The Edna City Council approved a pair of specific-use applications Thursday night that will allow Jackson County government to move forward on its plan to build a new Emergency Operations Center.
During a public hearing on the first specific-use application, an application for construction, Jackson County Judge Jill Sklar explained why the county wants to purchase approximately 26 acres of land between the U.S. 59 service road, Victoria Street, and W. Main Street, across from the rice dryer. The land is currently under contract, but the county has not yet closed on it and its survey is not yet complete, Sklar said.
The county had previously purchased property a couple of years ago along the U.S. 59 service road near Oaklawn Funeral Home, Williams Street, and Ash Street, for the purpose of eventually moving some county offices there, such as the Emergency Operations Center, dispatch, the Sheriff’s Office, and possibly the jail and a courtroom, but Sklar said that the land being discussed Thursday night would work better.
“There’s more acreage,” Sklar said during the first public hearing. “There’s not as many homes around this piece of property, and there’s three points of access for county officials, county employees, and county residents to come in and out.
“We do have a plan for the Emergency Operations Center, but we’re thinking long-term. We continue to try to address our aging jail issue and this could be a place for that, along with the Sheriff’s Office and possible court rooms in the future.”
After the council approved the first request, the city held the second public hearing, this one over changing the zoning for a 14.76-acre portion of the property from Residential 1 to Commercial 1. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the council approved the zoning change.
In other business, the council:
· Approved the minutes of the regular city council meeting of Sept. 17 and the special meeting of Sept. 28;
· Approved a request from Bill Hessong of Edna Auto Supply to abandon a portion of the alley located between Sonic and the former Palmetto building for the purpose of a new facility;
· Approved a request for $3,000 from the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce for hotel-motel funds for the Best of Texas Big Buck & Big Hog Contest;
· Approved Resolution 2026-18 authorizing the submittal of a 2027-2028 Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) application to the Texas Department of Agriculture and committing match funds;
· Awarded the bid for the backup power generator located at the Sunset Lift Station to GenServe, LLC, for $108,425;
· Approved a request from Edna ISD to place a repeater and antenna at the Guadalupe Water Tower to aid district communications;
· Approved lease agreements with Enterprise Fleet for a half-ton pickup truck for the Parks Department, a three-quarter-ton pickup with service bed for the Water/Wastewater Department, a four-door SUV for Code and Administration, a one-ton flatbed dump truck for the Street Department, a six-yard dump truck for the Street Department, and a six-yard dump truck for the Water/Wastewater Department;
· Approved Resolution 2026-19 authorizing the closure of Main Street between Wells and Allen Streets from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 17 for the annual Texana Arts Fest, with city police and street staff monitoring the closure;
· Approved Resolution 2026-20 authorizing the closure of Main Street between Wells and Allen Streets from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 5 for the annual Market Days on Main Street and the annual Christmas Parade, with city police and street staff monitoring the closure;
· Approved budget amendments;
· Approved payment of current city bills in the amount of $371,883.68; and
· Heard city staff reports.
During the Staff Report section of the meeting, Broz told the council that city staff is continuing to work with Edna Police Chief Bryan Martin on rebuilding the Police Department. The MIT Project’s environmental study is in its final stage. City staff is doing follow-up with Standard & Poor’s on the city’s bond rating and also is continuing to do the paperwork on the Police Department generator. The city received an extension for the installation of the control boxes for General Land Office (GLO) Reallocation Grant for the Mexico and Kleas Lift Stations.
In addition, the city is continuing to monitor, along with the fire marshal, building inspector and Code Enforcement, the improvements that the Best Western hotel ownership is doing to get in compliance. Staff is continuing to work on animal shelter specifications and has the Animal Control Department pickup truck at the shop to install the animal bed. Broz also said that he is working with City Finance Director Valerie Callaway to close out the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year which ended on Wed., Sept. 30.
During her update, Callaway said that the city has opened 20 new customer accounts, made three account transfers, and closed 19 accounts. She uploaded the new FY 2026-2027 budget into the city software this week and has closed the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Department supervisors have completed their year-end inventories, and she has submitted the results to the auditor and is in the process of getting all of the FY 2025-2026 reports to the auditor for the end-of-year report. The city paid its monthly sales tax for solid waste sales to the Texas State Comptroller’s Office this week, with $6,965.36 in tax paid on $87,108.70 in sales.
City Streets Supervisor Andy Brzozowski said that crews have been busy with the Dura-Patcher truck. They also replaced the 18-inch culvert with a 24-inch culvert and lowered it going into the AEP substation at Gilbert and Vanderbilt Streets; took the Animal Control truck and dog box to Victoria for installation; and are getting things together for Saturday’s Jackson County Youth Fair parade route.
Utilities Director Brad Ryan said that workers repaired water leaks at 206 S. Kleas St. and at 609 Jackson St., along with a six-inch pipe leak on W. Gayle Street and an eight-inch pipe leak on Hickory Street. Workers installed a new meter at 706 Honeysuckle and replaced the water meter at 505 Caroline St., and also installed new water and sewer taps at 708 Peabody St. In addition, workers also installed two new 12-inch valves at the Kleas Water Tower, repaired a three-quarter-inch tap on Ward Street, and cleaned the clarifier at the sewer plant.
Martin said that he is in the process of hiring five officers, all of whom are experienced and carefully chosen. The department is investigating a string of vehicle break-ins that occurred either Sunday night or early Monday morning.
City Parks Supervisor/Code Enforcement Jaime Liepe reported 37 open code violation cases, including 11 dangerous/unsafe building violations; six junk/trash/debris violations; one mobile home skirting violation; five cleanliness of property violations; 17 mowing violations; and two abandoned/junk vehicle violations. Invoices have been mailed for the 15 lots that were mowed. The three properties still waiting for demolition by the property owner are being sent back to Buildings and Standards. Letters for court appearances in October due to non-compliance have been mailed. Liepe also said that she has been working on a list of properties for the next Buildings and Standards meeting, and that she has been working with the fire chief on some violations at the Best Western. Ownership has been working diligently on getting the issues corrected but still needs to have their fire alarm and fire suppression system inspected, along with the elevator, and to get their food handlers certificate and health permit.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thur., Oct. 15 at Edna City Hall, located at 125 Main St. in downtown Edna. The council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month.