Bond Recommendations

8,993 Views | 50 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by CSTX-Socol
UmustBKidding
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Ok a few corrections to your non facts. My property was annexed less than a month ago.
The fire station that moved twenty years ago directly lead to spending (wasting to a large part) >$7MM on station 6. So picking the wrong destination now can cost big in the future. I have no problem with a new station but I want it to not be short sighted like that was and cost us again in the future. I suspect all the problem children with AICP on their bio at COCS are hard at work on the next tax grab. Where station 7 should be be located should not be based on free land for CSISD, it needs to cover the existing and future tax victims. Fire may have knowledge of who planning intends to assimilate but nothing I have seen publicly says that it even was considered in the location planning. Of items in this proposal the fire station is the most justifiable, but only if the future needs completely evaluated.

I am firmly in the government is part of the problem and seldom part of the solution camp.
The last council member I routinely agreed with with Dick Birdwell and I miss North Bardell at city manager.

So we disagree, you think its a good idea to kick soccer players out of Veterans for A&M parking, I don't. You think the higher electric rates in CS are offset by the lower taxes, I don't. You think the staff and council are all benevolent and looking out for the best interest of all the citizens of CS, I don't (at least in some case). I think our basic difference is you assume that all these proposal are well thought out appropriate, I say prove it.
I have lived in Brazos county since 1978, I have seen shenanigans at COCS, Bryan, Brazos County none are immune. Just how me the facts.



So here are my votes:
1: No unless there is a lot of new information and justification why a small number of substations or relocating 911 dispatch (or merging with the county) will not remove or delay the need for a new facility. Also not unless there is clear direction how the old facility would be repurposed or sold.
2: No unless they tell us what they are. I suspect this is to cover only the one about a block from my house at Greens Prairie Trail and FM2154.
3: No unless they enumerate if it will cover the land grabs for a number of years.
4: No unless they are very specific and this is not
5: No pending convincing information
6: Not without details
7: No lived there for years, if adding their calming strategy implemented elsewhere my answer will be absolutely not.
8: Maybe, but they assimilated one in welborn, why not improve it. Or maybe they could build it in conjunction with station 7, all the stations have publicly available conference rooms this one could just be bigger.
9: Not without details
10: nope
11: nope
12 nope (that is the developers job if you ask about adding a park)
13: He11 no. After they ditched weingarten and wallmart because having it there, even though it was exactly in line with the development plan, would force having them to improve and expand roads in the area, no, never, not a chance. Live with it.
14: Spray park, we had this discussion in regard to their stupidity at WP ditch and swamp hole. No
15: No
16: No and do what ever to the existing green spaces so we don't have to have a full time staff member (greenways program manager) and any associated staff that does not operate a shovel and lawn mower.
17: no One is enough (maybe to many if the liability is as bad as I expect)
18: Not until you figure out how to effectively share your joint undertaking at CSMS with the public.


oldag76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Why do we need two fire departments and two EMS? Why do we have two police departments, a sheriff's department AND Constables who do traffic patrols?
Isn't it time to have BCS combined metro services?
Just like utilities, why doesn' the city allow Atmos to staff a desk at the utilities building?

All of this would make it better for the citizens and allow more tax money for schools, roads or other infrastructure.

Start with fire and EMS. Once it works, then expand. It sure worked well in Washington County, Oregon when i was exiled out there!
techno-ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Why do we need two fire departments and two EMS? Why do we have two police departments, a sheriff's department AND Constables who do traffic patrols?
Isn't it time to have BCS combined metro services?
Just like utilities, why doesn' the city allow Atmos to staff a desk at the utilities building?

All of this would make it better for the citizens and allow more tax money for schools, roads or other infrastructure.

Start with fire and EMS. Once it works, then expand. It sure worked well in Washington County, Oregon when i was exiled out there!
transplanted txn
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Graham and Victoria - it's only going to get worse - and every driver takes their life into their hands trying to navigate through there - add in pedestrians - and NEW drivers headed to the high school...UGH
Oogway
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Graham & Victoria? It is busy, I will admit, but it is a four-way stop with crosswalks--that isn't so hard. If people are rolling the stop signs or not yielding to pedestrians in traffic, please call the nonemergency # so that the police can monitor the intersection. Maybe I don't travel that way at the same time of day you do, so I admit it could be worse than I realize.

The UPPR grade improvements--aren't those the ones dealing with Greens Prairie & Wade and Straub and the City's share for the closure of the latter two crossings?
duffelpud
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
WTAW reported this morning that College Station staff has made recommendations about what to include in a possible bond issue this November that include $60 million dollars of street and other transportation related projects and $2.5 million for park repairs and improvements. Note that $60 million is the amount estimated in bonds that may be issued for without raising taxes.

