Cloudy with occasional light rain throughout the day. High 54F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: January 24, 2022 @ 4:37 am
Corsicana, Texas
Daily Sun FILE photo
Daily Sun FILE photo
Corsicana’s city leaders discussed finances and the future at the State of the City address hosted by the Corsicana and Navarro County Chamber of Commerce Thursday.
“The business of the city still was happening even with the pandemic,” said Mayor Don Denbow, who detailed some of the COVID-19 mitigation efforts the city has undertaken during the last year, including limiting access points to the City Government Center as well as face-to-face contact with citizens.
Denbow reported that the city’s General Fund ended 2021 with a positive fund balance. Revenues were up over $1.8 million coupled with a decrease in expenditures of over $239,000.
“The General Fund balance is healthy and will allow the council some flexibility in the next budget year,” Denbow said.
Sales tax revenue and the ad valorem tax revenue were also up due to an increase in the city’s tax base.
The mayor discussed ongoing street improvement projects, including work from West 13th Avenue from South 15th Street to South 31st Street. The project will include relocating utilities, improving drainage, and reconstructing the pavement.
The mayor reported that over $1.8 million from the General Fund was spent on street improvements last year in the city’s four precincts and downtown.
The city’s bond rating has remained stable with Moody’s A1+ and the S&P maintaining the city’s AA-Stable rating. These ratings are important indicators of the city’s financial health and allows the city to finance projects and borrow money.
The mayor also highlighted the city’s water production and waste water reclamation during the previous year. The city produced 2.1 billion gallons of potable water, some of which was sold to 65,000 customers in Navarro, Ellis, Hill and Limestone counties. All without any violations, said Denbow.
He said the city’s water pipes are older, but the system is being improved gradually.
The city’s sanitation fund is also in the black. The landfill has a remaining capacity of nearly 100 years.
The mayor also discussed the former State Home property which the city purchased in 2018.
The site is the home of the new fire station, which was opened in 2021. Revenues exceeded expenditures in 2021, but the city’s EMS fund remains in the negative.
Interim Fire Chief Wade Gillen noted that 70% of the calls answered by the department were within the city. Gillen also said that the city began contracting with Allegiance in November because of staff shortages. The city is currently down 22 personnel.
A recent civil service test was cancelled due to lack of signups.
Police Chief Robert Johnson also provided a report.
The police department is down five positions. In 2021 the overall crime index dropped by 7%, Johnson said. The chief highlighted that the majority of the thefts within the city were shoplifting offenses from the city’s biggest box stores. Other thefts included fire arms taken from unlocked cars or homes.
Amy Tidwell, Corsicana’s Director of the Main Street Program and Director of Tourism for the city, also presented Thursday.
Tidwell showed a video from the Daytripper program which aired on PBS in October.
She also shared videos of the Christmas tree lighting which drew the largest crowd downtown this year. Tidwell also spotlighted downtown business.
There were 15 businesses opened in 2021, 11 of those were restaurants or retail with four office buildings. Tidwell showed several videos and highlighted the new businesses and work which lead in part to a net gain of 32 jobs downtown.
These video’s can be viewed on the Corsicana Main Street social media platforms.
Corsicana contributed to Texas’ economic wellbeing, which has 3 million small businesses which make up 99.8% of the businesses within the state and nearly half of our workforce.
Navarro County Economic Development Director John Boswell reported that Corsicana and Navarro County continue to grow, and that means more jobs and eventually expanding retail options.
Boswell also showed a video during his presentation, highlighted by a drone tour of Audubon Metals Texas, which was the first piece of the Highway 31 Industrial Park. Audubon Metals Texas offers a critical step in the recycling of metals to be re-used in the manufacturing of new products.
Boswell also talked about several ongoing residential and commercial projects, as well as renewable energy projects which are underway, providing tax revenue for the county and school districts.
The city council meets regularly on the second and fourth Monday of each month at the City Government Center in the Council Chambers of the Government Center at 200 N. 12th St.
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