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Columbus City Council approved its budget in a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 18, and approved its tax rate and reviewed water treatment plant actions during its meeting, Monday, Sept. 22.
Budget and tax rate
The council approved its 20252026 operating budget that will raise $114,170 more in property taxes compared to last year, a 9% increase. The new ad valorem, property tax rate is $0.284554 per $100 valuation, an almost 8% increase compared to last year. The now-approved ordinance states that a $100,000 home will see a $20.52 increase specifically for maintenance and operations taxes.
Councilmember Michael Ridlen voted against ordinance due to its wording, and councilmember Chuck Rankin agreed with Ridlen but did not vote nay in order for the rate to still pass.
“If you could say this in a different way, I would say yes, but this way is not correct,” Ridlen said.
Wastewater treatment plant
The council awarded contracts for appraisal and title services to assist the ongoing GLO/H-GAC Wastewater Treatment Plant Project. The project will eventually result in the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant to replace the plant on McCormick Street.
According to the city’s 30-Day Packet on the project, the McCormick plant is situated on the eroding southwest bank of the Colorado River. During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the river came within feet of washing the existing facility away. The new plant will be constructed around 500 feet further away from the Colorado River compared to the existing facility.
“Right now, we’re [operating] between 40-50% of our existing capacity,” City Manager Donald Warschak said. “We’re not adding any [capacity]… It’s more or less going to be a similar size [to] what we have now.”
Mayor Lori An Gobert chimed in that the city has “plenty of growth potential” to continue operating within the existing full capacity. According to City Manager Donald Warshack, the council is working on the paperwork to receive authorization to approve the purchase of land for the new plant utilizing funds from a grant by the Texas General Land Office.
Other updates
Warschak reported that Pulice Construction will transition all east bound traffic between Business Highway 71 and Farm to Market 2434 to be moved to the west bound lanes in October. The transition is part of Pulice’s continued work on earthwork and relief ridge structures on the east side of the Colorado River as part of the Interstate 10 Expansion Project. The new traffic pattern is estimated to last for one year.
Warschak also shared that the city will begin work on the pickle ball courts at the Montezuma Park Pavilion soon. The nets for the courts will be ordered in early October with the start of the new fiscal year.
