JANUARY 2025
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
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If you see something that needs our attention, let us know! Snap a picture with your smartphone and upload it to SeeClickFix We’ll take care of the rest.
Let’s work together to help keep our parks safe and beautiful.
COLLEGE STATION PARKS AND RECREATION
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve." We ask you to join us alongside local leaders and community members to foster a community of service and giving back.
Join us for special programming honoring MLK at the Lincoln Recreation Center. The programs revisit Dr. King's dream and motivate us all to keep moving forward until we achieve the solidarity and common peace King spoke of almost 60 years ago.
Experience a powerful evening of music, inspiration, and unity as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a captivating musical event. Remember, reflect, and reconnect with family and friends as we honor Dr. King and are lifted in songs of praise from the gospel recording group Unity of Navasota and others.
All Ages • Free • Fri. • Jan. 17 • 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Start the new year with free fitness demonstrations and get healthy tips from the experts. Sweat to Latin Beats, participate in a 15-minute boot camp, and try the country's fastest-growing recreation sport, pickleball.
All Ages • Free Sat. • Jan. 11 • 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Are you looking for a job? Connect you with local employers who are hiring now! The career fair is offered in partnership with Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley.
City offices and facilities will be closed Monday, Jan. 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Solid waste and recycling collections will operate on their regular schedules.
CSPD is proud to welcome its newest recruits, who recently graduated from the TEEX Law Enforcement and Protective Services Central Texas Police Academy. The recruits completed months of intensive training, including classroom preparation for the state licensing exam and hands-on exercises to equip them to handle the challenges of police work. Now, they embark on the next phase of their journey-field training at CSPD.
The new officers are committed to serving and stand ready to make a positive impact in protecting our community.
WELCOME TO THE CSPD FAMILY!
Join a dedicated team of public servants and give back to your community!
The City of College Station has attractive job opportunities for finance professionals, police officers, firefighters, commercial drivers, office/administrative personnel, groundskeepers, and more.
Check out our career page and see if you can find the perfect fit, or tell us what you're looking for, and we'll notify you when a job matching your skills and needs is available.
Members of the College Station Fire Department, Bryan Fire Department, and Emergency Management met with representatives of the New Taipei Fire Department last month to collaborate on challenges and solutions for emergency response.
Our visitors from Taiwan were particularly interested in strategies to address the growing number of lithium battery fires and applicable code enforcement measures. Other topics included incident command structures, EMS service delivery, public notification systems, personnel training, and shift schedules.
Collaborating with other emergency response professionals demonstrates that we face similar challenges across jurisdictional and international boundaries in ensuring the safety of our citizens.
In August, the City Council approved a construction contract for two voterapproved buildings at Brian Bachmann Community Park. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of this summer. The Little League building includes a concession area, expanded bathrooms, storage rooms, drinking fountains, and an officials' room. The fields will get new bleachers, dugouts, and covered seating. The Senior League/Soccer building includes a concession area, larger restrooms, storage rooms, and drinking fountains. The baseball fields will receive new bleachers and additional shade.
The City Council approved a construction contract for pickleball and futsal courts at Anderson Park in October. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of this summer. The voter-approved project includes four outdoor pickleball courts and two multi-use courts for futsal, bike polo, roller hockey, and other sports.
Last spring, the City Council approved a contract to rehabilitate Lincoln Avenue from Texas Avenue to University Drive. The existing asphalt road is being replaced with concrete pavement, and a shared-use path is being added to both sides of Lincoln. The work is scheduled to be finished in the fall.
In July, more than 8,000 of the nation's top young athletes gathered in College Station on the Texas A&M campus. Such a massive event required extensive preparation and coordination by Visit and Compete College Station staff and hundreds of community volunteers working together to create an unforgettable experience for the talented athletes and their families. They weren't the only beneficiaries - the impact on our local economy was estimated at $10.83 million.
Compete College Station and the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships have been honored as 2024 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management magazine Award winners were recognized online and in a special feature published in the November/ December issue of Sports Destination Management.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
6-8 p.m. The Tap
Ready to kick off 2025 with a bang? Hang Out & Tune In is back and better than ever! This monthly meetup is the ultimate hangout for aspiring artists, music lovers, and anyone looking to vibe with the local music scene.
The month, we’re excited to host Corliss from Maverick 100.9, who will dish out pro tips on how to invest in yourself as a new artist. Whether you’re building your brand, expanding your fanbase, or just starting out, Corliss has the insights to help you shine.
Hour 1: Learn from the pros!
Corliss will cover all the ways to bet on yourself and your music.
Hour 2: It’s your time to shine!
Jump on stage during our open mic session and wow the crowd with your talent. Every month brings a fresh venue and new opportunities to connect, create, and grow.
