During Tuesday morning’s meeting, the Brownwood City Council awarded a contract for audit services for the City of Brownwood and its component unit Brownwood Municipal Development District to Pattillo, Brown, & Hill for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024 at a cost of $52,000 with an option to extend for two additional years.

City staff recently solicited proposals for the auditing services for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. The City received nine sealed bids from firms located all over the State. Proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria: experience, qualifications of personnel, knowledge of reporting requirements, history of engagements, and cost. Staff selected four of the proposals to further evaluate and made phone calls to current clients to better understand how the firms conducted their audits.

Pattillo, Brown & Hill (PB&H) has extensive governmental experience including such cities as Bedford, Marble Falls, Waco, Weatherford, and Bastrop, and utilizes current technology to perform the audit offsite to keep cost down.

PB&H currently provides auditing services for Brownwood ISD and has for the last several years. BISD described the working relationship as phenomenal, stating the firm was helpful, well managed, and provided a smooth transition.

PB&H provided a total all-inclusive maximum cost proposal of $52,000 for the 2024 audit and a set maximum increase of $1,000 for each of the four years after that. Staff after extensive review feels PB&H would be the best firm for the City of Brownwood.

The Council also approved an agreement with P3Works, LLC for a Public Improvement District (PID) and Tax increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) Creation and Administration Services.

The City has received a request from a private developer for a Development Agreement that will include a Public Improvement District (PID) and a Tax increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ). To proceed with the terms of the Development Agreement, the City desires to engage technical experts in the creation of the Service and Assessment Plan, bond issuance, administration of the District, creation of the Final Project and Finance Plan, and the Annual Reporting of the PID/TIRZ.

According to the PID Policy adopted by the City Council, the City will require the developer to enter into a Professional Service Agreement and pre-fund an escrow fund in the amount of $25,000 to cover fees related to the PID and TIRZ before such time as assessments may be levied. The cost of the services provided by P3Works will be paid for by this escrow fund. Establishment of a PID and TIRZ will be a lengthy and highly technical process. Engaging with P3Works, which is located in Keller and Austin, is the first step.

Also Tuesday, Council:

* awarded PF&E Brownwood, Texas the City’s bulk fuel, oils and lubricant contract for the 2024-25 budget year.

* awarded GWG Wood Group out of Ferristhe Landfill’s brush grinding for the 2024- 25 budget year at a cost not to exceed $100,300

* authorized the City Manager to sign a contract with eHT to complete the Landfill 2025 Air Emission Rate Report at a cost not to exceed $62,500.

* declared one 1994 Nema TS1 signal cabinet as surplus and ratify the donation of the cabinet to the City of Comanche

* accepted the donation of a clock propeller as a restricted gift from Lake Hite to displayed at Brownwood Regional Airport