The Houston City Council declared two nuisance properties for demolition Monday and authorized some capital expenditures following a bright financial picture in 2014.
The six-member council approved beginning the process to have two structures — one at 604 Hawthorn (southwest corner of Hawthorn and Bryan) and another at 204 First — removed by the property owners. The process has been used previously for other tracts deemed a nuisance in the city.
In other matters, members:
—Authorized the purchase of one or two patrol cars and a mini excavator after the city finished 2014 with surplus funds and increased sales tax revenue. The amount is not to exceed $65,000.
—Approved the city’s 2015 spending document.
—Will likely determine in January components developed by a Drury University visionary project to be included in the city’s own long-range plan. Former Mayor Steve Hutcheson will oversee the effort.
—Learned that MoDOT has developed a timetable to add additional lanes on U.S. 63. Designs will be done by mid-January, a March 20 bid opening is planned and a contract will be awarded on April 1. Work will begin by early summer.
—Adjourned into closed session. There were no votes taken.