CITY COUNCIL
Taylor is adding a new director-level position to the city’s ranks tasked specifically with helping downtown businesses and tourism to grow.
On Thursday, March 27, the City Council approved a pay increase for the new position from the currently budgeted Main Street manager salary of $80,000 to a downtown and tourism director’s compensation of $120,000.
In other business, city officials are looking at infrastructure proposals funded by a government grant and anticipating a state citation for a healthy audit report.
Meanwhile, the new director’s slot will be filled by someone looking to give downtown a boost, the council heard.
“We worked with the city manager and human resources to evaluate making this a director position, so they will have more role in the economic development of downtown, helping with events and tourism growth and really protecting the historic character of it,” said Assistant City Manager Carly Kehoe Pearson.
“Downtown is obviously evolving and growing and facing the same demands as the rest of the city and it is one of the gems of this entire region.”
The council also approved contracting
with Afion Public to search for qualified candidates at a cost of $28,000.
Both Pearson and new chief financial officer Robert Powers were recruited to Taylor by Afion Public this year.
Pearson said the new director will take a business- friendly economic development approach and will be responsible for seeking grant funding opportunities, recruiting new businesses and working closely with existing businesses.
Mayor Dwayne Ariola said he was pleased the director will be helping existing businesses and hoped there would be some financial education available for those wanting to operate downtown.
“The desire is there to be your own boss, but you need somebody to give you a reality check because we can’t make you successful if the foot traffic’s not there. We’re trying to get the foot traffic there but it’s not there yet,” he said.
The city is currently working with consultant Lionheart Places to create a new downtown master plan that would give Taylor a guide for how the community wants to see the downtown develop. The new director would be able to oversee the implementation of the master plan once it is adopted.
“The entire downtown is the focus, not just the Main Street. This should have a very large impact fiscally on the city if we can get this going. Not just for business retention and recruitment, but also tourism,” Pearson said.
County helps fund waterline projects
Taylor is set to begin design of a water-line improvement project at Fifth and Murphy streets after being awarded $659,000 from a Williamson County Community Development Block Grant.
The city applied for the grant last year and the council Thursday approved signing the agreement to start the project.
Construction could start in October to replace old and damaged 2-inch water lines with 8-inch water lines.
This year, the county has again set aside money for its CDBG program. Taylor has two capital improvement water projects it is considering submitting for potential grant funding.
One could involve the 2-inch water line on Annie Street, between Seventh and Fourth streets, which requires frequent repairs and no longer meets the city standards, officials said. It needs to be replaced with an 8-inch line.
The affected area is about 910 linear feet, and the cost to replace it is $572,800.
The second project is a similar situation that exists on West Fifth Street. The 2-inch water line has a history of breaking and needs continual repairs, staffers said.
It could hamper adequate water flow for firefighters and cannot maintain good water pressure for residents, officials said. Replacing about 400 linear feet of 2-inch line with an upgraded 8-inch line would cost about $450,000.
Municipal staffers are working with consultants to evaluate which project to submit the application for.
If awarded, the grant would cover everything except for a 5% administration fee. The application is due by April 10.
City aces annual audit
According to the city’s independent auditor, Taylor should again earn a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, which it has received for 16 straight years.
“We’re happy to say we have issued a clean, unmodified audit opinion on the city’s financials,” said Mike Brooks of the accounting firm BrooksWatson & Company PLLC. “That’s the highest level of assurance we can give that these financial statements are materially correct and all footnotes are disclosed. So the numbers you see here are accurate.” The certificate is awarded for budgets that go above and beyond standard reporting requirements and is bestowed by the Texas Fiscal Officers’ Academy, an arm of the Texas State Auditor’s Office.
As part of the audit, Brooks highlighted several city financial gains:
• Total assets exceeded total liabilities by $151,724,795.
• The city had an overall increase in net position of $26,641,013 for the year.
• Total property taxes were $14,444,113, an increase of about $1.8 million.
• Total sales taxes were $20,695,250, an increase of about $2 million.
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The entire downtown is the focus, not just the Main Street. This should have a very large impact fiscally on the city if we can get this going.”
— Taylor Assistant City Manager Carly Kehoe Pearson
