[1:06] All right, good evening everybody. It's
uh 502. I want to welcome you to this
[1:10] regular call meeting of the Temple City
Council. Please rise as director of
[1:14] housing and community services. Rucker
Preston leads us in the invocation
[1:18] followed by our pledge and the Texas
pledge le led by Deputy City Secretary
[1:22] Liz
>> Carowway.
[1:33] redeeming us and calling us to be your
children in which we are called to
[1:38] worship you. We thank you for this
society, this community where we can
[1:43] worship you openly and freely and where
people's voices can be heard openly and
[1:48] freely. I thank you for our council's
commitment to service in this community
[1:53] as they give so many hours. We ask that
you would give them wisdom and
[1:57] discernment in all decisions tonight and
hereafter and that this community would
[2:03] be one that worships you and one in
which the people who need the most help
[2:08] get the most. We thank you so much for
your love. Your name we pray. Amen.
[2:17] » To the flag of the United States of
America and to the stands. One nation
[2:24] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[2:29] » And now the pledge for the Texas flag.
[2:34] I aliance to the
one state
[2:39] one and indivisible.
[2:48] [clears throat]
>> All right. Thank you both very much.
[2:53] Now is the time for public comments. Um,
any citizens who desire to address the
[2:57] council on any matter may do so. As
always, we just ask that you step to the
[3:01] podium and state your name for the
record. Um, we've got
[3:07] maybe
18 20 folks and we'll start with uh
[3:14] Sarah Royer.
[3:19] » Well, is she I bet she's here.
Yeah.
[3:25] » And then uh there she is. And then Joe
Royer, you're on deck.
[3:34] » Was one of the last people to sign up.
This is nice.
[3:37] Um I came here Hello Council. I came
here to speak about a few things, but um
[3:43] I actually have some questions about
something we just found um that we've
[3:47] been working on. So there is a contract
with the city of Rowan. And I know you
[3:54] can't um say anything to me right now,
but um over the next 10 years, if they
[4:01] elected to construct the city of
Temples's well, the city agrees to
[4:06] provide 830 gallons of day um of water
to them above and over and above what
[4:12] they've already agreed to. And this is
um a contract that lasts 10 years. and
[4:17] you have to actually make a formal
agreement to get out of this contract.
[4:21] Um, you're also accepting 500,000
gallons of waste water a day from the
[4:26] company and this is all for cooling
water, which is interesting. Um, it
[4:31] actually goes along the lines. There's
so much stuff in this contract. It
[4:37] actually goes along the lines of what
you personally told me, mayor, that they
[4:40] were getting about 850,000 800 gallons
of 800,000 gallons of water out of the
[4:45] well a day. Um, but this happens to be a
well that hasn't even permitted to run
[4:49] yet. And this has happened for um years,
I guess. So, I did do a um open records
[4:58] request to find if there was anything um
ever that eliminated this contract. And
[5:06] there's not so far. The city hasn't
responded. Um it's been almost two weeks
[5:11] and I've gotten zero response. So, um,
this is just another thing that we're
[5:16] adding to it. And it kind of is
concerning, um, because it also says in
[5:20] here that you will pay Rowan $4.8
million for all of this, which just
[5:25] happened recently. So, it seems like all
of this is in effect. Um, I know you
[5:29] guys are going to do like some hourlong
monologue to make sure your lie stays in
[5:33] place, and that's really cool, but all
we really want are answers, and it's
[5:36] something we have never gotten from you.
Um, you do a lot of PR. This thing is
[5:41] really cute and we'll be talking about
it on the radio. Um, all of this is just
[5:46] really misleading. You guys aren't
leaders, you're misleaders, which is
[5:49] really cool. So, thanks again for um not
actually helping us as a community and
[5:54] um we'll be in touch.
[6:03] » Good evening. I'm Joe Royer. I live in
District 2. I just wanted to reiterate
[6:08] some of the stuff that we talked about
the last meeting and highlight some of
[6:11] the new developments. So the last
meeting I I mentioned how we first
[6:17] brought up the ASR well and we saw
everybody go into panic mode trying to
[6:20] assuage our fears over this ASR well and
we got a level of engagement we've not
[6:26] seen in almost six months.
And uh when I called you out on this
[6:31] last meeting about well is is our
aquifer contaminated like what is going
[6:36] on here? Clearly we've struck a nerve.
There's something you don't want us to
[6:39] know or don't want us to find. And today
we hear that Rowan is graciously
[6:44] donating 38 million to the city of
Temple to help with our water issues.
[6:48] But when you peel back the layers on
this, that's not true at all. 13 million
[6:53] of this. So 10 million is for the ASR
project. That's interesting. Uh 3
[6:57] million is for the salmons, but that's
contingent on the voters approving the
[7:01] bond. So what happens to that 3 million
if it doesn't get approved? Like is that
[7:05] just, you know, gone up in vapor? And
the other 25 million is stuff that Rowan
[7:09] was already contractually obligated to
pay. So they're not giving us $38
[7:14] million. But it's interesting that
they're putting all this good PR out
[7:17] there to try and get ahead of this
situation. It it it makes me feel like
[7:21] somebody has a guilty conscience or like
somebody's trying to get out in front of
[7:24] a lawsuit. So, we're we're paying
attention. We notice I'm I'm showing my
[7:30] hand in that, you know, this is what I'm
seeing from from you guys and and uh I I
[7:36] can't wait to see what the next response
is. Thank you.
[7:40] » You're welcome.
[7:48] » Scott Shoe
[7:57] Oh yes. Uh and Francis Fiser,
you'll be up under Mr. after Mr. Shoe.
[8:03] » Yes, ma'am. That'd be great. Thank you.
>> So, may I speak?
[8:07] » Yes, sir.
>> So, my name is Scott Schumain. I'm a
[8:10] resident of Temple, Texas.
And today, I just got a notification
[8:16] that my water and sewage rates are going
up.
[8:20] And to me, this seems very, very wrong.
There are currently six data centers in
[8:27] Temple, Texas, if I'm not mistaken, and
the only two companies that came up are
[8:32] Meta Inc. and Rowan Digital.
They're getting huge tax breaks.
[8:39] And when I called about my rates going
up, they said it was due to
[8:44] infrastructure upgrades. Why am I paying
for infrastructure upgrades when rowing
[8:52] or all the digital or AI data I'm sorry
wait I'm sorry
[8:58] » calm down um data centers are getting
huge tax breaks
[9:02] my pay I don't I don't bring home more
money every month I don't know where
[9:08] they're coming up with so yeah I don't
get more money from work I work for a
[9:14] medical company that's global wide and
and I'm very confused on why my rates
[9:20] are going up as more data centers are
coming in and they're getting huge tax
[9:25] breaks. Why am I fl fitting the bill for
all these upgrades? Why are my data
[9:31] rates going up? And it's not going to
stop there. It's going to go to
[9:36] electricity and beyond. It's not going
to stop there. And nobody knows the
[9:41] environmental compact or impact that
what they're doing in the next 10 years.
[9:48] Nobody knows until it happens.
So I'm
[9:55] Yeah, I guess I said my piece. I don't
know
[9:59] » what else I can do or
>> I'll address that very quickly. the um
[10:06] whenever the council sets the water and
um uh whenever the the water and
[10:11] wastewater rates, it is water and
wastewater is handled out of what's
[10:15] called a enterprise fund, which means
that the rates are intended to support
[10:19] the cost of the water and wastewater
system.
[10:23] » Yeah. And so as costs continue to go up
and you know people cost more um
[10:28] equipment costs more uh
>> but what about the data centers that are
[10:32] coming in that are getting huge tax
breaks. What are they paying
[10:35] » that has that has um
>> they need to be paying for this and not
[10:39] us.
>> We we covered that last week about what
[10:41] they will be paying but these the data
centers have nothing to do with the
[10:45] water and sewer rates. That's to
maintain the current system.
[10:49] » Okay. Okay. So you guys understand that
there's going to be more that's going to
[10:52] be coming behind you that you're I don't
know if you're oblivious to it or but
[10:58] there's going to be a lot more with
these data centers if you keep letting
[11:01] them come in.
>> You understand that? I hope.
[11:04] » Yes. Thank you.
>> Thank you,
[11:07] » Miss Fischer. And then Dorothy Sanders,
you'll be next after Miss Fischer.
[11:13] » Good evening, Mayor Davis and members of
the city council. My name is Francis
[11:18] Fischer. I'm a Temple resident, co-owner
of Journey Home Rescue, active member of
[11:23] Justice for the Marlin Dogs, active
member of Paul, Public Accountability
[11:28] for Animal Welfare. Mr. Davis, you may
recognize me from many of us who
[11:33] remember Judy Gate back in 2012. I was
one of the residents who publicly called
[11:38] for accountability then, and I continue
to participate in local government
[11:42] today. Dr. Grant, I am your constituent.
I supported you for city council because
[11:48] I wanted to see greater responsiveness
and engagement from our city government.
[11:54] I come before you tonight as both a
taxpayer and a rescue partner. Journey
[11:58] Home Rescue helps this community. We
have pulled dogs from the temple
[12:02] shelter, collected donations for the
shelter, communicated with shelter
[12:06] leadership about its needs, and worked
to maintain a collaborative
[12:10] relationship. when rescues take animals
from a municip municipal shelter that
[12:15] also helps relieve the pressure from the
city's sheltering system. The animal
[12:20] shelter is not the first animal welfare
issue I've brought before this council.
[12:26] Many as of of us have stood with Pearl's
place. After years of uncertainty
[12:31] involving the city and the possibility
of imminent domain, we asked for what we
[12:37] believe was a fair deal for Pearl's
Place. Instead, after community spoke
[12:42] up, city ultimately
[12:49] it deserved. We are here again because
we have concerns about the future of
[12:53] animal welfare in Temple. Temple spent
more than $5 million expanding its
[12:59] animal shelter, but staffing and
programming did not expand at the same
[13:05] pace. Buildings do not feed animals.
Buildings do not clean kennels.
[13:10] Buildings do not socialize dogs.
Buildings do not process adoptions,
[13:15] build rescue partnerships, operate
foster programs, or reunite lost animals
[13:20] with their families. People do. The
shelter may house nearly 140 animals.
[13:26] While its direct kennel care staffing
includes two tennel technicians and a
[13:32] shelter management. During the most
recent budget cycle, two animal kennel
[13:38] technician positions were deferred again
as were deferred the year before and as
[13:44] were deferred the year before.
Staffing affects public access.
[13:49] Adoptions and reclaim opportunities,
volunteering, enrichment, marketing, and
[13:54] community outreach. The shelter has
limited weekend public hours. We would
[13:58] like Temple to examine its actual
workload and staffing needs, not simply
[14:04] the minimum staffing necessarily to
compare basic feeding and cleaning. Stop
[14:10] doing the bare minimum. Over the coming
year, you will see us regularly. We will
[14:16] intend to meet with council members,
bring information and research, discuss
[14:21] possible solutions, and continue
participating in the process. Topics we
[14:26] believe deserve discussion include
staffing.
[14:28] » Miss Fischer, your your three minutes
are up.
[14:31] » Okay.
>> Thank you.
[14:33] Uh Dorothy Sanders.
>> And then on deck is Miss Brenley. And I
[14:39] [clears throat] don't know that I
announced this earlier. Whenever you get
[14:41] to down to about two and a half minutes
or so, I'll ring the little
[14:44] » All righty.
>> bell as a as a as a alert.
[14:49] » All righty. My name is Dorothy Sanders.
I volunteer with Journey Home Rescue.
[14:52] financially support several local
rescues in the community and I
[14:55] personally adopt it from the Temple
Animal Shelter. I'm speaking about the
[14:59] need for a more effective animal
advisory committee. I'm also the founder
[15:02] of Justice for the Marlin Dogs and
Public Accountability for Animal Welfare
[15:06] or PAW. Through these groups, I help
residents use public records, budgets,
[15:10] data, and evidence-based practices to
engage with local government on animal
[15:14] welfare. Professionally, my background
is in population health management and
[15:18] whether we are managing outcomes for
people or animals, the question is the
[15:21] same. Are the interventions we are
funding through our taxes actually
[15:25] improving outcomes? Before I get to the
shelter, I want to briefly mention
[15:29] Pearl's Place. Through Paul, I helped
organize residents who asked this city
[15:33] council for what we believed was a fair
resolution after years of pressure
[15:38] surrounding the property. Instead, this
city council ultimately rescended its
[15:42] offer rather than rather than provide
Pearl's Place with a fair deal we
[15:46] believed it deserved. Now, Temple may
lose a rescue, grooming resource, and
[15:51] community vaccination provider to
another city. Services that help reduce
[15:55] pressure on our taxfundded shelter
system. That matters because the shelter
[16:00] data tells us we need more community
resources, not fewer. Temple spent more
[16:04] than $5 million expanding its taxfunded
animal shelter. And with that expansion
[16:09] and opening in January 2024, before the
expansion, the 2023 adoption rate was
[16:14] about 40.8%.
Now it's approximately 40%, essentially
[16:19] unchanged. Return to owner outcomes
actually declined with the expansion. In
[16:24] 2023, 525 animals were returned to their
owners. Now, in 2025, only 493 were
[16:32] returned, 32 fewer, even though intake
increased from 3,382
[16:37] to 3,980 animals. That should make us
examine the entire return to owner
[16:43] process. Are field officers able to make
immediate returns in the field? Are we
[16:47] maximizing microchip scanning and
registration? And can working residents
[16:52] realistically reclaim their pets when
shelter closes at 3:30 in the afternoon
[16:56] and only open for 4 hours on the
weekend? Because a lost animal that goes
[17:01] directly home never needs a taxfunded
kennel, transfer, adoption, or
[17:06] euthanasia decision. The cat data
deserves the same scrutiny. In 2023, 636
[17:12] cats were euthanized. In 2025, that
increased to 766,
[17:17] about 20% higher. Of those 766 cats, 322
were classified as feral. Those feral
[17:25] cats alone accounted for a roughly 42%
of cat euthanas. This is an opportunity
[17:30] for prevention. TNVR, foster care,
neonatal resources. After expansion, the
[17:35] greatest intake growth came from owner
surreners, not stray intake. So the
[17:40] lesson I take from these numbers is not
that temple should have expand not
[17:43] expanded the shelter. Square footage
alone does not change outcomes. Staffing
[17:48] does. Accessibility does, prevention
does, operations do, and those are all
[17:52] decisions of how we use taxpayers
resources. So my request tonight is
[17:56] simple. Please place the Temple Animal
Shelter on an upcoming city council
[18:01] agenda so we could have meaningful
public discussion about these outcomes,
[18:05] how our taxes are spent, staffing,
accessibility, prevention, and the
[18:09] future of animal services in Temple.
Thank you.
[18:11] » Thank you, ma'am. Uh, Miss Brenley,
followed by Miss Frasier.
[18:24] Neil Brinley, longtime Temple resident,
not paid by Rowan to be here. For the
[18:30] record, I publicly opposed the Meta Data
Center in Temple, which is now marked
[18:35] into three buildings instead of one
before I ever heard about Rowan LLC.
