[0:00] A workshop that started at 4:30.

[0:03] We were in executive session, but we have nothing to report

[0:06] from executive session, so I'm adjourning

[0:10] the workshop from 4:30.

[0:14] Now we're going to call to order the city council

[0:18] meeting for July 22, 2025.

[0:22] Please stand for the invocation and pledge led by Council

[0:25] Member Kent McKinney.

[0:26]

[0:32] Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to gather

[0:35] this evening to address some real important business as we

[0:40] tackle our issues that we've had lately.

[0:43] I want to thank you for especially for the city staff,

[0:50] first responders, really, the whole city staff had

[0:54] to pitch in and do extra work.

[0:58] Dalton, our city manager gets special mention is

[1:04] his extra effort, long hours and providing

[1:08] really sound leadership to the whole team here in town.

[1:13] Also, the state of Texas was fabulous in helping us

[1:17] from the Texas Division of Emergency Management

[1:21] to the DPS, the Texas Parks and Wildlife division

[1:27] with their game wardens.

[1:29] Even the Cajun Navy came in and too many

[1:35] groups to really even begin to name them all.

[1:40] We see your hand at work in assistance.

[1:43] We're getting with material, with financial aid,

[1:48] and with spiritual help for.

[1:53] Please keep in mind all of those who have lost

[1:56] loved ones and possessions.

[1:59] Especially difficult time for them.

[2:01] Give us strength and guidance as we rebuild

[2:04] and rebuild better our community.

[2:08] We have a long way to go and we'll need your assistance.

[2:12] In Jesus's name I pray.

[2:14] Amen I pledge allegiance to the flag

[2:19] of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which

[2:23] it stands.

[2:24] One nation under God, indivisible,

[2:27] with liberty and justice for all.

[2:29]

[2:36] Thank you, Mr. McKinney Mr. Coons

[2:41] does not have any announcements of community interest today.

[2:44] So does any council member have an announcement

[2:47] of community interest.

[2:48] No I don't know if this is appropriate to say tonight,

[2:53] but with.

[2:56] Everybody that's been here helping and doing what

[3:01] they can for our community.

[3:03]

[3:05] There's a group that was here, and it's the civilian crisis

[3:11] response team, and one of their team members that was down here

[3:20] went home and passed away suddenly.

[3:23]

[3:26] And it was a k-9.

[3:28] So I just wanted to say Excuse me.

[3:37] Of course.

[3:37]

[3:42] I want to say thank you to Roxxy.

[3:45] And her end of watch was 7, 17, 20, 25.

[3:49] So thank you.

[3:50]

[3:55] To everyone assembled.

[3:56] We are a little more casual this evening,

[4:00] wearing casual clothes in honor of Jeff's birthday this week.

[4:05] And amid all the tragedy and all the destruction,

[4:14] it's important also to remember to celebrate.

[4:16] So happy birthday, Jeff.

[4:17] Thank you.

[4:18] Thank you.

[4:19] All right.

[4:20] Visitors citizens.

[4:21] Form do we have anybody signed up.

[4:22] Yes, sir.

[4:23] We have two.

[4:24] All right, let's do those.

[4:26] Glenn Andrew Mr. Andrew.

[4:28] Andrew Glenn.

[4:35] Andrew 3553.

[4:36] Lecumberri you have on your desk an extended version

[4:42] of what I'm about to share.

[4:45] The July four flood of epic proportions

[4:47] has cast a pall of pervasive sadness

[4:50] over our tranquil Guadalupe River Valley.

[4:54] But I sense points of light points of hope.

[4:56] That's it.

[4:57] Hope is a necessary ingredient for successful recovery

[5:00] and rebuilding our communities, refusing

[5:03] to yield to the angry waters.

[5:06] Why do I have this hope.

[5:08] The thousand points of light offering us hope and recovery

[5:11] by the people who came from near and far, just to help Texans

[5:15] in any manner they could.

[5:18] Our community's gratitude to these and to many others

[5:21] is immeasurable and will never ceasefire.

[5:25] But many of the points of light and reason I have hope

[5:27] are sitting in this room tonight.

