[3:49] There

[3:54] are all the time. And I just wanted to find out why I found out also that that particular land belongs to the city. And if the museum is there on the city property, how come they can't cut their own gas and trim their own trees? It was three city workers, they're working.

[4:14] And those three city workers could have been working somewhere else out here in the public.

[4:21] And also concerning the Medina County Museum, I think, in there, you know, and they don't

[4:28] have anything in there concerning Mexican Americans or African Americans, all I see is just

[4:36] you know, Anglo-Saxon Museum, you know, things that are there in just from the Anglo-Saxon

[4:44] community. I don't think that, you know, why are we supporting a museum that only puts up,

[4:52] you know, Anglo-Saxon, or quite things, or in the museum. You know, there's nothing in their

[4:57] concerning Mexican-American service. Indigenous people, or African-American people, you know,

[5:04] think that's a sign of white supremacy. I think that, you know, we shouldn't be cutting their

[5:14] Thank you, Mr. Clovis.

[5:20] Our consent agenda is considered self-explanatory and will be active on the Council with one motion.

[5:25] With no separate discussion, unless they are removed from the consent agenda,

[5:29] pull the request to the Mayor of our Council member.

[5:32] In brief, they are number six consideration and approval of the August 24th,

[5:36] 2026 regular city council manage.

[5:39] Number seven consideration and approval of the third quarter of a natural report.

[5:42] fiscal year ending September 30, 2026 has presented number eight consideration and approval of the third quarter investment report for the fiscal year ending September 30,

[5:55] 2026 has presented nine consideration and approval of the fiscal year 2027 airport round grant 10 consideration and approval

[6:06] to update the match funds from 75,000 to 90,000 in resolution number 438-24 of the City Council

[6:15] of the City of Hondo of Texas authorizing the submission of a Texas community development

[6:20] block grant program application to the Texas Department of Agriculture for the community

[6:26] development fund.

[6:27] Number 11, consideration and approval of Mayor McNellie's appointment of Tony Ortiz to the city

[6:32] of Honda's Cemetery Advisory Board for a three-year term.

[6:36] 12 consideration and approval of Mayor Macanale's

[6:39] appointment of Del Mottoris to the city of Honda,

[6:42] board of adjustment for a two-year term.

[6:45] 13 consideration and approval of resolution number 489-26,

[6:50] the city council of the city of Honda

[6:52] takes us authorizing the city manager to execute

[6:56] an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation

[6:59] for the temporary closure of a portion

[7:01] a farm to market road forces to have a new year on November 19th, 2026, for the Christmas

[7:08] in God's country parade, is to have wishing a public purpose and providing an effective

[7:13] date.

[7:13] And we've had these items to look at, I don't know, to lose their needs as our need to

[7:19] pull any of these.

[7:30] Motion to approve the consent agenda. Some of have a motion for Mr. Williams, second. And I'll take a second from his leg. Any further discussion?

[7:40] All in favor, please say aye. Aye. All in favor, please be nay. I hear no opposition. The consent agenda has approved.

[7:48] Under other business item number 14 is a public hearing on the proposed budget.

[7:54] We're a physical year of 2026-2027, we presented by Mr. Hill and Mr. Nara, and we will open

[8:04] our public hearing at 6-07, and the first part of that, then we'll be the staff presentation.

[8:16] So Mayor Council members, citizens, I'm pleased to present the City Hondo's budget for

[8:22] fiscal year, 2,026,27, balance at $29,613,485.

[8:29] Build a server community well in the year to end.

[8:33] It carries out the priorities council set during its budget workshop

[8:37] and reflects the steady practical approach on those known for.

[8:41] Our general fund expenditures are smaller than a year ago,

[8:44] due in part to the wind down of one time grant funded projects.

[8:47] At the same time, reducing our workforce,

[8:49] largely through attrition has allowed the city of Hondo to run even

[8:52] leaner and to shift funding toward infrastructure into the core services

[8:57] our residents depend on.