[18:40] Imagine my shock when I heard about an
open house to introduce the community to
[18:45] Rowan, the next invasion of hyperscale
data centers that this mayor, city
[18:50] council, and city manager rolled out the
red carpet for. You weren't content to
[18:55] wait and see how good a neighbor Meta
would be before you eagerly signed on to
[18:59] at least seven more data centers that
Rowan wants to build in Temple and leech
[19:03] off our precious resources. You failed
to get an independent preliminary air,
[19:08] soil, and water testing done to provide
liability protection for the city in
[19:13] case of an environmental catastrophe.
You secretly and foolishly allowed Rowan
[19:18] to drill an ASR well, which could
potentially contaminate our aquifer.
[19:23] Even too much oxygen released into the
aquifer is harmful.
[19:28] Somebody of you signed a non-disclosure
agreement with Meta, according to former
[19:33] city attorney Kathy Davis, and now it is
mysteriously disappeared. Where is it,
[19:38] Miss Thomas? You have racked up massive
debt with your unwise spending and are
[19:43] now raising taxes and calling for a bond
election, which is nothing more than a
[19:47] glorified tax increase, to build a
senior center to replace the one you
[19:52] allowed to operate in dangerous
disrepair.
[19:57] No amount of potential tax revenue from
Rowan or Meta will erase the
[20:02] disappointment I have in you. In my
opinion, you will go down in history as
[20:09] the worst Temple City Council, Mayor,
Mayor Proim, and City Manager we have
[20:15] ever had. And we have had some doozies.
Your only hope to regain our respect is
[20:22] to vote no on these and any future
requests made by Rowan and Meta as well
[20:28] as any other industry that causes the
division that hyperscale data centers
[20:33] have caused in our city. We take no
pleasure in calling you out, but we
[20:38] cannot remain silent and watch you
destroy our city and our quality of
[20:42] life. For too long, Temple has been run
by developers, builders, and
[20:47] construction material providers and
those who benefit from the trade. And
[20:52] stacking this audience, and the parking
out there is despicable.
[20:56] This is not personal or political. AI is
demonic. It is a spiritual battle
[21:02] between good and evil. Choose your side
wisely. Christ is king.
[21:08] » Amen.
>> Thank you, Mel Margie. And following
[21:13] Margie will be Miss Vitco
[21:26] Frasier Temple, Texas. I didn't know I
was speaking on this part of the thing,
[21:30] but I did have a concern because uh
my parents, my dad was World War II Air
[21:37] Force, my mother came out of Germany,
Whispod
[21:42] She came out of concentration camp and
I'm looking at the AI data centers and
[21:49] the information they take and all of
that because I [clears throat] see it as
[21:55] another way like the brown shirts as
they call the Nazis who collected
[22:01] information on people for
[clears throat] the main concentration
[22:04] camps. My mother I know saw a large
portion of her family die during the
[22:09] war. They poisoned the salt. Nazis. My
grandfather and several of their family
[22:15] lost their lives that way. My mother saw
her sister as the bombs were dropping
[22:20] and they were running for the shelters
be killed. All I can say is between that
[22:26] and you have flock cameras more than Las
Vegas, like twice as much. In fact, from
[22:31] what I understand, your flock cameras
that you have brought in are more than
[22:37] most states and cities. And why? We're
just a small city here. So why is all
[22:44] this information needed?
I'm looking at it from the conspiracy
[22:48] theory situation now because I look at
it as you are bringing in this stuff. Is
[22:54] it to spy on everybody? Because you
don't know who you're selling this to.
[22:59] You've already admitted that you have to
get partners for a certain amount of
[23:04] these. And I'm looking at it from that
situation.
[23:08] I am looking at it because I don't want
to see Americans die because of
[23:15] information being taken and stored
against us so that we can go to
[23:20] concentration camps because that can
happen here in the United States. And
[23:24] don't think it can't. Germany didn't
think it. Poland didn't think it. Europe
[23:28] didn't think it. Nobody. Most of the
people in here, unless they're my age
[23:33] category, which is I'm past past 70,
hidden headed toward the mid7s. There's
[23:38] people in here probably in their 80s.
We're the ones that remember if we had
[23:43] family that were like my parents in the
war. Y'all have no clue otherwise unless
[23:50] you were actually military at some time
or another.
[23:56] I've been to Kenya, Africa, watched the
people in Kisam and how they've been
[24:00] treated.
You know, you have no clue. Just none.
[24:05] So, you're opening the door a can of
worms. They've already said AI. Leon
[24:09] Musk and a few others have said this is
a scary situation. They have no
[24:13] controls. They said that they do not
have the controls that are needed to
[24:20] protect the people. And if Elon Musk say
it says it, I have to believe it.
[24:26] Several of the others that have these
bigger plans and so forth, they're
[24:31] trying to put the brakes on it. Why
aren't you Are you going to put some
[24:35] brakes on this stuff? Are you going to
let us all suck it up? Buttercup, thank
[24:40] you.
>> Thank you, Margie.
[24:42] Next is um Elena Vitco followed by Jay.
[24:54] It would seem that these seats should be
reserved for temple citizens.
[25:09] » [applause]
[25:12] » And I
>> Elena,
[25:14] » hi.
>> Please address the council.
[25:16] » Mayor and city council, tonight we're
tonight you're being asked to make
[25:20] decisions that will shape Temple for
decades. This is no longer one data
[25:25] center. When Meta first came here, none
of us were here saying anything. But now
[25:31] it's multiple sites, billions in
development, major water and water waste
[25:37] commitments, infrastructure agreements,
tax abatements, temporary onsite power
[25:42] generators, and agreements that will
govern Temple's relationship with this
[25:47] industry for years.
On this very day of this vote, the
[25:53] public is now hearing about a $38
million infrastructure investment from
[25:58] Rowan, including $3 million tied to the
proposed Salmon's Community Center. I
[26:05] want to be clear, money coming to into
this community does not replace
[26:10] transparency.
The larger the financial rel
[26:13] relationship between a private developer
and our city, the more transparency the
[26:19] public deserves.
Before you vote, citizens should be able
[26:24] to answer some basic questions.
What is Temple's total financial
[26:29] exposure if these projects do not
develop as pro as projected?
[26:34] What infrastructure will taxpayers
ultimately be responsible for?
[26:40] What are the commun uh the communive
water and wastewater
[26:46] electric demands of all these facilities
not just one building at a time?
[26:52] What happens if
project pro projected tax revenues don't
[26:59] materialize or if Rowan sells these
projects or to another company?
[27:05] and what enforcement mechanisms protect
temple residents if promises that are
[27:09] made today aren't kept 10 or 20 years
from now. We keep hearing about the
[27:15] benefits, but responsible government
also puts the risks on the table. A $3
[27:21] million community center contribute uh
contribution may sound impressive, but
[27:27] it shouldn't distract anyone from the
scale of tonight's decision. Temple
[27:32] residents are the ones that will be left
here if projections are wrong. We will
[27:38] pay our water bill. We will pay the
utility bills. We will live with the
[27:42] infrastructure and we will live with the
consequences of agreements you approve.
[27:48] My request is simple. Don't measure this
deal by how much money Rowan is offering
[27:53] Temple. Measure it by how well you will
protect the citizens. Transparency after
[28:00] a contract is signed isn't transparency,
it's history. Thank you.
[28:07] » Jay, [applause]
[28:11] Mr. Marquez, you'll follow. Jay,
[28:16] » good evening, Mr. Honorable Mayor and
the honorable uh council members. I just
[28:20] wanted to touch bases. I really
appreciate got an email about the I'm
[28:24] going to pivot a little bit from a hot
topic. I'll come back to the spicy topic
[28:27] later. Uh the farmers market is going to
be open on Saturday. It's the first time
[28:31] we're going to be open. I think that's a
great idea bringing all the business to
[28:35] that place. Maybe we could do a lot of
business. And then I'm going to switch
[28:39] to the gear. That lady did a great job
on the last month about the finance. We
[28:45] have a bond rating uh aaa. We had the
meeting someone else said our bonds were
[28:50] like sold out within five minutes. And
if you could get 38 million from a uh
[28:57] Roman, take it because I want to see my
property taxes and water electricity
[29:00] bill are lower compared to my house in
Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. So I really
[29:05] appreciate you and your entire staff
putting together financial projects from
[29:10] last week telling us where we at. So
thank you honorable mayor. Keep up the
[29:15] good job.
>> Thank you sir.
[29:16] » Thank you.
[29:22] before we start your three minutes.
Impressive beard. That didn't take long.
[29:27] [laughter]
>> Thank you. Thank you.
[29:30] » You bet.
>> Uh well, my name is Orasio and I however
[29:35] am a resident of Temple and not paid for
by Rowan. But here's one thing that um
[29:41] that you guys uh Rowan has done and the
one thing you guys have an opportunity
[29:46] to do which Rowan has provided
opportunity
[29:50] uh for workers. the American working
class for men and women, those that live
[29:55] in lowincome housing. Guess what?
There's opportunity out here to go to
[29:59] work, get yourselves up, pull yourselves
up for your bootstraps, and go through
[30:04] an apprenticeship program of some sort,
whether it be uh plumbing, pipe fitting,
[30:07] electrical, iron work, whatever it may
be. This is opportunity, okay? And
[30:14] everybody says about how much money
rowing dishes out. It's not about how
[30:17] much money rowing dishes out. It's about
who's willing to get up off their butts
[30:21] and get out to work. Okay, there's a a
new generation that needs to start
[30:26] pulling their weight around. Okay, other
than sitting around playing video games
[30:30] and whatever else. Okay, that's that's
that needs to come to an end.
[30:36] You guys have provided that opportunity
for this town
[30:41] to provide more American workingclass
members to get up, pull themselves up,
[30:47] buy homes in this place. That's why they
need to construct new homes so that the
[30:52] younger class can start buying their own
homes and get out of mommy and daddy's
[30:56] house.
That is a good thing.
[31:00] That is what you guys have done by
allowing Rowan and the meta to come out
[31:05] here and uh and build uh these data
centers. It is also provide a huge
[31:11] amount of uh uh kids and uh men and
women of all sorts, okay, to um to learn
[31:19] a a marketable skill that isn't sitting
there on Tik Tok and whatnot.
[31:26] Okay, these people are out here working
their butts off in the heat, in the
[31:31] cold, in all weather types
and they go to class two nights a week
[31:37] in some areas on top of a 10-hour shift.
And people want to call call uh sit
[31:43] there and complain about it's temporary
work, temporary work. Yeah, it's
[31:47] temporary work, but guess what? So is
people's homes. So is this building. So
[31:52] is every other thing out there. But all
that temporary work becomes permanent at
[31:57] some point in time. Then on top of that,
you got to service it. HVAC, plumbing,
[32:03] welding, iron work,
it all counts.
[32:09] But it's up to you folks
to make sure that the people out here in
[32:14] Temple have a job. Rowan has already
provided that opportunity.
[32:20] Those contractors are also providing
that opportunity. Heck, even uh city
[32:25] councilman Mike has provided that
opportunity to a kid that graduated high
[32:29] school and put him to work.
Thank you, city councilman Mike. You
[32:34] instead of that kid getting shot out
there uh back when they were graduating
[32:38] high school, he was out working for you.
That's what matters in this community.
[32:46] » Thank you, Mr. Marquez. [applause]
[32:53] Steve,
sorry I didn't call you. And I can't
[32:57] read the name of the person on deck.
Maybe it starts with a G.
[33:03] Ed, maybe. I don't know.
[33:10] We'll go to the next one and then if you
signed up to speak, you'll be last. Uh,
[33:15] and Carly Bird, you you are on deck
after Miss um Miss Eve.
[33:22] It's rain too. Eve rain.
>> There you go.
[33:25] » So, good evening, Temple City Council.
A Mr. Scott Brooks of Walks a Hatchee
[33:31] has written an op-ed article. My
understanding is that one of you on the
[33:35] Temple City Council had reposted it on
social media. My comments are based on
[33:40] excerpts addressing that article.
Quote, "Nothing in life is to be feared.
[33:47] It is only to be understood. Now is the
time to understand more so that we may
[33:52] fear less. So said Marie Cury as quoted
by Mr. Walkahhatchee
[33:58] Temple City Council. We are not sitting
in our sad sacks flustered and
[34:04] floundering in our fear funks. We are
actively, responsibly, and cognitively
[34:10] pursuing an understanding of the issues
regarding mega data centers,
[34:15] participating in the civic process, all
to the best of our individual abilities.
[34:21] The default accusation and insult hurled
most often toward those of us with
[34:27] legitimate concerns besides communist
China paying us is that we are fearful
[34:33] that fear is our master that fear is the
driving force stirring up our hysteria
[34:38] over this new technology.
Oh contr maybe the tables need to be
[34:44] turned maybe the proverbial mirror needs
to be spun around. Now Mr. Walks a
[34:49] Hatchee also says accusatorily,
"Skepticism is very different from
[34:54] hysteria." Get over yourself, Mr.
Brooks, and anyone else who jumped on
[34:59] his bandwagon. Hysteria? No. More like a
healthy concern spurred on by our
[35:05] healthy curiosity undergurtded by yes a
sus of fear just a pinch that is
[35:11] measured with a dose of skepticism and
stirred with a desire to investigate
[35:18] further to question persistently and to
ponder deeply. Here's another excerpt.
[35:25] Data centers are being greeted as though
someone were asking permission to build
[35:29] a chemical dump beside an elementary
school. Oh well, yeah, because that is
[35:34] an appropriate metaphor. Besides being a
gigantic black eye of an eye sore, these
[35:40] mega data centers are being reported as
the cause of a myriad of problems by
[35:46] Mama Maria's and Papa Pedros and Aunt
Suzies and Uncle Harry's and Grandma
[35:51] Suggies and Grandpa Boogies from states
across this nation. Oh, but these
[35:56] citizen reports are anecdotal. They're
not from scientifically statistically
[36:01] based entities. Yeah. So why not heed
both types of assessments? Both may not
[36:07] be accurate or applicable.
Before we frighten ourselves into saying
[36:12] no, this Mr. Walkahhatche said, we
should at least know what the heck we're
[36:16] saying no to. Well, aside from Mr.
Walkahhatchee's ending with that
[36:20] non-standard grammatical preposition
thingy, we know, Mr. Brooks, we do. We
[36:26] know.
>> Thank you, Mr. ring. Next up, Carly Bird
[36:31] and followed by Jose Martinez.
[36:43] Hello, my name is Carly Bird.
On March 25th, 2014, Matilda Paul ended
[36:49] her recall effort.
[36:54] » Okay.
