LEDC could repair two water storage tanks for prison

Funds from the Lamesa Economic Development Corporation could be used for the repair of two out of the seven water storage tanks being considered for a proposed repair and maintenance program by the city.

That proposed agreement between Utility Service Co., Inc. and the City of Lamesa was reviewed by the Lamesa EDC board of directors at its regular meeting held on Monday evening. No action was taken by the board, since the item was listed for “information only” on the agenda.

Mike Duran, executive director of the Lamesa EDC, pointed out that repairs to a 150,000-gallon elevated water tank and a 50,000-gallon ground storage tank and booster station, which both serve the Preston E. Smith Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), could be funded by the Lamesa EDC.

“These two tanks were built solely for the benefit of the prison with a dedicated water line from the city to the tanks,” Duran said.

The separate minimum/medium and high security prison facilities at the Smith Unit provide a total of approximately 500 jobs for Lamesa and Dawson County, Duran said, so they could qualify under state regulations for the spending of local tax money collected for economic development.

But, Duran pointed out, tax money collected for economic development could not be spent on any of the other water storage tanks in the project, since they are provided for general use by all residents of the city.


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Author: Herrel Hallmark