JOHN NICHOLS Mayor
The City of College Station operates under a council-manager form of government. The city council is composed of the mayor and six council members. They are elected at large, meaning they each represent all our citizens. The mayor is the council's presiding officer and serves as the head of the city government for ceremonial purposes. The mayor is entitled to vote on all matters under council consideration. The council elects a mayor pro tem from its ranks to act as mayor if the mayor is absent or disabled.
The mayor and council members serve four-year terms until successors are elected and qualified. All members must be elected by a majority of voters, which can require run-off elections for multiple-candidate races.
The mayor and council members must be U.S. citizens, qualified voters, and legal residents of College Station for at least one year.
The council appoints the city manager, adopts the budget, authorizes the issuance of bonds, and selects members of commissions and boards. The council also establishes policies regarding zoning, parks, master plans, and annual strategic goals.
Meetings are generally held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month in the Council Chambers at College Station City Hall at 1101 Texas Ave. For a complete list of City events and meetings, visit cstx.gov/calendar.
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
WHITE Place 3 BOB YANCY Place 5 SCOTT SHAFER Place 6 WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME
"On behalf of the citizens of College Station, home of Texas A&M University, the City Council will promote and advance the community's quality of life." –College Station City Council Mission Statement MARK SMITH Place 1 WILLIAM WRIGHT Place 2 MELLISA MCILHANEY Place 4
In 1970, the College Station Fire Department was formed, and the first purpose-built fire station opened. Before that, Texas A&M provided fire services.
College Station Water Services recently sent customers postcards about whether their water service line is lead, galvanized, or made of an unknown material. Rest assured that the high-quality water from your faucet has not changed and remains safe.
In October, College Station joined water utilities nationwide in compiling an inventory of service lines in our distribution system to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Since lead can dissolve into drinking water from fixtures or service lines that contain lead, we developed a complete service line inventory through site investigations and thorough reviews of building records and plans to accurately classify materials as lead, galvanized, non-lead, or unknown.
By late November, not one service line was known to be lead. The inventory breakdown was 78.5% non-lead and 21.1% unknown. Another 0.4% were galvanized and required replacement. Of the 123 galvanized lines, four were public, 112 were private, and seven were both.
If the postcard you received indicates your service line material is unknown, it DOES NOT mean it contains lead. The rule revisions treat unknown service line material as “may contain lead” until the material can be documented. Water Services continues to conduct on-site inspections to cross-check existing records, and we regularly update the service line inventory.
In addition, College Station’s water quality is rigorously tested for lead every three years. Our historical testing results show lead levels of 0.898 to 1.6 parts per billion, well below the EPA’s action level of 10 parts per billion.
The Lead in Drinking Water page on the city website includes informational resources, testing details, and steps to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. If you have additional questions, please get in touch with Jennifer Nations at jnations@cstx.gov.
Most of the City’s operations and maintenance budget covers our electric, water, and wastewater utilities, which operate on rates paid by customers. User fees also fund solid waste collections, drainage, and roadway maintenance.
The $124 million General Fund is supported primarily by property and sales tax revenue. About half of the General Fund pays for police and fire protection; the rest covers public works, parks and recreation, and other community needs. Sales and property taxes contribute generally equal shares of city revenue.
For more details, visit cstx.gov/fy25budget
Report non-emergency issues such as potholes, streetlights, or code violations directly to the City of College Station.
• Submit requests anytime, anywhere
• Attach photos for better clarity
• Track the progress of your request
Let’s keep our city safe, clean, and thriving. Download the SeeClickFix App today!
City employees surpassing the 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years-ofservice milestones were recognized before Thursday’s city council meeting at city hall. The city presented special commemorative coins to employees reaching these milestones.
Congratulations, and thank you for your dedicated service!
The City of College Station’s Grow College Station team has partnered with The Cannon, a renowned entrepreneurial network from Houston, to provide local startups, entrepreneurs, and investors with access to valuable resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
DIGITAL PLATFORM DESIGNED TO:
• Connect Entrepreneurs across College Station
• Provide Training & Resources to support innovation
• Host Community Events and networking forums
Reserve a study room at the Larry J. Ringer Library!
RESERVE HERE
Relive the magic of December's College Station Christmas Parade and Christmas in the Park Event Weekend.
The College Station Division of Emergency Management (CSDEM) plays a crucial role in safeguarding our community through four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER GUIDES
• MITIGATION focuses on reducing potential damage before disasters. CSDEM identifies risks and takes preventive actions, such as improving flood drainage, moving utility lines underground, and enhancing building codes to protect against hazards such as power outages and road blockages.
• PREPAREDNESS ensures the city is ready for emergencies. CSDEM collaborates with city departments and partners such as Texas A&M to develop and test response plans, including critical communications, transportation, and utilities. CSDEM also manages federal grants to equip police and fire departments with essential resources.
