Nacogdoches Advisory Committee seeks financial alternatives for city projects

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - In September, a voters’ petition squashed the city’s plans to use certificate of obligations to pay for new and repaired city infrastructure without voters approval.

The Nacogdoches Capital Needs Advisory Committee presented a brief study for the Nacogdoches Rotary Club this afternoon about their evaluations of city projects.

The city council appointed the committee to look at the various project needs that were left unfunded as a result of the cancellation of certificates of obligations.

All 20 members are Nacogdoches residents, and have held several meetings so far.

Staff Liaison Steve Bartlett said they are in the final stages of a grant for a water line project that will run through Main Street to Shawnee Street.

“It will help us not have to pay for things out of pocket. Those grants are competitive but are things we’re very hopeful to get,” said Bartlett.

Committee Chair Judy McDonald said they will divide the needs into three tiers.

“What we will be doing is narrowing that down to the must-do this year and then hopefully put them in the budgets for the following years,” she said.

Tier one includes water and sewer, streets, and fire stations that will come from the city’s general funds.

Co-chair John Calahan said during the presentation that they estimated $148 million worth of repairs and upgrades for the all the projects.

“The bulk of the dollars that the city needs to invest are in our drinking water, our potable water infrastructure and our waste water infrastructure,” Calahan said.

The committee said they will tour the fire stations next week to discuss the facilities needs.

The committee will present to the city council in July for approval to issue a bond to be voted on during the November elections.