Aledo
Council takes up golf carts and e-bikes again, a county water agency, and a $932,729 FM 1187 engineering contract
Thursday's agenda also carried the renewal of the city's night-shift contract with the sheriff's office and a rezoning on Robert Street. Votes will be reported when the minutes are published.
The Aledo City Council met Thursday, Sept. 3, with a work session on golf carts, bicycles, e-bikes and off-road vehicles, the second time the topic has come before the council this summer. Police Chief Carol Riddle first raised it June 4; her Sept. 3 memo lays out what state law already covers and what the city could add by ordinance, including where golf carts may run, whether e-bikes belong on sidewalks and paths, speed limits and helmet rules.
The council also discussed joining the proposed Parker County Public Utility Agency, a regional body Parker County has been developing with Freese and Nichols to pursue long-term water supply. Fourteen entities are expected to take part, including Aledo, Annetta, Hudson Oaks, Willow Park, Weatherford and the county. Aledo's initial annual cost share is $20,000 of a $350,000 first-year budget; Parker County's is $100,000.
On the regular agenda: a $932,729 professional services agreement with Freese and Nichols to design the relocation of city water and sewer lines along FM 1187 ahead of TxDOT's FM 1187 roadway and drainage project through town. Staff estimate construction at $5.31 million; the adopted budget carries $950,000 for the design work. The council also considered renewing its contract with the Parker County Sheriff's Office, which has provided two deputies from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. since the Aledo Police Department began operations in January, a restructured five-year Axon contract for the police department, a rezoning of 0.242 acres at 112 Robert Street from Brownstones to Local Commercial, and resolutions joining the Oncor and Atmos cities steering committees.
The Ledger will post the votes when the minutes are published, which for this council has been in the next regular meeting's agenda packet.
Sources: City of Aledo: Sept. 3 agenda and packet (CivicClerk); The Community News: June 4 council discussion
How this was sourced: Primary documents: the Sept. 3 agenda, staff memos and attachments in the council packet on the city's CivicClerk portal. Outcomes of the votes were not yet published when this was written.