All right, we're going to call this
regular city council meeting of July
8th, 2026
uh to order at 6:01 p.m.
We will start with our moment of
silence. Please arrive if you are
willing and able.
All right, we'll proceed into our
pledges.
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States
and justice for all
the Texas flag
one state
one and indivisible.
» Thank you all. We'll do our roll call to
establish quorum. Uh, council member
Crystal Richardson.
>> Council member Chris Garber.
» I [laughter]
council
pass
>> and mayor
>> here. Thank you.
>> We'll move into our proclamation. Uh,
haven't note that council member Richard
too.
not to call your office. [laughter]
Um,
>> I have 603. Uh,
>> oh, [laughter]
you're right. My phone.
>> We'll move into our proclamations and
presentations. July 2026 is National
Park and Recreation Month in the city of
Wood Creek. Uh, please note that we have
several parks in the city. Please uh
make an attempt to go out and enjoy them
when you can. We have Augusta Park,
which is where the two August meet near
Brook. We have Creekide Park which is at
playground. We have the Triangle Park
where we have our gazebo. And we have
Veterans Memorial Plaza which is at the
entrance with the flags.
We will move into our public comment
portion of the meeting. Please remember
the rules. We do not allow profanity,
personal attacks, or threats. You will
have three minutes to speak.
We will start with the in-person
comments. And we do have one written
comment. Our city secretary will be
reading our written comments from now
on.
>> The agenda item suits.
>> Okay, perfect. And um we will be timing
the written public comment in order to
make sure we can read at a pace where
people can understand. If you don't
mind, I'm going to take a moment to make
the note about that during that item.
» All right. First on the public comment
list, we have Miss Stewart.
Hello.
>> Hello.
>> Good evening. Good evening.
>> Hello. I'm kind of soft spoken. Can you
hear?
>> Yeah.
>> All right. All right. Uh my subject
tonight is uh reinstating a budget item
funding for speed cushions on the east
end creek drive. Uh, dear council, I'm
writing to urge you to reinstate budget
funding from speed cushions on the east
end of Woodry Drive. Slowing down
traffic in this area of public safety
necessity. Two specific locations
require traffic calming to prevent
accidents. Near 16 Creek Drive, there's
a blind curb. It severely restricts
visibility with vehicles are backing out
of the driveways down near 7 Wood Creek
Drive which is where I live at. Inbound
speeding cars appear without warning
causing numerous close calls. Installing
cushions near 16 wood creek by upstream
from there will force drivers to slow
down before this blind curve. Uh and
then near Wood Five Wood Creek Drive
which is the golf course spot.
Uh the golf cart crossing here is
dangerous. Carts must navigate like an
L-shaped path that's keeping them in the
roadway longer. Furthermore, heavy shade
makes the carts difficult to see during
the day. Speed cushions before this
crossing by going eastbound are
essential to slow oncoming traffic down
so drivers can save the gear. I feel
like you can kind of guess who's for one
there because sometimes it's hard to see
the cars crossing. uh investing these
speed cushions is a proactive lowc cost
measure to protect residents, drivers,
and golfers alike. Thank you for
prioritizing our community safety. Yeah.
Next on our list, we have Miss Liver.
Thank you.
First of all, my thanks go to the
council
veneer and our staff who work so hard to
make Wood Creek a very special place to
build. I have been in Wood Creek 22
years and I must say they've been the
greatest years of my life.
Woodri was just not old retired doctor.
It's changed. Our demographics have
changed. All the empty lots are gone.
Most
>> we're a growing city where people want
to live. Families, young families with
two of the cutest ones you've ever seen
from across the street. But and I think
of them when I think of the reason we're
here tonight and that's asking you to
please reinstate funding for the I like
to call them traffic.
The reason being um we have um a busy
road drive being one of the main streets
in Woodbury and um people sometimes are
speeding. I don't know if they're just
passing through or they actually live
here, but um the street cushions would
really be effective if it placed
near my home at 1600 drive and then
probably there uh where the land and
Michael
um and if they if people who are
entering Wood Creek, whether they're
visiting or residents, when they see
that they know that this is a community
that prioritize its safety for its
citizens, its squirrels, its little
farms.
>> I've buried many of the squirrel
on the tree drive and perhaps
I'm more cognizant of that because if
you know me, I still love to mow. I
still love to pull weeds whether in my
uh yard or down to entry. And so I see a
lot of uh fastm moving traffic and I
would really really appreciate it if you
would reconsider
uh the funding and add funding for
additional speed pushes on your driving.
Thank you so much.
>> I'd also like to resubmit a
petition. Thank you.
>> Yeah. uh that was re was was actually
submitted last year, but almost everyone
who lives
from the beginning of Woodbury Creek up
to where I think Brent lives signed and
is invaluable. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you, ma'am. Your time. Appreciate
you.
>> All right. Next up, we have Mr. Hayes.
Good evening, elected officials of Wood
Creek and the citizens of Wood Creek. My
name is Richie Hayes. I live at 12 Wood
Creek Drive and I inviting y'all to
reinstate the money for these speed
bumps. I want to point out a few things
that maybe have been overlooked.
On the weekends, we have a lot of golf
course traffic.
I understand we have a sign posted that
says 25 mph radar enforce.
It's not being enforced very well from
what I see. I've been passed backing out
of my driveway and starting forward
towards 12 numerous times by cars
and I'm asking y'all to please rethink
this because somebody's going to get
hurt and I do not want to see that.
Thank you for your time.
» Next up, we have Mr. Pulley.
» Yes, my name is Brett Pley. I want to
thank you guys again for all the hard
work you do up here on the council, you
know, representing our community. Again,
um that being said, I'm concerned with the idea of this budget. you know,
this is something that we thought was
kind of a done deal. Space three, we've
been told it's coming and waiting. We
thought, okay. Um, and for some reason,
that thing got pulled. And I I respect
the the debate about that and concerned,
but I I think it's clear that we really need that speed there. We really
want you to put that back in in the
budget if you can. Uh, you know, one of
the things that's a really dangerous for
whatever strip. And I do a lot of
walking through here. You can't tell it
from the big belly anchor, but um I do
walking and walking through that. That
is one of the most dangerous stretches
for me. When I come to on cycle, I'm
like I got to be super careful because
this is if I'm going to get it, this is
going to be that little stretch of area
that I'm going to get hurt. And it's I
don't know what it is about it, but it
just is people are going fast trying to
get to the highway. They forget that
we're a neighborhood. You've got
families walking that area. You've got
kids on bikes. You've got promo
bicycles. You've got uh you know a
neighborhood that's trying to enjoy
their neighborhood. And I think it's
critical that you reinstate that, you
know, for the sake of our neighborhood.
And and [clears throat] we were relying
upon that. We thought we had a process
that we've worked through for years,
Chris, and some of the others I serve
with on the council and I thought we had
that in place. I thought we were okay.
So, I'd like you to rethink that and
reinstate that speed cushion. And I
think the way to do it is just bring it
back as a regular agenda item and then
do it as a budget amendment. But we're
begging you, you know, to fulfill that
promise that you made to us that we were
going to get some relief over there. And
so we had one discussion. We worked with
engineers. We worked with a ton of
people. These folks as well as people
that couldn't be here today all behind
us and they're behind you. And we want
to get that back in the budget. So,
please do what you got to do to make
that happen sooner than later. Again,
thank you so much and keep up good work.
Thanks. [clears throat]
>> Thanks, sir.
>> All right. I believe that concludes our
public comment period. Uh we will move
into our consent agenda. Do I have a
motion to approve?
>> We approve agenda.
>> We have a motion to approve the consent
agenda. Seconded by council member
Bailey, made by Rosco.
All in favor, please raise your hand and
say I.
>> I.
>> Unanimous. Consent agenda passes.
We'll move into the reports. Um, our
city administrator is out of town, but
going to call and zoom in with us
here.
Sorry, we don't have Thank you so much.
» Can y'all can y'all hear me?
>> Yeah.
we got him.
>> Okay. Um just going to be real quick.
You know, the sheriff's uh report, he's
been active. Um he got several tickets.
Um as you noticed, there's uh he's after
the ebikes, so he's keeping an eye out
for that. And um hopefully that'll
come to a head at some point. Um
code enforcement uh we had a pretty good
busy month of June. Uh we had uh 11
vegetation dangerous growth. Um most of
them were empty lots, but uh those of uh
all but two have been as of last week,
all but two of them were open. Um or all
but two of them were resolved. Um we had
seven trailers, one was left unresolved.
We had one trash um you know, junk
accumulation that's been taken care of.
And then also there was an open burning
um um note that we sent out and that's
been resolved. uh engineering update. Um
the Wood Creek private drive
reconstruction, the bids are in Civcast
and they're out for bids are due on July
29th. Um they're targeting the August
12th council meeting um to for the bid
award. Uh with construction anticipated
in September,
uh drainage site for the Westwood Brook
Hollow. Um they just got their task
order uh approved task order in and
they're working on um next Tuesday we
have uh the next steps which is just
kind of a coordination of all that needs
to happen uh with the location and
easement um with the full set of
preliminary plans due around October.
Um, also I've talked with the golf
course um um contractor that's redoing
the cart pass. He's going to we're going
to work together with him on the cart
path that's in that area as well. So
that that's going pretty well. And then
city hall updates is pretty quiet. The
main thing is we've had a bunch of tree
trimming and um removal permits since
June 1st or July 1. Is it July? June
1st. Anyways, we've we've been busy. So,
uh, that's about it. Pretty short and
sweet.
>> Thank you.
sir. Thank you.
>> Um, next on the agenda, we move into our
regular agenda. Um, it's the item
concerning our audit and financial
statements. We're going to start with a
presentation on this and then we'll um
go with a motion. So, I believe J is
online with us now. I just like the
What?
» We won't be able to project that and
have them online. That's why I was
asking if we were using that.
>> And by the way, the microphones are not
hot yet, so y'all don't have to speak
into them.
» No. Uh, everyone. So, in your packet,
um, is the full
report on your desk or sorry in your
pack full audit on your desk is the
report portion only. Um we received this
after the agenda was posted fairly
recently actually and then additionally
council members on your desk at least
four of you had a letter that you needed
to fill out and send to them.
>> Um so if you could make sure to do that
before you leave tonight so we can get
that to them. That was something we were
delinquent on. Um,
>> okay. Jeremy, whenever you're ready,
we're going to start with your
presentation and if we could let him
finish speaking before we start asking
questions and then we can move into the
question portion after we have a motion
on the table.
>> I appreciate that. Can everyone hear me?
All right.
>> Yes.
>> Okay, cool. Uh, thanks mayor and um, and
thanks council for having me here today
and allowing me to join join remote.
It's kind of a last minute thing. I just
had something come up that um you know I
couldn't afford the the commute time
from San Antonio, but I appreciate the
flexibility and the the capabilities
that the the council has to let me
remote in.
Um so everyone got uh the the thick
bound uh document um is basically your
financial statements for the city of
Wood Creek for the fiscal year ended
September 30th, 2025. I'll cover a very
high level of the the financial
highlights uh that I I I feel are are worth mentioning, but I'm I'm happy
to go over any details. So, um again, if
[clears throat] there's any questions,
I'll I'll I'll dive in as as much as
y'all want uh to go over. Starting on
page one, um a few pages in is our
independent auditors report. I do want
to mention this is a draft. Um there
still can be changes if if if there
needs to be, but it's in draft mode
until uh council accepts the audit. So
once council accepts the audit, we can
go ahead and finalize it and provide it
to Jim and he can distribute however he he needs to.
So uh again starting on page one is our
independent auditors report. This is
actually only uh two or three pages that
belongs to us, the independent auditors.
Basically states what we're engaged to
do. First uh paragraph is the most
important and that's our opinion. Um we did audit the accompanying financial
statements for the governmental uh
activities. Each major fund and the
aggregate remaining fund information for
the city of Wood Creek for the fiscal
year end is September 30th, 2025.
We find the financial statements as
presented are in compliance with
generally accepted accounting
principles. That's the highest opinion
you can get from an independent
accounting firm. Basically states
there's no modifying um statements or
departures from GAAP. um in the
statements you have in front of you. So
it's a clean opinion.
Uh the basis for our opinion is is
basically stating that we gathered
evidence in accordance with our auditing
standards required and those are the
general generally accepted auditing
standards of the United States. Those
are the standards we followed to do our
audit. We did have a change in
accounting principle that was required
for the fiscal year and it's called
gazsby statement number 101 over
compensated abses. those have been that change has been implemented in your
financial statements. So um uh that we
that was needed to comply with US
generally accepted accounting
principles.
