GROVES — Groves city saw a year of growth and progress in 2016.

Sales tax figures are holding steady, a new code enforcement officer has been hired, plans to fix streets are on the books, and construction of new homes is on the rise.

“There are over 50 new homes built this calendar year (2016),” Groves City Manager D. Sosa said. “The average has been 20 per year for the last 10 years.”

Four subdivisions are in various stages of progress. The K.L. Butler subdivision on Bryan Hebert Lane and Heritage Point along Terrace Avenue near Cleveland Avenue and Texas 73 are both under way. Progress has begun at the long-talked-about Indian Springs subdivision, which will be a gated community with about 140 homes, and ground was recently broke for Amber Estates near the 6700 block of 25^th Street, which will feature 19 homes.

City leaders are looking to put some work into the streets.

“I will be making a recommendation to council that we shift most of our focus from 2017 to 2023 primarily to streets,” he said. “By 2019 we hope to triple the budget (for street work) from around $300,000 to $900,000 and also put a lot more emphasis on parks and recreation.”

The new water plant is 11 years old and runs beautifully, Sosa said, and the city is getting rid of some debt, the majority of which will end in the 2018 budget, so by 2019, streets will be the focus.

A committee was formed in 2016 to evaluate the city’s parks and offer recommendations for improvements. The city is also in the process of dismantling the pool at Lion’s Park and adding that land as park land.

The city’s focus on its parks system will also include a new sports complex — the Huntsman Recreation Complex. Jon Huntsman Sr., founder of Huntsman Corporation, visited the city in March 2016, and he and city leaders presented the project. Huntsman is leasing the land for $1 per year.

Once developed, the complex will contain four baseball/softball fields, four tennis courts, three youth football fields, a children’s play area and a quarter-mile walking track in addition to a concession stand and restrooms.

The proposed football fields are exciting news for the Port Neches-Groves Youth Football Association. The group has between 250 to 275 children participating, and they often do not have a home field to play on.

Sosa said the city is working with PNGYFA on clearing the land, and if time allows, they may be able to add a fourth football field to the property.

Logistics of parking and roadway also come into play. Sosa would like to see a roadway in the middle of the area that would be a positive for both the PNGYFA and adjacent Gulf Coast Youth Soccer Club.

The recreation complex will be adjacent to the GCYSC on Hogaboom Road and those fields will also undergo improvements including new fields for high school age and younger, a new parking lot to accommodate up to 400 vehicles, lighting, a kick-back wall and drainage improvements.

In addition, the city of Groves will provide water and sewer services to the fields as well as working to add a right turning lane from Hogaboom to Twin City Highway.

Also during the year, the city hired a full-time code enforcement officer. The code enforcement officer will work out of City Hall and be part of maintaining and restoring the peace and dignity of neighborhoods.

“They have been working since October, and we feel that he will bring that needed attention to promoting and protecting the peace and dignity of our city and neighborhoods,” he said.

Sales tax revenue is still strong in Groves and pushing in at $2 million. Sales tax is the 11.5 percent of the 8.75 percent the state charges on all taxable items. Of that, the state of Texas rebates 1.5 percent to the city of Groves every month. The figure is based on all taxable sales of goods and services as well as prepared food sold in the city.

Sosa broke the figures down further, saying of the 1.5 percent, 1 percent goes to the city’s general fund and 0.5 percent goes to the Groves Economic Development Corporation. For every $1 million of taxable sales, the city gets $15,000 in sales tax rebate.

Groves and other municipalities track the sales tax figures to see how well the economy is progressing in their cities.

Looking toward the future, Sosa said, he would like to see a new fire station built within the next five years. Land has already been bought for the new station, adjacent to the police station.

“Chief (Dale) Jackson and I will visit regional fire stations and look at designs,” he said. “We feel we can do the streets project, new fire station and parks without any major tax increase.”

Reporter: Mary Meaux, 409-721-2429

Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews