City, EDC to replace sewer line along Industrial

By Lindsey Vaculin

General Manager

The Cameron City Council gave the go ahead to replace sewer lines in the Industrial Park through a partnership with the Cameron Economic Development Corporation during its meeting May 15.

Cameron Industrial Foundation Executive Director Ginger Watkins said the line will be upgraded from a 4-inch line to an 8-inch line.

“One of the key things that we have had as a small city is assets and infrastructure in place to recruit commercial businesses,” Watkins said. “We not only have the land but also the water and sewer ready to go for a new industry. For many years my records have shown that we have had a 6-inch water line there to serve them.”

Watkins said that through a series of events Public Works Director Gerald Brunson realized that there is only a 4-inch line out there, which is not adequate to serve the current businesses along with Livestock Nutrition Center, which will be coming in the near future. In order to provide service to Livestock Nutrition Center that line needs to be upgraded to an 8-inch line.

“We budgeted for an improvement at the Industrial Park in this year’s budget,” Watkins said. “We anticipated needing to divide the property that LNC needed and put in a street. We don’t need to do that because they bought all of the property that we had in the business park. We no longer need to do that, so we have that money in the budget to use to expand this sewer line.”

The line replacement shouldn’t disturb the street. The line is on Industrial Blvd. just west of Old Waco Highway.

Brunson said the water department and street department staff will provide the labor for the project. The CEDC will fund the materials for the project.

“The city would be replacing this line at full cost if it weren’t for the CEDC being willing to pay for it,” City Manager Rhett Parker said. “The reason the CEDC is able to do it is because there is a new business coming in that will need these services.”

Watkins said the EDC can only expend funds on infrastructure improvement if it benefits a new business.

Parker said that new police chief Waylon Rhodes will be sworn in on May 31.

In other business the council also: canvassed the results of the May 6, 2017, election; recognized outgoing councilman Maurice Goza for his years of service; gave oaths of office to new councilmembers Robert Davis, Virgie Hardemen, Daniel Willie and Melissa Williams; approved a resolution approving a change in rates of Atmos Energy Corporation – there will be a residential increase of $2.04 per month; and heard reports from department heads.