Budget approval headlines City Council session
Posted/updated on: September 23, 2021 at 12:48 pmTYLER — The city of Tyler’s new budget, passed Wednesday, will expand forensic capabilities and the police department’s homeless outreach. The city will be adding a forensic specialist to help police resolve more investigations and present stronger cases for prosecution, according to city press materials. Officials also say adding a homeless coordinator allows the police department to work closely with homeless residents and guide them to the available resources. Tyler will also be adding two firefighters, along with buying improved personal protective equipment and a new tower truck for the fire department to address community growth, according to city officials. And the budget includes a residential rate increase of $2.50 for Tyler Solid Waste. The city is raising the tax rate to 26.99 cents per $100 valuation.
In other business, the City Council authorized the city manager to enter into a $341,800 engineering contract to design traffic signals and intersection improvements for five Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) projects at 16 intersections in Tyler. And councilmembers okayed a $205,680 Engineering Services Master Agreement for the rehabilitation of Taxiway Alpha at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.