City gets first-time sewer grant
Engineer lays out plans to group of property owners
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

From left, City Manager Larry Morgan, a representative from ETCOG, and Bullard Mayor A.W. Hines display the $250,000 check the city received from ORCA.

The City of Bullard invited a group of landowners to a meeting on Thursday to discuss helping with a project that would give them sewer access to a large corridor of Hwy. 69.

The city received a grant for a first-time sewer project recently in the amount of $250,000 - which will benefit about 40 households in the Rollingwood Hills addition of the city.

The grant was made available through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBGP) of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"All residents of Bullard deserve to enjoy a certain standard of living conditions," said Mayor A.W Hines. "We are pleased to be able to help further that goal through this grant."

The purpose of the grant is to support community development projects such as sewer, water and housing rehabilitation to applicants.

The city spoke to the group last week, asking large tract owners through the Hwy. 69 corridor to help fund the project - which requires $239,750 in matching funding.

"We're trying to make this better for everyone," said City Engineer Brian Capps.

Capps explained that by opening up sewer availability to the Rollingwood Hills addition in the proposed method, landowners would have access to sewer and the ability to work together to cut costs for both the city project and their own private access.

"This will ultimately make your land more valuable should you choose to develop or sell it," Capps said.

The proposed 7,400 feet of sewer line would cut over the highway to run to that area of town.

The problem, Capps said, is the city doesn't have the money to fund the entire project.

This is why the city called the meeting, Capps said, to discuss a sound project for both the city and landowners.

Those attending included: Tom Roper, Tim Brookshire, Michael Keel, A.W. Hines, Rodger Johnson, Kevin King, Arlin Harris and Trey Graham.

Roper said he was interested but cautious.

"I'd be willing to think about it and maybe participate, but I would need assurance that the sewer plant could handle the capacity when and if we need it," Roper said. "My other concern is that some of us participate and others don't."

Roper asked if those who didn't participate could tap into the lines once they are in place.

"Can we recapture the investment if we participate and others don't?" asked landowner Rodger Johnson.

Capps said that other cities have mechanisms in place that allow for a charge to be levied if someone wanted to later tap in.

He said the investors might then be able to recoup some of their investments.

Brookshire asked what, exactly, the city wanted from them.

"Right now, we just wanted to start the discussion and get you thinking," Capps said. "Then we'll come back and talk about it more."

The city was informed in July of the grant, said Wanda Vance, of Gary Traylor and Associates, who wrote the grant for the city, said the grant was a great opportunity.

The project, she and Capps estimated, would take about two years for the city to complete.

But Vance did caution the landowners present.

"If we don't successfully implement this grant," she said, "we probably won't be offered this kind of assistance again.

"So time is of the essence."

The funds provided by this CDBGP grant can be used for water and wastewater improvements, including first-time service, and for housing rehabilitation for low-income households.

Other projects, including street paving and drainage, can be completed using the money provided by a CDBGP grant.

The CDBGP program is administered by the administered by the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA).