City OKs budget with a little extra

SHEPHERD — While the Shepherd Board of Aldermen approved the new fiscal year’s budget with no increase of revenue, the council announced the city has received a $5 million grant for infrastructure improvements.

The approval and notice came at the Sept. 14 meeting.

City Clerk Debra Hagler said the funds come from the Texas General Land office and will be used to double the capacity of the city sewer plant.

In 2021, the city received a similar grant of $4.2 million, which was used to replace sewer lines. That project was completed last year.

Relatedly, the Aldermen approved a tax rate that will generate no new revenue. The new rate will be 0.14556, or 14.556 cents per $100 property valuation, almost 2 cents less than last year’s rate of 0.16442.

A no new revenue rate means that while the tax rate dropped, property valuation raised slightly and the city will see the same amount of revenue as in the previous fiscal year.

Also, the council approved a proposed $1,124,000 budget for maintenance and operations, which reflects a 3 percent raise for employees.

In other business, the council:

• reappointed Kenneth LaVergne as city attorney;
• approved necessary paperwork regarding a Department of Agriculture grant;
• approved use of portable building for Christian Stewart to use as office space temporarily. Aldermen said all permitting will need to be followed;
• took no action on a request for city to maintain a parking lot at the Langham strip center, as the property is private and the city will not maintain it;
• tabled approval of a sewer line extension, which includes a lift station, for Mike Rose on Finger Street for more information;
• approved hiring Jacob Pickering as a full-time employee;
• abandoned portion of the alleyway in an area that will be used for food truck distributions by First Baptist Church of Shepherd;
• approved the purchase of a Kubota tractor for $68,894.59; and
• approved holding a sealed-bid auction for surplus item.