City of Rockdale’s fiscal year 2023-2024 budget was the main topic covered in Monday night’s city council meeting. City Manager Barbara Holly and the city council members submitted a balanced budget that includes two more much-needed police officers and also takes care of some old equipment issues in the water department.
In executive session, Holly was given a raise and new contract. According to Mayor Brett Boren, “Most people don’t realize that Barbara took this job at a reduced rate of pay compared to other cities our size like Cameron. Her salary still isn’t what it should be and she’s been underpaid for many years.”
Holly’s salary will go from $82,000 to $100,000 per year.
Rockdale Chief of Police Jerry Meadors gave an update on his department citing 293 criminal arrests since October 2022, one murder solved, one standoff with an active shooter, the hiring of two new officers who are both graduates of Alert Level 1 Active Shoote r Course. Meadors also ment i o ne d the successful Nat ional Night Out held last year and working with Rockdale VFW Post 6525 on their backpack drive.
Public Works Director Jerald Brunson gave an update on the city’s water before the big pipe replacement project starts. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)has been along for that project every step of the way. Recently, the Council awarded the bid to Texcon. Before the contractor can start work, TWDB reviews the bid process to ensure every part met state law. As soon as that is done, the city will issue a Notice to Proceed and work will begin.
Brunson again repeated that even though the water may be red sometimes, it is still safe. The aging pipes and the pH level of our water is what causes the color change, but replacing the iron pipes will fix that problem.
In response to the question, “Why are there so many boil water notices if the water is safe?” Brunson said they are always precautionary and required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
An invocation was given at the start of the meeting by Kevin Liu, a 2023 RHS graduate who will attend Harvard in the fall. He also asked for a moment of silence for Kenneth Callahan who passed away recently. Callahan was veteran, a member of the American Legion and a fixture at most city council meetings. He was also the anonymous donor behind the benches at Veterans’ Park.
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