Killeen council seeks clarity regarding WCID-1 relationship

The motion of direction came after council members heard a presentation from planning and consulting company Freese and Nichols that outlined the high-level costs and legal battles that would be associated with Killeen pursuing singular ownership of a water-supply system.

Currently, Killeen has a stakeholder position within the WCID #1 that guarantees a set amount of water every year.

The City Council has previously examined the possibility of owning its own water system. According to a new analysis from Freese and Nichols, the costs — not to mention the legal difficulties — are exorbitant.

If Killeen did not absorb WCID #1 and instead focused on creating treatment plants and stations, along with the necessary land, it would cost upwards of around $569 million. For wastewater treatment, Killeen would have to fork over another $359,250,000, taking costs to almost a $1 billion.

Setting aside the topic of capital investment, City Manager Kent Cagle explained that obtaining new water rights and creating the necessary reservoirs would be next to impossible.

“It’s possible that no new reservoirs will be built in Texas,” he said.

Councilman Michael Boyd said that Tuesday’s discussion was “putting the cart before the horse.”

However, he also said that there was a severe lack of understanding on the part of the public, the City Council and even staff as to Killeen’s relationship with WCID #1.

To that end, Boyd moved for the city to dig into Killeen’s relationship with WCID #1, from inception.

“It’s imperative that the consultant that we hire — that this is not a biased situation. We need absolute clarity,” he said.

ANIMAL SERVICES

The City Council tentatively approved an intergovernmental service agreement between the city of Killeen and Fort Hood to establish a cooperative animal services program with a total aggregate cost of $1.2 million.

According to Director of Recreation Services Joe Brown, the agreement will result in a greater service area and more resources for Killeen’s residents.

Part of the agreement includes an exchange of employees between the city and Fort Hood. According to Cagle, this means that Killeen will see an influx of officers to help handle animal control.

Wilkerson said he supported the program but voiced a concern that the agreement was a contract, not a long-term service agreement.

PURCHASING REQUESTS

The City Council tentatively approved a $480,535 bid to establish backup generators at pump stations six and seven, which would ensure that power losses do not interrupt water flow from those stations.

In addition, a $299,807 bid will result in the replacement of a significant number of aging technology infrastructure, according to Willie Resto, Killeen’s executive director of Information Technologies. Resto explained that the city purchased 337 desktop computers in 2013, which have since “greatly outlived their lifespan.”

The new computers include laptops, desktops and a new computer that the Killeen Police Department intends to use to create 3-D representations of crime scenes.

In response to questions from Councilwoman Mellisa Brown, Resto explained that the city intends to use only Dell computers in order to standardize its inventory, and is purchasing through a commercial bidder to secure commercial warranties which may be unavailable if bought through a direct purchase with Dell.

MEET AND CONFER

City Attorney Traci Briggs presented a “meet and confer” agreement that was approved by the Killeen Police Employee Association FOP Lodge 32. “Meet and confer” refers to a promotion process that includes a mix of standardized testing and individual assessment to select an officer for promotion.

According to the Briggs, the agreement requires sergeant candidates be judged based on a ratio of 40% written exam and 60% assessment center, lieutenants to be decided based on a ration of 30% written exam and 70% assessment center and captains to be decided solely by the assessment center.

Boyd said that it was both “timely and advantageous” to incorporate an assessment center in the promotion process.

OTHER BUSINESS

The City Council also discussed several rezoning and future land use map amendment requests, as well as the following discussion items:

• Firearms in city limits
• A review of the Killeen Economic Development Committee’s structure
• The summer youth employment program
• A pay increase for workers within the solid waste department

All resolutions discussed Tuesday will be formally voted on at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Councilwoman Nina Cobb was not present during Tuesday’s workshop.

In addition, the City Council has removed the plexiglass COVID-19 partitions between each member with the exception of the one between Cobb and Boyd, as she was not present to make the decision to keep or remove the divider.

Finally, City Manager Kent Cagle joined the City Council on the dais to the mayor’s left, which Nash-King said was part of a gesture of cooperation.

Assistant City Manager Danielle Singh took Cagle’s place in the sidebar.