Ended her recall effort to moved the
[36:58] city council falling short of the votes
needed. Two weeks later, that same city
[37:03] council adopted a resolution appointing
a 27 member charter review committee
[37:09] charged with undertaking a comprehensive
review of the city charter and
[37:13] submitting any proposed charter
amendments back to the city council for
[37:17] a charter amendment election. After
[snorts] three months of meeting and
[37:21] deliberations, lots of articles on it in
the Temple Daily Telegram, the committee
[37:26] decided on 20 propositions that were
then presented to the very council who
[37:30] elected them. Therefore, a vote to the
residents in November. One of these
[37:35] propositions
that was put before the council was
[37:38] regarding a charter review amendment.
U the agenda language initially was
[37:44] whereas in recent months it has become
apparent that a comprehensive review of
[37:48] the city charter is needed as the last
comprehensive review was completed in
[37:52] 2000.
The proposition language was then shall
[37:56] the city charter be amended to require
that the charter be reviewed by the city
[38:00] council for possible amendments not less
than every 10 years. The result was
[38:06] seven uh of 7,500 sorry 7,5524
and against was 1,371.
[38:15] So the charter language ended up being
the charter may be reviewed as needed,
[38:18] but the city council must perform on its
own or by committee a review of this
[38:23] charter at least once every 10 years. As
far as I understand, the last time a
[38:28] charter review committee was created was
12 years ago.
[38:34] The 2014 charter amendments changed the
rules governing accountability,
[38:37] conflicts of interest, and municipal
municipal decision-making. Those rules
[38:42] determine how citizens can respond when
today's government makes decisions that
[38:45] create tomorrow's infrastructure
obligation. So, I would like to know
[38:49] when was the city of Temple Charter last
formally reviewed pursuant to section
[38:53] 15.1 and where is the documentation of
that review?
[38:59] » Just a minute. Are you is that the end
of your comments or you want to use the
[39:02] rest? Um, I'll use the rest. Also, I
want to know what the council reviewed,
[39:07] who conducted it, what recommendations
were made, or whether the council
[39:10] formally conducted that no amendments
were necessary.
[39:15] Um, yeah, that's it. [clears throat]
Charter review was conducted in 2024.
[39:23] Um, it was conducted at a council
meeting and there's a resolution
[39:26] confirming that.
>> And is there documents that support
[39:30] that? There's a resolution supporting
that.
[39:34] » So that's a no.
>> That's a yes. It's a document.
[39:37] » But there was not a committee created.
Correct.
[39:39] » There was not a committee. It was
conducted by the council.
[39:42] » Right. Okay.
>> The council, the city attorney and
[39:45] staff.
>> So I just want to point out that it's
[39:50] » way would you please start her time
again? [clears throat]
[39:52] The agenda
language, I mean the charter language is
[39:57] that the council shall review every 10
years either by a commission or on their
[40:02] own initiative,
>> right?
[40:03] » The charter and they reviewed it on
their own initiative
[40:07] » without residence or any committee.
Correct.
[40:10] » The charter allows them to review either
on their own initiative or by commission
[40:15] » which a commission has not been created
in 12 years. Is that correct?
[40:21] I can answer with factual statements.
>> I mean, it's open records. It's
[40:24] everywhere. So,
>> I can answer with factual statements.
[40:28] And my factual statement is that the
council did review the charter in 2024
[40:33] and there's a resolution supporting that
um action.
[40:36] » Got it. Thank you.
>> Thank you, ma'am.
[40:40] Uh Mr. Martinez and then Milton, can you
hear me?
[40:44] » You're up after Mr. Martinez.
>> Not yet.
[40:47] » Close. They start walking in this way.
[41:03] » Mr. Martinez, let Mr. Easily make it
across the room first
[41:11] » or halfway.
[41:14] Come over here.
>> Amen.
[41:18] Mr. Martinez.
[41:22] » Okay, Mr. Mayor.
>> Sorry, Mr. Martinez.
[41:26] » City Council, I thank each one of y'all
for letting me come here tonight. I want
[41:31] to invite all of you and the
people that's here to the 18th annual
[41:39] live change that will be held on October
the 4th, 2026.
[41:45] The location is on South 31st Street at
the Chick-fil-A parking lot. We will
[41:53] start gathering at 2:30
and take our positions along the South
[41:58] 31st Street at 2:00.
Recently, I was asked if abortion,
[42:07] the taking of the little newborn baby is
murder.
[42:14] You have to answer this question
yourself.
[42:17] Each year in America, an average of 1
million
[42:25] 126,000
unborn babies lives are taken each year
[42:31] by abortion.
[42:35] That is 3,452
[42:39] lives taken each day. In comparison, the
lives that was taken on 911
[42:48] was 2,977
[42:52] in comparison to 3,452
taken by abortion each state.
[43:00] You answer the question yourself. Is
abortion the taking the life of an
[43:04] unborn baby abortion?
[43:10] To me, it is. I don't know what it is to
you. To me, it's abortion. And I know
[43:16] one person's going to be there. Thank
you, Miss Bridley.
[43:22] There's something else I want to thank
you about.
[43:27] I was visiting my wife down at Hillrest
and it is amazing.
[43:34] Truly amazing how y'all have maintained
Hillrest.
[43:40] It has come from terrible
to beautiful. If the cemetery could be
[43:45] beautiful,
thank you for taking care of Hillrest.
[43:49] And I look for each one of you at the
life chain on October the 4th. Thank
[43:54] you.
And I thank everybody that that uh
[44:00] took care of me and helped me up here.
I'll take your hat.
[44:05] » Milton.
>> It's good to see you again. It's been
[44:07] too long.
>> Let him come a little closer.
[44:11] » I'll shake your hand after.
>> Yeah, it it's good to see you.
[44:15] » You bet. You take care, [clears throat]
[44:18] » Mr. Martinez. And then uh Miss Lara,
you'll follow. Mr. Martinez. Excuse
[44:29] [clears throat] me. Hello. Um, last time
before uh this last council meeting, I
[44:36] was kept from talking about what the
mayor was talking about
[44:40] and I was referring to the closed loop
water system.
[44:44] Colleen already defeated
a closed loop data center. In case some
[44:51] of you don't know, this is only two
months ago.
[44:55] Last time also a speaker concisely put
it by saying that your approval and the
[45:01] councils of a data center are literally
literally killing his family.
[45:08] And what that all of you are doing is
disgusting, sick, and disturbing.
[45:13] Exactly what he said.
Yet the mayor is happy about batting
[45:18] some home run. But no amount of money is
more important than a council batting
[45:24] out our lives.
Projected are 1,300 deaths attributable
[45:30] to data centers pollution by 2030.
Residents will pay 26 billion dollars in
[45:36] health care costs. Hearing loss results
from the constant hum temperatures rise
[45:41] 4 to 16 degrees for miles a heat island.
Residents will pay for electric rate
[45:47] heights of 267%.
Over 90% of new power demand is going to
[45:53] data centers, not us. Look at the
transmission lines
[45:58] going up yet resorting to generators.
The New York Times reports manufacturers
[46:03] pollution.
Don't accept the false claims of data
[46:06] centers. Americans have experienced the
problems already. See for yourself.
[46:12] Listen.
Listen closely to the hum of your
[46:16] computer and the touch touch the heat of
the computer itself all multiply
[46:22] tremendously
from a data center.
[46:27] You can see it for yourself. In general,
these are the costs to us while Trump
[46:32] resurrects a China boogeyman.
China has four times the US population
[46:37] but only 369 data centers in April
increased by only one from February
[46:43] while Temple increased more than China
14,000
[46:48] times the population that China has than
Temple we're doing more
[46:54] Britain has only 515 data centers
Germany 514 US has uh 8,000 current and
[47:02] proposed uh data centers all battling
ing each other for billions, costing us
[47:07] our health and resources while they
bring uh their PR team here.
[47:13] » Thank you.
>> Thank you, sir. Miss Laura.
[47:31] » Good evening. I'm Belinda Lada.
and um live in district two. I want to
[47:38] submit a formal objection regarding the
sequencing of items on the agenda for
[47:43] this meeting. The council has to vote
for final approvals on Rowan's phase one
[47:49] development infrastructure and utility
agreements tonight. Simultaneously, you
[47:54] are hearing the final readings of
updates to the unified development code
[47:59] designed to regulate data center
developments. By executing these votes
[48:04] concurrently, the city is intentionally
grandfathering grandfathering a massive
[48:10] industrial project out of the very
regulatory oversight and public review
[48:16] process that the staff has acknowledged
are necessary to protect Temple's water
[48:20] and power grid.
I want to cut through all the drama and
[48:25] get straight to the facts of what and I
and other residents have witnessed over
[48:30] the last few months
in public meetings. This council and
[48:35] staff have repeatedly denied our
requests for caution. You have
[48:38] undermined our knowledge, criticized our
intelligence when we brought forward
[48:43] valid concerns.
Perhaps the lack of understanding stems
[48:48] from the intentional confusing titles in
your agendas. What good is intelligence
[48:54] without the wisdom to do the right thing
to keep a community intact and protect
[49:01] our resources. Again, I am not opposed
to the evolution of technology, but
[49:07] rather to the outdated codes and
protections that have not evolved with
[49:10] it. The main goal here is to preserve
our sacred resources.
[49:18] This council has haphazardly allowing
companies to take over in a way that you
[49:23] cannot guarantee it. Instead, the count
instead
[49:27] sorry
you cannot guarantee they will not
[49:31] deplete our resources.
You point to the gifted synergy water
[49:36] well. The this is not goodwill. We could
see through the manipulation. Rowan
[49:42] handed that well over only because they
completely abandoned the original data
[49:47] center plants at the Mariah site,
leaving us with zero guarantees.
[49:54] What guarantee does the city actually
have that they even have a long-term
[49:59] tenant secured for the project lasso?
Mr. Davis, you have expressed your
[50:06] disappointment with our complaints, but
we are not the cause of the problem. We
[50:10] are pointing out that there is a
problem. We have shared our police
[50:14] solutions, pleaded prevention, and
offered ideas.
[50:20] If our complaints are overwhelming,
this leadership needs to prepare for the
[50:25] disasters that lie ahead. The UDC codes
need to be put in place before Rowan. a
[50:32] table.
I I want to demand the community to
[50:38] directly involve in setting letting us
set up these new UDC codes.
[50:45] We demand the immediate creation of a
citizen advisory panel to ensure the
[50:50] local community has a binding voice in
crafting the safety limits, water caps,
[50:54] zoning restrictions for all the future
industrial developments. We have already
[50:59] allowed five data centers and that's too
many.
[51:02] » Thank you, ma'am.
>> Okay, there was the one that I was not
[51:05] able to read. Maybe the last name is
Garfield if I've deciphered that
[51:09] correctly.
Anybody
[51:14] could someone out there uh maybe ask
around if anybody signed up to speak but
[51:21] their name has not been called.
>> Okay, Garfield maybe.
[51:29] I don't know.
We'll give him just a second.
[51:36] » Based on that autograph,
he has a future in the NFL. I think
[51:41] » a doctor
>> or a doctor. Yes.
[51:52] » What's your name?
>> Okay. you were told you did not have to
[51:57] sign up.
You don't have to sign up for a public
[52:01] hearing, which is what we're we're going
to get to a couple of items here shortly
[52:04] that are uh public hearings um about
specific agenda items, and you don't
[52:09] have to sign up for those, but for
general comments like we've had tonight,
[52:14] um you do have to sign up prior. So, as
I read through the agenda item shortly,
[52:19] if the comments that you fashioned are
around that agenda item, then you're
[52:23] more than welcome to speak then. Oko.
All right.
[52:28] Do we ever find any? Nobody. Okay.
All right. Well, if somebody comes up
[52:34] and says, "Hey, what happened?"
Uh, I'll check his signature and if it
[52:38] matches. Okay. Thank you. All right.
Next item is public comment. Citizens
[52:43] who wish to address the council. Uh,
nope, that is not. We just did that.
[52:47] Consent agenda. All items under this
section are to be considered by the uh,
[52:51] city council and may be enacted in one
motion. If discussion is desired by the
[52:56] council, any item may be removed uh from
that consent agenda at the request of
[53:00] any council member and will be
considered separately. Council, we uh in
[53:04] workshop agreed that we would remove a
couple of items. One, two, that we'd
[53:08] remove a few items from uh the consent.
Is there anything else that needs to be
[53:14] removed since we've spoke last?
Everybody okay?
[53:21] All right. Give me just a second to be
sure I'm straight here.
[53:25] I don't know. I don't want to remove it,
but I would like to highlight item E.
[53:30] Um, the 24th Street Bridge. I'm glad
we're moving forward on that. That's
[53:35] exciting to get that kicked off. I know
that a lot of folks have been waiting a
[53:39] long time for that to reopen and um, of
course, we're not reopening it right
[53:43] now, but uh, we're in the process of
heading that direction. So, good news.
[53:49] Careway, can we confirm that we are
going to remove uh item 5 A and 5J
[53:57] » or or A? I'm sorry, my notes up here
aren't
[54:02] » okay. I and
>> J and J.
[54:04] » Okay.
[54:08] » Okay. Very good. Thank you for that
clarification.
[54:13] » All right, council. If there's no
discussion, then I'll entertain a motion
[54:16] on item three. Um, less I'm sorry, 3A
through 3, less I, and J. Approve items
[54:25] 3A through 30 O minus items I and J.
>> I'll second it.
[54:33] » Have a motion by council member
Cookington. We have a second by Mayor
[54:35] Pro Tim Walker. Council, please cast
your vote.
[54:50] Mayor Davis accidentally did not include
member
[54:55] started it.
>> Okay.
[54:56] » And so let me close
him and then come back.
[55:02] » So are there are there Yes, that's fine.
>> Yep. So can I move on while you work on
[55:06] that? Okay.
>> Very good. No, no, that's fine. Consent
[55:09] agenda. um passes four votes to zero,
five votes to zero, which is 3 A through
[55:17] 3 O minus 3 I in J.
[55:22] Item 3 I is a second reading in a public
I'm sorry just the second reading and
[55:27] second and final reading consider
adopting an ordinance authorizing the
[55:30] voluntary annexation of 316.13
plus or minus acres located in the
[55:35] maximum Marino survey abstract number 14
located in the city of Temple's extr
[55:39] territorial jurisdiction Bell County
Texas identifi identified by Bell County
[55:44] appraisal district parcel ID numbers
7755
[55:49] 24955
and 106 6 228
[55:55] and council. I'll entertain a motion on
that item.
[56:01] Make a motion to approve. I
three I.
[56:08] » All right. We have a motion by council
member Emmens. We have a second by
[56:13] council member Pilington.
>> I.
[56:16] » Council, please cast your vote. I
>> can I call your name?
[56:24] I
>> I
[56:29] » three I passes. Four votes yes, zero
votes no, and one abstension.
[56:35] Second and final reading to consider
adopting an ordinance um authorizing a
[56:39] reszoning and binding site development
plan request from a to plan development
[56:44] light industrial on 316.13
plus or minus acres located in the city
[56:49] of Temple, Bell County, Texas,
identified as Bell County Appraisal
[56:52] District Partial ID number 775524955
[56:57] 106228.
[57:07] This item isn't subject to a public
hearing. It's a second and final
[57:10] reading.