The next few pages is basically more uh
boilerplate language on who's
responsible for these financial
statements and that's management of the
city. Our responsibilities is just to
issue an opinion and gather evidence in
accordance with our standards.
Going through the report on page 17 is
our balance sheet over the governmental
funds. These are the funds that the city
manages um on a month-to-month basis and
Jim manages on a day-to-day basis. Um
but there's major funds that are are
more highly active and then there's
other governmental funds. We have a back
schedule that that still presents all
the uh non- major funds but we aggregate
them in a single column here on page 17.
So, your major funds for the fiscal year
were the general fund, the debt service
fund, the capital projects fund, and the
new drainage fund. Um, previously we had
the ARP fund, but through discussions
with management, um, we had to rename
that to the drainage fund.
Uh, your total assets for the fiscal
year was 1.1 million in the general
fund. Um, of that 995,000 is is embedded
in your cash and investments at Texas
class and and um your your local bank.
Your overall fund balance for the
general fund was 1.1 million. Uh 276,000
of that was assigned for capital uh
projects and the remaining 832 is
unassigned for ongoing city operations.
Um I will say that 832 amounts to about
15 months of operating reserves. So,
it's a very healthy fund balance for the
general fund.
Um, the rest of the major funds, uh,
I'll I'll highlight their ending fund
balance for the fiscal year, and it's
pretty comparable to the cash balance.
So, again, very liquid, um, uh, health
for each of the funds presented here. Um
total fund balance for the uh debt
service fund was 89 uh,000 and that's
restricted for debt service requirements
um on your your new note or I'm sorry
your new tax uh bond. [snorts] Uh
capital projects fund was is 518,000
and that's restricted for capital
projects in accordance with your bond uh
proceeds. And then your drainage fund is
assigned um based off y'all's um ARP
funding for future journey projects. and
that was 471,000
and that includes not only the corpus of
the art funds but also interest earned
on on that sitting in the Texas class.
So it amounts to 471,000
couple pages on page 19 is our income
statement for the governmental funds.
I'll just cover the general fund because
that's the the most activity it was in
that one. Um, our total revenues for the
general fund was 885,000.
Of that, roughly 750,000 of that is in
uh taxes. So, it's either property
taxes, your heavy heavy revenue source,
and then you also get some sales and
franchise taxes.
Total operating expenditures was 642 and
that was all in the general government
um of of the general fund. Uh overall,
we did increase our general fund fund
balance by 170,000. Again, good year for
the general fund. Uh debt service uh did
have a net increase of 70,000. Our
capital projects dipped about 431 and
that was due to some completed some
ongoing construction projects that the
capital projects fund was funding. And
then our drainage funds increased by
20,000 and that's all the interest
earned during the year.
The rest of the the bound document is
more uh detailed notes to the financial
statements. It gives a little more
descriptive language on the balances
themselves. I wasn't going to highlight
any of those unless there was one that
y'all um that caught y'all's eye and I
can go into further detail on those if
you'd like.
>> Does this conclude your your
presentation portion
>> for the bound document? Yes. Uh do you
want me to go into the the report that
you was handed out today?
>> Yeah. Do you mind? And then we'll just
then we'll do the the item and then we
can open up some questions.
>> Sure. So the the the item that was
passed out to you um earlier today. Um
again, sorry that wasn't included in
your bond pack or your your board packet
to to look at beforehand, but I'll I'll
cover I'll cover the the highlights of
this and if there's any questions um
I'll happy to answer them. Um so this is
our required communication with those um
charging governance or the city council
of of the city of Wood Creek. Basically
states how the audit went. Um there was
again a new accounting policy adopted um
starting on page one of the document.
There was a new uh accounting uh
standard uh implemented that was gazby
number 101 again on competences.
There's some estimates embedded in the
financial statements. We evaluate those
and management's estimate estimates and
uh they're comparable consistent with
the years prior. No no huge changes
there. There was some um no there was
some difficulties encountered um in
performing the audit and that was just
getting the trial balance um timely. As
you know we we did miss the March 31st
uh mandated state deadline. Um and so
that was the difficulties the only
difficulties in performing the audit was
just getting the trial balance and
getting the audit started. um timely.
There were some corrected u
misstatements. There were no uncorrected
misstatements in the financials. U
management has made all the audit
adjustments which amounted to about 20
journal entries um in the fiscal year.
And I've attached those um towards the
back end of the um the letter here. We
didn't have any disagreements um with
management um or or uh if we did, we
would have to disclose that to you.
managers provided us everything we
needed to conduct our audit.
And then y'all did comply with the
public funds investment act. And that's
um basically making sure that you're up up to date on your investment
policy, your train uh your investment
officers are are getting their training
that they need and comply with that that
um investment act and that you're not
investing anything um that's not allowed
in the investment act.
on page three is kind of the the
highlight of this um this letter and
that's our material weaknesses. These
didn't change from the prior year when
we came to you in December of last year.
Um there was some some some issues with
the bank reconciliations again this year
and just getting those timely done. So
we just recommend that the bank wrecks
get uh more timely uh managed and we
think the that with the new bookkeeper
that that that process is already in
place. But during the year it wasn't um
wasn't in place and that's what that
that's why it warranted the comment
here.
Also reconciliation of accounts again we
had 20 journal entries uh over the
city's um fund fund statements and so
having the city um reconcile those on a
monthly basis or more periodic basis um
would give you a true picture of the
financial position of the of the city.
So, um, getting those, um, fixed up and
getting the bookkeeper to to, uh, manage
those reconciliations would would go a
long way. And that's all I have for the audit, um, presentation. I'll
take any questions you have on anything
I discuss or the audit process in
general.
>> Do we have a motion on the table for
item number one on the regular agenda?
I move that we
accept
um the audited or receive
just accept that we accept the audited
basic financial statement and
supplemental schedules and independent
audit report by ABIP BC for fiscal year
ended September 30th 2021. SEI motion
made by Mayor Carton Rasco and seconded
by council member Richardson as stated
in the packet to accept the audit. Do we
have any questions or comments at this
time?
Is that yes?
Um
could you look at page nine?
Sure.
Which part? The one in the packet. The
balance one. Do you have
>> the one that was in the agenda?
Not this new one that we just ended up.
Um
some of these are just maybe there
because it's acting so many other things
done. But uh on the note it says
revenues uh total 1.448
which is an increase of 18 percentage.
Um you can look at one [clears throat]
of above 1.448
compared to 1.48
and that's not 18%.
It's actually 2.9%.
And so that note actually came over from
the 2024
audit.
So 2024 audit it was an 18%
um difference
increase but
it's not 18% here. Okay. Um
the next
>> Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I agree that that
number should be 2.8%. 8%.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Um
so
the same note um it says there's 52,000
or just the next note which is a
decrease 52,000.
It's due to reduced professional
services. Um that line is directly from
2024 audit
but um those fees were actually
the professional fees were 41,000 higher
actual to actual
and um so I think some of these mills
need to be adjusted
to what actually happened some of were
adjusted
requirement.
Okay. on page 10.
Um
this says second paragraph
it says general fund was 832,000
of total 1.1
on the prior year
it says the general fund was 377,000
Uh later on it goes on to say that the
in paragraph three
u the go bond series 2023
it's 89,000 for debt service and a
remaining balance of 832,000
on a side.
But in 2024,
that remaining balance was said to be
377,000.
So that is a $454,000
change. And so sometimes you'd think a a
fund would go down, but this is going
up. Now, there's a number that keeps
popping up. It's 426,000.
Uh that is an adjustment
and this may be what's going on now.
That's on page
43.
>> Can I can I address your number 10 real
quick?
>> Yes. Okay.
>> Okay. So that third paragraph, the 832.
So this is just describe that that's the
amount that's unassigned for future use.
So that that directly ties um to page
uh I think it's 17.
So you can see the the components of
your fund balance. You have some that
are committed, assigned, restricted, and
unassigned. If you look at the far right
column, it's just summarizing those
in that paragraph. So, so the 832
was related to what was out what was the
fund balance for future use at the end
of 2025.
And I think the difference that you're
mentioning the 450 that was because we
had a prior period adjustment related to
the 4 that the ART funds
>> that you mentioned the 426 that that's
those were the ART funds that weren't
realized and we realized them in the
current year.
Can you explain uh because there's also
a place what's called unearned
or deferred revenue is
>> okay what you're talking about there.
Okay. So
when the fire audit says it was
um 377,000
that was just
» that didn't include that that that
didn't include that that did not include
the unearned revenue of 426 that was in
the ARP fund.
>> Okay. So
>> yeah. Yep.
>> And so we realized that revenue in the
current year.
>> Well, I guess it was a prior period
adjustment. So we realized it in the
prior year. It should have been it
should have been realized in the prior
year.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Um the next sentence, general
funds.
Um,
again, this is kind of a lack of text
being updated. It says the actual
expenditures are 95,000
less and that's due to salaries general
office expense mini court but in
actuality
um salaries were down by so this is
95,000
3500 office was over by 9,000
and the median court was 5,000 budgeted
that's only that's down a,000 of
dollars. So what really happened there
was
the increase
the budget was high
by about 80,000 on a contract services
line but um the actual to actual was
41,000.
So these might seem picky block and
still an honor should be accurate. So
>> I gotcha. And you're referring to the
general fund budgetary highlights,
correct? That's where you're at.
>> General fund budgetary highlights
that.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, we we we worked with Jim on this
to to provide us information on what
caused the difference in the actual
versus budget. And um so we'll have to reook at that and and give
a better explanation on what what caused
the difference between actual and budget
final budget.
>> Um the same goes for the next line
147,000
actual revenues. Um that really had to
do with franchise fees taxes services
and some other income. Um and I just
have one more main area to go over
now which page on capital assets. Let's
just keep on page 10. Um it says that
there is an increase of 533,000.
Um
but our revenue and expense report shows
459,000
which your numbers are probably more
correct but how where do you find those
um capital improvement numbers and is
there a place where it's it's summarized
because
>> okay yeah
>> if if you go to page uh sorry It's in
the footnotes. If you go to page 31,
so that 533,000
if you look at this table that shows
your your capital assets for
governmental activities, if you look at
the bottom where it says governmental
activities, capital assets, comma, net,
it's the difference between your
increases and decreases.
So the 802,000
426
which includes the actual cost of
constructions and capital improvements
as as well as dep less depreciation on
your existing assets and then the
subtraction the subtraction is is your
disposal of assets and completion of
your projects which equals the 269 241.
So the sum of those two or the net of
those two is your 533
185.
>> But is there a place where they are
identified?
Um let's say
okay in our reports we we identify
safety enhancement
we identify drainage. Is there anywhere
in your report where it isolates
what has been approved?
>> I'm sorry. In my report that what is
what
>> which
items of what capital improvements
specifically are?
>> No, no, no. We're not required. we in
the in the MDNA section which is your page 10 over capital assets we can
add some language in there to describe
it but it's not required to to be
presented we the we do have a schedule
that details out what your capital
projects are and what each of these
buckets on page 31 are what what what
land you have what construction in
progress building improvements machinery
equipment we have details behind all
that and what they're still being
depreciated fund. Um, and that's just an
Excel schedule, but we we have the data
behind it, but we're not required to
disclose the details um within the the
document. It's up to management. If they
want to disclose some more information,
they can.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Um there's
differentiation. That was a question.
uh the new roads don't seem to be
negotiated but there's something right
about oh the modified approach where you
maintain the roads to kind of the
condition when they were first built and
you don't have to do separate
depreciation
but on those modifications
is that capitalized or expense
» it it depends
I would say they're probably capitalized
because they're extending the life of
the of the asset of the road,
>> but it just depends on the the the each invoice, you know, and we looked at
every invoice, so
>> Okay. Um
I think that's all the questions. Thank
you.
>> Okay.
>> So,
>> hopefully I answered them.
>> Yeah. Thank you, Council Member Bailey.
I have notes that we have on page nine
and these two corrections to make and
then some possible corrections. I'm
unclear on that under the general fund
budgetary highlights that you just plan
to get back with Jim again and verify
that information.
>> Yes.
>> Is that a good summary for you? Any
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. A little bit of the description,
the text.
