May 6, 2025 – During the regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council on Tuesday May 6, 2025, City Manager Marc Maxwell submitted his monthly report.
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER, MARC MAXWELL
SUBJ: MANAGER’S REPORT
CLAIMS – We had 1 workers compensation claim in April for a police officer who suffered abrasions while making an arrest. We had one liability claim from a driver who’s car was struck by a police cruiser. There were no injuries.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – Kimley Horn is collecting data for their baseline. They are hosting an open house at the Senior Activities Center on May 15 from 5 pm to 8 pm. They will complete the community assessment phase in May.
MIRACLE LEAGUE FIELD – We have received 100% construction drawings from Kimley Horn and we have submitted them to Texas Parks and Wildlife for approval. We also have a photo-op scheduled for May 12 at 5:45 at which time the Bright Star Baseball organization will present a check to assist with the construction of the field.
THERMO WATER – The Capital Construction Division installed 2,440 feet of 18’ water main in April for a total of 4,040 feet. We are replacing old 8” main. This will be the first water project of many at Thermo.
THERMO ROAD – This project is completed.
This $4.4 million project was partially funded by a $2.4 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
COLEMAN BALLFIELD LIGHT UPGRADE – This $250,000 grant from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) to upgrade the ballfield lights to LED is on again, off again. It’s currently on again…mostly. SECO will be here tomorrow for a site audit. They tell us that the approval to proceed is imminent.happen.
MIDFIELD APRON – All of the concrete is in place. All that remains is a bit of erosion control and painting.
This project includes drainage improvements as well as repaving the midfield apron in concrete. Total project cost is $5.28 million, of which 90% is funded by a grant through TXDOT.
WASTEWATER CHLORINE CONTACT CHAMBER – Hayter Engineering is presently designing the new chlorine contact chamber. We have encountered an obstacle that threatens to prevent us from re-rating the plant from %.4 MGD to 10 MGD. Our Primary clarifiers are only 8 feet deep. TCEQ now requires a minimum depth of 10 feet. They are applying the depth requirement to us if we want to rerate. Staff is working on the issue. We are applying for a variance. Our data shows that our clarifiers are doing a fantastic job as they are.
This $2.2 million project will repurpose a former (abandoned) sand filter turning it into a chlorine contact chamber. Chlorine contact time is a bottleneck at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The WWTP has a rated capacity of 5.4 MGD. Staff believes we can increase the capacity to 10 MGD when the project is completed. The increase will require TCEQ approval, but staff thinks it is feasible. The project is being funded from the Enterprise Fund balance.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN (SIP) – Following is a list of projects for the 2025 SIP. Highlighted segments have been completed. The contractor is waiting for the school year to end before finishing the list.
2025 Street Improvement Program Street From/To Length Hodge Davis to Fisher and Texas to Brinker 925 South Davis Lee to Industrial 1047 Debbie/Kayla/Price Camp thru Cul de sac 961 Foscue Jefferson to Weaver 808 Middle Church to Mulberry 918 Turtle Creek Main to end 702 Village Linda to End 301 Ponder Connally to Van Sickle 702 Sunset Houston to RR 1193 Sprite End to End 1109 Stacy/Beckton/C P Alley Fuller to College 1244 Tate Texas to Brinker 570 Michel College to Gena 850 McGrede Sprite to Lemon 1660 Lilly/Bird Cir. MLK to Cul de sac 570 Ponder Van Sickle to Houston 449 Levi/Cottonwood End to End 988 Ingram Texas to Locust 359 Locust Tate to Bellview 449 Asphalt/Concrete repairs Various 1000 Coleman Parking Expansion 250 x 190 Camp Texas to Brinker 550 Kimberly End to end 675
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director Lesa Smith will present the monthly report of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Prepped athletic fields for 137 youth games and 3 tournaments.
- • Prepared the Grays building for 19 rentals.
- • Mowed the airport and grass landing strip twice.
- • Assisted with 102 activities for seniors.
- • Conducted 90 building inspections, 13 electrical inspections, 17 plumbing inspections, and 13 mechanical inspections.
- • Issued 30 building permits and 60 trade permits.
- • Sold 3,136 gallons of AvGas and 4,950 gallons of JetA fuel.
- • Handled 1,495 take-offs/landings at the airport.
- • Repaired 311 potholes.
- • Cleaned out storm catch basins 6 times.
- • Replaced 9 stop signs.
- • Removed 4 fallen trees from roadways.
- • Poured a concrete slab for the Adult Leadership Class project, replacing an old pavilion in Buford Park.
- • Made 18 street repairs following utility cuts.
- • Hauled Street Sweeper spoils to the landfill.
- • Worked Spring Cleanup…1,241 vehicles, 85 roll-offs filled, 2,550 cubic yards hauled off.
- • Installed 150 feet of new curb and gutter on Alabama Street.
- • Responded to 203 animal control calls while achieving an 81% adoption rate. • Made 4 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- • Responded to 35 accidents, wrote 512 traffic citations, recorded 50 offenses and made 64 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- • Checked out 3,835 items from the Library plus 863 eBooks.
- • Responded to 228 fire/rescue calls including 3 vehicle fires and 5 grass fires. • Performed preventative maintenance on 78 fire hydrants.
- • Conducted 42 fire inspections.
- • Produced wastewater effluent with a daily average total suspended solids reading of 2.25 mg/L.
- • Hauled 926 tons of sludge to the landfill.
- • Repaired 6 water main ruptures.
- • Replaced 20 water meters.
- • Unstopped 43 sewer mains.
- • Washed 85,000 feet of sewer mains.
