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In August, the Nederland City Council will begin the process of adopting the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget and the tax rate.

The proposed budget will be formally submitted to the City Council Aug. 14. In accordance with the City Charter, a public hearing on the budget will be held Aug. 28 at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall.

In July, a budget workshop was held with the City Manager and department heads presenting each department’s budget to the City Council. In addition to taking action on the proposed budget, the City Council must take action to set a proposed tax rate; the tax rate public hearings will be held Aug. 28 at 4:30 p.m. and if necessary, on Sept. 1.

The City received the certified taxable values on July 20; the overall increase was over $129,097,646, an increase of 8.5525 percent.

The proposed budget that will be formally submitted will utilize the voter-approved tax rate or greater; this tax rate increase is necessary to fund the creation of five public safety positions (four new patrol officers to be assigned as school resource officers and a firefighter).

The FY 2023-24 budget and tax rate will be voted on by the City Council Sept. 11 at 4:30 p.m.

The Nederland Independent School District’s 2023-24 school year begins Aug. 17. The speed limit in school zones is 20 miles per hour; Nederland PD will be patrolling school areas.

Per state law, a driver cannot use their phone while in a school zone so no texting and driving. Each school campus has a drop-off/pick-up system in place for efficiency and safety. Please obey the school crossing guards’ directions.

Best of luck to the young Bulldogs as they start the new school year.

The 2023 Hurricane Season began June 1. Communication is vital during an emergency. The City utilizes the Southeast Texas Alerting Network and our social media pages to push emergency notices.

If you have not already registered for STAN or have family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. who have not already registered, register for STAN at thestan.com or call 844-578-7826.

And follow the City’s Facebook pages: “The City of Nederland, TX,” “Nederland Police Department,” “Nederland Fire Rescue,” “City of Nederland Parks & Recreation,” “Marion & Ed Hughes Public Library” and “Nederland Animal Shelter.”

Starting in 2021, the City Manager began hosting quarterly TOWN HALL meetings in the evening to engage with the public and solicit input from residents and business owners. The town halls stated on the City’s Facebook page and later were also opened to in-person attendance at City Hall.

Due to the low attendance/participation, the City Manager has cancelled this effort. However, the City Manager is working on an alternative concept that would start in January 2024.

Upcoming community events include the Nederland Economic Development Corporation’s Fall Concert series (Sept. 21, Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19 in front of the NEDC office on Boston Avenue), National Night Out on Oct. 3 by the Police and Fire Stations at 1400 Boston Avenue, and the NEDC’s Fall Market on Saturday, Oct. 21 along Boston Avenue.

On-going construction projects include the 2023 Concrete Street Rehab project on 21st Street between Detroit Avenue and Helena Avenue; crews will move to Avenue H (29th Street to the frontage road) after the work on 21st Street is completed, which should be later this month.

The City has awarded the 2023 HMAC (hot mix overlay) project to the lowest, responsible bidder: Blacksmith Ventures, LLC in the amount of $1,134,385.

The project encompasses over two miles of road work to include: Helena Avenue (11th to the NLL entrance), Gary Avenue (27th to the concrete by West Chicago), 30th Street (Gary Avenue to the concrete on 30th Street), Memphis Avenue (34th Street to Verna), 34th Street (Canal to Lawrence), Avenue F (14th Street to 15th Street), S. 5th Street (Nederland Avenue to Avenue H), S. 7th Street (Avenue E to Avenue H), Avenue E (S. 6th Street to S. 7th Street), and West Chicago (27th St to Gary Avenue).

In addition, City crews with the help of Jefferson County Pct 2 have BOMAG and chip sealed approximately three miles of roads.

If there are any questions regarding City operations, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 409-723-1503.

Chris Duque is city manager for Nederland. He can be reached at CDuque@ci.nederland.tx.us.