[5:30] The Kerrville city staff have been exemplary,

[5:33] leading the efforts of rescuing, recovering, reporting,

[5:36] developing future plans, all the while

[5:39] keeping our city operating, whether visible

[5:43] or behind the scenes.

[5:43]

[5:48] You operated without boundaries, the city's first responders have

[5:51] been heroes without boundaries.

[5:54] The Cape pub team has determined in their determined actions

[5:57] to restore power to the entire flooded area

[5:59] was astounding, all for the Kerrville community.

[6:04] To those five individuals behind the city council dais,

[6:09] none of you, when standing for election,

[6:11] imagine in your wildest fears the July four event.

[6:15] We don't control those events.

[6:17] We react and recover from them in a sentence.

[6:22] You for city council members have been leaders.

[6:25] We consider role models.

[6:27] You have been in too many but necessary meetings.

[6:30] Your community has been hugged by you and the flower Memorial.

[6:33] You have directed traffic at the ELC.

[6:36] You have shared words laden with emotion,

[6:38] and you have cared for our community's furry friends.

[6:41] You have endured unfair darts, but you always demonstrated

[6:47] professional, personal, insightful and deeply caring

[6:50] leadership without boundaries.

[6:54] Thanks is sharp.

[6:55] For what.

[6:55] What you are due.

[6:57] But I know I speak for the entire Kerrville community when

[7:00] I say we are so blessed to have the four of you sitting

[7:03] behind those in that desk.

[7:06] My here.

[7:06]

[7:09] For your leadership since early July 4 has and continues

[7:15] to be superlative.

[7:17] I am not one who believes in predestination,

[7:20] but I do believe raises up and empowers

[7:23] leaders when disasters occur.

[7:25] You're the best, most skilled individual,

[7:28] the one who has been perfected to be a leader at this time.

[7:32] You lead with strength, empathy, and vision,

[7:36] but your main leadership is the love

[7:37] for the Kerrville community.

[7:40] No one loves our community more than mayor Joe.

[7:43] We've heard and felt your words when

[7:46] they were difficult to say which captured your pain,

[7:49] your love and your faith.

[7:52] Please pray for our community.

[7:55] We have heard your stern yet professionally delivered

[7:57] words saying, this is our town and that's not how we

[8:01] act in the Kerrville community.

[8:03] Your words and actions share our pain, but it also gives us hope.

[8:07] Joe mayor.

[8:09] You've been the leader of the Kerrville community,

[8:11] and we are truly blessed to have you answering

[8:13] to the title of Mayor.

[8:15] Thanks be to God for mayor Joe, the Kerrville city

[8:18] council, our staff, and the thousand points of hope,

[8:22] we will recover.

[8:23] We will be the Kerrville community again.

[8:26] And you, all 5 and the staff are some

[8:30] of the most important points of hope that will lead us back.

[8:33] Thank you very much.

[8:35] Thank you.

[8:36] Thank you.

[8:37] Thank you.

[8:38] Thank you.

[8:40] Paul Mitchell.

[8:42] Mitchell thank you.

[8:45] Thank you.

[8:46] Thank you.

[8:49] My name is Paul Mitchell.

[8:50] 1,300 Barbara Ann street.

[8:52] And I wish I didn't have to follow that,

[8:57] but too, am here to express a sentiment of gratitude and hope.

[9:03] And, Mayor, you ended the last session quoting Rogers.

[9:09] Well, I'm going to quote a different Rogers

[9:11] doctor, Adrian Rogers, a great preacher of the last century.

[9:14] He said it doesn't take much size to criticize.

[9:19] Well, I'm not here to criticize.

[9:20] I want to exhort and encourage you, along with this brother,

[9:25] here, to express a sentiment of gratitude, first of all.

[9:29] And that's for each and every one of you elected officials,

[9:33] all the elected officials.

[9:34] We as a community are grateful for you and what you're doing

[9:39] and how you're doing it.

[9:42] A tremendous expression of humility and compassion.

[9:48] Thank you.

[9:48]

[9:52] We're grateful for the local individual volunteers, the

[9:55] businesses and the churches.

[9:59] Staggering it's awesome what they're doing.