[8:59] As we, even as we tighten our operations, we still made it a point to take care of

[9:04] our team.

[9:05] The budget funds, a pay increase, a 3% raises the minimum wage to $16.15

[9:11] an hour, strengthens retirement and continues health coverage.

[9:15] It also funds real improvements to how we serve our community, a new assistant city manager

[9:20] position, a dedicated recreation manager for a growing program, and a police department

[9:25] reorganization that adds two lieutenant positions to strengthen, supervision, and continuity.

[9:31] Infrastructure remains a priority across the board, and streets are clear, and clear

[9:35] example.

[9:36] One highlight is the council's decision to add 150,000 to the street budget.

[9:41] Our current five-year plans support 500,000 a year for streets.

[9:45] We're currently looking at 750,000 in streets this year.

[9:49] So this additional funding effectively puts us a half a year ahead of schedule, allowing

[9:54] staff to focus squarely on repairing and maintaining our roadways and making the most out

[9:59] of every dollar.

[10:01] We're outside funding is available.

[10:02] We will continue to pursue grants to stretch the city of Honda's resources further.

[10:07] The council made a tough but strong long-term decision on utility rates, based on the

[10:12] rate study completed by New Gen.

[10:14] The scenarios New Gen presented were designed to keep pace with the current and future

[10:18] needs of the system while holding the city's emergency reserves at a healthy level.

[10:24] It was not the easiest path but is the right one for the health of the city and keeps water

[10:28] and wastewater self-supporting and funds the infrastructure our system needs.

[10:32] Dependent of a water service is a promise we intend to keep, and this plan lets us to keep it for years to come.

[10:39] City of Hondo's comprehensive plan update will also be in full swing.

[10:43] Meaningful public engagement will be at the heart of the work.

[10:46] We hold engagement events throughout the community and focus on meeting people where they are,

[10:51] so that the plan reflects the priorities of the residents it serves.

[10:55] The comprehensive plan will help chart Hondo's course for years to come,

[10:58] And we expect the resulting changes to zoning and land used to play a significant role in shaping the city's future.

[11:06] I am optimistic about Honda's future. We expect real growth in the years ahead, and it is a right kind of growth,

[11:12] coming in the form of capital investment and jobs rather than just housing alone.

[11:16] As it comes, we will hold to a clear principle, development pays for development, rather than extending infrastructure into new areas

[11:23] to encourage growth, we will keep our focus on repairing and strengthening the systems we

[11:27] already have and let new development carry the cost of improvement it requires.

[11:31] That approach protects our existing residents and helps the city to grow on the sound

[11:36] and sustainable footing.

[11:38] Plenty of good work remains, including our ongoing efforts to reduce the general funds reliance

[11:43] on utility transfers, and I'm confident we are ready for it.

[11:47] Our staff know this community and how to make every resource count.

[11:50] My thanks to the Department Directors and staff who prepared this budget and to the

[11:54] Marin Council for the California Review and Direction.

[11:57] It is a privilege to serve the Hondo community and I look forward to the year

[12:01] ahead.

[12:09] Great jobs on.

[12:10] I just had a couple of comments on some numbers.

[12:13] Where it says that we raised the street budget 150,000.

[12:17] Our capital plan was 500,000.

[12:19] We had already added 100,000 in the budget, so we had 600,000.

[12:23] And the way I had the 150 from the meetings were actually

[12:26] budgets in 750,000 for streets.

[12:29] That's in the budget.

[12:32] The just to reiterate on the actual budget number

[12:35] is $29,613.485.

[12:40] That is a decline in expenditures of $639,630.

[12:44] And that comes from the general one, as he mentioned,

[12:46] because we had one-time grants that we

[12:49] had in last year's budget, for example,

[12:52] the teetham grant that comes away, and then the police grants is really the big number.

[12:57] There's about a half million dollars of police grants in the last budget.

