Round Rock City Council Packet Briefing - November 18, 2025
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Round Rock City Council Packet Briefing - November 18, 2025
The Round Rock City Council held a packet briefing on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 7:30 AM in City Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Craig Morgan, with all council members present. The purpose was to discuss items scheduled for the November 20, 2025, City Council meeting, including several fire and emergency services vehicle purchases, a right-of-way settlement, wastewater and reuse infrastructure projects, a zoning case, and appointments. No public comments were made.
Discussion Items
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Command Bus Replacement (G1): Fire Chief presented a request for approval of a purchase order with Siddons Martin Emergency Group for a new command bus at a cost of $1.85 million, already budgeted. The current 15-year-old bus is obsolete and costly to maintain. The new bus is expected to last 20–30 years and will be a local asset, unlike the current regional asset. Delivery is anticipated by November 2026. Councilmembers Flores, Stevens, Montgomery, and Ly asked about usage frequency, trade-in value ($30,000 negotiated from $15,000–$18,000), grant availability (federal funding cuts noted), and longevity. All expressed support.
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Brush Truck Replacement (G2): Replacement of a 2011 brush truck with a new unit for $277,535. The fire chief noted it is part of the normal vehicle replacement program. Councilmember Montgomery asked about disposal of the old truck (to be determined based on maintenance records). Councilmember Fleming asked about the fleet count (three city-owned plus one from mutual aid). No opposition.
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Aerial Ladder Truck Replacement (G3): Replacement of a 2009 75-foot ladder truck with a 107-foot tower for $1,752,036. The fire chief noted it is a newer version of the truck at Station 8. Councilmember Stevens requested photos for the Thursday meeting. No questions or opposition.
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Mini Pumper/Squad and Air Truck (G4): Two vehicles: a mini pumper/squad (from 2023 bond) for $400,100 with heavier chassis, and an air truck replacing a 2009 trailer and 2008 pull truck. Combined lifetime 15–20 years. No further discussion.
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Right-of-Way Settlement – Lake Forest HOA (G5): Staff presented a resolution to execute an agreed final judgment for acquisition of right-of-way for the Gattis School Road segment 6 project. The city will pay $450,000 to the Lake Forest community foundation, including reimbursement for sign relocation, plus installation of two 4-inch PVC sleeves for electrical and irrigation. The property went through condemnation and mediation. Councilmember Flores asked about fencing; staff noted future corridor enhancement programs may address it. Recommended approval.
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Wastewater Plant Expansion – Bond Counsel (G6) and TWDB Application (G7): Staff presented an engagement letter with McCall Parkhurst & Horton for bond counsel services related to a $60 million low-interest loan from the Texas Water Development Board for the next expansion of the regional wastewater plant. The expansion will add 10 million gallons per day (MGD) capacity for $117 million (Round Rock’s share $105 million). The council will also consider the application to TWDB. No questions.
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Reuse Ground Storage Tank (G8): Construction award to DN Tanks LLC for a 2-million-gallon reuse water storage tank at the wastewater plant for $4.3 million. This is part of the city’s reuse water program; current storage is 1 million gallons. The project will support up to 12 MGD treatment capacity. Councilmember Flores discussed the cost-effectiveness of reuse water versus new water sources (e.g., $1,500 per acre-foot for future water vs. $2 per thousand gallons for reuse). Staff noted plans to market reuse to high users, including data centers. No opposition.
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Zoning – Planned Unit Development (PUD) for 2.73 Acres: Planner presented a request for a PUD to allow single-family condos on a narrow parcel south of Gattis School Road off Windy Park Drive. The same developer built the adjacent Safa Cove subdivision. The PUD will use a private drive instead of public street, with HOA maintenance. Maximum 2.5 stories, four parking spaces per unit, amenity requirement of 3,500 sq ft. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval unanimously on October 15, 2025. Councilmember Ortega asked about drought-tolerant landscaping; Councilmember Flores estimated 15–20 units. Applicant will be present at the November 20 meeting.
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Appointments to CAMPO: Council discussed appointing Brian Kuhn as primary member and Gerald Polymer as alternate to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Transportation Policy Board. No questions or opposition.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken at this briefing; all items are scheduled for formal consideration at the November 20, 2025, City Council meeting. Council members expressed general support for all discussed items. Staff will provide additional visuals and information as requested (e.g., photos of aerial truck). The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:00 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I'll call 730 packet briefing to order and then please call the roll. Mayor Morgan. Here. Mayor Pro Tim Stevens. Here. Councilmember Lee? Here. Councilmember Flores. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Here. Councilmember Ortega. Here. Councilmember Montgomery. Here. All right. Citizen Communication. Anybody wish to speak? Seeing none. Do you want to consider staff briefings and council member discussion or questions guarding the items on the agenda for the November 2025 2025 agenda? We have a presentation for the university graduating class. Then presentation by community neighborhood services. Anything on the consent. Resolution authorized the senior manager to issue purchase order with Siddons Martin Emergency Group. Chief. Good morning, Mayor and Council. Good morning. So this is a request for approval of a purchase order for a new command bus. Our current command bus is approximately 15 years old. It was uh obtained through through a grant and it was a regional asset. Uh it is now becomes uh pretty much obsolete. Technology inside of it is uh old, can't uh components now can't replace a lot of the technology inside of it, and so it was uh time for us to look into doing a new command bus. We took every avenue that we could to try to get a grant um to save costs to the city, however, we were unsuccessful in in obtaining a grant. Um the 1.85 million for to get this new command bus was approved through the budget. Um, and this is a request for um the PO so it can continue to move forward. Our hope and goal with working with the company is that our command bus will be ready by November of 2026. Uh delivery that would be the delivery date back to the city of Round Rock. So I ask for your approval. Any questions? Questions for Councilmember Flores. I don't have any concerns with the purchase of the command bus. I was curious looking at the information that we're getting $30,000 for the old one. Is there not um whether it's your department or somewhere else within the city? Is there not a way to repurpose that uh vehicle if unless we're just having major mechanical issues with it? So thank you for that. Talking with General Services, it's gonna be a problem trying to maintain and upkeep that it's gonna cost us more money to continue the upkeep of that vehicle as well. We tried working with the company. Um we actually negotiated to get that up to 30,000. The the original trade-in price was somewhere around 15 to 18,000 dollars, and they're very kind and generous to move that up.
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