WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Seven highway projects associated with Brazos County voters passing a bond issue in November 2022 were part of an update at this week's commission meeting (May 27).

Click HERE to read and download the 38 page report that was presented at the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Most of John Polster's presentation dealt with the future east loop highway. He said the current proposed alignment would affect two homes and 81 parcels of land. Polster said they are considering options to reduce the amount of land that will be needed. One idea being considered is to reduce the speed limit from 70 miles per hour, which would reduce the amount of land needed when the highway curves.

Polster's report also included the future widening of two existing highways to four lanes plus shared use paths.

For Leonard Road between Highway 47 and FM 2818, Polster said they and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are working to limit medians to near intersections.

Progress also continues towards designing the widening Harvey Road from east of the freeway at Associates Avenue to Boonville Road.

The bond issue also included a financial contribution towards the construction of the future interchange at Wellborn Road and George Bush Drive. Polster said TxDOT expects to award the construction contract in early 2026.

The bond issue is also helping pay to rebuild the interchange of Highways 47 and 21 by the RELLIS campus. Polster said there has been minimal concern and no pushback as they are nearing 60 percent completion of the schematic design.

Without providing details, Polster also brought up future improvements to William D. Fitch from Arrington Road to the freeway and widening FM 2818 from FM 60 north to Highway 6.

Polster's presentation following public comments from nine opponents to the future east loop highway, who have been asking county commissioners for months to stop that project.

State Representative Paul Dyson of Bryan (R-TX) visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the last days of the session, bills that are still being worked on, legislation he worked on during his freshman campaign, how to go about changing the governor's mind before he signs legislation, impact fees, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Meagan Brown, Division Manager of Customer Solutions at BTU, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about planning for demand based on weather, summer predictions, BTU's new location, payment options, the Power Share program, Lake Bryan, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners decline a $500,000 grant from the Texas General Land Office (GLO).

The grant, requiring no local match, was to pay for a drainage project on three streets in the Benchley community.

County staff told commissioners that road and bridge employees can start next week replacing culverts and repaving streets. The county's cost of materials was estimated at $50,000 dollars.

County engineer Prathana Banerji said this was basically an "everyday bread and butter type work that our guys are familiar doing".

Commissioners were told the time it takes to comply with GLO grant requirements would delay the start of the project by one year.

Purchasing manager Charles Wendt said "if we go through the grant processes and the solicitations that we have to do, we cannot use any existing contracts for engineering, surveying, geotech, materials testing, stuff like that".

According to county documents, the county is also out $37,000 dollars that was spent last year to hire a grant administrator who submitted the application to the GLO.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the GLO contract that was declined at the May 27, 2025 Brazos County commission meeting.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about impact fees, legislation that would impact the city's housing occupancy ordinance, the possible relocation of the Brazos Valley Bombers, upcoming events, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Brazos County State Senator Charles Schwertner visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about wrapping up the legislative session, renaming part of SH 6, de-annexation, legislation that could impact College Station's housing occupancy ordinance, higher education legislation, tort reform, funding for Easterwood Airport, water issues, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast contains comments from the May 27, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council approves rezoning for a residential and commercial development across Highway 21 north of the RELLIS campus.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the project that was approved at the May 20, 2025 Bryan council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the additional information from the city of Bryan about the project. 

Developer Luke Marvel, who worked on The Barracks in College Station, has been pursuing council approval since July 2024. 

Marvel, who compared this project to the Oakmont subdivision on Bryan's east side, agreed with city council and staff modifications regarding building standards and amenities in the residential portion of the project.

The commercial and retail portion of the project will be closest to Highway 21, followed by an area of townhomes, condos, and apartments. Farthest away from the highway will be single family and townhomes.

At the same meeting, the council without comment approved buying water rights from the Wellborn special utility district to serve the new development. The developer will reimburse the city for the $258,000 dollar cost.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the water rights contract that was approved at the May 20, 2025 Bryan city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the water rights agreement that was approved at the May 20, 2025 Bryan council meeting.

WTAW's Chelsea Reber visits with Sheree Boegner, the interim President and CEO of United Way of the Brazos Valley.

This podcast contains comments from the May 19, 2025 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

School hours are changing at most Bryan ISD campuses.Bryan ISD school board members at their last meeting (May 19) expressed no opposition to the administration's recommendation.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the BISD board's May 19, 2025 meeting.

BISD's new start and end times vary, depending if it is an elementary, intermediate, middle school, or high school campus. Times will not change at Bryan Collegiate and M.C. Harris.

Associate superintendent Barbara 
Ybarra emphasized that there is no change to the time that campuses will open.

Ybarra also said the changes were supported by various stakeholder groups...including parents who met with the superintendent.

BISD's interim operations director Patrick Corbett said the changes were the result of giving more time for bussing students to elementary and high schools.

Corbett also said there will be efforts at some campuses to improve loading buses after school.

Dr. Susan Ballabina, Chief of Staff for Texas A&M's President, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about graduation numbers, the future of the Qatar campus, bills that could impact higher education, the Board of Regents, recent survey results, the new chancellor, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.