Recall that in May a citizens advisory panel recommended spending $182,150,000 on various projects. I'm guessing (paging Jay Socol) this is staff's recommendations from that list - or did staff just come up with these without looking at that list?

Does this mean that staff doesn't recommend a spray park, skate park, natatorium, community center, new police station, new fire station and $6.1 million in new trails?

I'm also guessing council-person Brick isn't a mathematics teacher, or did I miss something?


The staff list includes:

$60.35 MILLION IN STREET IMPROVEMENTS:

$21.2 million to widen Greens Prairie Road from Arrington to Wallace Phillips Parkway and build a roundabout or add traffic signals at the intersection of Greens Prairie and Arrington Roads.

$18 million to widen Rock Prairie Road West to four lanes between Wellborn and Holleman South, align Barron Road with Capstone and add a traffic signal, and move a railroad crossing from Cain Road to Deacon Drive and add a traffic signal.

$14.9 million to widen Greens Prairie Trail, Greens Prairie Road, and improve Royder Road.

$2 million to add an eastbound lane to FM 2818 between Wellborn and Luther.

$2 million for safety improvements on Anna, Glade, Holik, and Park Place.

$1.5 million to add traffic signals at approximately one intersection per year for five years.

$750,000 to replace and build new sidewalks and for sharing the cost in building roads with private developers.


$2.5 MILLION IN PARK IMPROVEMENTS:

Redeveloping Gabbard, Lions, Merry Oaks, and Raintree Parks.

Anderson Park: adding lights in athletic areas and expanded parking.

Bachmann Park: add lighting to soccer fields, repairing parking lots, and improvements to increase ADA accessibility.

Central Park: replacing playground and surfacing, parking lot repairs, and improvements to increase ADA accessibility.

Sandstone Park: add athletic lighting.

Veterans Park: adding a jogging trail and repairing parking lots.
CSTX-Socol
How long do you want to ignore this user?
duffelpud: During last week's meeting, staff simply presented additional information about all of the transportation and parks projects ranked by the citizen advisory committee. Most of the presentation's focus was on the transportation-related projects, but the recommended parks improvements were touched on, too.

Here's a link to the PowerPoint presentation given by staff.

At the July 9 meeting, staff is expected to provide more information about the facilities projects the committee recommended and ranked.

-jgs
Oogway
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Thank you for providing that link. Is there a contact person if citizens have questions, comments or concerns?
mgreen
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Will.College Station ever start using roundabouts to reduce the need for red lights?
duffelpud
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Thanks, Jay - I see that now. So we will have additional millions in recommendations on top of the $62.85 million already recommended, as I'm assuming Santa's list is only about half done?

An email response from the city manager's office about the amount of the tax increase due to a possible bond passage netted the following response:

quote:
Above the 45-60 million dollar threshold, it is estimated that each additional cent on the tax rate would allow us to fund about $10 million in additional capital projects.

So based on this variable, we may already be into higher tax land based on recommendations to date (if they are passed by voters)? Can any math whizzes calculate what this means to, say, the owner of a $200,000 home?
lockett93
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
200000 * .01% = $20 per year per penny increase.
duffelpud
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
So if they put the entire $182,150,000 bag of goodies on the ballot and it passes, that same home would see taxes increase between $244 and $274 per year?
rcannaday
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I am surprised the city even splits the costs with developers. Maybe developers should pay for the full 100%?


Muzzleblast
How long do you want to ignore this user?
You keep sending them money and credit and they will continue to spend. Never vote yes on bonds. Cities and counties should work like a responsible family has to work, by saving until they can pay for what they want.

This is how Greece got where it is.

Dude, do you even Ramsay?
kraut
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
I am surprised the city even splits the costs with developers. Maybe developers should pay for the full 100%?



That isn't what that item is for. In some cases, the city may desire more than what the developer is responsible for building.

For instance, if a developer needs an 8" water line to serve his development, but the city sees the need for a 12" to serve future development, the city will pay the difference between an 8" and a 12" so that the 12" will get built by the developer.

This is a good thing, since the city doesn't have to come back and replace the line in the future.
95_Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Cities and counties should work like a responsible family has to work, by saving until they can pay for what they want.

I don't think that works when a city is actually growing.

Dave Ramsey applies to personal finance. I doubt it would work for municipal or corporate finance.
CSTX-Socol
How long do you want to ignore this user?
duffelpud: I don't think the council yet knows which projects they'll opt to pursue and which ones they'll take a pass on. I don't think even the citizen committee intended for all the projects they reviewed and considered to make it on a ballot. If nothing else, that's shown by the number of points they ultimately gave (or didn't give) each project through their ranking process.

But the council clearly has many decisions to make and many options in front of them. They just need more information about all projects and scenarios before giving staff direction.

-jgs
Refresh
Page 2 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.