Katy’s city council approved new vehicles for Katy Police Department in two separate actions at Monday night’s council meeting.

Motorcycle lease agreements between the city and police officers, along with related insurance, were approved. The city has leased motorcycles, rather than purchasing them, since 1997, city administrator Byron Hebert said, and this plan is a modification to insure those vehicles while the officers are on duty. Council also authorized purchase of fleet Vehicles for Katy Police Department including seven Chevy Tahoes and one Chevy Silverado. The purchase was done with $562,173.75 in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris asked KPD Chief Noe Diaz if this plan included replacement of a city vehicle which was in an accident and Diaz responded that this plan “fills the gap on some of the older vehicles” in the fleet. The input of the new vehicles modernizes the fleet and “gives the officers a little more to work with.” Diaz said that he had been in discussions with the city administrator regarding the purchase of additional vehicles, a matter which will be presented to council in the future. Some vehicles in the fleet are 2015 and 2016 models, Diaz said.

Council also held public hearings to extend the boundaries of the city limits, considering the annexation of two properties on Katy Flewellen Road comprising about 2.5 acres in total and about 1.5 acres of right of way. In other actions, three contracts for debris removal were approved.

Councilmember Rory Robertson, a sixth-generation Katyite whose grandparents were one of the first Jewish families in the area, read a resolution recognizing Katy High School Theater Group for Advancing to 2024 Texas UIL Finals with Production of "Ghetto." The play recognizes lives lost in the Holocaust. It was the first time in 20 years that Katy High School made it to the state competition, Robertson said. The cast and crew won multiple awards at the district, regional and state levels.

Mayor Dusty Thiele reminded attendees that city offices would be closed on Independence Day, July 4.

The next meeting of city council is on July 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Katy City Hall, 901 Avenue C in Katy.