[13:01] We make it those again, but until we get approved for those, we don't put those in the budget,

[13:06] because that approval hasn't happened yet.

[13:08] If it occurs, then we'll do a budget and then we'll add a back.

[13:11] Before on the police grants.

[13:14] So the grants are really the big difference of why the expenses are declining year over year.

[13:24] anything any any other highlight that you'd like to point out.

[13:32] I would just

[13:32] reiterate that we did go through a long schedule of

[13:42] getting input from staff and

[13:45] going forward with the

[13:50] beginning back in April and then in July we had

[13:53] budget workshops. These were open and then we've had some other discussions since

[13:58] And then we got the figures from our tax assessor collector, and that's the figures that

[14:04] we're working off of.

[14:06] They're not ours, and we've got a schedule, which we were following, and so I appreciate

[14:15] everybody's work on this, it really makes a difference.

[14:23] it as the manager alluded to, it's some of the lives we're happy of there and others.

[14:35] But, right team work from everybody though, elected officials staff, everybody.

[14:42] It's from staff.

[14:44] All right, this time then we'll entertain public comments and we have a gentleman, George Adams,

[14:52] from 706, 30th, 30th Street, just big reference to the budget.

[14:56] We should have a seat.

[15:00] So, which is Pearson, have a population that is about the same as Honda, as by Census Bureau of 2020, five estimates.

[15:07] Another similar town is Florida with a population of 9,105.

[15:12] That's 25 fewer people than Honda.

[15:15] Floors bills on the South East Side and San Antonio just a few miles southeast of 1604.

[15:20] It's fiscal year 27, proposed expenditure for the Police Department is around $270,000 less than Honda's.

[15:30] Pondo's proposed budget described an effort to reduce the general funds for lines on utility transfers.

[15:36] I believe over-sizing the police department contributes to this general fund problem.

[15:41] Lores don't describe their command structure as a chief, a lieutenant and two patrol sergeants.

[15:47] So why does Honda need an additional lieutenant and an additional patrol sergeant?

[15:53] Also, I don't see an assistant police chief listed for either peer-solve or floor's bill.

[15:59] I'm asking the council to consider whether Honda leaves a police department of 27.

[16:05] And whether it can or should be reduced to 25 or fewer by eliminating at least the extra patrol sergeant in extra lieutenant,

[16:13] I'm also asking the council to consider whether Honda leaves the spend so much on this police department.

[16:18] reducing the police department's size and cost would allow the general fund to be less

[16:23] reliant on utility transfers, a stated ongoing effort by the city that does not appear

[16:28] all that successful, with its $5.9 million of transfers into a $12.2 million general fund.

[16:37] Covering excessive grant fund or covering excessive general fund expenditures for utilities,

[16:48] and

[16:48] is not helpful for the residents and businesses.

[16:51] The city could instead lower utility rates if it stopped and

[16:55] success is spending from the general fund.

[16:58] In addition to lowering utility rates, savings could be put

[17:01] to better use, better uses, that feeding a bigger pyramid

[17:05] command structure at this police department.

[17:08] For example, spend the savings on programs for the kids

[17:11] that's a library and rec center.

[17:14] Maybe spend it on additional after school and summer programs.

[17:17] I believe continued additional expenditures on streets as needed and can be good, can be a good use for these savings, but general fund expenses for streets is only half of that proposed for the police department.

[17:31] And the street department has only ten employees compared to the proposed police department's 27.

[17:39] I think the water waste water rates study is good, but it over inflates costs due to high transfers

[17:47] to the general fund. Within this rate study the graphic on page 53 of the proposed budget

[17:53] does not appear to show declining transfers over time, so it does not appear to be

[17:59] the city as serious about reducing transfers from utilities. I would ask the Council to control

[18:06] the city's excessive spending from the general fund, and start lowering utility rates instead

[18:11] of increasing them. I appreciate your service to the city. Have a very nice evening.

