(PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
REVIEWING DOCUMENTS … The board members look over the clerk/treasurer’s report given by John Lehner (far right).
By: India Kenner
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
india@thevillagereporter.com
The Bryan Board of Public Affairs met on Tuesday, April 15, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order after the Pledge of Allegiance by chair Annette Schreiner.
Roll call was taken by Clerk-Treasurer John Lehner, with all board members present, Chair Annette Schreiner, Vice Chair Bob Eyre, board members Dick Long, Jim Salsbury, and Karen Ford. Director of Utilities Derek Schultz and Mayor Carrie Schlade were also in attendance.
First on the agenda was to approve the minutes from the April 1 meeting. The motion was approved by Eyre and seconded by Long.
John Lehner asked the board members to look over the financial reports and to reach out with any questions. The motion to approve the Clerk-Treasurer’s report was made by Ford and seconded by Salsbury.
The board approved the following resolutions:
-Resolution 13-2025: Bryan Municipal Utilities (BMU) entered into an agreement with Beilharz Architects, Inc. for a Design-Bid-Build system to include engineering and design services, as well as providing construction documents, bidding oversight, management, and final commissioning of a new Electric Warehouse.
The Board of Public Affairs authorized Resolution No. 5, 2025, to advertise for competitive bids for the construction of the Project, according to plans and specifications set forth by BMU and Beilharz.
Competitive sealed bids were solicited and six bids were received and opened on April 3, 2025 Beilharz Architects and BMU have evaluated the bids and jointly recommend awarding the contract to Siebenaler Construction Company, as the lowest and best bidder, for a total bid of One Million, One Hundred Ninety Thousand, Six Hundred Thirty-Eight Dollars ($1,190,638) which includes the lowest base bid, Alternate 2 additional concrete, and Alternate 3 additional windows the 2025 Electric Department 515 Capital Budget includes appropriations of $1,400,000 for this project, and the recommended bid is within the approved budget.
The motion to approve was made by Ford and seconded by Long.
-Resolution 14-2025: Authorizing transfer from the 501 Electric Fund to the 515 Electrical Capital Reserve Fund. The Bryan Board of Public Affairs (“BPA”) found it advantageous to establish a restricted 515 Electric Capital Reserve Fund designated to account for the major acquisition of capital assets and the issuance of debt providing the funds for these projects; and the 2025 Electric Utility Budget was appropriated to support the transfer of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,200,000) to the Electric Capital Reserve Fund for future capital projects; and an Electric Utility Minimum Cash Reserve Policy was established by the 501 Electric Fund to quantify the minimum amount of unrestricted funds the utility shall keep available to ensure sound financial management of public resources and the organization’s creditworthiness; and the above mentioned transfer from the 501 Electric Fund to the 515 Electric Capital Reserve Fund has been reviewed and will not jeopardize the minimum cash reserve established for the 501 Electric Fund.
The motion to approve was made by Ford and seconded by Eyre.
-Resolution 15-2025: A Resolution to Authorize the transfer from the Water 502 Fund to the 525 Capital Fund. The Bryan Board of Public Affairs (“BPA”) found it advantageous to establish a restricted 525 Water Capital Reserve Fund designated to account for the major acquisition of capital assets and the issuance of debt providing the funds for these projects; and the 2025 Water Utility Budgets were appropriated to support the transfer of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000) to the Water Capital Reserve Fund for future capital projects.
A Water Utility Minimum Cash Reserve Policy was established for the 502 Water Fund to quantify the minimum amount of unrestricted funds the utility shall keep available to ensure sound financial management of public resources and the organization’s creditworthiness and transfer from the 502 Water Fund to the 525 Water Capital Reserve Fund has been reviewed and will not jeopardize the minimum cash reserve established for the 502 Water Fund.
The motion to approve was made by Ford and seconded by Eyre.
Upon a motion to pay the bills made by Long and seconded by Salsbury, the board approved payment of semi-monthly disbursements.
Derek Schultz congratulated the electrical department on receiving a certificate of excellence from the APPA. The board also congratulated Customer Service Representative Lee Steinke on his retirement and wished him the best.
The Bryan Board of Public Affairs adjourned at 5:15 p.m. to enter into executive session to discuss pending litigation with the city attorney. The next meeting will be on May 6 at 5:00 p.m.