City Council members voted unanimously to rescind a previous application for a Community Development Block Grant and submit another application in its place.

The action was recommended by City Manager Ford Patton and Betty Collier of Grant Works, the consulting firm assisting the city in the application.

Collier said the first application was filed before the city had complete engineering work regarding water system improvements for the city’s far west side and before a complete budget could be prepared for the project.

Since then the engineering plan had been completed along with a budget. Because the deadline for filing the application had been moved back, the firm would have time to submit an updated request for funding.

Although the water system improvements are designed to provide bulk water sales to the Blueberry Hills Subdivision west of the city, the new facilities, including pumping and water storage equipment, are expected to improve water service to much of west Beeville.

Patton explained that the city’s matching funds would come from the proceeds of a $2 million sale of certificates of obligation completed earlier in the year.

Collier said the city would provide $385,000 in matching funds toward the $885,000 project.

Patton explained that the city would be able to budget $500,000 toward the project.

In other business Tuesday, the council approved an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for routine maintenance to the Beeville Municipal Airport.

Patton said that contract with the state would allow TxDOT to share the cost of maintaining the facility and inspection and compliance costs.

Councilmen also accepted a letter of engagement with Ernest Garza for the city’s upcoming independent audit and took no action on a proposed ordinance that would govern non-consent towing of vehicles within the city.

Councilmen said they wanted to study the proposed ordinance more closely before approving it.

The ordinance will give the council the power to set fees for basic towing services in cases where the owners of vehicles are not able to give consent. That would include incidents like driving while intoxicated arrests.

Councilmen also tabled action on appointments to the city’s Traffic Safety Commission and Board of Adjustment.

Councilmen approved a number of street closure requests from organizations planning events for youngsters on Halloween night and accepted the sale of eight different pieces of property to collect back taxes.

Before adjourning, the council gave the city staff the authority to take part in the South Texas Aggregation Project.

The project gives participating cities an opportunity to seek and enter into contracts for the purchase of electricity at a savings over the normal market price.

Patton told councilmen that participation in the program had saved the city considerable money in the years it has been involved with STAP.