[18:16] Thank you, Mr. Adams.

[18:19] We also have another two-speak, and that's Mr. Shavel Lopez,

[18:23] one-thousand-two Avenue House. Yes, I learned going to the budget workshops that the city's

[18:34] proposing, I don't know, the city manager proposing that to the council that the city needs

[18:41] an assistant city manager, which I don't think that the city does for the size of the city

[18:49] of Honda, you know, and also that I saw that the assistant city manager is going to cost

[18:56] the city, $50,000 more in the budget, and also I saw that the city was Mr. Iquart

[19:10] proposed that the entry level for the city be $17 an hour, and I saw in the budget that

[19:19] only they put on their proposed only $6, I mean $16 and $15, I don't see how we can increase

[19:29] the assistance city manager by $50,000, but yet we can increase the minimum entry level

[19:37] to $17 an hour and then also that in August the inflation rate went up 3.4% and gasoline

[19:49] going up, the also food going up, rant going everything is going up because of the inflation

[19:56] because of the Iran war and because of the tariffs and all that, the President Trump

[20:02] has initiated.

[20:04] And also the thing that you're proposing, you know, only a 3% increase for all sitting for

[20:12] the sitting employees, I think with the inflation rate that's going on is going up right

[20:18] that at least the city where Chris should be given a 5% increase and so that's my proposal

[20:29] for the 26th, 27 but thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lovis. For clarification, Council.

[20:39] This

[20:42] is only a agenda we can discuss this, these ideas, right?

[20:51] So you guys have

[20:56] a present day

[20:59] to think that you get public hearing,

[21:06] I'll tell you this discussion would be limited.

[21:10] It's only a general, it just sounds like a discussion of my most of the council.

[21:14] Right, I mean, we appreciate the input from our citizens.

[21:17] And I'm just a couple

[21:22] of things occurred to me in terms of clarification.

[21:26] But I want us to go by.

[21:28] Well, I mean, you can put out all the comments go first.

[21:32] And then is there any points of clarification

[21:34] that you may need to be made to make them just be like?

[21:38] But as far as I say, it's a public hearing item,

[21:40] so it's not a well-end interaction.

[21:44] Well, they're going to have to take out the public hearing.

[21:50] Who will read these speakers?

[21:52] And then if they're going to be clarification,

[21:53] maybe I'll give you a third question.

[21:56] OK, and that would be after we close the public hearing?

[21:59] Yeah, all right.

[22:01] Is there any other?

[22:02] And in fact, it's a lot of the fact that they hadn't signed up, I'm going to give a chance for any other citizen to address the budget.

[22:30] As I mentioned, we went through months of looking at this and had a lot of input, and some given

[22:38] take between council and staff on various things. I appreciate the concerns that are aired. I would ask if someone

[22:51] nose, if Pierce Hall and floors will supply school resource officers because that's four of our number.

[23:04] I would also invite Mr. Adams to take a ride along with the police department at some time.

[23:12] There's public safety as a number one concern among citizens and I think this council takes it seriously.

[23:34] So I talked about that. The previous council meeting and although it's not real clear from here, you can't see the layout from peer saw, but they don't include that in their command structure.

[23:49] And when I talked about it last time, I subtracted it out, and it still shows your extra

[23:55] lieutenant and your extra patrol sergeant when I subtracted it out.

[24:00] So they originally called for 20 on their police force.

[24:08] They actually, they actually recently, in their fiscal year 26 budget, added four more patrol

[24:12] officers.

[24:13] So they kept the flat structure without adding more to this pyramid type command structure.

[24:19] So, I mean, they did some good things.

[24:22] Well, my question had to do with the School of Resource Officers,

[24:27] because four of our officers are dedicated to that.

[24:32] And so, do you know if personnel have school of resource officers provided by the City

[24:37] or if floors will do that?

[24:39] Yes.