>> Okay. Um any other questions or concerns
from other council members? Um, I will
open the floor to Jim, but before we do
that, I just wanted to take a moment to
recognize that this was Jim's first
fiscal year um as the city manager in in
its entirety and there was a pretty
hefty return to reserves under his
stewardship and I'm personally very
grateful for that. He managed our budget
well. Um, of course, some of some of it
was due to just other things outside of
his control, but it's always u rewarding
to see the city administrator returns
money to reserves rather than all of us
collectively overspending. So, I just
wanted to highlight that. Um, and then
Jim, he is online. Jim, did you have
anything to add or um comment on this
portion of the meeting?
» [clears throat]
>> No, I'm good. Just want to thank Jeremy
and his team for all the hard work they
did fighting through our our issues, but
um it went pretty smooth and we're ready
to move forward come October,
get on a normal schedule.
>> Yeah. And so one of the highlights again
of um Jeremy mentioned it this evening,
but we do have a new accountant who
works for us regularly. we struggled
with two previous accountants. Um, and
so that that is actually helping us kind
of keep pace better. And then we will be
ready to start our audit as Jen just
mentioned in October as soon as this
budget's closed. So we should be in good
standing from now on moving forward and
we should be able to make that March
deadline more regularly now. So
>> what's the name of the account?
>> They work for the clear cash flows but
is mentioned. What's his
>> uh Charles Williams is the one working
uh under Clear Cle clear clear career
doing that for us. He's he's on top of
it.
>> Yeah.
Consent for all that one. Um all right,
y'all. Uh are we ready to vote? Any
other comments?
Um, so just to be clear, because this
was a draft and there were some possible
edits, will it need to come back to
council again or will this we would just
accept this? Understanding that it'll
come back with edits as a final.
» If it were up to me, I I mean, it's up
to y'all. We can come back and present
again um and [clears throat] give you
more time to review and we can have a
meeting before and just go over any
questions you may have and and changes.
But the the changes that were here
aren't aren't um material. I don't want
to use the wrong word, aren't
significant enough um to to warrant not
approving, but I understand if you want
to table this and and wait till we get
the the language in there and then um
come back to you and and issue again. I
mean, I understand that. I I leave it up
to council.
>> Okay. If I could make a request that we
approve with the event the edits as
suggested. um only because we do have a
rather large grant that we're trying to
get that um us approving would need to
happen before the end of the month.
>> Mayor Mayor,
>> sir,
>> I move to approve with items.
>> Thank you. So, it's a
>> second
>> an amendment seconded by Council Member
Richardson.
So, approve with edits.
>> Do second.
>> Council member Richardson.
>> All right, we'll take a vote on the
amendment first. All in favor of the
amendment of approval. Question. Um,
when would we see the edits of box and
» tomorrow morning? I can get them over to
Jim. Tomorrow morning.
>> Yeah. [laughter] Okay. All right.
>> Yeah.
» And again, like we've had this draft
prepared. Um, and if there's any any
time that they can get distributed out
to to whoever and we can meet and make
these edits beforehand, I'm I'm happy to
do that. I'm happy to meet ahead of
time. Um, it's it's up to y'all. Yeah.
And next year, maybe maybe that's the the route of changes. Hey, maybe we we have a little audit committee
meeting uh with some of y'all and go
over everything um and make sure
everyone's okay so that um
[clears throat] there's no none of these
changes happening uh kind of last
minute. So,
um all of our council members do have an
opportunity to meet with our city
administrator in advance of meetings at
any point in time and some of them have
set meetings. So, as we move forward
every year, it would be good to utilize
that meeting for these kind of
assessments. We don't have to have
gotcha moments in the council meetings
regularly. We can't address small things
like this, especially if there are no
corrections and there's no um dispute
over policy or anything like that. All
right. Um any other [clears throat]
comments on the amendment will hold a
vote.
All in favor of the amendment to approve
with edits, please raise your hand and
say I. I. And then that passes
unanimously.
I move on to the main motion which would
read accept of the audited basic
financials statements and supplemental
SC auditors report by AFPC for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2025 to
approve with edits.
All in favor raise your hand and say I.
>> I.
>> Unanimously approved.
Thank you. Thank you journey. Thank you.
» We will um send out communication from
him as soon as we have it for everyone.
>> Moving on to item number two in the
agenda. This is related to the H County
Central Appraisal District proposed land
purchase.
Do we have a motion on the table?
I move that we approve resolution number
2026-07-08-01
supporting H county simple appraisal
districts proposed land purchase and
construction of new facility to provide
services to the taxing units and
taxpayers of Pace County pursuant to
Texas property tax code section 6.0 zero
lifetime.
» Council member Richardson made the
motion as stated in the packet. Mayor
Bert Morasco seconded.
Um I have a brief statement here to
read. Um one, the purchase of
construction will come from the CAD
budget and not the city's budget. Two,
the resolution is a formally required by
statute and the tax code to authorize
the CAD to move forward. And three, the
city council must make a factual finding
that the proposed new facility is to
expand operations and promote the cat
operations to serve both the city and
county residents and thereby promoting
the general welfare.
Um, we did not present a no response to
this. Um, it was the only time they
needed the resolution was if we were
approving it. Um, so do y'all have any
questions about this item?
>> I didn't want saw it. I didn't want it.
>> Uh, essentially they are saying they
need to build another facility and this
will levy taxes to do so, but it comes
out of their portion of the taxes.
>> Um, and
I don't want to get into the weeds too
much because I can't speak for other
cities. Some cities might not move
forward with this because they felt that
it came out a little bit late in the
year and so they had more questions. Um,
I don't personally have those questions.
Um, of course, if you all had them, you
have the opportunity to not pass this,
but essentially they only need a portion
of all the cities in their jurisdiction
to approve to move forward. So,
no other comments. All right. All in
favor of approving the resolution number
2026-07-08-01,
please raise your hand and say I.
>> I.
>> Unanimously approved. Thank you all.
[clears throat]
» In the morning, we need to send that
over to them because they have a
deadline. All right, we move on to item
number three. This is a discussion about
planting seven new trees. Do I have a
motion on the table?
Uh, a motion to approve the purchase and
installation of seven new trees from the
city of Wood Creek to be installed by We
Love Trees because cost not to exceed
$6,000 from the 2026 2027
trees and parks budget line item
10-10-554
designated for fall 2026
planting. A second.
>> Council member Gormick seconded. Motion
made by council member Swedberg as
stated in the packet. Do you mind if I
present this item on this?
>> Okay. Um [clears throat] first off, um
our city administrator has asked an
amendment to change the budget line
item. um we have a tree fund
>> and so we just kind of in our
discussions of this moving up to it um
sort of forgot that we have an entire
fund designated for this purpose. So I
would ask that in this meeting we would
amend to say tree fund instead of the
trees and parks budget line item at some
point. We don't have to issue that now.
Um letter A has actually already been
approved by council. This is sort of
just the final approval because we asked
the trees and parks board to uh decide
the uh type of tree and this was
actually their second designation. they
originally picked or I don't remember
the complete history but at some point I
think it was supposed to be a sycamore
but arborist on the board recommended
not because sycamores prefer more water
than this area would provide and so he
recommended the cedar m because they are
more resilient and this area will
receive less water. Um, so that's the
history on item A in Dece or actually it
might have been November. Um, they voted
to say a cedar elm and like I said,
council has actually already approved
the funding for the planting of that.
This would just be the final approval.
Um, item B is new and um, something I'd
like to recommend if council would like
to send that portion to the trees and
parks board for a direct recommendation
since they haven't commented on that, would be great. Also, city
administrator uh Mr. Burton wanted um to
discuss the concept that the veterans
memorial plaza might be better served by
only memorializing veterans there.
That's up for discussion and debate by
council and of course the tree board of
how we install trees where, but I wanted
to make sure his opinions on that were
noted tonight. And then items C and D
are related to the road reconstruction
of Western Wood Drive. Both property
owners
have expressed um interest and favor this and specifically the Cypress
Falls side was on board and essentially
requested this instead of losing a tree
and the Cypress Point side has stated
that they are supportive of this um and
that they would actually be interested
in cost sharing but have reserved giving
a final um total on that because it's
for one it's a whole board but also um
they were kind of waiting to see what um
the city plan might look like,
especially the cost of it. Okay.
>> Mayor, can I ask you a direct question?
Um
>> could you distinguish between Cypress
side and Cypress
Oh, I'm in the cycles one.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> So, the lodge area is Cypress Falls.
>> Yes. Yeah. So they own one side of the
culvert where a large tree is being
taken out and then Cypress Point is
actually the land owner on the other
side Hog Creek and there's um I think
three trees being taken down there.
>> Um and so this is kind of just our
commitment to replace trees that we take
down for construction. We have an
overall city policy in favoring that
kind of thing. Actually it's an
ordinance. So this is us kind of acting
in good faith in our own construction.
That makes sense.
Mayor, mayor, sir. Um, I wish to discuss
the suggestion of a cedar elm at the
Brook Meadow Street Island location. Um,
I have cedar elms in my backyard and
they have a strong tendency to drop the
limb in large and small. So, I did some
research to see if that is true for
cedar elms in general or just those in
my backyard. The research says that yes,
as a cedar is a good tree for street
islands as they are highly adaptable,
resilient native trees that tolerate
tough compacted soils, restricted root
spaces found in Texas road islands. But
because they grow quite large, often
reaching up to 70 ft, confined road
islands might restrict root systems over
time or lift surrounding roadway if not
provided adequate room. And to quote the
we love trees website, in small road
islands in Texas, these trees face added
stressors, constricted root zones
combined with extreme heat and
unpredictable weather swings frequently
result in sudden living drop where
heavier branches fail without warning.
So, the research confirmed my concern
and then I did some research on what
other trees might best suit this small
little roadway location. And the
following four trees consistently showed
up on all the lists. Texas mountain
wool, a slow growing evergreen featuring
fragrant purple spring blooms and
compact canopy perfect for tight tough
spaces. There are already two volunteers
at this location, though poorly placed
near the edge. Um, Mexican plum, a
native ornamental offering beautiful
white spring blossoms and attractive
bark. I should mention that the that I
have several of these and they have
three to four inch spikes on the
branches, though I do support the idea
of planting fruit trees in the
community. Desert willow thrives in full
sun with high drought tolerance
producing trumpet shaped flowers. Texas
red bug thrives statewide with bright
pink spring flowers and handles
reflected heat well. In my yard, I have
several of all of the above except for
the desert willow.
Based on my experience with my trees and
the research I've done regarding street
trees in Texas, I would recommend
council chooses the desert willow to
complement the other plantings and
volunteers at the Brook Meadow location.
Specifically, I think council should
choose the cultivora,
which is a seedless variety for large
fragrant magnolia magenta blossoms.
Being seedless seedless helps reduce
maintenance for this area compared to
other cultivars. Overall, the desert
willow is a tough and pretty tree
perfectly suited for this location.
» May I just say they're not pretty in the
winter.
>> True. They do.
>> I will.
>> They're just like sticks.
>> They also grow very wide and low. So
this area is a little like I'm not
disagreeing that would in theory be a
good pick. I am concerned about the
width of 20 ft at only 20 ft high.
So that's they grow like
>> so I think that that would actually
impede the street pretty significantly.
>> Desert.
>> Yes. Because they grow wide and low.
>> Yeah. So they would be good for like
that street island in Wood Creek Drive
because it has a wide width, but they
like the one that's planted at the
gazebo is actually planted too close to
the gazebo. The arborist commented on
that as well.
>> Yeah, I was just trying to state my
concern about the the wind drop if I
experience it. anytime you have a
slightly strong wind.
>> So I, you know, especially since it's a
roadway, I want to take make sure that
we're cons considering that option. Um,
if I could, I'd also like to talk about
Memorial Park. I do appreciate um Jim's
idea. Um, so kind of take that in. I
wrote this well before Jim mentioned
this, but I wanted to talk about the
orchid trees in Memorial Park. Um,
they're beautiful spring blue trees.
Yep, I'm in right place. And I've had
them personally, which may not be an
issue for the city if they are planted
in a location where consistent mowing
will occur as they tend to throw seeds
like crazy. Actually, the tree is funded
on how it throws seeds. The dry seed
pods literally pop and throw their seeds
35 to 50 feet away. I've actually been
hit in the face by these seeds. I
planted mine in a wide deep garden
border. Um, one of my annual tasks is to
pull out the volunteers of this tree
mates. They are they look delicate, but
they are truly Texas. A 2-in volunteer
can have an 8 in tap routt. So, I would
only recommend that if council decides
to go with orchid trees that they plant
them in the Greek grass section of a
moral park. But if they're plant if the
planted to plant
in the existing garden beds, I would go
with the red.
