marcos Narvaez said. 'However, it poses challenges when properties are later redeveloped,' Narvaez said. 'In many cases, redevelopment requires a replat to adjust fire lanes, even though thes requirement could be more efficiently addressed during the site plan review process.' To those ends, the council's amendments removes the requirement to establish fire lanes during the platting process and now requires that fire lanes be established during the site plan review process for individual developments. Doing so, Narvaez said, renders the process more efficient and flexible especially in relation to redevelopments.