• RESPONSE involves coordinating first responders, city departments, and volunteers during disasters. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated when large-scale emergencies occur to centralize decision-making and resource allocation. CSDEM works closely with media partners to deliver timely public information.
• RECOVERY focuses on restoring essential services and supporting long-term rebuilding. CSDEM coordinates with government and nonprofit organizations to manage relief efforts, donations, and volunteer support, helping affected residents rebuild their lives.
Through proactive planning, collaboration, and rapid response, CSDEM creates a safer, more resilient College Station.
Photography by Lu Valenzuela
Every year, minor water leaks waste one trillion gallons of water nationwide.
That’s enough to supply the annual needs of 11 million households. College Station Utilities encourages families to check the interior and exterior of their homes for water leaks and drips. Visit our website to learn how to find and fix common household leaks.
The City of College Station offers customers free landscape irrigation checkups. They take about 30-45 minutes, and you’ll receive a written report on recommendations to reduce your water bill.
Together, we can stop wasting precious water!
College Station Utilities offers rebates to electric customers who conserve energy.
Some thermostats allow you to connect remotely from your smartphone, saving energy and money! Customers with an eligible thermostat can receive a $30 rebate.
Customers who purchase and install a new central air conditioning unit (with a SEER rating of 16 or higher), airto-air heat pumps, or geothermal heat pumps are eligible for an $800 rebate.
For more details, a list of eligible products, and a rebate application, visit our website or call us today!
The Lincoln Recreation Center, Southwood Community Center, and Meyer Senior and Community Center serve as gathering places for people 55 and older to participate in entertaining activities such as line dancing, book clubs, arts and crafts, and more.
Memberships are valid for one calendar year from the date of purchase and are $27 for College Station residents and $32 for non-residents. Daily fees are also available, starting at $3 for residents and $5 for nonresidents.
“What’s Up, College Station?” Video and Podcast
Learn the latest about the City of College Station’s services, events, programs, and more as we chat with leaders and experts from across the organization.
"Please convey to your parks staff how thankful everybody is that we even got to play (our tournament). On Friday, over 20 teams called me to try to get into this tournament because so many tournaments had to be canceled in Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. College Station was one of the only non-turf facilities to have a full weekend of games, and there wasn't even a delayed start or shortened game times."
"Last night, at about 9 p.m., I heard a bumping and rumbling noise in my street. I went outside and saw a CS sanitation truck making rounds collecting our trash. They were behind due to the bad weather. I just wanted to give a shoutout of thanks to those folks for putting in the extra hours to get the job done."
"I want to thank the city for doing an excellent job putting an extender on my sewer lid so I can stop the swamp water and mosquito nursery in my yard. Mike Garcia was very professional and even brought us some dirt to fill in the holes made by the tree picker uppers the other day. It is very appreciated."
Having lived all over the country, I can attest that ALL of College Station's city services are a cut above the rest in providing the quality of life humans need. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
Some 14 city employees from various departments volunteered to sort food as part of KBTX-TV's annual Food for Families Food Drive on Dec. 4 at the Brazos Center Pavilion. That number does not include security, traffic control, dignitaries, board members, and other support the City has consistently provided for over two decades.
The event raised over $200,000 and 125,000 pounds of food for the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
28 JAN.
The College Station City Council meets twice monthly at City Hall. OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
DECEMBER MEETING
DEC. 12: Blog | Video
UPCOMING MEETINGS
THURSDAY, JAN. 9 • 6 P.M.
THURSDAY, JAN. 23 • 6 P.M.
Can’t make it in person?
The meetings are streamed live on Optimum Channel 19 and cstx.gov/cstv19 and live blogged at blog.cstx.gov
Keep up with city events, programs, emergencies, notices, and more by following us on social media. We'd love to hear from you, too!
/CityofCollegeStation
@CityOfCollegeStation
@CityofCS
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
CITIZEN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS
CODE ENFORCEMENT / SEECLICKFIX
COMMUNITY SERVICES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
FIRE DEPARTMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES
LIBRARY
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PARKS & RECREATION
979.764.3690 cstx.gov/cip
979.764.3541 cstx.gov/committees
979.764.6363 cstx.gov/codeenforcement
979.764.3778 cstx.gov/commserv
979.764.3625 grow.cstx.gov
979.764.3705 cstx.gov/fire
979.764.3517 cstx.gov/hr
979.209.6347 bcslibrary.org
979.764.3683 cstx.gov/court
979.764.6262 cstx.gov/neighbor
979.764.3486 cstx.gov/parks
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 979.764.3570 cstx.gov/pds POLICE DEPARTMENT
979.764.3600 cstx.gov/police
cstx.gov/publiccommunications PUBLIC WORKS (SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING)
cstx.gov/publicworks
cstx.gov/fieldstatus
cstx.gov/wolfpen