>> So item 3J
[57:15] council, I will entertain a motion.
>> I'll make a motion to approve.
[57:20] » Second.
We have a motion by Mayor Pro Tim
[57:24] Walker. We have a second by Council
Member Emmens. Council, please cast your
[57:28] vote.
[57:35] 3J passes four votes yes, zero votes no,
and one abstension.
[57:41] Now, moving on to the regular agenda.
Item four is the second and final
[57:46] reading that includes a public hearing
to consider adopting an ordinance
[57:50] redesating the boundaries of tax
abatement reinvestment zone number 47
[57:54] located generally east of Bob White Road
and north of Lorraine Avenue and further
[57:59] currently identified by Bell County
Appraisal District with property ID
[58:03] numbers 239-676
3649128947755
[58:11] 24955
and 106 6228 for commercial and
[58:16] industrial tax abatement.
[clears throat]
[58:23] » Yes, I'm sorry.
>> Yeah, sorry about that. The uh so that
[58:28] was item four. Item five reads the
second and final reading in a public
[58:32] hearing to consider adopting an
ordinance designating um approximately
[58:35] 303 acres in Synergy Park located
generally east of Highway 190 in both
[58:40] north and south of FM 3117.
and further currently identified by Bell
[58:45] County Appraisal District property ID
numbers 70687376769
[58:51] 7071 209986 209988
and 234587
[58:59] as city of Temple tax abatement
reinvestment zone number 50 for
[59:03] commercial and industrial tax abatement
Thomas.
[59:06] » Good afternoon mayor and council. Um
this is the second reading of uh
[59:11] redesation of tax abatement reinvestment
zone number 47 and designation of tax
[59:16] abatement reinvestment zone number 50 um
which you heard on first reading at your
[59:22] September 3rd council meeting and
conducted a public hearing. will be
[59:27] hearing second reading tonight and
conducting a additional public hearing
[59:33] um after some notices were sent to
taxing entities.
[59:39] Um tax code section 312.201 2011 permits
a council by ordinance to designate a
[59:46] tax abatement reinvestment zone if the
um designation is likely to contribute
[59:53] to the retention or expansion of primary
employment attract major investment in
[59:57] the tax abatement reinvestment zone that
would benefit the property and
[1:00:01] contribute to the economic development
of the city. The ordinance must state
[1:00:05] that the boundaries of the TARS and
eligibility eligibility for tax
[1:00:10] abatement finding that the improvements
sought are feasible and practical and
[1:00:14] would be a benefit to the land and to be
included in the zone and to the
[1:00:18] municipality.
[1:00:21] Currently, TAR number 47 includes
approximately 554 acres located
[1:00:26] generally east of Bob White Drive and
north of Lraine. Uh this was designated
[1:00:31] by council at its October 2nd, 2025
regular council meeting on second
[1:00:36] reading. Um and then a public hearing
was conducted on first reading on
[1:00:41] September 18th, 2025. If redesated, the
TARS would include an additional
[1:00:47] approximate 316 acres of land adjacent
to the initial project site, which was
[1:00:52] acquired by Rowan for phase one after
the city purchased land originally
[1:00:56] proposed for the building for building
three. um for the proposed landfill
[1:01:01] expansion.
The land is located in Synergy
[1:01:05] Industrial Park and is in nearby
proximity to the landfill and to Panda
[1:01:09] BKB power plant.
Uh you just approved on second reading
[1:01:15] the annexation and um PDLI zoning for
this additional land. Um, this PDLI
[1:01:23] zoning can um includes plan development
conditions including screening, noise
[1:01:28] mitigation, traffic impact study
requirements, and a utility services
[1:01:31] agreement.
[snorts]
[1:01:34] TAR number 50, the land is um currently
zoned PDLI as of April 16th, 2026. It
[1:01:43] also has plan development conditions
including screening, noise mitigation,
[1:01:47] requirements for traffic impact studies,
and requirements for a utility service
[1:01:51] agreement.
The land proposed for this TARS includes
[1:01:55] approximately 303 acres in Synergy
Industrial Park located generally east
[1:02:00] of Highway 190 and both north and south
of FM 3117.
[1:02:05] It is also located in the Synergy
Industrial Park in nearby vicinity of
[1:02:10] the landfill and Panda BKV power plants
adjacent to the BNSF railroad.
[1:02:16] Council can consider designating a tax
abatement reinvestment zone and
[1:02:20] authorizing abatement if at least two of
the following criteria are met. That the
[1:02:24] project involves a minimum increase of
pro in property value of 300% for
[1:02:28] construction of a new facility or 50%
for expansion of an existing facility.
[1:02:34] The project makes a substantial
contribution to redevelopment efforts or
[1:02:38] strategic economic development programs.
The project has high visibility, image
[1:02:42] impact, or is of significantly higher
level of development quality. The
[1:02:46] project is in an area that might not
otherwise be developed. The project can
[1:02:50] serve as a prototype and catalyst for
other developments of a higher standard.
[1:02:54] The project stimulates desired
concentrations of employment or
[1:02:57] commercial activity, or the project
generates greater employment than would
[1:03:00] otherwise be achieved. [clears throat]
Staff believes that this project meets
[1:03:06] Temple's standards for tax abatement and
the criteria in chapter 312. The project
[1:03:11] involves a minimum increase in property
value of 300% for construction of new
[1:03:14] facilities and makes a substantial
contribution to redevelopment efforts or
[1:03:18] strategic economic development programs.
The project stimulates desired
[1:03:23] concentration of employment or
commercial activity and generates
[1:03:26] greater employment than would otherwise
be achieved. and the project will expand
[1:03:30] the employment base, attract major
investment, and contribute to economic
[1:03:33] development in the city.
[1:03:38] On October 2nd, 2025,
council approved a tax abatement
[1:03:43] agreement with Rowan Temple LLC to abate
a percentage of the increases in taxable
[1:03:47] value of property associated with their
property in Synergy Industrial Park. The
[1:03:52] agreement contained a provision that the
agreement is applicable to future phases
[1:03:55] of development under the same terms and
conditions if the next phase of land is
[1:03:59] in a tars.
Rowan must invest a minimum of $700
[1:04:04] million and retain 40 full-time
employees per phase in order to receive
[1:04:09] the abatement.
Today, as I stated, is the second
[1:04:14] reading of the ordinance to redesate the
boundaries of TAR 47 and designate TAR
[1:04:20] number 50.
[1:04:23] Staff recommends council redesate the
boundaries of tars number 47 and
[1:04:27] designate tars number 50. It's located
in in an industrial park appropriate for
[1:04:33] this type of development and subject to
plan development zoning conditions and
[1:04:37] it meets the city's economic development
policy and tax code criteria for tax
[1:04:42] [clears throat] abatement.
Um and I'll be happy to answer any
[1:04:47] questions you have.
>> Thank you ma'am. Anything for Miss
[1:04:51] Thomas?
Anything?
[1:04:56] Okay. Very good. Then um with that, I
will u open the public hearing on both
[1:05:03] items four and five. If you wish to
speak on items four and or five, please
[1:05:09] step on the podium and state your name
for the record. Do we have anybody
[1:05:14] virtually tonight?
[1:05:20] Hello again, Joe Royer. I'm in District
2. Um, I just want to clarify here, um,
[1:05:27] this is items four and five being
combined into a single thing, even
[1:05:30] though these are two separate items that
each require public hearing.
[1:05:34] They are non-ontiguous pieces of land,
but they are both subject to the same
[1:05:39] applicant or at least parent applicant.
>> Joe, are you speaking on item four or
[1:05:44] five or both?
>> Um, both apparently. Okay. All right.
[1:05:48] Um,
but I'm just pointing out the fact for
[1:05:52] the record that, you know, you're
combining two items that each separately
[1:05:55] require public hearing. Um, and they're
not contiguous land. So, for for plain
[1:06:02] English benefit, this is to expand the
tax abatement zones so that we can give
[1:06:06] additional tax breaks to Rowan for
project lasso and then additional
[1:06:10] project uh tax breaks to Rowan for
project ranger.
[1:06:15] Um, as the presentation mentioned, each
phase is only required to create 40
[1:06:20] jobs. That's an interesting number
because as long as you're under 50 jobs
[1:06:23] and the way Rowan is stretch is
structuring these as separate companies,
[1:06:27] separate LLC's, if you have less than 50
employees, you don't have to pay
[1:06:31] benefits. And the fact that we would
even consider a tax abatement agreement
[1:06:35] for an employer who's who's acting this
way is just baffling to me. I've again
[1:06:41] as I've mentioned at previous meetings
I've had some experience with tax
[1:06:44] abatements in other counties and other
states and typically the threshold is 80
[1:06:48] jobs and the fact that we're considering
something under 50 is just surprising to
[1:06:53] me. But my main point here I think is
that uh we should not be giving tax
[1:06:58] breaks to billionaires. We should be
giving tax breaks to everyone else. We
[1:07:03] should be giving tax breaks to people
that can afford these utility rate
[1:07:07] increases that supposedly are not
because of the data centers. Like our
[1:07:11] groceries are going up, inflation is
going up. I mean, the cost of living,
[1:07:16] our taxes are going up. We've seen
several different tax rates uh tax
[1:07:20] increases on just on the city front
alone. Like, why are the people of
[1:07:25] Temple having to suffer this cost
instead of the billionaires who can
[1:07:29] easily afford it? Like we should not be
again we should not be giving tax breaks
[1:07:34] to billionaires. We should be giving tax
breaks to everyone else people who
[1:07:37] actually need them. Thank you. Thank
you.
[1:07:42] Um couple questions Joe.
So under 50 employees
[1:07:50] they don't have to pay for benefits.
Is that what they're doing?
[1:07:57] I'm not I'm I don't know if they are or
they're not, but they're not legally
[1:08:00] required to. And most companies don't do
things that they're not legal legally
[1:08:04] required to do.
[1:08:08] I'm in the health insurance business.
Well over half of my clients have less
[1:08:16] than 50 employees.
So, we represent
[1:08:21] 60 or 70 local employers right here
under 50. and they all have a full suite
[1:08:26] of benefits.
>> Good for them. And and that's
[1:08:29] » and I I bet a multi-billion dollar
company will do the same.
[1:08:32] » That's an excellent example. A lot of
small companies do take much better care
[1:08:36] of their employees than big companies. I
mean, we're talking about a$1 13 billion
[1:08:39] dollar company here that has broken
themselves into lots of small pieces to
[1:08:42] get around certain rules.
Like they don't have a good track record
[1:08:46] for being a responsible employee
employer or somebody you you would want
[1:08:50] to do business with.
Your opinion is noted. Thank you. You
[1:08:56] bet.
>> Yes, ma'am.
[1:09:03] » Hi, I'm Joanne Dudley. I live off of uh
34th Street off of 53. Um my biggest
[1:09:12] question is traffic.
A lot of these trucks do not use the
[1:09:17] loop. The loop is atrocious because of
all the construction on the loop, all
[1:09:21] the houses, all the businesses. What
we're finding
[1:09:26] is these big trucks, these uh tractor
trailers coming off of the industrial
[1:09:33] park. a lot of the
um trucks, the the
[1:09:40] trucks with the
uh all these construction trucks they're
[1:09:46] taking coming down um
[1:09:51] Avenue H coming down 34th Street going
on to 53
[1:09:57] going down Adams
go to get to 30 to get to 35
[1:10:03] they are not taking the loop to get to
35.
[1:10:08] So, you're having all of this um you're
now rebuilding
[1:10:14] more more businesses
on off of 53,
[1:10:20] but no way for them to get onto anything
other than going
[1:10:27] down Adams
to get to 35.
[1:10:35] And if you go
if you take 35 take take 53 down to into
[1:10:43] town, you get in front of Cody's,
there's a big bump in the road. These
[1:10:49] trucks are going boom boom boom boom
[clears throat] in front of Cody's.
[1:10:53] So you hear these trucks going boom in
front of Cody's. These trucks are going
[1:10:57] down 35 uh uh 34th Street and they're
coming to the stop sign and they're
[1:11:04] waiting and they're waiting
and there's a there's a bottleneck in
[1:11:10] front of the stop sign and then they're
going down East Central which is a dead
[1:11:14] end off at 35 34th Street to try to turn
around and you're getting these tractor
[1:11:19] trailers trying to turn around down the
culde-sac down east central.
[1:11:27] There's got to be a different way, a
different way to I'm not against the
[1:11:32] construction.
By all means, I'm not against the
[1:11:35] construction. I'm against There's got to
be a way to manipulate to maneuver this
[1:11:42] construction. There's got to be a
different way to figure out a lot of
[1:11:46] this.
Um, and the sidewalks on 34th Street are
[1:11:51] atrocious. You've seen them. We cannot
get the city to come and fix the
[1:11:55] sidewalks. There's handicapped people
using these sidewalks, but they have to
[1:11:59] use the street because just nobody comes
to fix the sidewalk because I call the
[1:12:03] city and the city sits there and goes,
"Sorry, call somebody else." I've gone
[1:12:08] » to the city council woman. You you
wandered off the topic of the actual
[1:12:13] agenda items,
>> but construction was fine. Sidewalks,
[1:12:17] » but the but the whole thing is is the
trucks are using 34th Street,
[1:12:21] » but the s handicapped people and the
kids are using the street
[1:12:26] because there's no sidewalk on 34th
Street because the sidewalk on 34th
[1:12:30] Street is all broken down. There's big
holes in the sidewalk.
[1:12:34] » Understood. So you've got the sidewalks
that are busted out and there's the kids
[1:12:39] and the and the handicap people are
using the sidewalk
[1:12:43] and I mean where the east side
you're throwing the construction trucks.
[1:12:49] You could throwing the big trucks.
You're throwing all all of the all these
[1:12:53] people down these east side streets.
[1:13:00] I'm sorry. I love the construction. I'm
glad this it's finally happening on the
[1:13:04] east side,
but don't kill us before you before you
[1:13:09] before you
>> [clears throat]
[1:13:09] » uh finally get it done.
>> Understood. Thank you, ma'am.
[1:13:13] » Thank you.
>> You bet. Who else would like to speak?
[1:13:16] Miss Brenley.
>> Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Brenley.
[1:13:20] » No, no, no.
[1:13:27] » Talking about the audience four and
five, right? Taxment.
[1:13:30] » Yes, sir. Yeah, great presentation and
uh about the jobs about 40 jobs in the
[1:13:35] state of Texas they the department of
labor has a form they had it filled out
[1:13:39] they normally check every year so
regardless what jobs you get economic
[1:13:44] impact on these data centers for our
municipality I think our budget covers
[1:13:48] like 15 to 18%
uh from our $325 million budget we get
[1:13:54] about 40 40 million and other economic
impact we have as my neighbor I live in
[1:14:00] Martin Luther the King Road in 1405 next
door neighbor who's rented out two month
[1:14:05] two years of lease for the guy coming
from Houston to build the data center
[1:14:10] here. So those are economic impact we
have here. So overall I appreciate doing
[1:14:15] this. I really appreciate the entire
team. The state of Texas are a $2.9
[1:14:20] billion trillion dollar economy. We get
900 over 990 billion dollars in uh
[1:14:26] economic impact from a data center. So,
I just want to let you know again, thank
[1:14:30] you very much. We need everybody here. I
want to keep my taxes lower. So, that's
[1:14:34] my bottom line. I don't want my water
billow, electric bill to go to high.
[1:14:39] Thank you very much. What do you guys
do? Appreciate
[1:14:42] » Miss Brenley,
>> Neil Brinley.
[1:14:46] I'm in Mr. Emmen's district. I never can
remember what number it is. Um, I can't
[1:14:53] for the life of me understand why this
council would give massive tax
[1:14:58] abatements to a foreign investor to come
in and use our water, our grid, uh,
[1:15:06] cause the division that they've caused
in this city. I've never seen it like
[1:15:10] this. I really haven't. I mean, I'm sure
there there have been divisions in the
[1:15:15] past, but I can't imagine why you would
do that.
[1:15:19] Um, you you don't have to give them a
tax abatement. I mean, they're already
[1:15:25] here. [snorts] They're not going
anywhere.
[1:15:28] You've already let them in. You don't
have to give them every single thing
[1:15:32] they ask you for. Would you please give
the citizens of Temple a plum and vote
[1:15:38] no to this? and show us in good faith
that you really do care about the
[1:15:44] citizens of Temple, that you really do
care that the cost of diesel is 65.99 on
[1:15:50] 31st Street. That you really do care
that people can't even afford ground
[1:15:54] beef, much less a t-bone steak.
take care of the people of Temple, not a
[1:16:02] a foreign investor from Australia who
wants to come in and take our water and
[1:16:09] our electric grid.
Show that you care about the people of
[1:16:13] Temple. And the fact that you would
invite workers to come in so that
[1:16:20] citizens don't can't even get in the
room and and can't I mean, I barely
[1:16:25] found a place to park. There were so
many out of state pickup trucks parked
[1:16:29] outside from the workers that were here.
So much for allowing senior citizens to
[1:16:36] to come in.
Show us that you care. Please vote no.
[1:16:43] » Who else?
[1:16:52] If you know that you want to speak on
this item, I'd appreciate if you'd queue
[1:16:56] up if you could.
[1:17:03] » This has to do with the debt and the tax
abatements
[1:17:08] or fiscal debt. The Temple, Texas data
center was the last draw. Let me point
[1:17:13] out a few of the facts and give our city
council credit. Fiscal debt in 2019 was
[1:17:18] 3 21 million. Now in 26 it is 818
million. I don't know with all these tax
[1:17:26] abatements how you going to pay all this
but we we we'll find it out somehow. 15
[1:17:31] million of that went to buying the
agricultural a acres on Bob White to
[1:17:36] reszone it industrial for rowing.
All this is money out the door is what I
[1:17:42] call it. They get a 10year tax
evatement. You lost a million dollars on
[1:17:47] last year's Tangle Wood music event and
you took 18 million out of the tourist
[1:17:53] funds. All of this is the tip of the
iceberg. Okay. The truth will come out
[1:17:59] always. You know, God will reveal. His
hand is slow in our minds sometimes, but
[1:18:05] he does reveal the problems. You guys
are raking up debt. You're not getting
[1:18:11] enough money back. You're going to go
after the taxpayer in the end because
[1:18:15] that's what's going to happen. We see
it. We know it.
[1:18:20] But you're racking up debt. You're
supposed to be paying off debt.
[1:18:25] So, how you going to pay it off with all
these tax abatements you keep giving
[1:18:28] these people in commercial industrial
tax abatements to people that are going
[1:18:34] to provide how many jobs?
Not enough for anybody. A lot of them
[1:18:39] are coming in from out of town. They'll
be living here, I'm sure. Maybe because
[1:18:43] a lot of this
>> last week whenever we talked about this
[1:18:46] I encouraged folks
>> probably two weeks ago not last week
[1:18:49] were
>> whatever Margie last time last time I
[1:18:52] saw you
>> I know
[1:18:54] » I encourage I encourage folks to go out
on the bellcad
[1:18:58] » and see what these properties paid two
years ago versus what they'll be paying
[1:19:03] in tax now.
>> I know.
[1:19:05] » So we're not we are not abating current
income.
[1:19:09] We're abating future income. Well, you
need to take care of what you owe now. I
[1:19:15] mean, you owe millions. I mean, you're
almost up to the billion dollar mark
[1:19:18] now. And this is what size town. I can
understand Odessa Midland area because
[1:19:24] they got the money rolling in because
they are gas, they are oil, you know,
[1:19:29] they don't have this kind of debt.
>> Thank you, Margie.
[1:19:32] » You're welcome. But
>> who's next?
[1:19:34] » Think about your house because it's your
city.
[1:19:44] So, how you doing? Um, so first things
first is with with the abatements,
[1:19:48] right? [snorts] The abatements from my
understanding is that that's supposed to
[1:19:54] be a way for them to help out with
future um future work or any
[1:20:01] infrastructure that needs to get done,
anything that needs to get fixed. That's
[1:20:04] what the abatement is for. Would you say
that'd be correct?
[1:20:08] It's just an understanding.
>> Um the abatement is used as an incentive
[1:20:15] to bring a large economic development
project to town,
[1:20:18] » right? But with that abatement, like
let's say for example, we're going to
[1:20:23] need uh Encore, you know, more power
grid. That's a way for them to also put
[1:20:28] uh money towards that because that is
poss something that has been talked
[1:20:31] about uh in the past.
>> Separate buckets, but go ahead.
[1:20:35] » Okay. So, um, so yeah. So, I don't see
an issue with this because on top of
[1:20:40] that whole abatement situation, like I
said, the workers on those jobs get paid
[1:20:46] very well. They get paid top dollar. On
top of that, to sit there and throw
[1:20:51] shade at the workers that are showing
up, the same people that are not part of
[1:20:56] the community are also showing up. And
the workers that are showing up are just
[1:21:00] as much citizens,
okay? and working from this area even
[1:21:04] though they got work trucks because they
have been promoted.
[1:21:09] So enough with uh throwing shade at the
workers because let's not forget it's
[1:21:15] those hard American workh working men
and women that helped build the country
[1:21:20] to what it is today. So let's stop
throwing shade down their way.
[1:21:23] » Thank you, sir. Who else? Yes, Miss
Laura.
[1:21:27] » Hi. Um, I'm going to ask a not so
intelligent question. I'm a little lost.
[1:21:34] Um, I'm sitting outside so it's a little
hard to hear. Um, so we're under four
[1:21:39] and five ordinances.
Did everything else before that is no
[1:21:45] longer on the table or is moved or like
I JK consent agenda has already been
[1:21:53] approved.
>> That will be moved on.
[1:21:55] » Item four and five.
Um the agenda was approved
[1:22:02] for which ones?
>> All of the items before items four and
[1:22:07] five. Item three was the consent agenda.
It's already been approved.
[1:22:11] » So the UDC codes have been approved
because that considers light and
[1:22:16] industrial heavy for like J.
>> Yes. The second reading was on consent
[1:22:23] agenda and the consent agenda has been
approved. So, does this apply for this
[1:22:28] uh six data center
since the UDC codes have been approved?
[1:22:34] What exactly are those codes because
they're not listed here? So, how do we
[1:22:38] know what was approved or what was
created?
[1:22:42] » Same ones that we discussed in public
hearing last week. They've now been um
[1:22:47] voted on a second time and approved
uh sorry, Marie, two weeks ago. Uh they
[1:22:54] are now being approved this week.
>> They have been approved. They have been
[1:22:59] » They've already been approved.
>> They've already been approved.
[1:23:02] » Correct.
>> Okay.
[1:23:06] » Thank you. Who else?
>> Anyone else from the audience?
[1:23:15] » Is it on items four and five?
>> Yep.
[1:23:19] about creation of the tax abatement
reinvestment zones number 47 and 50.
[1:23:25] » Cool.
>> This is just the zones.
[1:23:28] » Um well, I'm just going to come up here
and say that basically the same exact
[1:23:32] thing that everyone else has been
saying. I oppose all of it, including
[1:23:36] these tax abatements.
Um
[1:23:40] obviously you guys seem pretty dead set
on bringing in these data centers
[1:23:44] regardless of what we have to say. Would
you mind stating your name again for the
[1:23:48] » My name is Adam.
>> Okay.
[1:23:49] » Yeah. Um, so
[1:23:55] I mean you're already going against us
and bringing them in and now you're
[1:23:58] you're talking about we're about to pass
a tax abatement which I think a lot of
[1:24:01] us already knew that this was coming
this these tax abatements and um
[1:24:07] I I just don't earlier you were saying
that you know we could you know you
[1:24:13] encouraged us to look at Bellcad and how
much those properties were bringing in
[1:24:17] for the city. Okay, but that's
regardless of the point. These companies
[1:24:22] can afford to pay full taxes, right? The
entire reason that they're even bringing
[1:24:26] them in here is because we provide the
infrastructure for internet, water, all
[1:24:31] the stuff, electricity, everything that
they need to run these. All right, but
[1:24:35] that puts them in the middle of
populated areas. They shouldn't even be
[1:24:38] anywhere near populations. I'm not even
against AI data centers, by the way. I
[1:24:42] think we we should be the leaders in
them, but they need to be nowhere near
[1:24:46] anyone. All these people are doing is
using us to save money and you have all
[1:24:54] fell for it hookline and sinker.
[1:24:58] If you're going to be so dead set I'm
bringing them in here, at least charge
[1:25:02] them full tax rates because there are so
many other industries that you could
[1:25:06] bring in here that from other states
where taxes are higher, where they might
[1:25:11] want to move into a place like this,
where taxes are actually cheaper in
[1:25:15] Texas.
All right. Without any abatements, just
[1:25:18] paying full taxes where we're cheaper
than other states. Other industries
[1:25:21] might want to come in here instead of
these data centers who are only going to
[1:25:26] be giving what 40 jobs per, you know,
data center that we have. And I don't
[1:25:31] even know how many now. We have like
about a dozen I think is what we're
[1:25:35] talking about, right? So,
I mean, I don't even get it. I don't
[1:25:41] even get why you guys are even doing all
this because it's,
[1:25:45] you know, everyone hates you guys for
this. You know, you're not going to win
[1:25:49] your re-elections. Like, this is it for
you guys. No one's going to vote for
[1:25:52] you.
>> I mean, no one even voted for you, Tim,
[1:25:55] the last election.
Y'all canled the election because
[1:25:59] somehow suspiciously you ran unopposed
>> out in a city of almost 100,000 people,
[1:26:05] you know, and then when we come up with
thousands of signatures to recall you.
[1:26:10] Oh, no. We don't we don't meet the
threshold. That's not a democracy.
[1:26:14] That's dictatorship.
>> Adam,
[1:26:15] » I oppose I oppose all of this.
>> Okay, you're way off topic.
[1:26:18] » I don't care. This is way on topic. This
is way on topic.
[1:26:22] » You have to stay on topic. It's okay.
>> This is on topic. I'm talking about the
[1:26:26] tax abatements and how we ended up in
this freaking mess that we're in.
[1:26:29] » You're talking about my election,
>> the open.
[1:26:31] » That's great because it's related,
right? You're voting in favor of this,
[1:26:34] right?
>> It's not related at all.
[1:26:36] » It's it's very it's very very relevant
because when you
[1:26:39] » the posted item,
>> listen,
[1:26:43] you're trying to violate my first
amendment and I'm not I'm not going to
[1:26:45] stand for it.
>> The Open Meetings Act.
[1:26:47] » The Open Meetings Act requires that we
stay on topic.
[1:26:49] » Okay, fine. I will stay on topic.
No, just give him let's let's give him
[1:26:54] the opportunity one more time to stay on
top.
[1:26:57] » All right, fine. Regardless of that,
obviously nobody even wants these data
[1:27:01] centers here,
>> but then you're furthering by giving
[1:27:05] them these major tax write offs. Charge
them the full amount. They're not even
[1:27:11] American.
[1:27:14] » Anyways, that's it.
>> Thank you. Just um just as an
[1:27:18] interesting point,
uh Texas is a great place as an
[1:27:23] individual [clears throat] um to live
because taxes are our individual taxes
[1:27:28] are low. Texas ranks 47th out of 50 um
when uh among all the states regarding
[1:27:37] corporate taxation.
So Texas is not at all a friendly state
[1:27:42] when it comes to corporate taxation.
So whenever whenever it said that you
[1:27:48] could bring u you know that there's
plenty of other industries in plenty of
[1:27:52] other states that you could bring in to
do business right here in Temple. Simply
[1:27:55] not true.
>> Okay.
[1:27:57] » Okay. Thank you.
>> Uh yes ma'am.
[1:28:00] » Hi. I'm Carly Bird.
>> Um I just think it's interesting that
[1:28:04] you put the word consider in the
verbiage
[1:28:08] because words are important. I mean when
you consider something you contemplate
[1:28:12] it. So, what should be in there is that
you are going to vote because you rarely
[1:28:18] vote against each other. I've noticed
like you don't disagree on stuff. I
[1:28:22] noticed that. And it seems like the main
people supporting the data centers are
[1:28:27] directly benefiting from the data
centers or the government of the city of
[1:28:31] Temple. is obvious right now by the
influx of upper class individuals that
[1:28:36] seem to have filled the seats whether
directly asked or unspok an unspoken
[1:28:41] contract exchanged financially or
through fake ad agilation like
[1:28:47] bootlicking
that's it
[1:28:50] » thank you ma'am who's next
[1:28:56] [clears throat]
>> hello Sarah Royer um okay so we're
[1:29:00] talking about tax abatements. And the
issue we have with tax abatements right
[1:29:04] now is they don't get to play by the
same rules as we do. Um like Meta, it
[1:29:09] was just in the newspaper that look at
this beautiful $1.4 billion facility.
[1:29:14] That's great, right? Um and but we
valuated them uh Bell County uh valuated
[1:29:21] them at $28 million. Um which is
interesting. And uh but we've seen this
[1:29:27] the Rowan properties we've seen if you
go through Bellcad and I've got all of
[1:29:32] the property numbers. We've seen it go
from 1.4 million re-evaluated to $70,000
[1:29:38] and then they're handed to them and they
only have to increase it by 300% to get
[1:29:43] their tax abatements and spend so much
money. They're spending this money on
[1:29:47] themselves. That's what they're spending
it on. So I don't know why we're giving
[1:29:50] them tax abatements and then also not
appraising it. If I got to have my house
[1:29:56] to be appraised at what, one%
of what I put into it, that would be
[1:30:01] amazing. And if that's what you guys are
looking to do, I would love to
[1:30:05] participate in that program. Um, but a
company that has 1.4 billion in a piece
[1:30:11] of land being evaluated for 28 million
and then you're still giving these tax
[1:30:15] breaks and you know, I can't speak to
Rowan because it hasn't come out yet,
[1:30:19] but I can see what you've done. I can
see the same thing you've done and
[1:30:23] what's happening. In fact, they held up
all of Bell County um appraisal district
[1:30:28] because they were fighting to get this
28 million dollar evaluation on Petta,
[1:30:32] which is really interesting. Um and
you're shaking your head, no, but go to
[1:30:36] Bellcad. That's what it's evaluated at.
