City of East Bernard Board of Alderman Minutes of Regular Meeting 28 April 2025 Present: Lance Rejsek, Mayor Richie Domel, Alderman Pos 2 Andrew Webster, Alderman Pos 3 Ryan Woodward, Alderman Pos 4 Renee Norton, City Secretary Absent: David Tomchesson, Alderman Pos 1 Jonathon Szymanski, Alderman Pos 5 CALL TO ORDER With a quorum oft the Board members present, Mayor Lance Rejsek called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. on 24, 2025 in the Union Room of the Prosperity Bank Building. Monday, February INVOCATION Joel Torres gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Rejsek led the pledge of allegiance. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments. MAYOR'S REPORT The following is the mayor's report for the April 2025 meeting. M&M repaired the work they had previously completed about a year ago on Ella Steet in the Schumann addition. Spoke to a representative of Union Pacific regarding the contracts of both car dealerships. Both dealerships have active contracts which allow them to park vehicles on railroad property. The GLO gave a presentation at City Hall highlighting the progress made over the past three years in their study of flooding events from the past decade. The focus was on areas affected by flooding from the San Bernard River. Olsen and Olsen was contacted to review the TPWL grant related to the city park, with the goal of gaining a clearer of our available understanding options. This review is in response to the school district's request to construct a softball field within the park and aims to ensure that any proposed development aligns with the terms and intent of the grant. An update has been received regarding the industrial park drainage grant, including important details should the grant be awarded. It was noted that the grant process is expected to take approximately two to four years to complete. Additionally, the city would be required to provide a matching contribution of around $350,000. These matching funds would not be needed upfront but would be distributed over the duration of the project. We are looking to initiate a conversation with both law enforcement and the fire department to review and discuss the emergency response protocols currently in place in the event of a train derailment involving hazardous chemical releases. The goal of this discussion is to gain a clear understanding of the coordinated actions that would be taken to ensure public safety, including the process for notifying and alerting the community, evacuation procedures if necessary, and the roles and responsibilities of each agency involved. This conversation is part of a broader effort to strengthen our preparedness and ensure that all stakeholders are aligned in the event of such an emergency. The interlocal agreement outlining the roles, responsibilities, and collaboration between the constables and the city is currently undergoing a comprehensive review and update. This process is being conducted to ensure the agreement reflects current practices, legal requirements, and the needs of both parties. The updated version of the agreement is scheduled to be presented to the city council for review and potential approval at the May council meeting. Spoke with Chris Morse, who has submitted drawing samples for a proposed City Hall sign to be painted on the exterior wall of the building above the front door. The sign would be painted directly on the brick wall. We are currently evaluating opportunities to redesign the city's existing website to enhance functionality, accessibility, and user experience. In addition, we are considering the development of a dedicated mobile application to further improve community engagement and provide residents with convenient access to city services and information. Flower beds in front of the city hall have been refurbished with new plants and flowers. CITY SECRETARY'S REPORT The following is the Secretary's report for the month of April 2025. The pool opens next month. Applications have been turned in and we are getting the pool cleaned up and ready to open. Our FEMA application has been submitted for final review. The two TXDOT grants the city is applying for have been accepted into the second phase. There are new applications to fill out and turn in before June. To celebrate the pool's opening weekend on May 24, we'll be serving hot dogs and chips. CONSTABLE'S REPORT Constable Szymanski mentioned that everything was going well. The citations might be lower this month due to everyone being in training. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 17, 2025 MEETING. Mayor Rejsek asked if there were any corrections or concerns about the minutes as read. There was no discussion of the minutes. Alderman Woodward made a motion, seconded by Alderman Domel to approve the March 17, 2025 minutes. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL ORDINANCE 2025-005 DONATION BOX. Mayor Rejsek introduced the Ordinance regarding donation boxes, noting that these areas are not being properly maintained. Under the ordinance, owners would be required to submit an application and pay a $125 fee. Alderman Woodward inquired that the would issue stickers for the boxes and send out formal about enforcement procedures. Mayor Rejsek explained city Alderman Webster. The motion notices to ensure compliance. Alderman Woodward made a motion to approve, seconded by was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER QUOTE TO REPAIR THE SLIDE AND NET AT THE CITY PARK. Mayor Rejsek noted that it was Alderman Webster who first noticed the slide required repairs. Alderman Webster confirmed, stating that the brackets were beginning to crack. Mayor Rejsek contacted various vendors to determine if they serviced the area for that type of slide, and all of them indicated that they use Kraftsman. Alderman Webster made a motion to approve, seconded by Alderman Domel. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER POSSIBLE WEBSITE DESIGN. obtained Mayor Rejsek suggested updating the City's website. Secretary Norton contacted the current website provider and a quote for both a website redesign and the development of a community app. Alderman Woodward recommended reaching out to the local school to see if they could assist with the project. However, Secretary Norton expressed concerns that the scope might exceed the school's capabilities. Alderman Webster commented that he didn't believe an app was necessary at this time but supported moving forward with a website update. Alderman Woodward made a motion to approve if we could find it in the budget, seconded by Alderman Webster. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER REDESIGN OF AREA BY THE 4-WAY AT HWY 90 AND HWY 60. Mayor Rejsek proposed redesigning the sign located at the corner of! HWY 90 and HWY 60, noting that the current sign's panels frequently fall off. To explore design options, Mayor Rejsek reached out to the High School Art teacher to see if the art students could contribute design ideas. He also spoke with the Athletic Booster Club, which agreed there sign should be relocated to the football field. Alderman Webster suggested seeking out potential donors to support the project. Alderman Woodward made a motion to table, seconded by Alderman Webster. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER POSSIBL E ORDINACE TO REGULATE TINY HOMES. Secretary Norton provided information on how the Cities of Wharton and El Campo handle tiny homes. Alderman Webster requested that similar information be gathered from the Cities of Fulshear and Simonton, and that input also be obtained from the City Engineer and City Attorney. Alderman Domel made a motion to table, seconded by Alderman Webster. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL ADJUSTMENTS TO CITY POOL FEES. Mayor Rejsek presented the chart with the recommended new prices. The recommendation included the separation of fees between residents and non-residents. With the cost of chemicals and labor increasing along with the fact the pool has been running a deficit each year it was necessary to increase most of the prices. Pool fees will be reevaluated each year. Alderman Webster motioned to approve, seconded by Alderman Domel. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL ORDINANCE 2025-006 CREATION OF AN ANIMAL WELFARE COMMITTEE. Mayor Rejsek proposed forming a community group focused on animal welfare. Their responsibilities would include but not limited to organizing fundraisers, promoting awareness about pet registration and leash laws, coordinating pet food drives, and planning events such as community vaccination days. Alderman Woodward made a motion to approve creating the animal welfare committee, Alderman Webster seconded the motion. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO NOMINATE AND APPOINT NEW MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMMITTEE. Mayor Rejsek announced that there are two vacancies on the Planning Commission Committee. The list of candidates was presented to the Aldermen for consideration. Alderman Webster made a motion to nominate Krystal Sepulveda and Jordan Darr to fill the open positions, Alderman Woodward seconded the motion. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. ADJOURNMENT Alderman Webster made a motion, seconded by Alderman Domel to adjourn the Regular session. The motion was carried by unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned at 7:16 p.m. These minutes are approved on the 19th day of May, A.D. 2025. ATTEST: APPROVED: LANCE REJSEK - Enu MAY YOR/ RENEE NORTON CITY SECRETARY