Council Moves Forward on New Grapeland City Hall
Steps Taken to Expedite Move
By Jason Jones
Messenger Reporter
Grapeland – The Grapeland City Council held a brief, regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday evening, Sept. 4.
Following several special sessions over the past few weeks, the regular meeting was focused mostly on moving forward with the purchase of the new City Hall facility at 202 South Main St., a building previously occupied by First State Bank and later by Nicol Media.
Other items on the agenda included:
- Approval of minutes from previous meetings.
- Approval of water adjustments and vendor payments
- Approval of departmental reports.
- Update on a proposed ordinance being drafted regarding operation of golf carts and side-by-sides during special events such as the Peanut Festival and the Bluegrass Festival.
The council then approved a resolution for a certificate of obligation pertaining to the purchase of the new City Hall. The city posted details online in a public notice regarding the resolution. It read as follows:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Grapeland, Texas (the “City”) will hold a special meeting at its regular meeting place at 126 South Oak Street, Grapeland, Texas at 6:00 p.m. on the 1st day of November, 2021 which is the time and place tentatively set for the passage of an ordinance and such other action as may be deemed necessary to authorize the issuance of the City’s certificates of obligation, payable from an annual ad valorem taxation, as well as a limited (in an amount not to exceed $1,000) pledge of certain revenues of the waterworks and sewer system, in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $340,000, bearing interest at any rate or rates not to exceed the maximum interest rate now or hereafter authorized by law, as shall be determined within the discretion of the City Council at the time of issuance and maturing over a period of years not to exceed forty (40) years from the date thereof, for the purpose of evidencing the indebtedness of the City (1) for the purchase of property located at 202 South Main Street, Grapeland Texas 75844 for the construction of a new city office building and (2) for professional services pursuant to Subchapter C of Chapter 271, Texas Local Government Code, as amended. The estimated combined principal and interest required to pay the Certificates on time and in full is $394,043.01. Such estimate is provided for illustrative purposes only and is based on an assumed interest rate of 2.89%. Market conditions affecting interest rates vary based on a number of factors beyond the control of the City, and the City cannot and does not guarantee a particular interest rate associated with the Certificates. As of the date of this notice, the aggregate principal amount outstanding of tax-supported debt obligations of the City is $1,312,000, and based on the City’s expectations, as of the date of this notice the combined principal and interest required to pay all of the outstanding tax-supported debt obligations of the City on time and in full is $1,917,303.
Following the approval of the resolution, the council went into executive session where they formally approved the purchase agreement for City Hall as well as a temporary lease agreement, which would allow for immediate relocation following approval from the City Attorney.
Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected].