It's that's what's that's what's in the
[1:30:40] records. So, if you know something we
don't, why isn't it in the records? Mr.
[1:30:45] Pilington,
>> it's not a city.
[1:30:48] » It's not a city.
>> Oh, it's not a city thing. But you know,
[1:30:50] you get to work with the same guy who
says yes to that. You guys are all
[1:30:54] related. So you're RT Schneider is
voting on that. So you guys are given
[1:31:00] huge tax abatements and RT Schneider
saying, "Oh, it's only worth 28
[1:31:04] million." I mean, this is a pretty good
old good old boys network. All these
[1:31:07] people are good old boys. We are the
citizens of Temple and we're saying this
[1:31:12] isn't cool. This is not fair. What
you're doing isn't fair. It's not fair
[1:31:16] for your citizens. It's not fair for the
people who live here.
[1:31:19] How's that for being on topic?
>> Here's here's something uh that's on
[1:31:24] topic. You are correct. The metadata
center, the operating data center was
[1:31:29] valued at $28 million
via Bellcad. Bellcad's uh industrial
[1:31:36] appraiser was called on the carpet about
that and I was in the meeting when that
[1:31:41] appraiser was fired and then and then
no, that's not true. And then um the uh
[1:31:48] tax appraisal district along with the
city of Temple along with Bell County
[1:31:53] worked with Meta to correct
their um appraisal and that went up to
[1:32:02] what?
[1:32:07] » Yes. Uh Mayor, their uh appraised value
and it was what was on the ground as of
[1:32:14] one
2026.
[1:32:16] » Correct.
>> It did go up to u
[1:32:20] see
[1:32:23] » it's projected the full value of the
building will be 563.7
[1:32:28] million. The 28.8 million is what the
land was appraised for.
[1:32:33] » Okay.
>> Then they they had personal property
[1:32:36] that was
that was appraised at
[1:32:46] It was nearly 400 something million too.
>> When the certified roll first came out,
[1:32:52] » right,
>> they had it appraised at $25.6
[1:32:56] million
>> and that was land and buildings.
[1:33:00] » What what what buildings were completed
as of January 1 of 2026?
[1:33:06] » Y
>> that's when we got heavily involved in
[1:33:10] and met her work the valuation was as
of1 2026. Though I know there were other
[1:33:17] communities that stopped their budgeting
process because the uh valuation they
[1:33:21] were expecting more income and uh based
upon the valuations and all taxing
[1:33:28] entities
worked very closely with Meta who worked
[1:33:33] with the taxing entities voluntarily
worked hard to get corrected valuations
[1:33:38] to the tax appraisal district and paid
the additional tax
[1:33:45] and
uh volunteered to help and were happy to
[1:33:49] do it and they did. They could have they
could have they this if you would like
[1:33:55] to speak and do public hearing, but they
could have they could have drugged their
[1:33:59] feet until everyone had to get their
budgets done. They didn't do that. They
[1:34:04] worked very quick. I think we were down
to maybe two weeks or so uh before we
[1:34:09] all had to get our budgets turned in.
and Metal worked very closely with um
[1:34:13] with all taxing entities to uh shore up
and pay the proper amount of tax based
[1:34:18] upon what should have been the real
valuation as of 1126.
[1:34:23] It was the appraisal district's uh
industrial appraiser that dropped the
[1:34:28] ball and um Meta worked very hard to fix
that with the taxing entities. Tax
[1:34:34] appraisal district fired the appraiser
who had been with them 20 plus years.
[1:34:38] So, what are they appraised at now?
Because it's not public record that we
[1:34:41] can find.
>> You're just looking at the land value
[1:34:46] when you look at at probably if you're
going on to Bellcad, there's different
[1:34:50] um tax IDs and typically land has a
certain ID. Uh building improvement has
[1:34:56] a different one, personal property can
have a different one. Those records are
[1:35:00] kept by the Bell County Appraisal
District. So, you can always call or um
[1:35:04] request information from them. But
according um to Tracy's records, can you
[1:35:10] » full build out
that will be as of F what will be on the
[1:35:16] roll as of 111 2027 is over$1.2 billion
and that's personal and real property
[1:35:22] » and after the updates are we able to
confirm what 1126
[1:35:27] » when you look at the cash system you
don't always see the values on it
[1:35:35] » so as of 2026 it was what 11 126 570
million is that what you said I'm just
[1:35:40] trying to get my numbers
>> let me grab the the spreadsheet with the
[1:35:44] exact number
[1:35:48] » has it listed $28 million just for land.
There's no improvement. It says zero
[1:35:52] dollars for improvement.
>> Tracy, while you're looking that up, why
[1:35:54] don't we move on to Margie Sarah? We'll
get back next.
[1:35:58] » And in 2025, it was 1.6 million. So, it
went up by 20 27.1 million in one year
[1:36:05] on land value only.
>> You have land value. Margie Fraser is
[1:36:09] going to read this right now. Temple,
Texas projected to lose approximately 14
[1:36:14] million annually to tax revenue due to t
data center tax abatements over a
[1:36:20] 10-year period. This is part of a
broader trend in Texas where the state
[1:36:24] is losing over one billion each year in
tax breaks for data centers and they are
[1:36:29] going to be bringing up in their
legislator legislation session coming up
[1:36:34] that they will not have any more d tax
abatements. So, they're going to get
[1:36:37] very low because these were all meant
for small data centers, not AI data
[1:36:43] centers. These AI data centers are
taking advantage of you. They're taking
[1:36:48] advantage of your land. I've seen how
it's backed up to that new residential
[1:36:52] area and how those trucks are still
going. And I have complained to Greg
[1:36:56] Abbott and he might lose this election
over this.
[1:37:01] The loss is exper Technical Texas
experienced significant financial
[1:37:07] impacts due to tax abatements granted to
data centers. These abatements are
[1:37:13] designed to attract investment
but come at a cost to local revenue. So
[1:37:20] how are they helping us? The city of
Temple I know I buy a lot of stuff
[1:37:24] around here. I guarantee it. prices keep
going up to lose approximately of course
[1:37:29] $14 million annually in tax revenue.
This loss is part I've already told you
[1:37:36] that. So while they can stimulate
economic development, the loss of
[1:37:42] revenue poses challenges for funding
essential city services and
[1:37:48] infrastructures.
So, you're going to have to learn how to
[1:37:51] balance your attracting of new
businesses with the need to maintain
[1:37:55] financial stability for your residences,
which doesn't seem to be happening. I
[1:38:01] haven't seen how it's happening. So, if
y'all can explain that to me, I'd
[1:38:06] appreciate it. And I'm bet every
resident that lives here, actually lives
[1:38:09] here, would appreciate it.
Everybody in Bell County would
[1:38:14] appreciate to knowing that. Okay?
Because
[1:38:19] » if I go buy a new suit,
>> you're going to pay taxes
[1:38:23] » for a thousand bucks
>> and they instead put it on sale for 800,
[1:38:29] » but all it cost them was 500.
>> Did they lose money?
[1:38:34] » No.
>> That's That's a tax abatement right
[1:38:36] there.
>> Well, we're losing money. And we're not
[1:38:40] saying that.
>> Do we have those? Uh,
[1:38:46] » Mr. Roy, I think we're addressing
Are we ready to
[1:38:51] » 1 bill235,16,671
[1:38:57] is Meta's total valuation
126.
[1:39:04] » That's full that's completed full build
>> as of 26. That's what they'll pay taxes
[1:39:10] on real and personal property.
[1:39:15] » Yes, ma'am.
>> We just
[1:39:18] » Who's next?
>> Anybody else?
[1:39:25] » Going once.
>> Milton.
[1:39:33] » Yeah, let's let's take you in the mic.
coming to you.
[1:39:38] » We're coming to you.
>> Okay. I appreciate that, Mr. Mayor.
[1:39:43] » Yes, sir.
>> We'll talk about tax abatement.
[1:39:48] What is percent of the tax abatement
that it's going to be given?
[1:39:51] » Uh on that one is 25%. 50%.
>> 50%.
[1:39:57] » How about 50%.
>> 50%.
[1:40:01] Okay. It's valued at a million dollars.
We give them 50%.
[1:40:08] We make 50%. Correct?
>> Yes, sir.
[1:40:12] » When do we start making 50%.
[1:40:16] » When the when their building's 100%.
>> When I
[1:40:20] » when when their building is 100%
complete or their improvements
[1:40:25] as as of January one of that the year
that we're going to catch the revenue.
[1:40:31] So, the certificate of uh occupancy when
given on the building and also they have
[1:40:37] dispiled some various reports.
That's when we'll start receiving the
[1:40:43] » when when are we going to start making
money?
[1:40:47] » When?
>> We've already started making money.
[1:40:49] » Okay.
>> Whenever they pay their 2026 tax bill
[1:40:52] and their 2025 tax bill.
[1:40:57] » So they have to pay the tax bill by
April the 1st.
[1:41:01] » It it is levied October one.
>> Okay. October one
[1:41:05] » and then it's due it's due.
>> So we are looking at at 50% of
[1:41:12] what evaluation
>> well 50% of the tax paid on the 1.23 two
[1:41:18] billion.
>> Are we talking about meta or
[1:41:21] » I think we're talking about meta. I'm
not sure.
[1:41:24] » Have we?
>> This is off topic. I see.
[1:41:27] » We have not received any money yet.
>> We have. Yes, sir. We have.
[1:41:31] » We have.
>> Yes.
[1:41:35] Huh?
[1:41:42] » Thank you.
>> You bet. Thank you,
[1:41:43] » I guess.
>> All right.
[1:41:45] » I don't know.
[1:41:51] We need to assign someone to go pick
Milton up before every council meeting.
[1:41:56] It's been a while since he's been here.
It's because he doesn't have
[1:41:58] transportation. Somebody go get him. Who
else?
[1:42:02] Going once?
Everybody good?
[1:42:09] » Outside.
They'll holler at the folks outside,
[1:42:12] please.
[1:42:19] We're good. Nobody out. Nobody back
there. Okay.
[1:42:24] Going once, going twice.
I will now close the public hearing on
[1:42:28] items four and five. And council, I'll
entertain a motion on item four.
[1:42:36] » I will make a motion to approve item
four, although I can't seem to get
[1:42:43] » I'll second.
We have a motion by Mayor Pro Tim
[1:42:46] Walker. We have a second by Council
Member Emmens. Council, please cast your
[1:42:50] vote. I can you switch over?
[1:42:57] I saw there. Here we go. Item four
passes. Four votes yes, one uh zero
[1:43:02] votes no, and one abstension. Council,
entertain a motion on item five.
[1:43:08] » Five as presented.
>> Second.
[1:43:11] » Have a motion by council member
Pilington. We have a second by council
[1:43:14] member Emmens. Council, please cast your
vote.
[1:43:26] » Hi,
>> yes.
[1:43:31] Item five passes, four votes yes, zero
votes no, and one abstension.
[1:43:37] Item six is to consider approving an
amendment of the tax abatement agreement
[1:43:41] with Rowan LLC which abated a a
percentage of the increase in the
[1:43:45] taxable value of certain real and
personal property located in Synergy
[1:43:49] Park. Miss Thomas,
[1:43:53] » mayor and council members,
um before you for consideration is an
[1:43:59] amendment to the tax statement agreement
with Rowan Temple LLC.
[1:44:04] As a reminder, on October 2, 25. Um, you
approved a chapter 312 tax abatement
[1:44:10] agreement with Rowan Temple LLC in
accordance with chapter 312 of the Texas
[1:44:15] Tax Code.
The agreement abated a percentage of the
[1:44:19] increase of taxable value of certain
real and personal property for a project
[1:44:23] located in Synergy Industrial Park to
develop one or more data centers.
[1:44:28] The project is permitted to develop in
multiple phases. To be eligible for
[1:44:32] abatement, Rowan is required to invest
at least $700 million and employ at
[1:44:37] least 40 full-time employees per phase.
The agreement contains a provision that
[1:44:42] includes future phases under the same
terms and conditions if the land
[1:44:46] acquired for that phase is included in a
tax abatement reinvestment zone.
[1:44:53] This amendment um amends and adds
certain definitions, adds provisions
[1:44:58] regarding permanent connection to the
grid and further defines elig
[1:45:02] eligibility for abatement for personal
property.
[1:45:07] It strengthens the agreement in three
key ways. It prevents companies or
[1:45:12] affiliates that already have their own
tax abatement agreement from also
[1:45:15] benefiting under another company's
agreement.
[1:45:18] It clarifies that temporary on-site
electrical generation does not count
[1:45:22] towards the company's required
investment and is not eligible for tax
[1:45:26] abatement. And it provides that a
company can lose its abatement benefits
[1:45:30] if it continues relying on temporary
generators for long-term power needs
[1:45:34] instead of transitioning to permanent
grid service.
[1:45:38] It does not reduce the company's
investment commitment, extend the
[1:45:42] abatement period, or grant any new
incentives.
[1:45:48] the tax abatement criteria. Per the
city's economic development policy, to
[1:45:52] be eligible for tax abatement, at least
two criteria must be met. Staff still
[1:45:57] believes um the project meets these
criteria. It involves a minimum increase
[1:46:02] in property value of 300% for
construction of new facilities and a
[1:46:05] substantial contribution to
redevelopment efforts or strategic
[1:46:08] economic development. It stimulates
desired concentration of employment or
[1:46:13] commercial activity and generates
greater employment than would otherwise
[1:46:16] be achieved. It will also expand the
employment base, attract major
[1:46:20] investment and contribute to economic
development in the city as required by
[1:46:23] chapter 312 of the tax code.
And um as you did on the last two items,
[1:46:30] the council may designate a TARS if the
designation is likely to contribute to
[1:46:34] retention or expansion of primary
employment or attract major investment
[1:46:38] in the zone. that would be a benefit to
the property and contribute to the
[1:46:41] economic development of the city.
[1:46:45] Um,
you've created three separate TARS that
[1:46:49] are subject to this tax abatement
agreement. Uh, TAR number 47 designated
[1:46:55] by council October 2nd, 2025.
TAR 49 designated by council on April
[1:47:00] 2nd, 2026 for a subsequent phase. TAR 50
um which was approved today. All
[1:47:08] properties are subject to planned
development light industrial zoning
[1:47:12] regulations located in Synergy
Industrial Park near the landfill BKB
[1:47:18] Panda Power Plant and the railroad.
[clears throat]
[1:47:23] As a reminder, the projected revenue
during the abatement period is 40
[1:47:28] approximately $42 million annually,
whereas the abatement will be just under
[1:47:34] 14 million.
