Going green?

The Odessa City Council will vote Tuesday on accepting federal stimulus money that will help the city make strides toward energy efficiency.
   Council will vote on appropriating $915,100 from the U.S. Department of Energy for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.
   The money will go toward retrofitting parts of Municipal Plaza and the Odessa Police Department to make them more energy efficient. Money will also be used to underwrite the cost of solar panels on some of the city’s affordable housing units. A “green technologies” curriculum at Odessa College will also be funded.
   Council will also vote on awarding a bid for renovations of Sherwood Park. City staff has recommended a bid from Onyx Contractors Inc. of Midland for $4.437 million. The amount was 4.6 percent below engineering estimates.
   Though Onyx actually offered the second lowest price of the four companies to bid on the project, it outrated the others on a competitive sealed proposals scale that also takes into account the number of planned working days, the resume of the project superintendent, the contractor’s experience with similar projects and experience from irrigation and electrical contractors on similar projects.
   Council will also look at a Chapter 380 economic development agreement that will offer incentives to Leeco and other companies involved with the Chimney Rock Center, a new commercial development planned for the northeast corner of the intersection of Northeast Loop 338 and Highway 191. Best Buy and other retailers are looking at opening stores at the property.
   Incentives from the program are used by paying sales tax rebates taken from money generated at the retail development receiving the incentives. Council approved guidelines at its Oct. 13 meeting requiring developments that receive funding to promise at least 100 jobs and make an $8 million investment.
   Money is to be used to offset costs of infrastructure requirements like water and sewer lines.
   “I think it would have some potential of being a sizable investment,” Councilman Royce Bodiford said of the Chimney Rock project.
   Councilman Benjamin Velasquez said the program could be valuable, as long as incentives are kept to basic essentials.
   “I think there’s some good possibilities to it,” he said. “It will increase our sales tax.”
   Council will also consider:
   >> Authorizing the Odessa Police Department to accept a Texas Division of Emergency Management Homeland Security Grant for $56,983.
   >> Second and final approval of a request from Devi Investments to rezone from retail-one to planned development-one. The change allows the company to build a four-story La Quinta hotel near the southeast intersection of Faudree Road and Highway 191.
   >> Second and final approval of a request from DJK Inc. and EXL Production LP for original zoning of future development-drill reservation on 4.1 acres north of Old Bankhead Highway and east of the Odessa Country Club’s Links course.
   >> Sale of tax delinquent property at 910 Hudson Ave. and 809 W. 20th St. for less than market value.
   >> Second and final approval of the limousine franchise renewal of Frank Nastase of Basin Limousine.
   >> A $181,292 purchase of 21 new displays for a fall festival and eight displays for the Christmas Starbright Village at McKinney Park.
   >> A 12-month maintenance contract for computer software for $133,717.
   >> A cellular telephone service contract with Verizon Wireless for $70,529.
   >> A fuel contract with United Fuel & Energy for $2.245 million.
   >> The purchase of police uniforms for $67,000.
   >> Purchasing police in-car video cameras for $206,540.
   >> Adding a provision to city code to make “any type of force or intimidation to obtain donations of money, property or financial assistance of any kind” a Class C misdemeanor in the city.
   >> New fee rate structures for Ratliff Ranch Golf Links and rentals from the city parks department.
   >> Awarding a contract with SunGuard iWorks for maintenance of software for benefit claims administration.
   >> Naming members to boards and committees.