Collinsville is preparing for its annual Christmas On the Square event slated for Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Keep Collinsville Beautiful (KCB) will be meeting the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving to decorate the downtown area. The Collinsville Area Chamber of Commerce is coordinating vendors (including a KCB booth which will be handing out cider and cookies), a chili supper provided by the Methodist Church, and horse-drawn wagon rides for attendees. The event is completely free.
KCB is also preparing for its annual Tour of Homes on Dec. 13. This year’s event will feature four locations and tickets went on sale this week. The home of Collinsville citizen Red McCorkle is usually a featured stop on the tour, as everyone has come to anticipate his incredible Christmas display. However, he is unable to participate this year, so the Tour of Homes is dedicated to him.
After these updates at the recent City Council meeting, the Collinsville Park Association said plans are underway for drainage, pavilion and moving the basketball court.
The Community Library saw 314 kids at a recent retreat, bringing their monthly gate count to 501. Their recent program, “Getting Your Affairs in Order” was well-received and a scarecrow scavenger hunt was successful.
The Collinsville Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will be meeting with Civic Connection Group to begin consultation for its comprehensive plan.
“This is extremely important to the track we’re on,” EDC chairman Joseph Cartwright said. “We’re really excited to get these meetings started.”
The EDC is also working on the development of a downtown building incentive program. They’ve already received two applications over $10,000, which called for a public hearing to discuss the organization’s plans.
In the hearing, the EDC requested to use sales and use tax proceeds to develop the following projects: a website (not to exceed $10,000); hire a part-time Administrative City Secretary (not to exceed $15,000); capital outlay project (not to exceed $100,000); build and maintain a GIS map (not to exceed $30,000); sewer plant infrastructure (not to exceed $80,000); and a city pavilion project (no to exceed $20,000).
The capital outlay project, Cartwright explained, was the downtown building incentive program. The idea is to provide three grants (each one no more than $25,000) and five loans (up to $5,000 each). The grants would fund major renovations while the loans would be for smaller projects, like new signage.
After the hearing, the council approved all of these items. Then they held a public hearing requests by the Industrial Development Corporation (CIDC). These included website development (subscription, maintenance, aerial video, etc.); part-time Administrative City Secretary; capital outlay project (but from an infrastructure standpoint, such as plumbing and drainage, etc.); infrastructure remodel of the public works control room (not to exceed $80,000); and the city pavilion and drainage project (not to exceed $23,000).
The council approved these items as well.
Council members also approved Resolution 826-2024, a governmental lease agreement with America National Leasing Company for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle that was ordered last January and just came in.
The council considered Resolution R827-2024 which would move the Certificate of Deposit from Independent Bank to TexStar-Logic. David Schechtman of Hilltop Securities explained this as a money market for government entities like cities, counties and municipalities. In switching to TexStar-Logic, funds would remain 100% liquid, there would be no minimum balance requirements, and the city would receive a competitive rate, fixed income portfolio. This arrangement will help with the utilization and management of Water Well bond proceeds. The council approved.
Council also amended the 2024-2025 CIDC budget by $20,000 and the CEDC budget by $14,000 to allow for a storage building at City Park for CAYSA, effective Nov. 18.
Vickie Davis was appointed to the Park Association Board of Directors before the council went into closed executive session to discuss a matter in which the duty of the city attorney clearly conflicted with the Texas Open Meetings Act regarding ISD development, Southridge Development and water and sewer service.
When they returned to open session, the council approved a proposal from Raftelis regarding a rate study for water and sewer services for Collinsville; approved an interlocal agreement between the City of Collinsville and the CISD related to the development of the elementary school; and approved a developmental agreement between the City of Collinsville and FMB Property Holdings LLC for the development of an approximate 33-acre tract of land located partially within the corporate limits and partially within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City.
Source: Freepik.com