City Council Recap: 2026-02-10

Freeport’s city council unanimously approved a $370,000 water well contract and greenlit a fireworks show for Hammock Bay’s 25th anniversary during their February 10 meeting, while tabling a decision on a CHELCO utility kiosk until after the co-op’s board meets later this month. The 15-minute session saw no public comment on any agenda item.

Council Approves $370K Water Well Contract and Hammock Bay Fireworks Show

The 15-minute meeting, led by Mayor Russ Barley, saw no public comments on any agenda items.

New Water Well Approved The council gave the green light to a $369,950 contract for a new potable water well, awarding the bid to Rowe Drilling. The city received two bids for the CR-3280 well project, selecting Rowe over Clark Well Drilling, which bid nearly $888,000.

Engineers noted that while they initially hoped the well would produce 500 gallons per minute, they are now targeting 250 gallons per minute to avoid potential saltwater intrusion issues at the site. The well will serve as both a test and a production well, meaning the city won’t need to drill a separate one once the output is confirmed. The council also approved a $67,980 contract with Dewberry for construction oversight and issued a notice to proceed, with drilling expected to start April 1 and take roughly 90 days.

Hammock Bay 25th Anniversary Celebration Residents can expect a community party this spring. The council approved a request from the Jay Odom Group to host a 12-minute fireworks show on May 23 to celebrate Hammock Bay’s 25th anniversary. The event will feature live music at the Windmill stage, food trucks, and fireworks at Field 4—the same location as the city’s July 4th show.

Little League Season Set The 2026 Little League contract was approved, solidifying the shared responsibilities between the city and the league. The city manager noted that the league is aware they will need to return to the council in June to finalize the 2027 season.

CHELCO Kiosk Decision Delayed