News from the Bryan Board of Public Affairs

The Bryan Board of Public Affairs meets in special session and organizes for the coming year…giving approval to apply for federal funding. Outgoing board member Tom Sprow nominated board member Karen Ford to serve as chair of the board starting in 2024, which was approved unanimously. Outgoing Chair Dick Long then nominated board member Annette Schreiner to serve as vice chair next year. Sprow also suggested he would like the board to have a succession plan in place for those two seats, saying council has such a policy in place for its president and vice president seat. Current BPA Vice Chair Jim Salsbury said he believed the BPA had such a policy at one point several years ago. Sprow made a motion that the vice chair would move up to the chair of the board at the end of the year, which was approved by the board with Long dissenting. Long said his concern was if the vice chair declines the chair position. The board also gave approval for AMP, Inc., to look into the possibility of a grant through the U.S. Department of Energy to upgrade the nation’s electric grid. Bryan Municipal Utilities Director Derek Schultz said AMP would prepare a concept paper for the city and submit it to the federal agency by Jan. 12.