>> Yeah. No, on that one, we were going to
let our arborist kind of decide this the
place, but u we lost like a whole cops
of trees over there a few years back.
There was a mistake in direction from a
member of the tree board and they took
out a bunch of trees they shouldn't
have. Um and so
uh she was chairperson at the time
actually. But uh and so in in my mind
this I would hope that they would try to
go kind of in that area um to where a
bunch of trees were taken out
>> in the winter.
>> Yeah.
>> Wonderful. I'm just thinking of parents
during the year.
>> Yeah. But we would rely they the
intention was not to go in the existing
beds and we would rely on a professional
to say this is a safe place to plant
this or you know we have to look for
lines as well.
>> Right.
>> Can we can we discuss the part about the
veterans versus non veterans?
>> If y'all feel like you need
>> Well, it's it's called Veterans Memorial
Park. There's a there's a
>> a monument there to
>> the circuses. there's the black poles.
Um, and and I just wonder there not a committee [clears throat] of
veterans that that manage that or would
go to approve anything that's going on
in there. So, so it's like, okay, so, so
I'm not sure who would complain um if if
we were memorializing,
you know, city leaders, city members um
in that way, in that place um that also
needs treats. But, um but that's just my
thinking on it's like, well, I mean,
council would ultimately make the
decision whether to put trees there,
whether they're veterans or not. We
don't know whether um Miss Britner um or
Mr. Winter were veterans. I mean, we
probably find that out, but but even if
they weren't, is this, you know, it
seems like the most
logical place to do, you know, special
memorials. Um and there is a need in
that location. So, it's just I just
wanted to sort of bring that up and
>> see what people think about.
>> If I may also, u Mr. renter. Actually,
the member of Wow. James left, but Wow.
Um, the weeders of Wood Creek takes care
of the entrance for us for free and he
was one of the members that used to go
work there. So, it was sort of like a
kind of an homage to that work he did
there. Um, and this idea started for me
right after his passing, which is
actually some time ago now, almost two
years, maybe two years. Um and then when
Miss Britner also passed away because of
her lengthy service in the city, I just
wanted to recognize her as well. Um she
served on a council for a long time and
mayor for several.
>> So um you know I think you know we could
take each of these as an amendment. I
would request the first amendment to be
about the budget to come this would come
from the tree fund specifically. Sir,
>> I manage that the funding
is from to become from the tree fund.
>> Thank you. So you would to confirm you
mean you would strike trees and parks
budget
line item and instead put like in with
the number and say tree fund.
>> Would you like me to fully state that?
>> No, it's okay. I just wanted authors.
Okay. So seconded by council member
Richardson. motion made by council
member Gart [clears throat] and then um
we'll go ahead and vote on that just to
keep this clean if you don't mind. All
of you heard of that budget change raise
your hand say I unanimously I on the
amendment. Um and then if you just take
each letter you know I hope you all
approve these all of them. Um obviously
they're up for discussion. Um because of
the way this is stated, you can make
adjustments, but if you make
adjustments, it likely needs to come
back because that was not publicly
noticed. So, for example, if you want to
reconsider the Cedar Elmont letter A, we
would either need to send the new
request to trees and parks or for it to
come back at a future council meeting.
By the way, the public is adequately
noticed on that change.
Question, if I may. Um,
it says proposed selections on our
agenda.
So, can't council change something
that's proposed.
And [clears throat] we're also not
changing the
value or a number. We're we're saying
>> proposed is a blue car. We want a green
car.
>> That is not allowed on to
So, you've got a very specific list of A
through D. Um, it does say proposed
elections, but here they are. And so,
the question is, adequate notice to the
public under the Open Meetings Act. And,
[clears throat]
you know, if you had a discussion to
formulate what the options will be and
that was broadly drafted, then then
you'd have a little bit more discretion.
But here you've got a very specific list
that follow specific list and to the
extent that you know it's if it's if
it's a dimminimous or a very minor
change it might be okay under adequacy
of notice but the best practice is to
either go with what action is proposed
and vote up or down on it or bring it
back to a future agenda which can
certainly be done. You can direct staff
say this is what we want. This is the
direction back and approve it with
adequate notice to the public
>> and I will say on letter A in particular
that's from a report from the tree
board. So that wasn't something I
personally generated.
My con Yeah. My concern is that we love
trees actually doesn't recommend this
very tree and we're hiring we love
trees. So it kind of
>> So my amendment would be
um item A and B be sent to the tree
board
for review and recommendation.
The
>> second. All right. We have a amendment
to send A and B to the tree board for
recommendation. We have a second from
council member Bailey.
Any further discussion on those two?
>> They would have um the notes from the
meeting with the discussion.
>> Yes,
that was true. This meeting? Yeah,
>> from this native.
>> Yeah. Is that
>> But I mean just I'm sorry.
>> I just have a quick question. As far as
the cedar elm and the risk of the limbs
dropping, is that minimized by regular
maintenance by an arborist?
» Not my experience.
>> So,
>> okay, I understand. But I'm going to
share what I in my research that I did
in the last couple days. Um, cedar elms
have very brittle wood. So wind tends to
break it ver versus other trees that
tends to have more flexible wood. I
guess I mean that's based on the
research I did and that's kind of what
we love trees. So actually a website
that I was doing this research from.
Well, as far as serum goes, you know, I
was I was in on those meetings,
discussions and going back and forth and
Sycamore and Serum and it's that the
focus I think of the treeboard at the
time was well, we need something that
goes tight because it's a fairly narrow
stretch and you don't want you don't
want the the traffic block. You don't
want traffic vision blocked, but you
want something that's trunk
>> and leaves. Um, and so it fit that
description, but there wasn't a real
there wasn't conversation about sort of
the downside of one because I we had a
bunch of CR still and they do smile. Um,
and it's a win. I mean, so so would regular birth care help?
>> Um, yeah. But would it solve it? Would
it I I don't I don't know, but I don't
think so. I still ask the question is
deciduous versus evergreen a question
that we want to consider as we look at
these trees
cuz all the rest of them look good in
the winter.
>> Do you have a citation for the we love
trees?
>> I don't sorry
>> okay because I'm on their website right
now and I don't mean
>> any of that
>> put in quotes and I just pulled it and
put it into my notes
>> so Am I alone on the disc?
>> No, you're not alone. I didn't mean to
glaze over it. I just I think it's best we rely on
professionals
and all, you know, for this in
particular. And we can always also add
on a consultation with we love trees in particular
um if that was a concern of y'alls and
they could give a a more indepth answer
for the for the tree board if y'all
wanted as part of that. Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Because I was one of the ones who said
see around the
>> first
street.
>> They're they're all over our city and
they line their streets already.
>> I've got too many.
» [clears throat and cough]
» Do you have any other comments on
sending A and B to the tree board and
offering a consult with we love trees
for them?
All right. All in favor of that mot,
please raise your hand and say I. Um,
all five passes
unanimously. Um, that leaves item C and
D. Um, much like item A, this wasn't
directly generated from me. I offered
the opportunity of a possible tree
replacement and the discussions with
these individuals. Cypress Falls or Miss
Hasty in particular appreciated the bald
Cypress
petition specifically. Um I will say
that the board chairperson of uh Cypress
Point made some other suggestions and um
Mr. Filming um however when I looked
those up they don't meet kind of like
our city standards for um the kind of
trees we prefer to plant by policy. So
um I did not proceed with some of the
things he mentioned but um he did he
basically said yeah you know whatever is
in the creek you know replace I'm
quoting sorry Ed if you're listening but
um so what was selected here were trees
that are already located in that area
sycamore
>> and because we have a policy of uh
promoting diverse canopy instead of
three of the same it was you know
promoted to be three different
>> we don't need any amendment that's
already part of it
>> unless you guys want to do something
else and then I would recommend that you
bring it back to council so you have
proper compliance or send it to the tree
board
» any further discussion on CN
all in favor of moving forward with
those as stated please raise your hands
and say I
>> I
>> unanimously passes. We send the sheet as
that just occurred. But we have to go
back and redo all of the main motion
together with all of these amendments.
So C and D have been approved. A and B
would be sent to the tree board and then
we'll do the main motion with those
amendments. So I'll read that now. Are
you ready? All right. So, the motion as
amended will state to approve the
purchase and installation of seven new
trees in the city of Wood Creek to be
installed by We Love Tree cost not to
exceed $6,000 from the 2026 2027 tree
fund designated for fall 2026 planting
with A and B to be sent to the tree
board or consult
in addition with we love trees. I added
that it's not an official per amendment
though. and then C and D would be
approved as is.
All in favor of the amended motion,
please raise your hands and say I.
>> Unanimously passes with those
amendments.
All right, we'll move on to item number
four. Um, this has actually been
postponed because we do not have the
report from the trees and parks board.
They requested a secondary meeting to
discuss the topic because they wanted to
go out and personally spend a little bit
more time on this and do a little bit
more research on their own before they
issued a report to us. So, we will not
be taking up item number four.
[clears throat] We'll move on to item
number five which is related to a
schedule for routine mat maintenance
contract review and policy review for
the city.
Sir,
>> I move that council direct staff and or
city attorney to make the following
edits and return the draft resolution to
council for approval. The edits are to
remove the third and final resolved
section from this resolution and any
creation of a threshold higher for
submission of an item to council's
agenda or council's final approval on
any item on council's agenda legally
required by state law and remove the
entire section regarding policy and any
reference in the document pertaining to
such specifically the whereas statement
about excessive and redundant policy
review, leaving only the sections named
infrastructure and asset maintenance and
contract services. And that the
resolution makes clear that only those
two sections are being addressed by this
draft resolution, including in the
whereas and results section.
» Motion fails for lack of a second. Do we
have a secondary motion on the table?
I move that we approve resolution number
2026-07-08-02
establishing schedule for routine
maintenance contract review and policy
review for the city review.
» Seconded
by council member Richardson. motion
made as stated in the packet. Do you
mind if I introduce?
» Sorry.
>> Do you mind if I introduce this?
>> So, uh, this item is something we've
kind of long talked about. Um, it kind
of concretes some of our maintenance
schedules so that um, especially if we
have any turnover and change of staff.
Hopefully that never happens, but as
things do happen, people do wish to
retire eventually. um this would give a
clear road map for people moving
forward. Um the policies themselves
um they are set so I'll just take kind
of take it by section. Um we discussed
in a meeting and set the the numbers for
procurement and fine balance. The
investment policy is governed by state
law. So that means that um the other
ones are kind of set after each council
is redone. So at November we have an
election and so that new council will
get to set their policies if they wish.
Um and then the setting of paper of
record that's kind of a standard process
we do that every single year at the same
time. um the records retention policy um
we you know that is under kind of what's
require I mean that's a city secretary
item and the state sort of regulates it
but this is in compliance with that um
[clears throat] then moving on with our
um advisory bodies we ask that they do
this annually that's in the code but by
including this in this kind of calendar
it gives us one place to look for all of
this of um subcommittees and ad hoc
workg groups. Um that's something that
we we dissolve either with an election
or when the business is vent or we can
work on them during the budget season
like if we know we're going to be
forming like for example when we form
the road committee for the road bond
that kind of stuff. Um the comprehensive
master plan has a plan you know so I'm
not going to read this whole thing to
you. Um the the only like the liaison
policy
uh is something that you know we're kind
of like like sort of using that might
eventually not be on here. Um temporary
water restrictions we set in in that
actual resolution. So that mimics that
um moving on to the infrastructure and
asset maintenance. These are things that
we have been doing out of like kind of
just memory. They have there's never
been a consistent stated schedule on any
of these things. And so they were based
like for example the rainwater
collection system that's based on the
recommendations from the people that
installed it and people that work in
that field. They need to be checked out
every couple of years. Um the website
review that's something that I take in
all my staff personally and um so that's
h we do that in January. In fact we've
done a few of them now. So that will
probably um at least happen once a year.
Um but obviously if there are changes
needed in the meantime, we would do
that. The golf park crossing, that
number is based on what we watched since
we last painted them. So it's been about
three years since we last painted them
and they need to be painted again. So
that's where that number came from. The
playground wood chips. Um basically this
just sets out a plan to regularly manage
them and measure them. The ride ofway
trees trimming was something we just
sort of did every two years. and so we
had to cycle it into the budget, but
this now concretes that I would like to
make a minor edit to strike starting
year 2026 because it's it's not needed.
Um the way this was originally lined out
changed. I added that next review time
column to give more clear direction so
people didn't have to sit there and do
the math. So the starting year 2026 is
actually um a new point. Now, the
contract services um that's actually
where that change came into place
because council has sort of a standing
motion that we would in theory review
these every 3 years and but that motion
is very very very old. Um the overall
goal of this policy is not only to make
things explicit and clear for any staff,
any council member, any member of the
public about when we promise to do these
things. It's also to create continuity
in our leadership so that we have um
kind of a very clear direction for the
city on an annual to like every two-year
basis and we're not kind of changing
direction repeatedly. So by clearly
expressing that we're going to review
our audit services every three years
like this, it doesn't become a
relationship where we make may feel like
they've done something wrong or we're
not serving us well. It's a policy that
we've written in the Greek poo. Same
with our uh legal representation. At
five years, council would take up the
item, talk about it, see if we want to
go out for um you know, uh proposals.
Thank you. I couldn't remember it was
bit of proposal, but it doesn't become a
relationship where, you know, we imply
that we're unsatisfied. It's just kind
of a routine schedule of maintenance is
the goal for this. I tried to capture
everything. Of course, if I miss
something, um, you know, that might need
to be taken up. The only policy that's
not in here is this policy itself. Um,
so that explains that. Does anyone have
any questions for me about it?
» Any other comments or concerns?
>> All right. All in favor? Yes, sir.
>> I'd like to comment, please.
To start, remember this is not simply a
schedule that is being posted on a
office wall as a reminder to anyone as
to when it might be good to review the
listed policies. No, this is a policy
obscinely restricting anyone from
considering updating outside of this
arbitrary timeline.
Anyone is already free to create their
own schedule for themselves as to when
might be a good time to review the
listed policy. Everyone is free not to
present up to policy for council
consideration based on their own
schedule. This resolution is designed to
prevent council members who wish to take
up reviewing or updating council policy
from submitting and or improving any
such improvements to their policy.
Council, I will ask you to consider who
this resolution serves as it certainly
does not serve council and their
legislative duties. It serves to
restricts council's ability to serve the
city and its citizens as well as it
violates open meeting act and the
attorney general's opinion on such the
mayor's mindset regarding council
carrying out their official duties is on
full display again. She thinks that our
legislative responsibilities are
excessive and redundant. This policy
attempts to supersede or alter our
conduct of meetings policy by creating
additional hardships and barriers and
additional bureaucracy on auton
council's ability to respond in a timely
manner to situations as they arise.
Council needs to remain nimble and free
to address issues as they see fit. The
intent of this policy is to make it more
difficult to present items on council's
agenda. I mean, what the heck? a
unanimous vote before even allowing an
item to land on the agenda
[clears throat]
and then creating an additional high
threshold of a supermajority vote to
approve that item when no state law
requires such thresholds.
The resolution states stated threshold
of requiring a unanimous vote in order
for council to submit an item related to
any listed issue violates the open
meetings act in that while council is
free to create a policy governing their
agenda preparation. The net effect of
such policies cannot preclude a council
member from placing an item on their
agenda for public discussion. Also, the
attorney general's opinion as to the
opens meeting that as it relates to
council's ability to place items on
council's agenda is that it is important
to ensure that policy requires no more
than two council members to agree to
place an item on the agenda. Attorney
General number DN-228193.
As a result, an item can only be removed
from the agenda by the council member
who placed it on the agenda or by a
majority vote of council at an open
meeting. This re resolution goes far, beyond that. Imagine if council were
to create a policy that required a
unanimous vote for any item that the
mayor may wish to submit to council's
agenda and that in order for the mayor's
item to pass required a supermajority
vote. If that sounds shocking to you,
and you are not opposed to the mayor
attempting to obstruct council's
official duties and their ability to
place items on their own agenda with
this ridiculous resolution, I would ask
that you review your reaction. If you
are horrified by my hypothetical
restriction regarding the mayor, how can
you not be glorified by the mayor's
attempt to restrict the very legislative
body that is given the responsibility to
legislate? We are an aldermatic form of
government.
A beautiful, sometimes cumbersome,
elegant form of democracy. Council is
the governing body. Council's agenda is
named such for a reason. It is not
called the mayor's agenda. It is
council's agenda. Council is a
legislated branch of this government.
Legislative and policymaking power rests
exclusively with the full city council.
The mayor is the chief executive
officer. the mayor execute council's
action as well as prepares the proposed
budget and is the emergency manager.
Nothing in those state listed duties of
a mayor is about creating policy. That
responsibility rests entirely on
council's shoulders.
If council does move forward with
approving this resolution as presented,
let's consider what effect that has on
council's ability to address situation
and changes as they present themselves.
For instance, the city administr
administrator recently presented to
council an interesting idea that council
seemed to support which would require
council to update the liaison policy and
create the city clerk as the new leaison
for advisory boards and remove the mayor
from that role. This resolution would
could prevent anyone, council members,
the mayor or staff from presenting an
updated liaison policy on council's
agenda without first obtaining the toma
violating requirement of a unanimous
vote. Imagine one member of council
could prevent the update to the liaison
policy even though a majority of council
may support the change or even a
supermajority as this policy describes.
This resolution states the first time an
update to the liaison policy could be
considered is in 2028.
Remember this resolution would go into
effect immediately upon passage.
You may be thinking to yourself, but
council would understand that an update
to the VAN policy would need to come
before council. Therefore, it is obvious
that a unanimous vote would be would
occur. But remember that council is not
allowed to discuss the content of a
proposed future business item being
presented. Coun a council member may
simply state they wish could bring an
update to the leaison policy or any
policy during the future business
portion of an agenda and council would
be voting on allowing that item to onto
the agenda. And yet one nay vote would
prevent that item being considered by
the rest of council when if council was
allowed to consider the item it may have
passed. So giving the power to one
member of council to preclude other
members of council from being able to
add an item to council's agenda would be
a disservice to the majority of council
good leg legislative practice and
frankly violates TOMA. Again, the net
effect of city policies cannot prevent a
council member from placing an item on
their agenda for public discussion.
Interestingly enough, I submitted an
item and received a required second
months ago to update the conduct of
meetings policy which includes the
agenda preparation guidelines. And if
council were to adopt this resolution
before you as presented, it would
prevent my item from coming before
council. The reason I am bringing this
update to the count conduct of meeting
relates to this very issue I am
addressing which is that I see that the
mayor is interpreting policy
restrictions should only be applied to
council members when policy clearly
states that is the item not the who
restrictions apply to. I'm not sure that
council intended that council members
would have a more difficult time placing
items on their own agenda than anyone
else being wish to place items in front
of council. I certainly did not intend
the policy to be applied like that when
I voted I. The mayor certainly does not
apply these policy restrictions to her
own items which she wishes council to
consider. It should be noted that I have
submitted items that I ultimately
withdrew because the mayor created
additional steps and requirements not
listed in our submission policy in order
for my item submission to be
on the agenda. So I remove submitting.
That is not how this should work. Nor
should my mayor consider herself an
adversary to council legislative
responsibilities to consider and
entertain ideas beyond her own. Again,
this is the same issue. Council's
ability to place items on their council
agenda and respond to situations,
changes, and new ideas. Council's
legislative duty should not be
obstructed in this manner and it should
not be imposed by an arbitrary schedule
and extreme threshold that is seen in
this resolution. There is another aspect
to this schedule that I wish to bring to
your attention which is that some of the
policies listed are scheduled for two 3
and 5 years before allowed to be
considered by this or any future
council. Council's terms are for two
years though staggered. Imagine someone
running for council on a particular idea
of updating one of these policies and
the citizens elect that person to
office. There is a likelihood if this
resolution is adopted as president
presented that they could be prevented
from ever being able to represent the
citizens and present the policy update
to council. Remember, this resolution
attempts to create a unanimous vote
threshold to even consider an any of the
policy items listed.
But let's break it down to the basics.
As it currently stands, in order for a
council member to sit and submit an item
to council's agenda, they must first
request a second from another council
member before during the future business
portion of an regular council meeting.
And then the submitted item will be
placed on council's agenda between 3 to
6 months in the future after meeting
certain requirements such as meetings
with the city administrator if the item
proposes to spend money etc. By not
adopting this resolution as presented
all that still stands. This resolution
restricts 30 restricts 36 issues from
being taken up outside of this arbitrary
schedule. It creates a total of
violation by requiring more than two
members approving placing an item on
council's agenda. It creates the
possible violation of preventing a
member of council being able to submit
items to council's agenda. And it
creates a supermajority vote to approve
such review or updates where no such
threshold is legally required. It
attempts to strike at the very heart the
bedrock principle of council's ability
to legislate and control their agenda.
Let the mayor or staff place the
schedule on their walls as reminders to
themselves as to when it might be a good
time to review and take a look at
updating the policies listed, but leave
in the dumpster outback any attempts at
restricting council's ability to respond
to real life. There appears to be a
motive of efficiency in this resolution.
I would argue that it is more efficient
for this legislative body to get things
right and working for the citizens of
our fair city than to simply allow an
issue to go unreed for years. Sometimes
getting it right involves trying things
out and seeing what works and seeing
what doesn't work. Why would anyone
consider good practice to restrict their
own ability to learn and make things
better? It's amazing this policies
policy is being presented by a former
educator.
I do not believe that it is good
leadership to set up a situation where
everyone fails because they place
arbitrary additional restrictions on any
attempts to correct or even simply
review their own work. Life and the
changes that come with them do not abide
by arbitrary schedules, nor do new ideas
and perspectives about issues. Sometimes
you have to try something out for a bit
before you realize there are elements of
it that do not work. Council needs the
flexibility to easily address those
non-working elements or changes in
perspective unobstructed. It should not
be the mayor's decision as to what
qualifies as excessive and redundant
review and updating of policies.
Council's action should remain with the
legislative body who to decide on base a
case-bycase basis. Simply put, this is
bad policy in its current state.
>> [clears throat and cough]
>> Mayor, yeah, if possible, um, maybe some
clarifications might help. Um, for the
record, standard,
city attorney, factually in my
experience, usually a resolution is a
directive to staff on administrative
matters. And usually with contracts,
contract administration,
routine review, having a tickler system
to kind of bring things back to council.
Um, a resolution is a mere uh statement
of this administration's
um approach, directive.
Um, it is not the same thing as city
code. the resolution as drafted.
I did review it. I didn't catch any
issues. I think that's
with all due respect to Council Member
Grummer.
He's real good at analyzing things and
spotting issues.
I I think there's a little bit of overly
broad concern based on hypotheticals.
The resolution is preempted by state law
in numerous ways. Uh first the Texas
Constitution, you can't bind future
administrations.
You can revisit your own motions and
orders. Um, for example, state statute
in the financial provisions in the local
government code, chapter 111,
a bank depository contract has to go out
for um solicitation
every 5 years. You you're not change
this resolution does not change state
law. It does not change the open
meetings act. It's
more of a
best practices approach with the intent
of capturing concepts like contract
management, revisiting things. It's more
of a of a
aspirational approach. It's not
something that's drafted to prohibit
this body from addressing things that
have to be addressed. So, um the the
resolution is is fine in my legal
opinion as to legal form.
Um and it's up to the local governing
body to make its local rules.
So, I hope that helps.
