Kosse Council Adopts Budget, Tax Rate of 0.55

The Kosse City Council made quick work of their special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 28, as no citizens were present to voice questions or concerns about the city’s proposed budget and tax rate. Council members Kelli Eno and Todd Freeman were not in attendance.

Consequently, the two public hearings held during the meeting were brief, and the quorum present adopted the budget that had been proposed in the regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12. A few amendments had been made to the budget at that meeting, including an increase to water and garbage rates due to the increase by Frontier Waste for services, and an increase for the police department truck maintenance line.

The council next went on to adopt a city tax rate of 55 cents per $100 valuation, which is a decrease of 3.47% or 0.0198 cents.

In other business, council approved the purchase of two fire hydrants from Core and Main out of Waco at a discounted rate (essentially getting two at the usual cost of one hydrant) because the threading was backward.

“They’re left-handed off instead of on, but with two for the price of one, I told them backwards thread is fine with us,” said Council member and Kosse VFD Chief Kendal Funderburk. “One for the post office and one for the clinic.”

Public Works Director Charles Dickerson had shed light on the need for a new hydrant at the Kosse Community Health Clinic at the Sept. 12 meeting, also noting that three small leaks had occurred in August and the water plant had produced 2.6 million gallons of water. The city is currently in stage 1 of the Drought Contingencies Plan, which consists of voluntary restrictions on usage.

The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at Kosse City Hall.