I'm happy to answer any questions you
[1:47:38] may have.
Anything for Miss Thomas?
[1:47:47] » All right. And with that, council, I
will entertain a motion.
[1:47:54] Make a motion to approve item six.
>> Second it.
[1:47:57] » Have a motion by council member Emmens.
We have a second by Mayor Pro Tim
[1:48:01] Walker. Council, please cast your vote.
[1:48:09] Item six passes. Four votes yes, zero
votes no. One abstension.
[1:48:16] Item seven is to consider adopting a
resolution authorizing the following
[1:48:20] agreements.
Item A, a development agreement with
[1:48:24] Rowan Lasso LLC for the development of
approximately 316 acres associated with
[1:48:30] project Lasso which is phase 1B
establishing development coordination of
[1:48:34] phase permitting process, transportation
planning, utility coordination and other
[1:48:39] development related requirements for the
project. Item B reads, "An
[1:48:44] infrastructure agreement with Rowan
Stampede LLC related to the
[1:48:47] approximately 1,443
acres comprising project uh Temple and
[1:48:53] Lasso, which is phase one, project
stampede phase two, project ranger phase
[1:48:58] three, establishing responsibilities for
the funding, design, construction,
[1:49:02] dedication, and timing of the water and
wastewater infrastructure necessary to
[1:49:06] serve these projects together with
certain community benefit contributions.
[1:49:12] 7C
is an is uh an amended and restated
[1:49:17] utility services agreement with Rowan
Temple LLC for project temple lasso
[1:49:21] phase one establishing the amount timing
conditions and limitations associated
[1:49:26] with water and wastewater service for
the project
[1:49:29] 7D is a utility services agreement with
Rowan Stampede LLC for project stampede
[1:49:34] phase 2 establishing the amount timing
conditions and limitations associated
[1:49:38] with the water and wastewater service
for the project. And item 7E is utility
[1:49:44] services agreement with Rowan Ranger LLC
for project ranger, which is phase
[1:49:47] three, establishing the amount, timing,
conditions, and limitations associated
[1:49:51] with water and wastewater service for
the project.
[1:49:56] » Thank you, Mayor. Uh we've had several
action items on this uh topic tonight,
[1:50:01] so I'll I'll be brief. Um just a a quick
project overview. This is three campus
[1:50:06] phases with six plan data centers. As
Charlotte said, all of them are located
[1:50:10] in the Synergy Southeast Industrial
Park. They um have a capital investment
[1:50:15] commitment of $700 million per abatement
phase and 40 full-time jobs. Again,
[1:50:21] these uh these are all located in our
indust in our synergy um south
[1:50:25] industrial park area. You can see there
the map. Um they're located uh generally
[1:50:31] in in the same uh park that we have our
regional landfill and where BKB power
[1:50:37] plant is located.
On the agenda tonight, mayor, as you
[1:50:41] read, there's five um uh different
agreements uh for your consideration.
[1:50:47] The first item is a development
agreement for the project lasso or phase
[1:50:52] 1B um of their campus. This covers
approximately 316 additional acres that
[1:50:59] will be added to phase one as a
replacement for the property um that we
[1:51:03] purchased, the city of Temple purchased
for the landfill expansion. Um the
[1:51:07] agreement addresses comprehensive plan
coordination, thoroughfare plan
[1:51:10] alignment, phase permitting, noise
mitigation, utility coordination, and
[1:51:16] relocation of city infrastructure at
Rowan's expense. Again, this is for um
[1:51:21] project uh land that was um added to uh
their original phase one when the
[1:51:26] company um assigned the contract that
they had to purchase this property that
[1:51:33] had been identified as the only viable
location for the city of Temple to
[1:51:37] expand our current landfill and added um
up to 50 years of additional capacity uh
[1:51:43] life to our uh current landfill
facility.
[1:51:47] Um the next agreement is the
infrastructure agreement. This creates
[1:51:51] one coordinated infrastructure program
for all three Rowan phases. Um there's a
[1:51:56] series of core infrastructure
improvement um that support Rowan's
[1:52:00] requested capacity but also provide um
significant um water resources to the
[1:52:06] broader south and southeast Temple water
system and help um ensure reliability
[1:52:11] and resiliency of our uh water system as
a whole. Rowan will fund a total of 38
[1:52:17] million point uh 38.5 million for
infrastructure and projects. Um this
[1:52:22] includes um the uh 25 approximately 25
million that they will um contribute to
[1:52:28] the core infrastructure program. Um as
well as a $10 million contribution
[1:52:33] towards the aquifer storage and recovery
program and $3 million for the Salmon's
[1:52:39] Community Center if approved by voters
in November.
[1:52:42] » Miss um Myers. Absolutely.
>> The uh $10 million for the ASR, does
[1:52:48] that give them access to the ASR?
>> No. And I do have some additional slides
[1:52:51] about that in a second. If I didn't
cover it uh sufficiently in my slides,
[1:52:56] uh will you remind me to come back?
Okay. Thank you.
[1:52:59] » Um the next three agreements are related
to the specific utility agreements for
[1:53:03] each phase. Each phase will have its own
contractual water and wastewater limits.
[1:53:08] The agreements do not provide unlimited
access to city water. Uh permanent
[1:53:13] service is tied to completion of
infrastructure and satisi uh
[1:53:17] satisfaction of their payment
obligations that are outlined in the
[1:53:21] infrastructure agreement. The agreements
uh require that the company use closed
[1:53:26] loop cooling technology. Um and the
initial charging water has to be staged
[1:53:30] and coordinated with the city and used
over a period of uh days. uh uh in times
[1:53:36] that uh the city uh has indicated uh the
system will be able to um uh to safely
[1:53:43] uh provide that amount of water. Um
water use is monitored and may be
[1:53:48] controlled through um physical or SCADA
uh restrictions if necessary. Uh the
[1:53:54] company cannot pay a fee or penalty um
to exceed its contractual limits. The
[1:53:59] the contract limits are uh are binding
and cannot be exceeded. um by just
[1:54:05] paying a fee to exceed those amounts.
[1:54:10] Temple's long-term water position, we
have um as council knows, we have over
[1:54:15] 44,000 acre feet of um water uh uh
rights um in uh in primarily surface
[1:54:23] water rights. The majority of those
rights are state adjudicated and many
[1:54:27] are senior to um are very senior in the
state including to um other rights uh
[1:54:33] owned by bar. Of course, senior rights
means that there's stronger legal
[1:54:38] protections for the city's rights and
stronger reliability of our water.
[1:54:42] Today, we currently use an average um we
have an average demand of water of 18
[1:54:48] million gallons a day. That peaks in the
summer at 33 million gallons a day. Our
[1:54:53] current treatment capacity uh at our two
water treatment plants is 54 million
[1:54:58] gallons. Uh the council, as you know, re
you recently funded and and added and
[1:55:03] completed a project that added 13
million gallons a day to our membrane
[1:55:07] treatment plant. And that expansion
included a modular uh the ability to
[1:55:11] modularly expand that plant with another
4 million gallons a day by adding an
[1:55:16] additional membrane rack. Um so it the
uh system is built to handle growth with
[1:55:21] a large buffer between our peak usage
and our treatment capacity. We've also
[1:55:27] uh through your leadership invested in
our future water supply um namely
[1:55:31] through our um aquafer storage and
recovery uh system which can add up to
[1:55:37] 15 million gallons a day of uh water
capacity to our system. Again, for these
[1:55:43] uh specific projects, uh the contracts
require that a closed loop cooling
[1:55:48] system be used. Uh the initial charge
for each building is 1.5 million
[1:55:53] gallons, but that amount of water is
recirculated for at least 10 years. Um
[1:55:59] and that water is phased over uh a
number of days, and the timing of that
[1:56:04] is planned with the city
on a day-to-day basis. Um each project
[1:56:09] also has contractual daily limits for
both water and wastewater. You can see
[1:56:14] on the screen there the uh the limits uh
for each phase with a total average
[1:56:19] daily um water consumption at 32,000
gallons, an annual use of 11.7 million
[1:56:27] gallons, and a peak daily use of 78,000
gallons. for scale. Um the total campus,
[1:56:34] all three phases will use less than 1%
of the total daily water used today by
[1:56:39] City of Temple customers. Each building
will use what less than what a uh
[1:56:45] restaurant uh typically uses per day and
each building will use less than a what
[1:56:50] a 150 lot residential subdivision would
use um on average. Again, we've
[1:56:55] mentioned this before, but the water use
will be monitored through remote meters,
[1:57:00] and physical or automated controls can
limit the use to the approved amounts.
[1:57:04] The company can't pay a fee or penalty
to exceed um their contractual amounts.
[1:57:09] The um company has committed to um
significant um contribution to the South
[1:57:15] Temple Water Infrastructure Capital
Program. This is a series of 10 projects
[1:57:19] that will bring significant additional
water capacity to the south and
[1:57:23] southeast portions of our community. Uh
these projects total $71.1 million and
[1:57:29] uh Rowan has committed to fund 45% of
the total infrastructure cost. Um they
[1:57:35] also built um the first part of our ASR
program which was the synergy well. It's
[1:57:41] uh been built uh originally as a
production well in the Synergy Park
[1:57:45] area. Um it has a uh capacity of 3.8
million gallons a day and was
[1:57:52] constructed and designed uh in such a
way that it's intended to be converted
[1:57:56] to an injection well uh to support the
first piece of the ASR program.
[1:58:02] Uh for those who who may be uh
unfamiliar with ASR, ASR stands for
[1:58:07] aquifer storage and recovery. It allows
us to store treated water underground in
[1:58:12] the aquifer. Water is injected when
supply is available and then can be
[1:58:17] recovered during times of drought or
peak demand or other emergency
[1:58:20] conditions.
The reason that uh this is pursued is
[1:58:25] because it um it uh allows us to store
water underground instead of in above
[1:58:30] ground reservoirs uh that are subject to
significant evaporation and significant
[1:58:36] land acquisition.
[1:58:40] ASR helps make uh helps temple make u
better use of the water that we rights
[1:58:46] that we already have. It helps us
capture water during lower demand
[1:58:49] periods, store that water underground
for later use. It reduces our reliance
[1:58:54] on surface water availability, creates a
drought and peak demand reserve, and
[1:58:59] help support future growth needs.
[clears throat]
[1:59:02] The city of Temple owns and controls the
Synergy well. As I mentioned, it was
[1:59:06] built by Rowan as part of a previous
economic development agreement where
[1:59:10] Rowan constructed and paid for the well
on behalf of the city of Temple. But the
[1:59:15] but Rowan does not have ownership of the
well. uh the water rights from that
[1:59:19] well, the aquafer. Um the project that
was contemplated by the original
[1:59:24] economic development agreement um that
had us um that that had Rowan uh
[1:59:29] constructing this was cancelled and the
conditions required to trigger the
[1:59:33] city's reimbursement obligations were
not satisfied. As a result, the city
[1:59:37] won't be re reimbursing the company for
those costs as was originally
[1:59:41] contemplated in the in the agreement.
However, the company still completed um
[1:59:46] the infrastructure which included more
than the well. Um they built water
[1:59:50] infrastructure, wastewater
infrastructure, and some roadway
[1:59:53] infrastructure as along with the synergy
well. And then they dedicated those to
[1:59:57] the city as was originally contemplated
by the agreement even though the full
[2:00:01] project didn't move forward. The water
rights that are associated with that
[2:00:05] original agreement are very specific. I
say water rights, the water usage um
[2:00:10] water availability uh to them was very
specific to the original project. Um it
[2:00:15] was tied to the specific parcel of
property and the specific um the the
[2:00:20] specific project and it can't be
transferred to their current projects or
[2:00:24] any other project. So, um because that
project was cancelled, all of the
[2:00:28] obligations in that agreement um are um
no longer um applicable, including um
[2:00:35] the uh their ability to use water from
the synergy well. It was limited only to
[2:00:40] that specific project, and there's no
ability for them to transfer those um
[2:00:45] those agreement terms to any of the
phases that we're talking about today.
[2:00:49] Instead, um the three agreements that
are on your agenda today would govern
[2:00:54] these projects. Um the water use would
be granted expressly through those three
[2:00:59] agreements. Um it does have limits for
the domestic water use and limits for uh
[2:01:04] the um cooling water uh for the
controlled co uh closed loop cooling. Uh
[2:01:10] the agreements do not allow unlimited
access to city water. Um they do not
[2:01:15] allow a provision for a rowin to exceed
the contractual limits. They do not
[2:01:19] provide um ownership interest to Rowan
in any of our water infrastructure
[2:01:24] including the ASR system or the well and
they don't allow Rowan to charge to
[2:01:29] discharge their waste water to the
aquafer.
[2:01:32] Um as part of uh Rowan's agreement to uh
fund infrastructure, it allows us to uh
[2:01:39] free up uh funds for other important
projects um including uh the relocation
[2:01:45] of Fire Station 7. Um, as council knows,
you've made a significant commitment to
[2:01:50] um, building new fire stations in the
six-year plan, including the relocation
[2:01:54] of seven. Um, the addition of nine, the
relocation of six. Um, you have future
[2:02:00] uh, fire stations planned as well. Um,
10, 11, um, and, um, and then in future,
[2:02:07] uh, parts of the master plan address,
uh, stations 12, 13, and 14.
[2:02:14] um already mentioned tonight, but again,
Sammon's Community Center um is part of
[2:02:18] Rowan's commitment. They um have
committed to a total of $3 million
[2:02:23] towards the total $15 million project
cost. This will lower um the amount of
[2:02:29] the bond uh of uh bonds that will have
to be issued um if this project is
[2:02:34] approved by the voters in November and
thus will lower the tax rate impact of
[2:02:38] this project for our community. As
Charlotte mentioned in her presentation,
[2:02:43] there is a phased in project revenue
during the um abatement period. Um the
[2:02:49] project will generate $42 million per
year to the city. Um and then uh
[2:02:55] postabatement uh conservatively
estimated at $56 million per year. Um,
[2:03:01] that's an annual um, uh, revenue and
that is in addition to the over $38
[2:03:06] million in infrastructure and other
project contributions that I just went
[2:03:10] over with you tonight, as well as
additional revenue to other taxing
[2:03:14] entities um, that Rowan will also u pay
taxes to, including Temple and Rogers
[2:03:19] ISD, Bell County, and Temple College.
Um, that is a brief summary of the five
[2:03:24] agreements that are before you tonight,
Mayor. All right. Um, if I didn't
[2:03:28] address your ASR question, please allow
me to go back to that, but that's all I
[2:03:31] had prepared.
>> I just I think it's it's worth noting
[2:03:34] and emphasizing that
um,
[2:03:39] Rowan
was contractually obligated to build the
[2:03:43] well. And in that same contract, they
knew all along they were going to hand
[2:03:47] that well over to the city of Temple.
And as you mentioned that any water that
[2:03:52] was generated by that well that Rowan
would use was specific to Project
[2:03:57] Mariah.
>> Correct.
[2:03:59] » That's right.