>> Nice. If I may, since it was my item, um
I I do want to kind of um highlight some
large or strong wording used. So, this
does not prevent a council member from
submitting an item. What it says is this
is the timeline for when certain items
will come back up. So, there is no
prohibited motion there. every November,
for example, the council rules and
meeting procedure would come back up and
a council member could submit the item
in advance with a second and then the
reconsideration would come onto the
agenda and in my mind by asking for the
unanimous approval that was protecting
the entire body. That was my intent
because you all would then collectively
decide if you wanted to bring back up
that policy again. And actually there
was a a history here. So not a future um
hypothetical that occurred. We actually
took up the council rules and meetings
procedure policy I think three or four
times in a a two month period one time
uh with council squabbbling over details
in it. And while I respect that process,
that was very, very difficult for staff
and the administrative team leading the
city at the time because it repetitively
changed how our meetings ran like back
to back to back. And so that was part of
that. Um, so that that isn't being
changed. You all would still have the
right to bring things up. It would just
require all of y'all agreeing to do that
after you've already agreed to pass
something. That's the other thing is
this. These are not new policies. I
haven't snuck anything in there. These
are things that y'all all voted on. For
example, the county council meetings and
rules and procedure policy you all
unanimously approved just in January,
>> right? So to already be bringing that
back up in three months, I felt
personally was a little disrespectful
towards council. The only reason that
item isn't on an agenda already is
because council member Gummer expressed
that he would not be in this meeting
today. Right. So the next possible
meeting he could have had it was in
August because at the timeline of when
we'd submitted we were already
publishing the June agenda and he was
told that agenda was full with other
administrative items. So he was not
rejected. He expressed at that time the
next time would be August. I have with
him communicated with another item. He
declined to have it placed because he
wanted to wait until the entire
comprehensive plan process was in
process for the survey questions to come
back up. He did revoke a surveillance
policy item. We all had that discussion
with Stan in a meeting actually where
the reason I asked for him to have an a
an additional obstacle as he called it
is I asked for the policy to be legally
reviewed and I highlighted that part of
it was an ordinance and part of it was a
resolution and that neither portions
were prepared in those formats and I
requested that he break them out. I also
cautioned on the use of government
surveillance or public surveillance
terminology and as we presented in that
meeting that was not the appropriate
terminology for the security cameras we
were attempting to assault. So I am
explaining myself there because I don't
appreciate the um misconception of my
actions. Also I just reviewed the
council liaison policy and actually we
revoked we repealed the council liaison
policy. Um what's in place now is
actually just says I'm the liazison
which as I communicated in that meeting
I would still be serving in those roles.
I just wouldn't necessarily be attending
the meetings. I would be watching them
and I would still be the representative
between the two boards. So that's not
actually um an issue there either. Um
you know I I don't think there's
anything wrong with this policy.
Obviously I brought it up. Um, I um
firmly reject the concept that this
wouldn't apply to me because if I needed
to bring up any of these policies, I
would have to follow this policy. So, I
don't circumvent it. For every item I
bring to you all, I get a second. The
only items that I don't do that with are
not things I'm a sponsor for, meaning
they're administrative tasks that
maintenance the function of our city or
they're coming from other boards or
other entities. Um and so those you know
most of that if anything has been new
has been brought forward with the second
as well. So, isn't it
>> I just wanted to say that
I read this more in the the light of
what our our attorney said is that it
struck me from the beginning as things
that had always been important to me in
administration of government and that's
better practices not
missing deadlines, legal deadlines and I
and and contract agent
but that's our our responsibility
and I just I didn't see anything in this
that would restrict us from coming back.
Um well there are a few things already
that I'd like to see changed. I'd like
to see golf cart crossing paintings
more often than every three years.
That's just not often enough. Um, I'd
like to see the audit services changed.
Uh, not limited three years. We
continued our audit year this year
because it was necessary for the pro
progress. I think this is way too far
and I would like for council member to
restate his original motion. I was
trying to understand all the facets of
it. You know, I didn't have the
opportunity to um say that.
>> Well, you did have an opportunity.
Second, you didn't feel like there was
enough time,
>> but I I mean, if I may,
um to me, the conversations here
sort of we we agree that you know, a a
schedule is a good thing. It seems like
the main sticking point is requiring a
unanimous vote um and a supermajority
vote um where I I personally don't think
that the the schedule or the resolution
um would suffer by just removing that
one clause. And I would offer an
amendment that um the clause on
requiring unanimous vote
um for discussion um be scripted.
>> Second.
>> All right. Amendment on the table
strikes under the third resolve
require a unanimous vote from the
governing body to take up for
discussion.
>> Second.
>> That's that's great. I don't have a
problem with that amendment. I would
like to speak to my intentions that
someone chose to spoke for for me
tonight. Again, it's was just to protect
you all so that we don't have one or two
council members submitting things
repetitively or wanting to reconsider
things after you all have voted.
So that was it
>> and that was an amendment.
>> I would amend second by council.
>> Oh yeah, I didn't hear that. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And that is based on reality
because over the course of the last five
years that has said occurred at least
three different times.
>> What has occurred
>> where a single
this is not a hypothetical this occurred
here
>> where policies were brought back
repetitively
um because a single council member was
not and it wasn't a single person
either. This was three to four different
people bringing back policies every
single meeting to tweak and tweak and
tweak because they didn't get their way
in the previous meeting. So, we spent
probably about six hours total on one
policy um ping ponging back and forth
again in another one.
I know that you might find no problem
with that, but I can tell you from
working with three different
administrative staffs now that our staff
does not appreciate when our council
cannot give them a clear directive and
stick to it. It becomes very difficult
to manage this city. We have lost two
previous city administrators over these
kind of things. If I'm being completely
honest, obviously they also left for
other reasons, but these were huge
complaints from them. So my goal with
this was to create a protection for all
of us and our time and you guys have
struck that point. So that's address. I
just wanted to speak for myself instead
of having somebody um speak for me which
I don't find appropriate.
You have spoken twice. Does anyone else
have any comments? You actually issued
an original motion, spent over 6 minutes
speaking the first time. Does any other
council member have an additional
comment before Chris Gmer speaks for
what he perceives to be his second time?
» No. All right, Council Member Germit,
>> you have the floor again.
>> Over the last 5 years of service on
council, I can easily sum up what I've
stood up for and my goals as a
representative of the citizens of this
fair city. that is that the beautiful
and elegant system the state has handed
down to us as an aldermatic form of
government here in Wood Creek is
preserved and protected and even
encouraged to become an exemplary
example of democracy in action. I have
run on the very ideal of a government
that works for the people. Believe me
when I say I've gained no pleasure in
calling out where, when, and whom of us
fail to uphold these others. I
understand well the experiences of being
called out for my own failings.
I have spent these last five years
researching, questioning, and fighting
for the system of government by which
the citizens are best represented. It is
better to have a team of these five
elected council members exploring the
best path forward in representing the
people than it is for one person to
attempt to make all the decisions.
Regardless of how smart an individual
may be, a single person has a hard time
finding their blinding spots or those
perspectives that they have not yet
considered. Whereas five council members
of diverse perspectives, experiences,
and ideas is more likely to find
solutions otherwise not considered.
I want to apologize to the mayor for it
may seem to some that I have been giving
her a hard time since she has taken this
on this role as mayor. It is not because I don't think she is
capable and intelligent and fit for the
role as mayor. Actually, it is quite the
opposite. It is because I have such high
standards for her, having known her
these many years, serving next to her,
that I know she is more than capable of
doing better for working towards
representing the best of our community.
It is because I care that she succeeds
in her role that I may appear to push
her harder. A long time ago, I
approached a teacher of mine and told
her that I felt she was singling me out
more than anyone else in the class and
holding me to a higher standard than she
was holding the other students. Her
response has always stayed with me. She
told me it is because she knows that I
am capable. That is why she is has a
higher standard of criticism for me. If
she did not believe that I was capable,
she wouldn't waste her time. I hold
grace for all of us to grow and learn
and become better at representing this
beautiful messy democracy we find
ourselves in. But I will also hold the
sword to fight for council's fundamental
ability to fully realize, discuss,
change their minds to create better
solutions and to allow messy
disagreements to happen as part of that
process.
Things do not become better simply by
placing them on a shelf unexamined. They
need to be held up under scrutiny,
questioned, and called out. That doesn't
mean you do not value it. It means you
value it more because you are willing to
put in the effort. There is a pervasive
mindset of us versus them in our
community. But I will point out that very mindset also includes the go
along to get along which seems to float
around in the air around here.
That do not question mindset means you
do not care whether the something truly
works or not because you place your own
feelings of belonging ahead of what
actually might be right. I will admit I
have fallen prey to this pervasive
settling. And what I mean pervasive is
that get along don't make waves mindset
expresses itself constantly around us
including such statements as come back
to the table to anyone who is different
points of view than those at the table.
This mindset is the very process of
othering those who may disagree with
your perspective and this othering
creates you are either with us or you
are outsider one of them. This mindset
and its expression is immediately
created the us versus them divisiveness
that so many of this administration has
attempted to fuse in the past. It also
attempts to invalidate someone's level
of commitment and voice on an issue. We
are actually in this together.
Being a mayor or a council member is not
an easy thing to do in a small town such
as ours. But please let us not make a
disagreement or a mistake become the
only identifier of a person. While our
mayor presented this ridiculous
resolution in front of us is a huge
mistake. I do not hold this one misstep
as a sum of who she is. These service
roles almost require that we will get
things wrong sometimes. And that is kind
of my whole point here. We need to allow
ourselves the ability to learn to
correct things and to work to make
things better. The resolution as
presented assumes that we are living in
a non-changing world. That council has
previously made the best version of
policy ever to exist and no improvements
can or should be made and that council
cannot learn anything new or adapt to
any new new situation that may present
itself. That is unrealistic.
It is one of the bedrock principles of
council's process to review, discuss,
question the full implications,
identify, and weigh the pros and cons
and the context of something in order to
create the best fit for our community.
Though I sometimes wishfully entertain
that I could wave a wand and there would
never be a conflict, I know that as
often that very conflict that we should
be exploring, differing perspectives can
create innovative solutions. to hamper
that would to leave possibilities
undiscovered. Council should continue
preserving and protecting their
legislative duties and responsibilities
from any additional restrictions not
already given to us by state and federal
law. We should all stand up and protect
our obligations regardless of whether or
not someone else finds our process
objectionable, messy, inefficient,
excessive, or redundant.
Council member Banning requested to read
your um failed motion. Would you please
do so?
» I move that council directs staff andor
the city attorney to make the following
edits and return the draft resolution to
council for approval.
The edits are to remove the third and
final result section from this
resolution and any creation of a
threshold higher for submission
of any item to council's agendas or
council's final approval on an item on
council's agenda than legally required
by state law and remove the entire
section regarding policy and any
reference to in the document pertaining
to such specifically the whereas
statement about excessive and redundant
policy review, leaving only the sections
named infrastructure and asset
maintenance and contract services and
that the resolution makes clear that
only these two sections are being
addressed by this draft resolution
including the warehouse and resolved
sections.
>> Do we have any further That's not a
motion. Um he did not make an amendment.
He was responding to your question. Miss
Leard,
>> just very quickly, I I believe that
council member Rasco's
amendment addresses many of the things
that council member
just outlined
in the ability to bring back
items to council without the unanimous
approval of such. That's true.
>> All right. Any other additional
discussion on this item? Hearing
none, you will all have the opportunity
to vote. All in favor of passing this
resolution with the amendment to strike
require unanimous vote from the
governing body, please raise your hand
and say I.
>> You still need to vote on the amendment
first.
>> Oh, apolog No, really? I thought that
Oh, apologies.
>> Yeah. So, we'll vote on the amendment.
All in favor of the amendment to strike
require unanimous vote from the
governing body, please raise your hand
and say I.
>> I.
>> So, that is a unanimous vote, I believe.
I Yeah. And then on the full main
motion, it would be to approve
resolution number 2026-07-08-02
establishing a schedule for routine
maintenance contract review policy
review for the city of Lake Creek with
the amendment to strike under the third
resolve require unanimous vote from the
governing body to take up this for
discussion. Please raise your hand and
say I.
>> Three eyes. It passes. Nay. Nay.
>> Two nays.
And I apologize because um I made a
statement that this policy isn't
addressed but it is in the end. I was
meaning that it's not addressed in the
chart and I'm sorry about that
[clears throat]
>> question on procedure.
Does this prevent previously approved
items from coming on to? It doesn't
prevent them. It would come up in
November after the election, heard this
policy, unless a council member wanted
to bring it up and have a second.
>> And then your your item can come back in
August. What this says is that it would
require a super majority vote to pass
it. [clears throat]
>> No, we struck that.
>> No, we struck unanimous vote for
my was
>> Yeah. Uh Jeff made sorry
required unanimous vote for discussion
to be stricken.
That's it.
>> What I said was that the clause
>> the clause requiring the unanimous vote
for
>> me. That's not what was stated but we
can retract and go back if there is
confusion here. What was stated was the
clause and then you
>> only read that section. I was motion to
be considered silent.
>> I hear you. I'm just explaining that
when I restated it, none of that was
ever corrected. When I stated what the
amendment was, nobody corrected that.
>> So you're to be clear trying to strike
the entire resolve section.
>> That was my intent.
>> Okay.
>> And that's what I regret.
» Okay. So
we will reconsider the amendment first.
