WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the July 16, 2024 College Station ISD school board meeting.

July's meeting of the College Station ISD school board included an update about upcoming roof replacements and repairs that will be funded in part with bond money approved by voters last November.

CSISD's new facilities director Paul Buckner said he and the district's roof consultant are investigating whether some of the cost of replacing and repairing roofs can be paid by filing manufacturer's warranty and insurance claims.

CSISD board members expressed no opposition to recommendations of allocating more than $21 million dollars in bond money to 17 roof projects at 15 locations. The amount of bond money may be less, depending on what can be paid by manufacturer warranties and insurance claims from hailstorms.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the July 16, 2024 College Station ISD board meeting.

This podcast contains comments from the July 16, 2024 College Station city council budget workshop meeting.

The College Station city council is the first local governing body to discuss a funding request from the Brazos Transit District (BTD) of more than $300,000 dollars to help make up for the loss of operating revenue from the federal government. 

The funding decrease was the result of Brazos County now being considered an urban county following the 2020 census as it applies to federal mass transit funding.

A College Station council majority during a July 16th budget workshop tentatively approved BTD's request, which has also been made but not been discussed by Brazos County commissioners or the Bryan city council.

Initiating the discussion during College Station council budget workshops was councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha, who rides BTD buses.

Another College Station councilmember who rides BTD buses, William Wright, was among councilmembers who sought more information from BTD and wants BTD routes that serves more College Station residents.

Councilman Bob Yancy received no support for his idea that the city provide bus service.

The College Station council holds its public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget during this Thursday's meeting (July 25).

This podcast contains comments from the July 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council adds to the city's zoning regulations, where battery energy storage systems (BESS) can be located.

After an explanation from councilman James Edge and Benjamin Johnson of the city's planning department, the council unanimously approved restricting sites to industrial areas.

In addition to being restricted to industrial areas, an applicant must also get a conditional use permit to build and operate sites that collects then discharges power during demand peaks.

The Bryan fire department sought to keep battery storage sites away from commercial and residential areas in part because of the difficulty of extinguishing battery fires and how that could result in discharging waste runoff.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download the ordinance and the city of Bryan staff report.

This podcast contains comments from the July 17, 2024 College Station city council budget workshop meeting.

The College Station city council spent almost 12 hours over two days last week (July 15-16) reviewing the staff's proposal for the fiscal year 2025 budget. 

More than 40 minutes was taken on a proposal to build a new public works facility that is currently estimated to cost $40 million dollars. 

Funding is divided over three fiscal years, $5 million is in the FY 2025 budget, $17.5 million in FY 2027, and $17.5 million in FY 2028.

Councilman Mark Smith said he attempted to replace the 46 year old building when he was public works director.

City manager Bryan Woods joined Smith and a council majority in supporting a new facility.

Councilman Bob Yancy, who initiated the conversation by asking the council to reconsider the project, finished the discussion by withdrawing his request.

This podcast is a visit with Bryan police officer Seth Waller and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

This week, you'll find many local law enforcement officers at Texas Roadhouse in College Station taking care of customers as part of the annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser for local Special Olympics athletes.

Bryan police officer Seth Waller says one hundred percent of the tips goes to local Special Olympics athletes who participate all year.

Waller says this year's goal is $50,000 dollars.

Tip-A-Cop is taking place Monday through Thursday (July 22-25) between three and ten p.m. 

This podcast contains comments from the July 18, 2024 Bryan city council special meeting, where maintenance issues at the city of Bryan's Travis Field stadium were discussed during by council members, city staff, and the owner of the company that is the exclusive operator of the stadium.

This podcast contains comments from the July 16, 2024 College Station ISD school board meeting.

College Station ISD school board members spent about two hours behind closed doors during Tuesday night's meeting (July 16) to evaluate the first year performance of superintendent Tim Harkrider. 

Then the board returned to open session and unanimously gave Harkrider a contract extension of one year.

Harkrider, who just completed his first year as CSISD superintendent, remains under contract for three years.

Councilman Mark Smith visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the Housing Action Plan presentation, the city budget, potential incentive programs for city employees, the former Macy's store, quality of life improvements that are needed, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the July 18, 2024 special meeting of the Bryan city council.

The Bryan city council decides, with conditions, to let the company that owns Brazos Valley Bombers baseball and Twin Cities Toucans soccer to continue an exclusive agreement to manage Travis Field stadium through the end of its contract in 2025.

The five to nothing council vote approved a motion composed by city attorney Thomas Leeper that allows the city council to seek requests for managing the stadium after the 2025 Bombers season without the threat of a lawsuit from the Bombers and Toucans parent company, Infinity Sports & Entertainment.

Leeper said "the motion would be to rescind the notice of termination contingent upon Infinity Sports Entertainment's amending the agreement to permit the city to have the option to issue a request for proposal after 60 days from July 18, 2024."

The council's vote followed three hours of public comments that included a one hour and 20 minute exchange between council members and Infinity/Bombers/Toucans owner Uri Geva, which ended with the framework for the motion that the council approved after the governing body heard 30 minutes of comments from 18 Bombers and Toucans supporters.

Absent from Thursday's (July 18) special meeting were councilmen Ray Arrington and Kevin Boriskie.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the July 18, 2024 Bryan city council special meeting.

Councilman Paul Torres visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about leadership changes, what he has learned during his time on council, the Phillips Event Center, relieving traffic, medians, Downtown Bryan, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.