CITY& COUNTY
News from Round Rock & Williamson County
QUOTEOFNOTE “WEWOULDNOT BE ABLE TODOALL THESE PROJECTS UNDER THE CURRENT DRAINAGE
Heritage Trail West project completion faces delays
BY BROOKE SJOBERG
CONTRACTING AND COMPLETION The contract struck between the city of Round Rock and Ritter, Botkin Prime Construction Co. included:
The Heritage Trail West project will face some delays to its completion date as the city of Round Rock finds a new contractor. During City Council’s semi-annual retreat and work session, Parks and Recreation Director Rick Atkins said the project is delayed due to the original contractor, Pflugerville-based Ritter, Botkin Prime Construction Co., filing for bankruptcy in late 2021. Atkins said his staff met with a surety company in December to figure out next steps. The surety company is evaluating potential contractors to finish the project, but prospective contractors have enough projects already to delay their start on the Heritage Trail West by another four to six months, he said. A surety representative is meeting with contractors to determine who will finish the project, according to
RATES THAT ARE BEING CHARGED RIGHT NOW.”
Improvements to the Chisholm Trail stone retaining wall at Old Town Square the completed trail will pass through, and relocation of existing signage Preservation of existing statues at Chisholm Trail Park, where
Construction of a 10-foot- wide concrete walkway that will make up the trail
MICHAEL THANE, ROUND ROCK UTILITIES DIRECTOR, REGARDING $11 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS BEING ALLOCATED TO THE CITY FOR STORMWATER DRAINAGE PROJECTS NUMBER TOKNOW cost of six Ford police utility patrol vehicles and one Ford F-150 truck approved for purchase at a Feb. 24 Round Rock City Council meeting $370,055.32 The total CITY HIGHLIGHTS ROUNDROCK Officials appointed Shane Glaiser as Round Rock fire chief by unanimous vote in a special City Council meeting Feb. 10. Glaiser was appointed interim chief in October following the departure of Chief Robert Isbell, who left to serve as fire chief in Stephenville. According to the city, Glaiser has held every position in the Round Rock Fire Department throughout his 27-year career. He has also acted as the project lead for the city’s Public Safety Training Center, which was completed in 2018. ROUNDROCK Officials on Feb. 10 approved a May 7 general election to elect members to the council for two places. Incumbents Hilda Montgomery and Rene Flores filed for reelection to Places 6 and 2, respectively. Caitlin Leggett filed an application for Place 2 by the deadline to solidify the only contested race on the ballot. Round Rock City Council members serve staggered three-year terms, and all council seats are at-large positions. Early voting begins April 25. Round Rock City Council Meets March 10 and 24, 6 p.m. 216 E. Main St., Round Rock 512-218-5401 www.roundrocktexas.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court Meets March 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 9:30 a.m. 710 S. Main St., Georgetown MEETINGSWE COVER
Removal of existing concrete trail to facilitate rerouting in connection with the Heritage West project
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Atkins, and it will be rebid through that entity. The project will not go back to City Council to be rebid. Delays could ultimately push the completion date for the project into 2023, according to the city. The Heritage Trail West project is funded by the 2013 bond, connect- ing the approximately 1-mile span between Chisholm Trail Road and
North Mays Street along Brushy Creek. The city originally awarded the $7.3 million contract to Ritter, Botkin Prime Construction Co. in June 2020. Calls to Ritter, Botkin Prime Construction Co. found the phone number is disconnected, and the website for the contractor is no longer available.
Williamson County animal shelter receives a $142,800donation
FACTS OF THE DEAL
DEPARTMENTS
• Building construction • Parks and recreation • Capital improvement projects • Transportation • Stormwater • Water treatment plant REPLACED TRUCKS • Ages: 12-21 years • Odometer: 90,000-124,000 miles
Nine Ford Lightning F-150s will replace vehicles of varying mileage and ages
BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
The Williamson County Commissioners Court accepted a $142,800 donation to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter during its Feb. 15 meeting. The Walinski Revocable Trust made the donation. According to county documents, Ted and Janet Walinski were impressed with the shelter’s “no-kill” policy and made arrangements for a percentage of their assets to go to WCRAS upon their deaths. Misty Valenta, WCRAS director of animal services, said the Walinskis were avid supporters of the shelter. To honor the Walinskises’ legacy, WCRAS plans to use the funds to focus on ways to save and improve the lives of the animals in the shelter, Valenta said. Valenta said the Walinskis were lovers of cats and kittens, and they adopted and fostered several over the years. For this reason, part of the funding will provide the training and staffing necessary to help during times of the year when the shelter brings in the most kittens, Valenta said. This has been the largest donation that the shelter has received that has not been grant-funded by a larger organization in almost a decade, Valenta said. “Anytime we receive a donation like that, I take it very seriously because this is a memorial of that individual. We leave a legacy here after we pass, and it’s part of [the Walinskises’] legacy,” Valenta said. “Now, it’s in our hands to honor that legacy.”
from multiple departments.
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
RoundRock City Council OKs electric vehicles purchase
BY BROOKE SJOBERG
Officials approved a purchase agreement with Silsbee Ford for nine Ford Lightning F-150s on Feb. 10. The electric vehicles will replace some of the city’s fleet as part of the city’s plan to replace assets through- out its various departments, General Services Director Chad McDowell said. McDowell said the vehicles are a long-term invest- ment, as electric vehicle parts last many years. “My assumption would be [that] in about five or six years, there’ll be a battery pack, and we can just change it out,” McDowell said. Supply chain issues mean the purchase will be delayed from six months to a year, according to the city. The replacements will be funded out of the city’s drainage, utility and general funds for $490,317.21.
512-943-1550 www.wilco.org
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • MARCH 2022
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