So everyone's clear. You're striking
that entire section. All in favor of
striking the third resolve in its
entirety, please raise your hand and say
I.
>> I.
>> Unanimous I. All in favor of passing the
policy with that entire sectional
struck, please raise your hand and say
I.
>> I.
>> Three eyes. Passes. Nays. Two.
>> All right. Um, I would like to have
discussion about your item at a later
time, Mr. marked and whenever we are
both maybe of cooler heads and not
having um been in a meeting with
everyone for 8 or till 8:00 right
>> mayor if I make a quick comment
>> there are always emergency situations
where you know something can be brought
to council there always situations
um that may require revisiting a policy
or a code for example the state
legislature passes new rules and you
need to amend your local rules there. So
there's there's always situations
um I'm reading the policy to be a
baseline for example on road
um
>> regulations
>> regulation
devices you know the three years is is
again that's a minimum a baseline. It
doesn't necessarily preclude
if there's an engineering study or if
there's if there's a compelling need to
bring something back. It's just to
revisit it every 3 years or whatever.
And but there's but you can address
emergency repairs. you can address um
any needs that the city has
that if there's
a legitimate need it can it can be uh
directed to staff or there's a way to
get there is what I'm saying. So so
again you're you're not boxed in
completely you there is some discretion
obviously u based on the totality
surface. So my question is a legal one
in that it states. So the question is I
submitted several months ago.
>> No, in June,
>> May. I got my second in May. I actually
submitted it in April
and I got my second in May or and
council agreed to allow me to present
onto the agenda and update to the
conduct of meetings.
Council member Grimmer, that is not on
his agenda.
>> I'm asking a legal question in regards
to the resolution we just passed.
The the the question is does the
structure of this resolution where it
says the update to
conductive uh update to the policy of
conductive meetings is no longer allowed
until this dates much in the future
prevent my item that I've already been
approved to submit.
It's been sitting waiting for months
before it land on agenda. which are
>> these state facts. That is not true.
>> I literally looked it up before I any of
this.
» But he just said he just said this be
your minimum standard. Something that
has to come back earlier than what's on
here. It [clears throat] comes back
earlier than what's on here.
>> That's the question. This is not it's
not stated as minimum standard.
>> The answer is this resolution does not
expressly prohibit that. Thank you.
>> Now the body
makes its own rules and you can revisit
rules whenever the body decides to
revisit rules pursuant to its
procedures. Um so the the agenda item
here is this resolution and the answer
is no. It's not that restrictive. Um it
it's a presumptive
>> um baseline.
>> So I
>> as I already told you earlier, your
thing will come up in August. The only
reason it didn't come up in sooner is
because you were told the June agenda
was full and you communicated you did
not intend to be here for this meeting
>> and and we really need to focus on
>> the agenda. Yeah. I ain't saying I'm
just clarifying that this you're
understanding everyone's understanding.
>> Thank you.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
Don't fall through the cracks.
» That's the way I look.
>> Are we done? Is everyone their piece?
Thank you. We have a individual here
who's um represented for items six and
seven. We will call our executive
session to consult and receive and seek
advice from attorney pursuant to section
551.071
of the Texas government code regarding
legal requirements and procedures for
issuance of building permits pursuant to
chapter 151 of the city's code of
ordinances including but not limited to
instances of applicant hardship and
related legal considerations.
at 801.
Um, executive s
>> recording progress.
>> We're reconvening at 8:24. No action was
taken during the executive session. We
do have uh a written public comment to
read and then we do have the individual
applying for the variance here. We'll
read the written public comment first.
That's okay. and then we'll do the the
inerson.
>> Okay.
>> I should start timer. Sorry.
>> Sorry.
>> Um this individual submitted a total of
three comments actually. So I we are the
we're going to start using the timer and
uh the city secretary will be reading
them.
>> Thank you to remove any u political
issues with this process. All right. Um
go ahead. I notice number seven on our
council's regular agenda deals with the
spokes law. If this is in any way deals
with installation of an above ground
pool, please read by below objection
into the record. At the time this item
comes up for council's consideration as
I'm unwilling to take a chance on
something that so much affects the
appearance of my neighborhood and the
value of our homes. I remain completely
opposed to these above ground pools.
Know that I want restrictions that may
go with them. The ordinance should be
left as is with no amendments whatsoever
in a trust of my opposition to any above
ground pool ordinance previously sent to
the city secretary. You and others will
be read by her at any city council
meeting concerning these pools. Sorry, I
have practice law for over 15 years and
I've seen many unintended consequences
of situations like this where just a
small opening was left for someone to
later utilize like this drought
temporarily passing and someone putting
in one of these pools before another one
comes along. Thank you for your time and
your service. Lou Joseph and Elizabeth
23.
Please note our opposition to any city
ordinance in any shape or form which
authorize any above ground swimming pool
construction. One, city already has an
ordinance in place prohibiting any above
ground pool construction in order that
it was passed for a very good reason.
Two, currently there are critical draw
restriction signs from the eastern
groundwater conservation district around
Wood Creek requesting 30% less water
use. Three, Jacobsville aquaer is so
depleted that the pool can't be used by
the public anymore and our aquifer already stressed out as well.
Lastly, above ground pools are
unattractive and adversely affect
property values. We also ask the city
secretary to read this objection into
the record of any city meeting
concerning any above ground pool
ordinance as well as reading it to any
assembled audience there if possible.
Thank you for your time and
consideration this matter. Our aquafer
property values and the preservation of
them are very important to us. Very
truly
Joseph.
Okay. And dear city secretary, please
read our belove unconditional opposition
to the assembled public and into the
record of any proceeding involving any
proposed above ground pool ordinance
seeking to authorize the construction of
above ground pools in the city of Wood
Creek. Please read this objection into
public comment section to any city
council meeting including but not
limited to city council meeting
scheduled for 892023 and 823 2023. if
there are in any way connected with
construction and or installation of
above ground pools or on the agenda of
any other proceeding involing such above
ground pools. One, our city has already
have in place an ordinance prohibiting
any above ground pool construction and
we're certain that it was passed for
reasons that were good then as well as
still doing good now. If it ain't broke,
don't fix it. Two, climate change and
oils dry out. We're currently in drought
restriction emergency with signs all
over Wood Creek asking us to lower our
water usage by 40%. Jacob's well is
close and our own training aquifer is
already stressed out as it is. We don't
want these pools even if that's 40%
figured lower. We know the people near
Wood Creek who are now having to water
having to have water trucked in because
their walls have already jumped. Three
above ground pools are Pandora's box, a
can of worms that should never be opened
for any reason.
>> That's it.
>> Question. Weren't these three different
people?
>> He
Okay.
>> Yeah. in the thing it says, "Please read
any future past
they've ever submitted." So,
>> yeah. And then when I So, statement of
fact, um, swim spas are not above ground
pools per our code. Um, so when I did
inform him of that, he did not retract
his comment. So, we proceeded with
reading it as it was submitted in
addition to his other comments for his
request.
All right, we're going to move into item
number seven regarding the request for
the installation of a swim school and
allowing the permit process to commence
for 74 Champion Circle.
Do I have a motion?
to approve a request for the
installation of the slope spa and allow
the permitting process to commence for
74 champions.
Motion fails for lack of second
a different motion or
>> Well, I wanted to hear from the
resident.
>> I I apologize.
No, I'm sorry. Yeah, I
>> I know you were doing a motion and then
she talks and then
>> I I just tell her she could speak before
we typically with the items going to
have a motion to open it up and I
apologize. Please, if you would like to
issue a comment now, that would be
appropriate. Well, I'm just grateful to
be here and it's been an honor to sit
and watch y'all do your job and I'm
thankful to be in the city with such
great leaders and so thank you for
having me and hearing me and I am here
to request a variance to the moratorum
that I wasn't aware of. I just wasn't
aware of it. I would have bought the
swim spa if I was aware of it. I mean, I
wouldn't have done that. Um, but uh I
did for my healing and I've been
watching it sit there for 6 weeks when I
should have been in it healing and I
look forward to healing with it. I hope
and pray that you will grant the
variance. Uh I do uh have several
medical conditions that I believe this
will cure. So
I'm not going to use your water or our
water. I'm having the water uh hauled in
and uh I don't do any topping off of the
uh feeding of the swim spa with rain
water collection or have it trucked in
as well. I don't want to be this this
stuff the spot and it's going on granite
so it's not going on concrete
[clears throat]
and um
and I just believe that that I've healed
with this swim spot and I have a
doctor's prescription.
>> That's a good question that I haven't
actually found out about yet. Is this
any ground?
>> It It's And I have a deck around it and
it's lovely. I think
>> it's
a five ground spa. Swimming spa.
>> It's not a pool.
>> But you're digging a big hole.
>> No, no, not digging a hole. It's going
to have a granite slab to be placed on
and then a decking around it.
Okay, we do need a motion before we get
into Q&A, please. Um, so if we could
have a motion on the table.
>> Thank you for hearing me.
And my name is Laura. I didn't introduce
myself.
Thank you.
And this is my first home, so I'm I'm
learning all kinds of things about home
ownership and and this city. So, and
your rules.
specified.
>> Thank you. So, um, council, we do need a
motion to either approve or deny the
variance. Um, we I don't know what the
proper rules on not taking it up at all,
but I would request that we either
approve or deny the variance.
I move that we take action to approve
request for installation of a swim spa
and allow the the permitting process to
commence for 74 champions.
>> We have a second.
>> I'll second.
>> So we have a second for discussion
purposes. Council member Bailey made the
motion as stated in the packet. Council
member Richardson is a second. Um so
clarifying details uh swim spas or at
least this one in particular and
typically it's all above ground. They're
basically really really large hot tubs.
Um and I will caution you though that
your um your impervious coverage you
barely got the swim spa under it. I do
not believe additional debt being would
be covered. And so if they choose to
approve your variance tonight, you would
need to work with city administrator
Burton on that concept because you might
not be able to install the decking you
wish. And if they do choose to approve
your variance tonight, you would still
have to go through the permit
application process where you would need
to approve the rainwater collection and
that is a large enough um system to
support filling something like this. Um,
so all of that documentation would need
to be as as part of the permit process
should they approve the variance. The
first step tonight is just the variance
and we would need a direct statement on
that. This is not necessarily
sufficient enough in my opinion, but um
so I would request that it be amended to
reference the variance in Virginia
if you choose to pass. to amend her
motion.
>> Okay.
>> Yes. Because the the packet
um doesn't necessarily directly
reference the variance and I'm I'm just
concerned about
um about that.
>> Sorry.
>> I move to amend to specifically
reference a variance.
Second.
in the it would be to approve or deny
the hearings would be the amendment.
>> Do y'all have any discussion or
questions?
>> I'd like to say that if you if you don't
mind, may I say something? Uh the guy
who's going to come and fill it up says
that he can write a letter that shows
that he will be in charge of keeping it
filled. you would have to provide um the
initial purchase of the water. That's
what we've required in the past. So,
that we understand they might not fill
at that exact time, but you would have
to essentially have that in place.
>> Um a maintenance contract
>> or the refill would definitely benefit
you in regards to the city administrator
approving the application.
>> Yes.
>> Um none of that was provided tonight
though for the record.
Yeah, that's excuse [clears throat] me.
I'm sorry. That that's really my issue
is that um
you know the spa was purchased and
delivered and
um and you come to us with you know
legitimate issues. Um but you know our
the the reason that you have to follow
varants is because our job is to enforce
the policies of the city. um we haven't
approved um even a hot tub you know in a few years we did one one cool um
and the the medical documentation on
that one one person was um was extensive
>> well I've had the MRIs and the CAT scans
and all of that that I can provide I
just didn't think that that should be
necessary I mean I really didn't but I'd
be happy to provide it
>> all I'm saying is that you for us to
approve the variance. Um, we had to say
it's it's so compelling that we're
willing to break the rules that we have
set for ourselves. Um, and your
application to me, I mean, it's just in
my opinion, the application, you know,
isn't strong enough for for me to to
feel like it's there. I mean, it's not
that you can't go back and come back
with with strong. I mean, just like like
the the contract for the water being
trucked in, the design of the rainwater
system that's going to to top it off.
>> Um, you know, I I don't know about them.
