Seagraves takes steps to renovate downtown area

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Photo by Melissa Longoria

by Nikki Wilson

Special to TownTalk News
info@www.towntalkradio.com

The city of Seagraves is in the process of making major changes to Main Street along with repairs to the water and sewage systems.

City officials were able to start the downtown work after the state awarded the city a $250,000 grant for Downtown Revitalization approximately two years ago.

According to Seagraves Mayor Brace Huse, Seagraves chose not to apply for this year’s grant because the city was not “administratively complete” with the work for the previous grant.

“If we had signed off saying we were administratively complete, the contractor on the job could have walked away from it,” said Huse. “We were down to the wire on the deadline, and we had to make sure everything was completed on the job.”

The city is currently in the process of bringing Main Street to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two buildings on the northwest block of Main Street were recently demolished after being condemned by the city, and the parking areas alongside those buildings have been upgraded.

Seagraves resident Bobby Vuicich, who owns the properties, chose to demolish rather than repair the buildings, and Gaines County Precinct 1 Commissioner Danny Yocom and his crew stepped in and carried off the garbage for Vuicich at no charge.

Huse said the improvements are phase one of a four phase process to modernize Main Street.

Once the city meets the ADA compliance standard (meaning that the first project is administratively complete), Seagraves will be able to apply for additional Downtown Revitalization state funds.

Each phase will include improvements to one block of Main Street and is expected to last a year, said Huse.

Huse met with the Panorama Club, a group of local Seagraves residents, to discuss the changes on Monday, November 9.

Jeannette Hadaway hosted the meeting in The Gaines Room at First United Bank on the east end of Main Street. She said nearly every Panorama Club group member in attendance had formerly been a downtown property owner, so the ladies have a vested interest in the future of Main Street.

Members in attendance included President Norma Billings, and residents Carolyn McAdoo and Lowie Hart.

“We’re pleased (with the renovations),” said Hadaway. “It’s a good start. We look forward to continuing to see the work downtown.”

In addition to the improvements to Main Street, the City of Seagraves has also undertaken the Water and Sewer Project.

In February of 2015, Seagraves residents saw a $24.50 increase on their water bills to help cover the costs.

This increase is to help pay off the $3.375 million loan the city took from the state by issuing certificates of obligation purchased by the Texas Water and Development Board.

“Primarily that is to take care of the fluoride and arsenic violations we get on our water quality reports in addition to the occasional nitrate hits,” said Huse.

The city will use the funds to purchase, install, and connect the treatment equipment.

Renee Goodger is the Director of Public Works for the City of Seagraves.

“Right now we’re in the planning stages and getting approval from TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality),” said Goodger. “Once we get approval, it will go to the Texas Water Development Board.”

Goodger said ground breaking on the project is expected to begin in February or March of 2016, and the projected completion date is November 2016.

In addition to the equipment, the city will construct an office building for Goodger and the other water department employees at the main yard on 9th Street.

Although it really depends on the water and tax revenue rates, Goodger hopes to be able to hire a couple of new people for the water department as the project is completed.

Once the changes are complete, “Our water will be the best in the region,” said Huse. “It’s not that the water is dangerous now, but with EPA regulations, our water doesn’t meet the standards.

“Our back’s against the wall, and we’re obligated,” said Huse. “We have no option other than to get it done. Fortunately, we have funds and we have outlets.”

Huse is referring to the fiscal stability the recent changes to the laws regarding alcohol sales within the city have brought to the budget.

After the December sales tax collection, Huse expects the City of Seagraves to be at $400,000 in sales tax revenue for the year.

Huse said it was “a big shot in the arm for the City of Seagraves to have that option (to collect revenue from alcohol sales).”

 

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