New grant to help out Bay City PD

The Bay City Tribune
By JIMMY GALVAN
jimmy.galvan@baycitytribune.com
​​​​​​​Oct 14, 2022

Bay City Council approved an application for the Criminal Justice Program Grant application that provides needed funding for the city’s police force.

This is the second year that the city has approved the project and the grant in year one covered the price of an unmarked CID truck; miscellaneous equipment and funding a detective’s salary on a decreasing scale over the next three years.

The city of Bay City designated Sgt. Chris Hadash as the designated Project Director as well as the Designated Grant Writer of the project and designated the Interim Chief of Police Christella Rodriguez as the grantee’s authorized official with the power to apply for, accept, reject, adjust or terminate the grant on behalf of the department.

The following personnel will be covered by the grant on a decreasing scale over three years: Detective Salary - $51,064 (minimum pay) Employee benefits package - $7095.12 Total - $58,159.12. The grant will cover 100% year one at $58,159.12. Eighty percent in year two at $46,527.30. Sixty percent in year three at $34,895.47. At the end of year three, the police department will assume full responsibility for salary and benefits.

The city of Bay City approved the use of AR Turnkee Construction Co. for the Cottonwood Creek Flood and Drainage improvements that will include installing one reinforced galvanized trash screen, one trash box foundation slab, one SCADA tower, a driveway, sidewalk, fencing, and sight security.

The city had been awarded grant funds through the GLO and is being done since downtown Bay City has been subjected to flooding until the improvement of the diversion channel was put into place. Since then, flood waters from north of Bay City come down Cottonwood Creek and pass through to the Colorado River.

However, when debris builds on the trash screen, it tends to create backflow, defeating the purpose of the channel. This phased project will eventually install an automated screen in which the debris will be scraped off and allow maximum capacity and flow during high flood periods.

The grant is 100 percent funded.

The city approved a resolution acknowledging the potential conflict of interest regarding the Home Program.

The city of Bay City has applied for federal grant funds through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in 2016. This grant is to assist lower income homeowners by rehabilitating or rebuilding their homes.

Two of the city’s applicants are related to city employees. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) are requesting additional steps to be taken in order to keep them active in the process. This includes a resolution by city council, public disclosure in paper, affidavit of recusal by city employee.

This grant will assist our lower income homeowners while simultaneously enhancing the health, economic, and aesthetic quality of the community, thereby improving of life for our citizens.

The employees of the applicants are not involved with any administration of this grant. GrantWorks has a process in place where in fact no City employee can move any applicant in front of another. Staff recommends approving the resolution.

According to city of Bay City Finance Director Scotty Jones, the city has nothing to do with the process in which applicants are chosen for the projects.

“Most people are on a wait list for almost three years before they are considered. A lot of people sit on this list in order to get a house. GrantWorks has their process that they follow so that people move up in the pecking order. Nobody from the city has anything to do with the process. There is nothing we can do to move anybody up on the list,” Jones said.