[24:39] What I'm reading here, is that the HRSA-LISD maintains its own HRSA-LISD police department,

[24:49] And right now I am currently in

[24:58] six, eight, nine, nine officers,

[25:05] nine officers, one, nine officers that belong to the various allies need at least a partner.

[25:10] Okay, but that's separate from the city, absolutely right.

[25:14] And then that's why I said I just wanted a little clarification in there in terms of the numbers.

[25:20] You know, before you all move off from the side of them, still all of them are some action to be taken.

[25:27] In this case, an action would be to postpone action to adopt the budget to the following year of 28.

[25:34] Why would we want to postpone the budget?

[25:38] No, for what reason?

[25:39] No, because you guys are not out there.

[25:42] I know.

[25:43] We're not adopting the budget.

[25:45] We have the hearing one time and then the following meeting we do this.

[25:48] But I'll stay a lot of requires there to be action after the moment hearing on the budget.

[25:54] So, that action can simply be a motion to postpone the adoption of the budget, which we have

[26:03] in our state of motion, then to adopt our budget on the 28th of September at six o'clock in

[26:14] it or take a second and a second from Miss Lange.

[26:21] Only heels of that.

[26:23] I don't know them.

[26:26] Only heels of that item.

[26:27] Number 15 is a public hearing on the proposed property tax rate for fiscal year

[26:33] 2,026,027.

[26:36] And our attorney has pointed out that state law says that.

[26:40] As I can chime in.

[26:42] So stay in the order car as if you had your public hearing on a taxi and you don't take

[26:47] action to do that, which you wouldn't be able to do that tonight.

[26:52] You have to postpone it for up to seven days while I'm in the public hearing.

[26:58] You guys don't have a meeting, some days from now, so my recommendation would be to just postpone

[27:05] the public hearing and have it again on the 28th, that we often adopt them because there's

[27:10] when we must see all special meeting,

[27:13] there'd be no way for you to also adopt it today.

[27:16] There's no role in mission against adhering

[27:18] and the adoption on the same date for the tax rate.

[27:22] Now, we're literally going to raise the tax rate.

[27:25] Remember, the charter change on the budget itself,

[27:28] on the budget, on the budget.

[27:30] And it needs to be on a separate day of adoption of budget.

[27:33] That's why we proved the hearings of the day.

[27:36] Right.

[27:36] So the law is better than what I said.

[27:39] So when you're in the closer closer to that thing.

[27:42] Let me go ahead and ask for a motion.

[27:43] We'll do discussion.

[27:45] I would entertain a motion to postpone or to set our tax rate

[27:51] or is it a question for September the 28th?

[27:54] But I had a question for Mike.

[27:58] But if we're not going to raise the tax,

[28:05] why are we...

[28:07] So most part of them, I don't know if that's been in our wills.

[28:10] No, I'm bringing up a single issue.

[28:14] If you have a public hearing in your text rate, and you don't adopt it today in your public

[28:19] hearing, you have seven days from today's date to adopted.

[28:24] And so if we have a public hearing, and there's no meeting scheduled seven days from

[28:30] not to adopt that text rate, then you wouldn't be able to be out of compliance.

[28:35] So I've got some over there.

[28:38] So on motion, I have a motion from Mr. R. T.

[28:41] I

[28:44] have a second.

[28:45] Are we sure?

[28:46] Well, I'm confused.

[28:47] So why, if we had, do we already had the direct agreement?

[28:54] Was that on the text rate?

[28:56] We did a public hearing on the budget.

[28:57] On the budget of our short-term requires us to do that in two separate meetings.

[29:04] The text rate, the guys were having a public hearing the day.

[29:07] You'd have to adopt them within seven days

[29:08] from today, so would have to say, we would do the public hearing next meeting and adopted

[29:14] the same.

[29:15] If we're out of our way today, we'll kick because of the seven-day rule.

[29:20] Y'all warn your attention to seven-day all the seven-day from the budget.

[29:23] Well, seven days, seven from the tax public hearing.

