(PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
2024 REPORT … Fire Chief Douglas Pool presented to the council a 2024 annual report for the Fire Department.
By: India Kenner
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
india@thevillagereporter.com
The Bryan City Council met on Monday, February 17th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. with all members present: Mary Leatherman from Ward 1, Richard Hupe from Ward 2, John Betts from Ward 3, Stephen Alspaugh from Ward 4, Jim Kozumplik At Large. Mayor Carrie Schlade, Clerk/Treasurer John Lehner, Fire Chief Douglas Pool, City Engineer Brian Wieland, Tyson Engstrom, and a few community members.
The meeting was called to order by Leatherman promptly at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Stephen Alspaugh moved to approve the minutes from the February 3rd meeting, seconded by Jim Kozumplik.
John Lehner presented the Clerk Treasurer’s report of January statements.
Council approved the following items:
-Resolution 13-2025 – a resolution to accept $5,430 from fourteen various sponsors to the Parks and Recreation Department for the Fountain City Amphitheater.
-An ordinance providing for annual appropriations for the City of Bryan for the fiscal year ending December 31st, 2024, and declaring an emergency. Lehner commented that this is an amended ok ordinance that ties into Resolution 13-2025.
-Resolution number 14-2025 is a resolution authorizing the clerk-treasurer to advertise for bids for the project known as Waterline Replacement Project East Mulberry Street 700-900 blocks.
Bids would go out in July and the project is forecasted to be completed by November 2025 if materials are available according to Wieland.
-Resolution 15-2025 is a resolution authorizing the City Engineer of the City of Bryan to apply for grants through the community project funding sources for the City of Bryan. Resolution 14-2025 and 15-2025 are joint projects with BMU Bryan Municipal Utilities.
City Engineer Brian Wieland approached the council to present his slideshow of the Engineering Department Annual Report 2024.
This report included contact information. The 2024 projects include the Asphalt Paving Program, Pavement Marking Program, and street improvements of the East Village Addition. South Myers Street sanitary sewer replacement and Lincoln Park restroom facility.
Also included in the report were 2024 grants that will be applied for and executed in 2025 for East Mulberry Street waterline and South Walnut sanitary sewer. Zoning permits and code violations were also included in the annual report.
The 2025 upcoming projects include: asphalt paving, pavement marking, Lincoln Park Area sanitary sewer replacement, Safe Routes to School Phase 2 – sidewalk, Blakeslee Avenue reconstruction, South Walnut area sanitary sewer replacement, and Don North Municipal Building roof shingle replacement.
Fire Chief Douglas Pool presented the 2024 Annual Report for the City of Bryan Fire Department.
This included a staff directory and pie charts and graphs on emergency activity, fire prevention, training, and unmanned aircraft activities.
The report also included the department’s apparatus of pumpers, ladder trucks, rescue, water tankers, and support vehicles.
A potential project in the works is the EMS providing an ambulance for the fire department to use to assist in emergency calls.
Mayor Carrie Schlade presented a slideshow with a city wide directory, budget and planning comparisons, a pie chart showing where general funds were dispersed, income and property tax collected.
Also presented was information on grants, Industrial Park and Amtrak upgrades, and two more projects – VIP and Kronos upgrades, and non-bargaining wage compensation plans.
For comments, Schlade thanked the department heads. Engstrom thanked BMU for loaning out two employees to help the street department prepare for the winter storms.
The Bryan City Council meeting adjourned at 6:25 pm. The next meeting will be March 3rd at 5:30 pm.