[10:02] There's plenty of water.

[10:04] There's plenty of food.

[10:07] Plenty of shelter.

[10:09] That's an awesome thing to be able to say in a time like this.

[10:13] A lot of disasters in other parts

[10:15] of this country where they didn't get anything,

[10:18] they didn't have anything.

[10:19] We have it.

[10:20] And it's a lot to be grateful for.

[10:23]

[10:26] I saw a church that had a person taking no more donations.

[10:30] The gym was full of water and people wanting to bring more.

[10:34] A lot to be grateful for.

[10:36] Grateful for the state and federal resources.

[10:39] The helicopters I was able to deal with the gentleman.

[10:44] He's tired of the helicopters.

[10:46] They bother me.

[10:47] They hurt me.

[10:48] It just reminds me.

[10:49] I said no, we got to be grateful for them.

[10:52] What if we didn't have them.

[10:53] But the helicopters and all of the state and federal resources

[11:00] that have come to our aid.

[11:01] There's a lot to be grateful for.

[11:03] I can't get my mind around how all

[11:09] of the non-local volunteers, they didn't vet us,

[11:13] they didn't judge us.

[11:15] They just came running in, just come running in the lot

[11:19] to be grateful for.

[11:21] It's actually staggering.

[11:23] Now, what are we hoping for.

[11:26] This is, as a community, what we're hoping for

[11:32] to be able to say if and when.

[11:34] And it's likely it will, that this gorge, this river

[11:37] will flood again.

[11:40] We want to be able to say that we

[11:42] endure that without the immense loss of life.

[11:47] That's what we're hoping for.

[11:50] It wouldn't be realistic to hope that it never floods.

[11:53] At least we can't see that now.

[11:56] But we can hope of getting to a place where

[11:59] we know it's going to flood.

[12:01] If it does flood.

[12:02] We don't experience the immense casualties

[12:06] that we did this time.

[12:07]

[12:11] I don't think we're far from connecting those dots.

[12:15] I believe that can happen.

[12:17] And I know many are already working on it.

[12:21] We can employ the technology and hit that advancing high bar.

[12:26] And that's what I want to encourage you guys

[12:28] and exhort you guys in.

[12:30] It's incumbent upon you to see that those

[12:34] above you and on up the line don't forget.

[12:38] And that we get that technology, that we

[12:40] get those things in places.

[12:42] It's incumbent on our elected leaders to get that done,

[12:46] and it's incumbent on individuals like myself

[12:49] to press you.

[12:51] May God may yahuwah bless you and keep you and cause

[12:55] his face to shine upon you.

[12:57] Thank you.

[12:57] Thanks, Paul.

[12:58]

[13:02] All right.

[13:03] And that's the end of the citizen speakers.

[13:05] Thank you.

[13:06] The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda.

[13:09] All items are considered routine and can be approved

[13:11] in one motion unless a council member, staff

[13:13] or member of the public asks for separate consideration

[13:15] of an item.

[13:17] Council staff.

[13:20] Public all right.

[13:21] I would entertain a motion.

[13:23] I move to approve the consent agenda.

[13:26] Second Motion has been made and seconded.

[13:28] Any discussion.

[13:31] All in favor.

[13:31] So vote.

[13:33] Passes unanimously.

[13:34]

[13:37] Item for a resolution number 2025.

[13:42] Sorry 20 2025.

[13:45] Concerning the transfer of ownership of funds from the city

[13:47] of Kerrville to the city of Kerrville employee

[13:49] benefit trust MS Meissner.

[13:54] Sir OK.

[13:56] Just a shorter version of what we went through

[13:59] at the four o'clock meeting.

[14:01] City core and voluntary benefits are core benefits.

[14:04] That's the benefits that the city contributes

[14:06] to the cost of these benefits.

[14:08] Medical, dental life and accidental

[14:10] death and dismemberment and long term disability.

[14:12] The voluntary benefits, where there's no city contribution

[14:15] to the benefits is vision, supplemental life and AD&D,

[14:18] and short term disability.

[14:20] Aflac and mass of the emergency medical transport.