[29:27] So how are we going to have it on the same day than the same we're going to have a tax

[29:31] rate?

[29:32] Yes.

[29:33] The tax rate.

[29:34] Just not the budget.

[29:35] It got confusing because the recent change in the charter previously we would just have the public hearing one public hearing and then we would adopt the budget and the tax rate but the charter now requires us to have a public hearing for the budget on a separate day and so it was just there was a little confusion there because state law when we look closer at it today Mike was looking at it

[30:00] So we can do it on the same day.

[30:30] on September the 28th.

[30:31] To reschedule the public here in recent, I'm going to thank you, right?

[30:35] I would entertain motion to reschedule the public hearing on the proposed property tax, right,

[30:40] for fiscal year 2022-26, 2022-27, to 208, September 28th, is a second, a motion from

[30:51] Mr. Torchian, I'll take a second from Dr.

[30:54] Now, that brings us, that brings us the city to deadlines.

[30:57] So we have to make sure those things are adopted.

[30:58] Right, so it's 28. We ended up the budget and the

[31:03] And the tax rate. Yeah, budget. Replication and then the tax rate and the public hearing for the tax rate

[31:10] No, no, no, not until next time. Okay. I have a question. I think I asked this if you guys there was here

[31:19] Why are you? Why are we even voting on the tax rate if we've already passed the budget to item before the tax rate is a separate

[31:28] Easy, you approve your budget.

[31:31] You're budget is supported by a tax rate.

[31:33] We have to approve the budget first,

[31:35] followed by a replication followed by adoption

[31:37] with tax rate.

[31:39] That's the order how you have to adopt it.

[31:41] Now for today's meeting, since we're in that calendar issue,

[31:47] it would have to be moved, either you guys have it today

[31:50] and then you have to adopt it or start it.

[31:52] But yeah, it's easier for you to adopt the budget

[31:54] and then proceed to the public hearing

[31:58] on tax rate, followed by the adoption of the tax rate at the 28th, is it ever 20?

[32:04] So if someone was here tonight to speak to the tax rate hearing, they wouldn't need to

[32:10] come again next week.

[32:12] Next time.

[32:13] Because it's any way out to reinforce them.

[32:15] Okay.

[32:15] But we're not raising the taxes.

[32:18] Well, they still have to adopt it.

[32:19] No, I know that.

[32:20] That's right.

[32:21] They're right.

[32:23] You know.

[32:23] Okay.

[32:24] Are you clear on what you're voting?

[32:27] Yes.

[32:27] All in favor, said I. Okay. Well, she's not bad.

[32:30] I mean, he used to be made two emotions. We did vote on the first one.

[32:33] We didn't finish the first. We had the second on the first one.

[32:36] No, I made a second.

[32:38] I was about to...

[32:38] No, I remember we said that we were taking a match.

[32:40] So, the motion. You're this.

[32:41] Oh, he's out.

[32:42] He's just, he has lived the public hearing to the 28.

[32:44] Right.

[32:45] Yes.

[32:46] Okay.

[32:46] And we did that.

[32:47] Yes.

[32:48] Now we're going on that.

[32:51] OK.

[32:52] I look at the secretary because this is...

[32:53] Let's just wait until he gets a new one to have a whole deal.

[32:56] Give up?

[32:57] Yes.

[32:58] So, any further discussion or question?

[33:02] All in favor say I oppose late boy.

[33:05] I have no opposition, the motion carries, and our tax rate hearing will be our next

[33:11] meeting on 28th.

[33:13] I don't remember 16.

[33:15] I would entertain a motion to adjourn.

[33:17] So, have a motion for Mr. Williams.

[33:19] That mayかな.

[33:20] And a second, from Mr.��t土.

[33:22] Null in favor please say I I'm all in vote.

[33:24] Hey, we're here in opposition. We are a driver. We had a 632.

[33:29] No, that's good.

Regular City Council Meeting - 9/14/2026

Transcript