By George Slaughter
After some initial confusion Monday morning, Mayor Bill Hastings announced at Monday afternoon’s city council meeting that the Fourth of July Freedom Celebration fireworks show is on as scheduled.
Hastings said the show, set for 9 p.m. July 4 at the Katy Mills Mall, will be scaled back. Social distancing will be encouraged as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect Katy.
“Considering the economic impact coronavirus (COVID-19) has had on local business, we will not be seeking donations for the event,” Hastings said in a statement. “This means it will be somewhat smaller than in years past, as we will use the non-refundable deposit previously made on the show as some of our past donations to cover the expense.”
Hastings said that until last Wednesday, cities had no direction from the governor’s office about staging large public gatherings such as the fireworks show, given the pandemic and the social distancing requests made of the public. But the governor’s office late last week issued guidance enabling mayors in cities like Katy, or county judges in unincorporated areas, to decide whether to proceed with such events.
Katy Mills Mall is inside the Katy city limits and is in Harris County.
Hastings, along with City Administrator Byron Hebert, originally decided to cancel the show, and the announcement was made Monday morning both on the city’s website and on social media. But council members said they were not consulted before the announcement, and they were taking phone calls from constituents.
Hastings’s announcement that the show was back on brought smiles to city officials looking to share good news with the public. Ward B Council Member Durran Dowdle said the mayor made the appropriate decision.
Ward A Council Member Janet Corte said she received many calls about the fireworks show.
“It was a busy day,” Corte said. “I’m glad it’s back on. It’s going to be modified. Hopefully, people will decide for themselves whether to attend or note. I hope people practice safe distancing by staying in their cars.”
Dowdle also expressed hope that people attending the show will do the right things when it comes to social distancing.
“The right decision has been made (to hold the show),” Dowdle said. “Let’s let folks do the right things. Social distancing, enjoying the celebration, doing it in the right manner. We don’t need tailgate parties with 50 people gathered together.”
Hastings urged everyone to attend the show as they saw fit, but urged that people continue to respect those around them by practicing social distancing and caring for one another.
“We are still in a fight against the spread of COVID-19,” Hastings said.
The Katy Summer Nights events set for June 12 and July 10, along with July 4 morning activities set for the Katy Fire Station No. 1, 1417 Avenue D, were cancelled.
“As for the festival, there is no way to conduct a gathering of this type and maintain health and safety protocols or social distancing standards,” Hastings said.
City to Receive Federal Money for Coronavirus Aid
The council Monday approved an agreement that enables the city to receive $118,745 in federal funds for coronavirus aid, relief, and economic security.
Fort Bend County received the money under the recently passed CARES (for Coronavrius Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. In a memo to the council urging approval of the agreement, City Finance Director Andrew Vasquez and Hebert wrote that Fort Bend County—of which a part of the City of Katy is located—received approximately $134 million from the State of Texas to cover COVID-19-related expenses not accounted for in the current budget, and incurred between March 1-December 30 of last year.
“Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a budget for the Coronavirus Relief Funds, which includes direct payments to local municipalities within Fort Bend County, including (the) City of Katy,” Vasquez and Herbert wrote.
Other Actions Taken
In other action Monday, the council:
- Heard a presentation about the city’s 2019 Fiscal Statement Audit by City Auditor Lupe Garcia.
- Reviewed the city’s 2020 monthly financial report, bank statement, and check register through April 30.
- Discussed flood mitigation projects in the Riceland Terrace subdivision. “Most of us voted for bond money in 2018 for flood control,” Kurt Copeland, a Riceland Terrace resident, wrote the council in an email requesting the agenda item. “We are coming up on three years since Hurricane Harvey and our neighborhood is anxious to get drainage mitigation projects started.”
- Authorized Hastings to enter into an agreement between Harris County and the city for a drainage improvement project on Fortuna Drive.
- Awarded an $82,300 re-bid to Supak Construction, of Orchard, Texas, for a sanitary sewer rehabilitation project. The $100,983 total project includes contingencies, engineering, surveying, and inspections. Initial bids for this project were rejected in April.
- Issued up to $6.9 million in unlimited tax bonds for the Fort Bend-Waller Counties Municipal Utility District No. 3 for the Young Ranch subdivision.
- Approved an amended interlocal agreement between the city and the Katy Development Authority for the Texas Heritage Parkway.
- Authorized Hastings to enter into a memorandum of understanding affiliation agreement with Houston Community College for emergency medical services training.
- Authorized Hastings to sign a master premier lease agreement, schedule, and maintenance and order agreement with Konica Minolta for a copier at the Katy Visitors Center.
- Amended the city employee handbook to include a bank of time for holiday for city firefighters and police officers.