The Llano City Council met Monday evening and agreed to close a portion of Cedar Street that led to the old Kindergarten School, according to several members of the Council as they reminisced. The motion to close the street that ended abruptly into a wooded area was unanimous.
Among other business conducted, the Council approved selecting Arrowhead Bank for a loan to finance a 2022 Freightliner for the Utility Department. Council approved the trade-in of a 5-year-old truck to cover a portion of the cost of the new truck on November 15. Monday’s action selected the bank that would finance the purchase after receiving two local bids. The city has had a 5-year buy-back agreement with Vac-Con for the Vac-con combination truck since 2011. Every 5 years, Vac-Con takes the current city-owned Vac-Con truck in as trade on a new Vac-Con truck at a guaranteed 50 percent cost of the original purchase price.
The Council also heard from Aaron Laughlin, Engineer for Steger Bizzell, on a Task Order amendment to a project contracted on April 5, 2017. The job involved the design and replacement for the Llano Main Street sewer line, the phasing out of asbestos cement (AC) pipes within the water network paralleling the replaced sewer line, and associated roadway repairs and maintenance. The project also included the installation of a screening unit at the City’s primary influent lift station site.
Following the construction of the original scope of work improvements, Laughlin explained that the City has excess TWDB Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan funds remaining. Council approved the use of these funds for the construction of a washer-compactor unit for the screening unit at the lift station site for $19,500. The cost includes civil, mechanical, and electrical/controls design plans for the washer-compactor, negotiation of a change order with M&C Fonseca to install the washer-compactor, and the continuation of construction phase engineering services. TWDB CWSRF loan funds are available to cover the costs associated with this task order amendment as well as the construction of the washer-compactor.
Council also approved the 2021 End of Year Financial Report by new Finance Director Ron Wood. Additionally, a company was selected by Council to perform a Comprehensive Compensation Plan for the City.
City Manager Erica Berry said the last salary schedule prepared for the City of Llano was done in 2004-2005 and has not been adhered to in many years. Per the City of Llano Personnel Policy Chapter VII, Section 1, the City Manager shall prepare and administer a comprehensive compensation plan for City employees subject to required City Council approval.
In other business, the proposed zoning changes regarding uses were postponed until the next regular meeting in January, as Alderwomen Kelli Tudyk and Kara Gilliland were absent Monday evening. The Council did unanimously approve sponsoring the Llano Elementary School to see a holiday movie at the LanTex when their previous sponsors decided not to participate in 2021. Alderman Decker said he felt led to make sure the kids continued a tradition that has been longstanding in Llano, except during COVID restrictions but added that he encouraged sponsors to step up and help the Elementary PTO find a way to keep the tradition going for the kids.