During their November regular session, the Sulphur Springs City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will add a fee to water bills for residential, commercial and industrial users. The fee will be used to fund additional streets in the paving program for 2019. The ordinance does not take effect until the second reading is approved. If approved another 2.3 miles of maintenance including an additional nine (9) streets could be added to the 2019 plan.
After city staff presented information to the council regarding the best solutions to fund street infrastructure including streets, the council pursued the street maintenance fee path. The fee will help slow the decay of city streets. The fees paid will be placed in a separate special revenue fund and not be made a part of the city’s general fund, according to City Manager Marc Maxwell.
According to city staff, to get the best longevity out of city streets,the city could be maintaining yearly about six (6) to nine (9) miles of the 93 miles of streets maintained. The maintenance would include overlays and other surface treatments. The streets are funded at about 24% to 34% of what is needed to help preserve the streets. A $5 fee will currently add $490,260 per year and, along with other designated funds for streets, provide $5.1 million during the next five years.
The second reading of the ordinance is on the December agenda.
Streets that would be added to the 2019 Street Improvement Program with the Street Maintenance Fee include:
Peach/Georgia from Davis to Brinker
Ashcroft/Town from Magnolia to Texas
Putman from Oak to Jackson
Brewer from Ingram to Locust
Carter from Bill Bradford South
Cedar Springs
CMH Road from Highway 67 to I-30
Graham from Gilmer to Oak
Hodge from Fisher to Gilmer
Streets already in the 2019 plan include:
Beasley from Texas to Davis
Cranford from Kyle to Beasley
Elm
Ingram from League to Locust
Park Springs from Highway 11 to city boundary
Pipeline from Church to Dirt (skipping the concreted portion)
Asphalt Repair on various soft spots repairs in the city 
