USA: Cement plant moving ahead in Brady

The Brady City Council voted to authorize two proposed sales tax rebate incentives for a proposed cement plant that would be built in McCulloch County, during a meeting Tuesday.

Houston-based U.S. Cement is proposing to build a plant and quarry on close to 500 acres 6 miles north of Brady along U.S. Highway 377 where it intersects with Farm-to-Market Road 1121. The plant would produce white cement, which is used in pool surfacing and kitchen and bath countertops.

The city sales tax rebate economic development incentive for the proposed plant would not exceed $297,000 over nine years, or up to $33,000 per year.

The Brady Economic Development Corp. incentive would be a one-time payment of $250,000, plus $34,000 up to nine years, which would be a total package of $556,000 over 10 years.

The vote passed 4-1, with council member Shelly Perkins casting the lone dissent.

The council has authorized the city’s director of community services and EDC Director Peter Lamont to pursue negotiations with U.S. Cement before it goes back to the city council for final approval.

“I’m sure there will be some back and forth on some of the qualifications,” Lamont said. “Once we get all the language, terms, conditions and all the attorneys agree, it will be brought to the council for final approval.”

Lamont said he wanted to get past Thanksgiving before holding a conference call with cement officials.

Some of the qualifications are that U.S. Cement generates a plant and quarry that improves the property value of its location by $175 million and provides 200 permanent and full-time jobs. There will have to be a 100-foot buffer zone away from anything it doesn’t own, and the plant will have to purchase all of its natural gas from the city.

Lamont sees the cement plant as a way to diversify Brady’s economy.

Those opposed to the cement plant are not against the plant itself, but where it will be located. There are 37 homes within 3,000 feet of the proposed plant and residents are worried about strobe lighting, blasting in the quarry, noise and dust pollution, truck traffic, emissions and a decrease in property values.

Residents living in the affected area have attended city council meetings and expressed their concerns during public comment.

“We still have hope that Royal White Cement (parent company of U.S. Cement) will look for another piece of property,” said Dale Matthews, an Austin-based attorney who is helping the opposition. “That there will be no approval of the incentive package if they insist on this location, and find one that isn’t disruptive to the people living here.”

Lamont said finding another location will be up to U.S. Cement and at present, there are no active offers of other properties on the table.

Those opposed were frustrated and disheartened by the council’s vote, Matthews said, but the fight will continue.

“There are still lots of steps before a permit can be issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for construction of a plant,” Matthews said. “We will be involved all through the process.”