Well, I don't know, you know, physical
therapist or, you know, orthopedic
surgeons or or whatever. you know that
you know if you if if I had better
documentation that yeah this is really
important and there's no other way you
can do it like going to the YDA or or a
physical therapist that you know might
provide um you know that service um then
I mean it'd be easier for me to to say
okay let's go ahead and break the rule
that that's my opinion on my one vote
and I'm sorry I feel that way but that is
>> [clears throat]
>> Council, if I may, you do have the
option if you'd like to postpone us for
further documentation as well. Just in
hearing that comment, that is a
possibility.
There's nothing wrong with that. Does
anyone else have any additional
questions for the applicant or
additional comments or concerns?
>> Do you know offand how many gallons it
takes to fill?
>> About 2,000.
and
>> and I have it planned to be delivered as
soon as it's
moved and set up on the pad that's being
built.
>> I will say typically water truck
providers don't do less than a,000 uh
refill. Occasionally they'll come out
for something like 3 to 600. So again,
should should you wish should council
postponed and you wish to provide
additional documentation or should your
variance be granted and you move into
the permit process, it would really
benefit you to have more of that stuff
documented, you know, like the size of
your rainwater collection, your contract
with your water provider saying they
would fill lesser amounts than a
thousand. And so I mean, if I could echo
what he rascow said is that um in seeing
this application
um there is a burden of the applicant to make a
compelling case to grant a variance.
That's standard policy that's nothing to
do with you or this situation if that
makes sense. And so what I have heard or
what I am hearing now is that um there
is not necessarily right now a
compelling case um meaning um a
long-term disability that would take a
permanent installation
or um you know the the plans for the
rainwater collection would have been
very helpful or um the the literal
contract with your water provider. these
were things these would be things that
would make for a more compelling case.
Um because the variance is basically we
have rules and so you're asking us to go
around these rules and it's sort of like
a burden of proof on your part if that
makes sense.
>> Well, it's all ready to go. It's ready
to be done. The the the the crew is
ready to to build the pad and the
rainwater collection and install the the
jacuzzi. It's all ready to be and I I
need to be healing in it yesterday.
>> Do the plans that you submitted include
>> those?
>> Well, it could happen it it can happen
as soon as y'all give me the okay to
>> doesn't work. No, you have to come first
and then and then we say, "Okay, that's good."
>> I mean, we can't we can't I mean, I
can't I can't I can't do for you what we
haven't done for a lot of other people
in this drive.
um with just on the on the promise that
yeah, I'll bring something back to you, know, after I get it done, after I
get it everything set, I I mean, it's
like if if if we had it now and had more
to to work with,
>> you know, you and this is this doesn't
say that it will never come back before
the council. You never have another
chance. It's just that we in my opinion
the application is just incomplete and it's like like it would be it would
be
it would just be tough for me to say
okay I'll take your word for it. Right.
So um
sorry but
>> does anyone else on council have
anything they'd like to share or say?
Just I if anything I'd like to see
further documentation
of medical.
You got it. I'll get it.
So right now we have an amendment to
address variance specifically. That's
what it said. Does specifically
reference gay varian?
>> If we could vote on that amendment. Now,
I would request we vote that down if you
don't mind and that we either approve or
deny the variance and issue that
amendment or postpone for further
documentation. One of those three
options I think would be more clear for
staff and for the applicant.
So
you want an amendment to deny the
dariance or approve the variance
>> or a secondary like a new motion where
we a postpone is a standalone motion. It
would intercept the conversation and
stop it. All of it would end. Postponing
means done tonight. Come back at the
next meeting with XYZ. So we have to
take up this amendment that says
paraphrasing addressing a variance. I
would ask that y'all vote that down and
if you intend to approve or deny you
make that amendment
>> or someone issued a motion in postponing
for further documentation.
» Sir council member Ger
>> I just want to make sure I'm
understanding the process. We have an
amendment to add the variance words.
Then we have the main motion as stated
on the agenda. You're asking for all of
that to make.
>> No. No. Vote vote on the amendment
up or down.
>> Um and then offer
>> possibly
>> a different amendment maybe or
>> Okay. The reason why
>> I could just make it clear
>> I would suggest to vote this amendment
down was because it it's added wordage
that's not necessary if that makes
sense. It's just all you all we really
need is vote to approve the request for
variance or vote to deny the request for
variance or motion to postpone until
further documentation.
>> So we'll go ahead and take up the
amendment to add variance verbage. All
in favor, please raise your hand and say
I.
No eyes. Motion fails. Please raise your
hand and say nay. If we do not support
>> nay.
>> Two nays. Do we have an abstent? Anyone
abstaining?
>> Oh, I'm sorry.
>> I'm not sure.
>> Are you on the motion?
>> No, this variance would be
>> So there were no eyes. I'm just assuming
everybody else would be mad. So we yeah
you either have to I n they or fain and
an F saying is a yes unless you have a
real reason not to be offending meaning
you it's money going to you or something
>> I vote against
>> let's take a roll call you're against abstain so that becomes a yes
>> I'm in
clarification previous city attorney
said we cannot abstain unless we have a
legal reason to do. So
>> there is an argument for that.
>> Is that true?
>> Your understanding?
>> Yes, I I agree with that.
>> Okay.
>> So unless you have a legal reason, we're
going to go with Stan's agreement here
on that.
>> Okay. So
>> a legal reason would be that you're
going to use her swim or this is going
on your property or she paid you money.
>> A real conflict of interest.
So, I missed the opportunity to move.
>> No, no, all we're voting on.
All the amendments said was add variance
words.
>> Okay.
>> Paraphrase. So, I'm asking you all to
vote that down because that is not a
helpful amendment right now to the
motion. We and we would make a new one
of some version, please. So, we will
start over with a roll call just to make
this clear so everyone knows. Council
member Richardson.
>> Council member Gmer.
>> Council member Bailey.
>> Nay.
>> Council member Slicker.
>> Mayor.
>> Okay. That amendment says that's what I
got. Okay. First,
>> um,
so the motion on the table right now is
to approve a request for installation of
the swim and allow permitting process to
commence.
We can vote on that or you can add the
words about the variance in particular.
That was just a request for me. Or a new
motion can be made to postpone.
» Okay.
I move that we postpone this decision
allowing the applicant time to provide
more detail on the physical preparation
of the spa and medical need
administrative question
that doesn't require any varian
>> we will wait in this case.
>> Um, so council member Bailey's motion
was to postpone his decision to allow
applicant more time to provide
documentation
on the installation
and medical meeting. Yes.
>> Okay. Seconded by Mayor Pton Rasone.
Um, do we have any further discussion?
Um,
I would be happy to work with you via
email, help you understand what that
looks like and city administrator Burton
can also help on that front. Um, we did
not establish a timeline on this and as
it's stated now, it's just when she
feels her materials have been submitted.
So, if that's okay with council, we'll
move forward with that understanding.
So, you don't have a deadline right now
and your variance will still be honored.
You don't have to resubmit and pay
again. Um, but the council is requesting
additional information from you
concerning the medical need. So, the
doctor's prescription wasn't enough.
It's not that it's not you want to see
the X-rays and the results from the
different MRIs and things like what
we're I would love to talk to you about
this outside of a public meeting where
we're not discussing your health in a
recorded meeting if you don't mind.
>> But if you are open to that discussion,
I won't deny you it here. It just I out
of your privacy and respect for you, I
don't think that that would be
appropriate. That's fine. I'm willing to
do whatever you need me to do.
>> Okay. Um I would I would like to discuss
this with you at a meeting outside of a
public hearing.
>> So was it denied or did
>> it's been postponed until you provide
additional applicant information
regarding the installation.
Specifically, what I'm hearing is
related to the water concerns and
further medical documentation justify
any long-term disability or need.
>> So, the long-term uh health conditions
that I have, you need more information
on that because I have short-term and
long-term.
>> Yes, ma'am. What we have here today
appears to be kind of a shortterm
>> incident, right? Uh, so that was what I
heard expressed was the concern that
this is a short-term need that perhaps
could be satisfied without the permanent
installation of a water using device.
>> Right?
>> If you have a long-term disability that
would
give a more compelling argument for a
water installation device, it's
permanent or semi-permanent being
installed at your home, then that would
help your case.
>> I'll get that to you. Okay.
» Yes. Yes.
>> I just
>> Okay.
>> All right. The motion on the table is to
postpone this decision to allow the
applicant more time to provide the
documentation on the installation and
medical need. Do we have any further
discussion tonight in council?
All right. Hearing none, we'll go ahead
and hold a vote on that motion to
postpone. All in favor, please raise
your hand and say I.
Four I one n a motion passes to
postpone.
[clears throat]
All right. Thank you. Thank you so much.
As you heard a long way.
>> Let's uh put together at a later time to
work on your additional application
materials and Mr. Burton can also help
you if I'm not available.
>> Thank you very much. Good morning. Thank
you.
All right, guys. We're going to move
into council considerations for future
business. And I' I've mentioned this
before, but if you guys would like your
stuff included in the slides, you can
always email me beforehand. Um, all I
have right now are I would like to
propose a rainwater collection incentive
for smallcale and landscape watering.
Seconded by council member Richardson.
Um, tonight I heard a reconsider for
speed cushions in the budget from the
public.
that one. I second.
>> Uh okay. So, Mayor Pton Rasa will be
sponsoring that item and uh council
member Gerard has seconded that
consideration.
>> Um when I say speaker, should I like
safety enhancement phase three?
>> Uh I would say safety enhancement phase
three.
um what was in the budget
>> and that's what they were requesting
come up and we'll have a separate item
for it this time instead of it being
um part of a larger item
>> and uh I will honor the modifications if
it's okay in working with Mayor Proasco
the modifications that council members
expressed uh wanting in that plan the
last time but we'll bring back in
>> question well we're not be talking about
details. I just can the details of it be
broken up so obviously could maybe it
can change into this but that later
it's in that safety enhancement.
>> It is kind of remember
actually nothing was specified. It was
just safety enhancement phase three and
then what was proposed was what citizens
had brought to us because the whole
point was we were just approving to add
it to the budget and approving staff to
be able to work on the plan and consult
with engineers to bring forth a plan for
council consideration.
>> But council did make modifications
during the meeting and I will honor
those if you don't mind. We'll adjust
what was presented.
No additional considerations for future
business. I remember Council Member
Gmer, you um made an announcement on a
previous meeting about something related
to taxes. Were you still interested in
uh getting your second on that during
the appropriate allocated time for
policy?
>> Seems I don't remember at the moment.
No.
>> Was it um like a further income?
>> Oh, it was.
>> Yes. the possibility.
>> Okay. Um I plan on our possibility of
a general homestead exemption
tax exemption.
>> Yeah.
>> That was on the last.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah. It was made as an announcement.
>> Oh yeah. The announcements weren't on my
class. So, I was just trying to
» do a second.
>> I don't know.
>> Um,
okay.
» And then the the item that um custom
permer was speaking about that was that
may have been on this agenda.
>> It's already submitted.
>> Okay.
That doesn't have to be resub.
>> It doesn't. It was submitted in May on
the 17th. Uh the agenda was posted on
the 27th for June. So, and it was
already in process at that time in full.
He was um asked if it could go on July.
He said he'd be out of town. So, it
could come in August.
>> Okay.
>> It's already
» Sorry, [clears throat] that wasn't
directed to you. No, it's not. It is
7:00.
>> Yeah. Uh, all right. Now, we're going to
move into announcements hearing. No
future business. Uh, one announcement.
We have a repotting lot 144 and lot 146
of the re
of the repot and extension of Wood Creek
section 2 establishing lot 144A county
Texas notice of a public hearing set for
July 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. During the
regular planning and zoning commission
meeting, they will need to issue a
report that would then come to us. So
this is your notice. You could tune into
that meeting to be informed by them
directly. And then planning and zoning
is also planning a public hearing for
MH1 noting expected August 19th, 2026.
That's related to the manufacturer
manufactured housing code. The state is
requiring from us. Our next council
meeting is August 12th with the final
budget workshop. Please come with all of
your final budget stuff for that meeting
because we'll be launching straight into
Sep, you know, like that's it and then
September has to be posted. So,
>> I'm sorry you're saying that the regular
meeting plus budget work.
>> Yeah, it will be primarily a budget
workshop. I
>> is the goal. That is um in the future
it's it's very beneficial for all
council to uh take into consideration
the budget calendar when submitting
items and understanding that the months
of July and August
10 and June really even tend to be very
heavy budget stuff. So anyway, all
right, moving on. Uh that would adjourn
our meeting. I have a motion to adjurnn.
>> Uh meeting at 8:56.
>> Thank you.