Rosebud Study Club Kicks Off New Year with City/Library News

Kenny Murray, city administrator for the City of Rosebud, told members of the Wednesday Study Club at its first meeting of the year September 10 that construction has begun on the $1 million sewer project, funded by a loan from the Texas Water Development Board. Completion of that project will put the city sewer system in compliance for the next 20 years.

He also said that cameras will be installed at the highway entrances to town to record vehicles coming in. The program will identify vehicles that are the subject of a public safety alert and provide that information to police nationwide and in surrounding communities with a similar program.

He also reported that the ditch project is moving forward and “will take priority over other projects for the immediate future, as it is critical for proper storm drainage and flood prevention.” Water from ditches in the city has also been negatively affecting the roads in town.

Work by the engineer under the initial grant from the state to replace water mains is nearing completion. The engineer’s part is the planning part. Murray explained that the original mains were cast iron, which is subject to corrosion on the inside from chemicals in the water and from attack by tree roots from without. As they fail, the cast iron mains are being replaced with PVC pipe. PVC doesn’t interact with chemicals in the water and will give with the earth as is moves from freezing weather, drought, and vehicle traffic.

One of the projects connected with the water infrastructure has been completed. Valves have been installed so that the city is now divided into five districts that can be isolated when a water leak occurs. Water service is now lost only to the customers in the district with the leak, rather than the entire city.

Another (unlooked for) improvement for the city as a result of the water valve installation is that previously 12 million gallons of water a year went unaccounted for. The current loss is 1. 5 million gallons per year as of last summer.

Murray plans to address drainage (the ditch project) and the replacement of water mains before starting to work toward addressing the state of the streets. Many of the sewer and water lines run under the streets, so it is important to make improvements in the city’s infrastructure in the right order to avoid tearing up already completed improvements, Murray said. “It was important to stop the mayhem” of trying to do everything at once, he said. “That’s the only way we are going to make progress. If you bear with me for a year or two, you can then begin to see the fruition of some of these projects.”

When work can begin on the streets, Murray said, he plans to replace the 2inch road base with a 10inch base. He also wants to go to concrete as the road surface, which is more durable than asphalt and will buy the city a 20- to 25year grace period in terms of maintenance.

Construction of the sewer plant lift station is scheduled to begin in October. The contractor is currently waiting for the delivery of electrical panels. Repairs on the roof of the Preservation Rosebud building (the old, old City Hall) should be completed by September 15. Cen-Tex Roofing Systems has already delivered the materials to the site.

City crews are currently filling potholes, and cold mix has been ordered to top off the repairs. Routine mowing, trimming and general summer groundskeeping continue across city-owned facilities, but the wet summer and consequent grass and weed growth have set the schedule back. Crews are working to catch up.

Centennial Park, a pocket park in between buildings in the downtown area, is currently closed because of safety concerns with the trees losing branches. Additionally, the curbing around the trees is breaking up as a result of tree root growth. Those same roots are attacking the adjoining properties which are privately owned. Murray would like to see the trees removed and rows of seats installed so that the park could be used for live bands and performances for school groups. He would also like to move the covered seats that are currently at the park (and a magnet for litter) to City Hall where they would provide seating for students waiting for the school bus.

Scott Murrah, city engineer, is currently working on the water main replacement project in West Rosebud. He is also preparing grades and depths for the ditch project and will be assisting in the sewer plant construction in an oversight role.

Kelly Hughes, librarian of the D Brown Memorial Library, in her yearly report to the club, said that 48 new patrons had signed up at the library over the last year. There were 272 new items added to the collection. Check outs totaled 1,271. There were 1,259 returns and 572 renewals.

The Tocker Foundation provided two new adult desktop computers to replace two that were no longer functional. Additionally, the Hancher Library Foundation gave the library $2,000 for books for all ages.

Twenty-three children signed up for and completed the summer program Color Our World, which involved making paper bag kites, canvas painting, and creating pinwheels. During the program the children read for 395.5 hours. Winners of the three age groups won gift cards.

In other news, Hughes reported that the bathrooms were finished and were just awaiting the arrival of accessories in the next week. Additionally, new computer chairs were purchased with money from the Diana Miles Estate from the previous year.