The Levelland City Council updated resolutions regarding their upcoming elections along with moving forward with the water meter replacement project and the 2025 Seal Coat Project.
The Council considered action on Resolution 2025-03, declaring an unopposed candidate elected to office and cancelling the 2025 General City Officer’s Election for District B.
City Secretary, Andrea Corley presented the item, explaining that two seats were up for election in the 2025 General Election. Those seats were District B and D.
Corley explained that District B is a non-contested race [District D is a contested race], having only one qualified candidate who has applied for a place on the ballot. In accordance with Section 2.051 of the Texas Election Code, if a candidate is unopposed, and there are no at-large races on the ballot, then the City can cancel the election.
In District B, Max Ledesma is the unopposed candidate and there is no at-large bid on the ballot this year. As a result, the District B election is canceled, and Ledesma is the winner. He will be sworn in at the second meeting in May.
Corley added that since the election was called by resolution, it must be canceled by resolution. In addition, the Secretary of State requires the city secretary to certify the unopposed status of the candidates and an Order of Cancellation must be signed by the mayor and city secretary and placed at the polling place during the general election.
Corley emphasized the considered item does not affect the City’s special election. The charter amendment election is still on for May 3.
The Council approved the item unanimously Following up to the recently approved item, Corley presented a 2025 Election Agreement between Hockley County and the City of Levelland.
Corley explained that the City has had a contract with the Hockley County Elections Office for several years. The County pays a bulk of the expense for the elections office, but the entities who contract with the County for their elections pay an annual fee to assist with expenses) staffing, equipment maintenance, voter registration, etc.) plus the costs incurred during an election (poll workers, ballots, equipment programming fees, etc.).
In turn, the county elections administrator is responsible for conducting the election and the presented agreement states which party is responsible for each part of the election process.
The item was also approved unanimously.
The water meter replacement project between the City and AMERESCO continues as the Council approved the third payment application in the amount of $1,536,463.31.
City Manager James Fisher informed the group that the Certificates of Obligation that the Council recently authorized will be delivered around March 20 and the payment will come from those dollars.
City staff are continuing to work in anticipation of a seal coat project for 2025. Fisher presented an item for action on the 2025 Seal Coat Project and to ratify the construction contract signed by the city manager on March 11.
On March 6, the governing bodies of Levelland, Sundown, Littlefield, Wolforth, Muleshoe, Post, Seminole, Borger, Pampa, Dawson County, Floydada, Hereford, Kermit, Marfa, Ransom Canyon, Pecos and Stanton received six bids from Missouri Petroleum Products Company, LLC, Clark Construction of Texas, Inc., Freeman Paving, LLC, Danny’s Asphalt Paving Inc., CK Newberry, LLC, and Cactus Transport II LLC, for the 2025 Group Seal Coat Program. Parkhill informed Fisher that evaluations had been completed of the submitted bids.
The Opinion of Probable Cost (OPC) for the project is $3.75/ SY for a total of $4,045,436.25. Bid amounts ranged from a low of $3.27/SY for a total of $3,527,620.41 (Missouri Petroleum Products Company, LLC) to a high of $4.43/ SY for a total of $4,779,008.69 (Cactus Transport II LLC). The low price is 12.8% lower than the OPC. Parkhill’s assessment of the qualifications for all six bids showed Missouri Petroleum Products Company LLC satisfied the minimum general requirements and minimum project specific criteria established for the project. Based upon the complete evaluation and all information provided, Parkhill’s recommendation was to award the bid to Missouri Petroleum Products Company LLC. The allbase bid proposal items for the total contract amount was $3,527,620.41.
Parkhill noted that the company has successfully completed projects of similar nature and complexity, such as the 2023 and 2024 Group Seal Coat Program and feel the company produced satisfactory results. For the City if approved, the contract price was $397,246.14. Fisher explained that $350,000 was budgeted in the FY25 Annual Budget and the Council authorized an additional $150,000 from ARPA funds, December 16, 2024. The city has also budgeted $600,000 in Street Maintenance Sales Tax Revenue for the FY25 Annual Budget.
Following the presentation, Mayor Breann Buxkemper asked if there are better ways to inform the community that the seal coat project will be happening when crews arrive. She added that during the previous seal coat, community members were unaware of the crews coming to Levelland and the delayed arrival also hindered communication efforts to the community.
Assistant City Manager Joe Cavazos explained that the timing is dependent upon the contractor and pace of work as crews begin in the north and work their way down south. Cavazos added City Staff will remain in constant contact with the Parkhill representative similar to last year, however, flexibility was emphasized as several factors play into the seal coat process and how long each city takes to complete their portion.
The council approved the item unanimously following the presentation and any questions provided by the group.
Main Street Director, Kelly Hancock presented the following item to the Council, the consideration of opening a Main Street Façade Grant Program pursuant to Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code for 2025.
In August 2020, the Council approved the establishment of the Levelland Main Street Façade Grant Program under the City’s Chapter 380 Program.
This was an expansion of the Sign and Paint Program.
In 2020, five grants were awarded, four were completed and reimbursed for a total of $6,600. In 2021, six grants were awarded, four were completed and reimbursed for a total of $7,535.19. In 2023, Main Street received six grant requests, five were completed and four completed and reimbursed for a total of $10,000. No grants were disbursed in 2024.
The Main Street Advisory Board is recommending that Council open the application process for 2025 grants with a maximum of five - $2,000 grants.
Beforehand, program guidelines approved by the Council as well as the grant application for the program were recommended by the Board. The guidelines are as follows: This agreement and all of the terms hereof are contingent upon the operation by owner of the business where the improvements being funded with by the financial grant will continue in business as a business in the City of Levelland for a period of no less than two years from the effective date.
The owner must pay any and all outstanding debts, ad valorem taxes, utilities or invoices owed by the City of Levelland before being eligible for any of the funds outlined herein. Also, the owner agrees that as a condition of the agreement, the owner will remain current on all financial obligations owed to the City of Levelland in addition to any obligations set forth in the agreement and failure to do so will be considered an event of default under the agreement.
The owner agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the agreement and fully perform all of the terms and conditions set forth. The owner shall execute the agreement and any and all additional documents and agreements necessary to effectuate and memorialize the agreement and agree to fully cooperate with the City for the purpose of verifying the owner’s performance.
The owner shall maintain the business and the premises where the improvements funded with the financial grant are located in good condition during the term of the agreement and shall comply with all applicable city and state codes, regulations and ordinances.
All improvements being made with the financial grant must be completed no later than 12 months following the execution of the agreement.
The owner authorizes the City to publicize the owner’s business, at the City’s sole discretion, as being a recipient of the grant to take and publish before and after photographs depicting the improvements funded with the grant.
The owner will display in a window located at the owner’s business viewable to the public, or by a sign located at the owner’s business, a sign indicating that the improvements were made possible through a grant from the City. Any such signs are subject to the approval of the City Manager and any other use of the City’s name for publicity in connection with the owner’s business or activities must be approved in writing in advance by the City Manager. It is understood that the City may make known its contribution to the owner in whatever public manner it deems appropriate in its sole discretion. The owner is required to keep the business property free of any public nuisance and in full compliance with all applicable city codes.
Upon full performance of the terms of the agreement, the agreement shall be terminated by its own terms.
Councilmen Michael Stueart and Buxkemper both spoke highly of the grant opportunity that has been provided in years prior. The Council unanimously approved the item.