[14:24] For our benefit budget, the total

[14:25] estimated cost of benefits is $12,576 per employee per year.

[14:31] Our budget is 12,900.

[14:33] It's more than what we estimate because the medical bids were

[14:36] based on 322 employees, dental on 321 life AD&D,

[14:41] and long term disability bids based on 323 employees.

[14:45] We're budgeting for 347 employees,

[14:48] and if we are ever fully staffed,

[14:50] we will need funding to pay the city portion of the benefits

[14:53] selected by the employee.

[14:55] In addition, changes in coverage cannot be predicted.

[14:58] We'd also, like the council, are asking the council

[15:01] to authorize the use of the employee benefit reserve

[15:03] if needed, to pay for any overages.

[15:06] So the council action tonight is due to the action taken

[15:08] by the trustees of the city of Kerrville employee benefit trust

[15:11] to approve the 2026 employee benefit

[15:14] plans, rates and funding.

[15:16] Staff recommends council adopt resolution number 20 2025,

[15:20] authorizing the transfer of the ownership

[15:22] of funds from the city of Kerrville

[15:23] to the city of Kerrville.

[15:24] Employee benefit trust to pay for employee related

[15:27] group benefits for FY 2026.

[15:31] Any questions for MS meissner?

[15:33] We did have a workshop on this earlier,

[15:35] so we had a series of questions at that time.

[15:40] Is there a motion then on this transfer of funds.

[15:44] I'll make a motion.

[15:45] Oh go ahead.

[15:47] Go ahead.

[15:47] Your turn.

[15:48] I did the last one.

[15:50] Anyway, I would move to approve resolution number 20 2025.

[15:55] Second Motion has been made and seconded.

[15:58] Any discussion.

[15:59] All in favor.

[16:00] So vote.

[16:01] Passes unanimously.

[16:03] Item 4 B resolution number 21, 2025.

[16:08] A resolution authorizing the Kerr County tax assessor

[16:11] to calculate the voter approval tax rate in the manner

[16:14] provided for a special taxing unit.

[16:17] And, Mayor, we do have four citizen speakers signed

[16:20] up after the presentation.

[16:23] We'll get to the speakers.

[16:24] Good evening, Mayor and council.

[16:26] So hot topic tonight.

[16:28] I'm going to try to give this to you

[16:30] the best that I can in a simple way as I can.

[16:33] Bob Reeves, the Kerr County tax assessor collector,

[16:35] is here as well.

[16:37] If you need any other information

[16:40] regarding this resolution.

[16:41] But I do want to make it clear.

[16:42] We're not here to discuss proposing or setting a tax rate.

[16:46] I want to make that clear before we get into this.

[16:48] And so if you'll indulge me to walk through this presentation

[16:51] with you, then I can answer any specific questions

[16:53] that you have after that.

[16:56] So information about the resolutions section

[16:59] 2020 2642 of the Texas tax code basically

[17:03] says that when there's a disaster, the tax assessor

[17:06] collector who calculates our tax rate

[17:08] and as during our budget process,

[17:10] can calculate the voter approval rate at 8% over the no

[17:16] new revenue rate instead of 3.5% I

[17:18] know this gets very complicated, and people love it

[17:19] when I talk about property, tax and budget presentations,

[17:22] so I won't get too deep into calculation.

[17:24] But basically what this means is that currently the tax assessor

[17:30] calculates our tax rate, our no new revenue and our voter

[17:33] approval rates based on Senate Bill 2,

[17:35] which basically says that our voter approval rate

[17:38] for the portion of our taxes cannot

[17:40] be more than 3.5% over the calculation of new revenue rate.

[17:43] So that's kind of in simple form.

[17:45] What this resolution does is direct him by,

[17:50] according to state law, to calculate that rate for us

[17:53] also at an 8% which is allowable under the disaster rate

[17:57] within the code.

[17:58] So this resolution is just directing him to calculate that

[18:01] so that we have the information as we

[18:03] start talking more about budget and how

[18:05] that's going to impact us.

[18:06] We're not proposing a tax rate.

[18:08] You're not taking any action on a tax rate whatsoever.

