The City of Winona officials discussed several issues, including pretreatment ordinances, beautification efforts, and plans for a new city hall during their meeting on July 16. (Katecey Harrell/ Tyler Morning Telegraph)

WINONA — City of Winona officials discussed several issues, including pre-treatment ordinances, beautification efforts, and plans for a new city hall during their regular city council meeting Tuesday night.

Several months ago, the city voted to pass fees and fines for out-of-compliance wastewater disposal onto industrial and commercial customers. This decision was based on data indicating specific entry points for non-compliant material dumping.

“For us to pass those fines… you’re going to have to have a pre-treatment ordinance,” Winona Mayor Rachel Moreno said. “It’s the city’s responsibility to maintain our system … but it’s also our responsibility to pay attention to what people are putting into our system.”

City officials reviewed wastewater pre-treatment requirements for industrial and commercial customers to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. They approved legal counsel to draft an ordinance, which will be presented later to the council for approval.

The move aims to encourage compliance and improve overall wastewater management within the city.

While some entry points have been identified, the specific materials contributing to the issue remain unclear. Over the past three years, the city has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in its wastewater system. Despite these efforts, officials remain concerned the city could face additional fines at any time due to ongoing compliance issues.

Winona resident Aaron Wilson spoke in opposition of the ordinance.

“You’re going to pass the cost of this on to businesses and commercial, and your No. 1 business and commercial on your sewer is Winona ISD. That’s an unfair charge to us,” said Wilson, who serves on the Winona ISD Board of Trustees.

Wilson worries the new pre-treatment requirements might leave a bad taste for businesses considering locating in the area. Since the extra costs will fall on industrial and commercial customers rather than residents, it could affect local economic growth.

The city’s sewer plant needs repairs, but Wilson said that instead of addressing the issues, officials have entered into an agreement with East Texas Municipal Utility District to take over sewage treatment and decommission the plant.

They’ve set a limit on ammonia levels allowed in the sewer water before reaching East Texas Municipal Utility District. Without a way to treat the sewage effectively, the city risks being charged for non-compliance.

Initially, the plan was to pass these charges onto all customers, but now the council limits the costs to commercial and industrial customers. As the largest commercial customer, Winona ISD would bear the brunt of these fees.

Wilson argues this agreement sets the city up for failure and ultimately allows the East Texas Municipal Utility District to take control of both sewer and water services.

Other business

In other business, the council addressed beautification projects to enhance the city’s public spaces and overall appearance. Additionally, plans for constructing a new city hall were presented.

Progress is being made on the Miller Park city beautification project, according to Mayor Pro-Tem Dee Roden.

The public pavilion has just been completed, and an infant swing has been added, which will be great for summer activities. Three flags — the American flag, the Texas flag, and the POW flag — have also been added.

“We do have the money in our park fund. People are so wonderful to donate money to our park fund,” Roden said. “We’ve got lots of things lined up, but it just takes time.”

Plans include adding lights, a fan, a large sign, and a small memorial garden. Roden said investments in city beautification, parks and green spaces are crucial in bringing communities together.

Moreno said the city has acquired property for a new city hall. Tuesday’s agenda item was not about approving funds for construction yet, but rather about beginning to assess costs, explore construction options and obtain bids to determine the best approach moving forward.

“It’s very expensive. We might have to build it in stages. Then there’s more to it if we decide to keep the old city hall,” Moreno said. “We’ll look at it and see if it’s cost-effective to keep it or rent it.”

A motion was approved to research construction options for the new city hall, focusing on the community’s wants and needs. Councilmembers requests included a large parking lot and a drive-thru for utility bill payments.

The council also:

• Approved the previous tax rate, .407732, as the proposed rate for 2024
• Approved the 2024/2025 Smith County 911 Budget
• Discussed options for bank accounts for funds not covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.