>> Which is the old Bitcoin mining
[2:04:01] operation that is defunct.
>> And so um at at no time did they own it.
[2:04:06] Did they have um unilateral access to
it?
[2:04:10] » In fact, as we've said before, that well
has never been operational on a on a
[2:04:16] large basis. we get water out of the
ground to test it right now, but as far
[2:04:20] as any infrastructure to then distribute
that anywhere else simply doesn't exist
[2:04:24] yet in in a large format,
>> right? They had the they had the option
[2:04:30] in their original economic development
agreement to construct the well on our
[2:04:34] behalf. It was permitted. It it was
always under our ownership. It was never
[2:04:38] permission that they were given to
construct a well for their own um
[2:04:42] ownership.
um if they constructed the well, then
[2:04:46] the city of Temple would have sold them
water from the well, but only
[2:04:50] specifically for that project.
And so they uh they completed the
[2:04:56] construction of the well even though
they were not no longer going to
[2:04:59] continue with the project. Um they've
invested over $6 million in that well
[2:05:05] and uh that you know the city would have
otherwise had to fund in order to um
[2:05:09] establish our ASR program.
And again, that was in addition to um I
[2:05:15] believe that the um
the uh engineers um opinion of probable
[2:05:22] cost for the other infrastructure that
they were building on behalf of the
[2:05:26] city. Um the water and wastewater lines
and lift station that was um believe the
[2:05:33] OPC was 4.8 million for that. They also
completed those improvements and
[2:05:38] dedicated those to the city.
related to that that uh there were three
[2:05:44] payments in the reinvestment zone
financing plan of 1.6 million a year. It
[2:05:50] was to be paid over three years and
since they didn't their investment
[2:05:55] commitment wasn't made that money was
not paid out will not be paid out and
[2:06:00] it's been reprogrammed
>> with an economic development agreement.
[2:06:03] City of Temple was going to pay about
over three years about $5 million. If
[2:06:07] they um performed what they were
required to do, they did not perform.
[2:06:13] Therefore, the city of Temple kept that
$5 million.
[2:06:17] » Roughly.
>> Roughly. Yes, sir.
[2:06:18] » Yep. And still has full ownership of the
well.
[2:06:20] » Yes, sir.
>> And that well when operational will
[2:06:23] increase the city of Temple's water
capacity roughly by 15 10 to 15%.
[2:06:30] through the reclaimed water
>> and the reimbursement to Rowan was was
[2:06:36] uh which again they they completed the
infrastructure even though they weren't
[2:06:41] completing the rest of the project and
just weren't reimbursed for it. But the
[2:06:44] reimbursement amount which was capped at
I believe 4.8 was based on the opinion
[2:06:49] of probable cost for the other
infrastructure the roadway um water line
[2:06:54] wastewater line and lift station. it
didn't include the cost, the estimated
[2:06:59] cost of the well. If they spent less
than the $4.8 million on that other
[2:07:04] infrastructure, then they could have
used um their portions of their
[2:07:10] investment for the well um to against
that 4.8, but it was capped at 4.8. And
[2:07:15] so really the reimbursement that was
contemplated in the in the original
[2:07:19] economic development agreement was for
the other infrastructure, not the well.
[2:07:24] Um but the agreement was structured as
so that if those costs came in under
[2:07:28] budget that they could apply um some of
that $4.8 million cap towards the cost
[2:07:34] that they um spent um for the synergy
well. Again, they ended up doing all of
[2:07:39] the infrastructure dedicating it to the
city and the city um but they didn't
[2:07:44] meet they didn't they didn't meet the
other obligations of the agreement. So,
[2:07:48] um, the other portions of that agreement
are no longer in effect, including our
[2:07:52] obligation to reimburse for the
infrastructure or the obligation to
[2:07:57] provide water um or wastewater uh
service for that project because that
[2:08:02] was tied to that specific project. Very
clear in the agreement.
[2:08:09] » Very good. um you know there there is so
much misinformation, disinformation or
[2:08:13] simply misunderstanding about that well
specifically and um I I just I think it
[2:08:18] I think it is is worth going over like
you've done tonight again around the
[2:08:24] parameters of that well um because it is
uh the ASR well is the first of its kind
[2:08:31] for Temple. Um, in fact, you know, we
the city of Temple um partnered with
[2:08:36] Bell County and others, Department of
Defense included, to find uh proper
[2:08:42] areas along the aquifer that could uh
um that that could um what's the right
[2:08:49] word that could take on the water for
through the ASR process. Not every
[2:08:56] aquifer is um is ideal for that, but in
this case, one on Fort Hood was found
[2:09:02] and one on out in Synergy Park was
found. And we're just simply taking
[2:09:06] advantage of a geological structure that
is perfect for ASR use. So, it's it's a
[2:09:14] blessing that we have that and it's a
blessing now that we know about it and
[2:09:17] are able to take advantage of it and
frankly take advantage of on somebody
[2:09:22] else's D.
That is nice. The one other thing that I
[2:09:26] would mention is that um
outside city limits, the city of Temple
[2:09:33] does not have the ability to con to um
let me say it differently.
[2:09:42] Property owners are required to get the
city of Temple's consent for wells
[2:09:47] drilled inside the city limits. They are
not required to do that outside the city
[2:09:52] limits. There still of course is the
underwater underground conservation
[2:09:56] district process that they would have to
go through, but that you know there
[2:10:00] there are groundwater rights that um
that property owners in Texas have and
[2:10:05] if they meet the requirements then
they're going to get um the ability to
[2:10:10] um drill um to to use groundwater. And
so the both the Mariah project as well
[2:10:16] as um all of um project temple phase one
um uh Lasso phase 1B and um
[2:10:28] most of Ranger were outside the city
limits. And so um the uh if those
[2:10:36] projects had stayed outside the city
limits then rowing could have drilled
[2:10:40] that well
which they wanted to drill on their own.
[2:10:45] Um but um through those negotiations we
didn't grant them authorization to drill
[2:10:52] the well for their ownership. We granted
them authorization to drill the well for
[2:10:57] public ownership. Um, and that's only
available because they voluntarily that
[2:11:03] that control is only was only available
to the city because they voluntarily
[2:11:08] annexed into the into the city limits.
[2:11:14] We've explored buying water
and um the cost of the cost of the water
[2:11:20] is um is very high. The cost of getting
the water from where it is to where we
[2:11:26] would need it in temple is um that
number starts with the B. And to know
[2:11:31] that we have water available right under
our feet and to be able to take
[2:11:36] advantage of that will uh
will will pay the city of Temple will be
[2:11:43] an advantage to the city of Temple for
decades.
[2:11:46] Fair statement.
Okay.
[2:11:51] Council, any questions for Miss Myers?
Okay. All right. We are going to take uh
[2:11:56] each of these items separately. So,
council um item 7A, which is um and I'll
[2:12:01] read them in since it's been a while.
I'll read quickly. Uh 7A is a
[2:12:06] development agreement with Rowan Lasso
LLC for the development of the
[2:12:09] approximately 316 acres associated with
project lasso which is phase 1B
[2:12:14] establishing development coordination a
phasing per a phase permitting process
[2:12:19] transportation
planning utility coordination and other
[2:12:22] development related requirements.
Council entertain a motion on item 7A.
[2:12:27] » Motion to approve.
>> Second.
[2:12:30] » Have a motion by council member Walker.
We have a second by council member
[2:12:34] Bington. Council, please cast your vote.
[2:12:46] » Not Not this one, Milton.
Not this one.
[2:12:51] Item 7 A passes. Four votes yes. Zero
votes no. One abstension. Item 7B is an
[2:12:58] infrastructure agreement with Rowan
Stampede LLC related to the approximate
[2:13:01] 1,443 acres comprising project temple
lasso phase 1, project stampede phase 2,
[2:13:08] project ranger phase three, establishing
responsibilities for the funding,
[2:13:12] design, construction, dedication, and
timing of water and wastewater
[2:13:15] infrastructure necessary to serve the
projects together with certain community
[2:13:19] benefit contributions. Council and I'll
entertain a motion on 7B.
[2:13:25] Move to approve 7B as presented.
>> Second. We have a motion by um council
[2:13:31] member Pilington. We have a second by
council member Emmens. Council, please
[2:13:34] cast your vote.
[2:13:38] 7B passes. Four votes yes, zero votes
no, one abstension.
[2:13:43] 7 C is an amended and restated utility
services agreement with Rowan LLC for
[2:13:48] project temple lasso which is phase one
establishing the amount timing
[2:13:52] conditions limitations associated with
water and wastewater service for the
[2:13:56] project council entertain a motion
>> approve
[2:14:04] have a motion by Mayor pro Tim Walker we
have a second by council member
[2:14:07] Pilington council cast your vote
[2:14:13] 7 C passes. Four votes yes, zero votes,
no, one abstension. D is a utility
[2:14:19] services agreement with Rowan Stampede
LLC for project Stampede phase 2
[2:14:24] establishing the amount, timing,
conditions, and limitations associated
[2:14:27] with water and wastewater service for
the project. Council entertain a motion.
[2:14:32] » Make a motion to approve 7D.
>> Second. You have a motion by council
[2:14:37] member Emmens, a second by Mayor Pro Tim
Walker. Please cast your vote.
[2:14:46] 7D passes four votes yes, zero votes,
no, one abstension. 7E is utility
[2:14:51] services agreement with Rowan Ranger LLC
for project ranger phase three
[2:14:55] establishing the amount, timing,
conditions, and limitations associated
[2:14:59] with water and wastewater service for
the project. Council, I'll entertain a
[2:15:04] motion.
>> Motion to approve. 7E.
[2:15:08] » We have a motion by council member
Emmens. We have a second by council
[2:15:12] member Pilington.
[2:15:16] 7E passes. Four votes yes. Zero votes
no. One abstension.
[2:15:23] » Before you go to the next, can I say
something, please?
[2:15:25] » Yes, ma'am.
[2:15:32] when you first read these
and
[2:15:37] there's only so much we can take from
individuals.
[2:15:42] So I was called to my face a b- word
from Sarah Royer who was left the
[2:15:48] building. I wish she was in here because
that's not my name nor it's who I
[2:15:53] represent.
Okay? So, please tell your wife that
[2:15:58] we're going to only take so much from
you. And I'm going to probably get in
[2:16:00] trouble for this, but we're only going
to take so much from you. None of these
[2:16:05] women up here deserve to be called a b-
word. None of these women in this
[2:16:10] council needs to be called a B- word.
We've been called a
[2:16:16] We've been said that we need to not be
alive.
[2:16:21] And there's only so much we can take.
But I will not allow you to do that in
[2:16:27] my face. You can do it on
Instagram or wherever you want to be and
[2:16:32] hide Facebook.
Not in my face. Not in any of our faces.
[2:16:39] Would you call your mother that?
[2:16:44] Well, somebody did.
And it's disrespectful
[2:16:48] and it's intolerable. We will not
take any more of this.
[2:16:55] So if there's legal rights for us,
you know, we've been quiet and we've
[2:17:00] said we're not going to do this. We're
not going to press charges because we
[2:17:03] don't want to ruin that person's life.
You're ruining our our lives.
[2:17:08] So stop, please.
Because I love every single one of you
[2:17:14] regardless. And there's nothing you can
do about that.
[2:17:19] But I am not nor are they a beat. Thank
you.
[2:17:25] » [applause]
[2:17:33] [applause]
[2:17:35] » It's against my nature not to say
anything, but I'm not going to follow
[2:17:38] that. Thank you for that. Moving on to
item eight is consider adopting a
[2:17:43] resolution appointing members to various
city boards and commissions.
[2:17:48] Y'all think I've read a lot tonight.
Here you go. Um,
[2:17:53] for the airport advisory board, we're
going to reappoint Tony Hell and Jeremy
[2:17:57] Walters to fill expired terms ending
September 30, 2029 and appoint Lisa
[2:18:02] Carile
to fill an expired term ending September
[2:18:06] 30, 2029. On the Animal Services
Advisory Board, we're going to reappoint
[2:18:10] Amy Strunk and Zo Grant to fill expired
terms ending September 30, 2029 and
[2:18:15] appoint Dr. Ashley Winkler to fill an
expired term ending September 30, 2029.
[2:18:22] On the Citizens Police Advisory
Commission, we're going to reappoint
[2:18:25] Roland Carneahan.
[2:18:31] We're going to reappoint uh Roland
Carneahan, Gary Smith, and Lydia Alanise
[2:18:36] to fill expired terms ending September
30, 2029, and appoint Richard Rwood and
[2:18:41] Elizabeth Roth to fill unexpired terms
ending September 30, 2027. On the Civil
[2:18:47] Service Commission, reappoint Brent
Walker to fill an expired term ending
[2:18:52] September 30, 2029. On the emergency
services advisory board, we're going to
[2:18:56] reappoint Maria Aristi and Steven
Fischer to fill expired terms ending
[2:19:02] September 30, 2029. Library Advisory
Board, we're going to appoint Jordan
[2:19:06] Valentin to fill an an unexpired term
ending March 31, 2028.
[2:19:13] Parks and Recreation Advisory Board,
appoint Louis Phillips to fill an
[2:19:18] unexpired term ending March 31, 2029.
Planning and Zoning Commission reappoint
[2:19:24] Judy Morales, Jeremy Jerasic, and Caleb
Blino to fill expiring terms ending
[2:19:30] September 30, 2029. And on the tax
increment financing reinvestment zone
[2:19:35] number one board of directors, reappoint
Rob Marshall, Tyler Johnson, Thomas
[2:19:39] Cloud, Lacy Wagner, Lester Fedic, John
Keela, and Gary Schmidt to fill expired
[2:19:45] terms ending September 30, 2028.
[2:19:51] I'll entertain a motion on filling our
board and commission seats.
[2:19:55] » Move to approve filling our board and
commission seats as the mayor read.
[2:19:59] » Did you memorize all those?
>> You got to repeat it. You got to repeat
[2:20:03] it for me.
>> That's right. We have a motion by
[2:20:06] council member Pilington.
>> Second.
[2:20:08] » Have a second by council member Grant.
Council, please cast your vote.
[2:20:15] Item eight passes. Five votes to zero.
Item nine is um the Temple Economic
[2:20:22] Development Corporation Board of
Directors. We're going to reappoint Tony
[2:20:25] Hail and Perry Cloud to fill expired
terms ending September 30, 2029.
[2:20:30] Council, um if there's no discussion,
I'll obtain a motion.
[2:20:34] » Approve item N.
>> Second.
[2:20:39] Have a motion by Council Member Grant.
We have a second by Council Member
[2:20:42] Emmens.
[2:20:47] Item nine passes five votes to zero. I
personally on um I want to thank
[2:20:51] everybody that uh volunteers with the
city both um on the various boards and
[2:20:56] TEEDC. We appreciate your time. We
appreciate your involvement and we
[2:21:00] appreciate your guidance. And it is now
7:23.
[2:21:05] Thank you all for attending and this
meeting is adjourned.