Members of Beeville’s Tax Increment Finance District board learned last week that the city is getting ready to seek contractors to replace sidewalks on North St. Mary’s Street and on West Bowie Street.

City Manager Tom Ginter told the board Jan. 27 that Grant Works has been hired to complete an environmental assessment for the project and that should be completed within the next 60 days.

TIF money paid for the improvements to downtown sidewalks on North Washington Street years ago and TIF Chairman Joe B. Montez has been anxious to have the same kind of work done on St. Mary’s Street ever since.

Montez was instrumental in creating the district as a way to pay for infrastructure improvements in the downtown area.

The program receives funding by capturing the amount of property taxes that increase over the rate collected when the district was formed. The district includes the entire downtown area and some outlying property near downtown.

Montez said the district has been collecting $50,000 to $60,000 a year lately and collections so far this year indicate that the TIF fund can expect to receive about that much income again this year.

“I think we should be okay,” Montez told board members.

The director explained that the city would be using Texas Capital Fund grant money to finance much of the work on St. Mary’s Street.

Ginter said the city is prepared to obtain bids for the West Bowie Street sidewalk work sometime next month and seek bids from contractors in early March. He said work should be able to begin on that project by late March or early April.

Sidewalks along the 200 block of West Bowie, where extensive renovation of the historic buildings there has been underway, will be replaced.

Board members heard Beeville Main Street Manager Michelle Wright explain plans to provide plants for the islands along North Washington Street. She also is interested in having irrigation equipment connected to existing water lines inside the islands.

Wright said city workers had told her they could do the job and save the cost of hiring a contractor.

Montez suggested that the city could get an irrigation contractor to tell crews what needs to be done.

The director said the TIF has budgeted

$45,000 for that project and another $40,000 to fund a Main Street business facade improvement grant program.

Montez said $5,000 already had been set aside for facade improvements to the Schulz and Wroten Pharmacy building in the 100 block of North Washington Street.

Board member Dave Moore agreed with Ginter that it might be time for the TIF board to consider a new plan for improvements in the downtown area. Then board member Louise Hall suggested that the board consider improvements to the alley between North Washington and North St. Mary’s Streets.

“You mean the alley outside the window of my office?” Ginter asked.

Wright suggested that the board could consider funding some additional improvements around the Depot Pavilion in the parking lot west of the 300 block of North Washington Street.

She was interested in putting some benches and some decorative lamp posts there.

Board members also asked about a possible maintenance contract they had discussed with the owner of a nursery for planters and islands in the downtown area. Wright said she would check on the status of that agreement.