Freeport returns land to Brazoria

 

The Facts
By EMILY HANSON emily.hanson@thefacts.com
August 24, 2023

FREEPORT — The city is being a good neighbor.

Freeport City Council voted during its meeting Monday night to give Brazoria back land Freeport called dibs on back in the 1970s by putting it in its expansive extraterritorial jurisdiction. It included a strip on the southern and eastern edge of Brazoria.

City Manager Tim Kelty told the council the city would not actually be giving up the land but that it’s too far outside of city limits for Freeport to do anything with it. That’s not the case with Brazoria.

“We have a couple of developments that want to build subdivisions,” Brazoria Project Manager David Kourek said.

He also told the council Brazoria already has utilities set up in the land.

Kourek estimated if Freeport chose to build on the land, it would cost the city of Freeport between $2 billion and $3 billion to set up utilities to serve any city residents or businesses.

The council voted to approve with only Councilman Jeff Peña opposed.

Also during the meeting, the board heard from Freeport Economic Development Corp. CEO Robert Johnson regarding the first reading of a resolution with the EDC for its 2023-24 Local Business Improvement Grant program.

Johnson said the EDC plans to distribute grant funds for new signs equally between new and existing Freeport businesses. Currently, the grant for business signs allows up to $5,000 for new businesses but only $3,500 for existing businesses.

Councilman George Matamoros, a member of the EDC board, told the City Council the board has only given sign grants to small mom-and-pop shops and Johnson agreed that was correct.

Because it was the first reading of the resolution, no action was taken.

The council also addressed a change to the personnel policy to bring the city in compliance with state standards.

According to the agenda packet, HB 1486, passed by the Texas Legislature, requires telecommunicators such as dispatchers be included in the policy allowing for mental health leave following experience with a traumatic event.

Additionally, the Legislature passed HB 567, which prohibits employers from adopting or enforcing a dress or grooming policy that discriminates against employees in regards to hair texture or a protective hairstyle that is commonly or historically associated with race.

The final part of the personnel policy allows the city to offer an incentive to employees who voluntarily contribute a minimum amount of each pay period to United Way of Brazoria County.

The City Council unanimously approved the changes.

Finally, the council heard from Fire Chief Chris Motley regarding two agenda items.

The first was a request council approve a FEMA American Firefighter Grant in the amount of $216,000 for portable radios. The department learned Aug. 7 it had been awarded the grant, which the department applied for in November.

The second was a request to spend $219,949 on a modular building to provide housing for firefighters who will be affected by the closure of the FM 1495 bridge when the Texas Department of Transportation closes it for 24 to 36 months for construction.

Motley told the council purchasing the modular building will be less expensive than leasing one.

Both requests were unanimously approved.

The City Council’s next meeting, originally scheduled for Sept. 4, has been rescheduled to Sept. 5 due to the Labor Day holiday.