The Odessa City Council will get an update on the police department’s ARPA-funded projects and discuss dissolving the city’s tax incentive committee Tuesday.
Back in January, the council agreed to use American Rescue Plan Act money to replace OPD’s elevator, renovate the department’s lobby and demolish the 43,000 square-foot parking garage at North Lee and West 3rd Street.
The council is also scheduled to approve, for the first time, the 2024 tax levy. The FY23 tax rate is 48.3791 cents per $100 property valuation. The proposed rate is 46.6275. The No-New Revenue Tax Rate is 46.2503.
The council will also consider dissolving the tax incentive committee and handing its responsibilities over to the Odessa Development Corporation’s compliance committee.
According to materials provided to the city, the committee has been reviewing criteria and guidelines for tax abatement every other year and checking compliance with existing agreement requirements every year since 2011.
On Aug. 16, the committee discussed asking the ODC to take on its responsibilities and the ODC board agreed it would be willing to do so at a Sept. 10 meeting.
The council will also discuss replacing the heating and cooling unit at the animal shelter that caught on fire June 26. According to materials provided to the council, the unit will cost roughly $283,000, the city’s deductible is $100,000 and insurance will make up the difference.
It will take 14 weeks to get the replacement unit and in the meantime, the city is renting a unit.
A new employee benefits package will also be discussed during Tuesday’s meeting. Gallagher Benefit Services presented details of the plan to council members Sept. 10.
