Council to begin year with big ticket spending
Wichita Falls city councilors are likely to start the new year by spending more than $15 million.
Most of the spending projects have been approved in previous council meetings and much of the money comes from the $29.1 million the city received from the federal government's American Rescue Plan Act.
The lion's share of that COVID-19 relief funding will go to Anthony Inman Construction, Inc -- $12.5 million -- to pay for renovation to the Memorial Auditorium building, which houses city staff offices.
The city staff said the project would "strengthen the public health system by replacing the Memorial Auditorium’s heating, venting and air conditioning system to reduce potential public exposure to airborne pathogens."
The staff also said the plan will boost economic impact/tourism use of the public areas of the facility by maintaining safe social distancing.
Councilors are also expected to give $1.5 million to 30 nonprofit agencies to cover their losses in the pandemic.
One unexpected expense is $600,000 to pay for damage resulting from broken pipes at the City-County Health District and the MPEC Exhibit Hall.
Other expenditures include:
$211,660 for new parts for the reverse osmosis trains at the Cypress Water Treatment Facility.
$92,933 for three new motorcycles for the Police Department.
$122,364 for police shields with money to come from a state grant.
$58,800 for new cabinets for traffic controls
$196,191 for new carpeting at the MPEC Exhibit Hall
In other business, councilors will apply for a state grant for police body cameras, consider changing the name of a street to honor a local resident and amend an incentive arrangement with Pratt & Whitney.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Council to begin year with big ticket spending