[18:11] Without this directive from council,

[18:13] then the tax assessor collector cannot calculate this at the 8%

[18:16] He has to calculate it under SB 2, which is at the 3.5%

[18:19] that we typically see.

[18:21] So budget and tax rating process,

[18:23] budget, and tax setting process is going to continue as normal.

[18:27] So I know we've pushed one of our budget workshops

[18:31] just because of the flood, and I think none of us

[18:33] were really in the right frame of mind

[18:35] to be doing a budget workshop in that week.

[18:37] So we'll be doing that on the 29th.

[18:40] It's a little bit later than we would like to although we have

[18:42] had one budget workshop already and lots of discussions

[18:45] about this.

[18:46] So we can't even consider a tax rate

[18:48] until the calculation is done.

[18:50] And so we talk a lot about deadlines

[18:52] and those kind of things.

[18:53] And so this is normal process for tax rate setting.

[18:56] And that tax rate calculation is the basis for our budget.

[19:01] So what are we going to do this really it's extra due diligence

[19:05] for council.

[19:05] So it's going to let you review a disaster

[19:08] rate during the budget process.

[19:09] See how that impacts the budget.

[19:12] And really consider a rate that's necessary to generate

[19:14] revenue for recovery efforts.

[19:16] So this is not something that we're saying

[19:18] we should go and do this.

[19:20] We shouldn't go do this.

[19:20] It just gives us a mechanism to look at what that looks like.

[19:24] Other notes.

[19:25] Just for clarification, it's too early for us

[19:27] to estimate damage or loss to city property or infrastructure.

[19:30] And we talked about this a lot in workshop.

[19:32] We talked about recovery actions.

[19:34] So I won't go through those again.

[19:36] But remember that not everything that we do will be reimbursable,

[19:40] and it will be potentially several years

[19:42] before we see any reimbursement to this.

[19:45] It's too early for us to estimate a proposed tax rate.

[19:48] I did talk to Kirkwood and they are planning on certifying,

[19:51] so we won't see that until the 25th of September at that time.

[19:55] Then Bob will start his calculation process.

[19:57] And we'll go through the scenarios that we usually do,

[19:59] and we'll be bringing you multiple scenarios, as always,

[20:02] based on if then situations with multiple different scenarios

[20:06] for tax rates to consider.

[20:07] When we talk to you on the 29th and as always,

[20:10] we'll bring you impact to homeowners based on various

[20:12] scenarios that we bring.

[20:14] I think it's also important to point out that property owners

[20:17] can apply for exemptions.

[20:19] So for someone who had damaged property,

[20:21] I know that it's been circulating a little bit,

[20:24] about taxing people on losses, but they

[20:26] do have an exemption process.

[20:28] So for people who have losses, they

[20:30] can apply for that exemption.

[20:31] And that is prorated based on the time that the governor

[20:34] declared the disaster.

[20:36] And so those are available online at kerkut

[20:39] and I believe, on Kerr county's website.

[20:40] I don't speak out of turn on that,

[20:41] but they're on kirkwood's website.

[20:44] So basically this is just a mechanism for us

[20:46] to do a little more due diligence as we're

[20:48] talking about the tax rate.

[20:49] So of course I'll take any questions that you might have.

[20:55] But I have the action that we're requesting here.

[20:58] And that's to just approve resolution 2021 dash

[21:01] 25 authorizing the Kerr County tax assessor collector

[21:04] to calculate the voter approval rate at 8%

[21:07] when calculating the rate for the 2025 tax year.

[21:10] And I am happy to answer any questions.

[21:12] Bob is also here and would be happy to answer

[21:14] any questions Mr. Reeves, do you have

[21:16] any comments, sir Mayor council.

[21:22] I'm only here to answer any questions.

[21:26] This is just a tool in the tool belt. As MS Barron said,

[21:32] it's not setting a tax rate.

[21:34] It's just providing you with the information to do your business.

[21:40] Thank you.

[21:40] Any questions for Mr. Reeves or miss Barron.

[21:44] If we don't pass this resolution,

[21:45] we do not have the option to do anything other than the 3.5.

[21:50] That is correct.

[21:51] But if we do pass the option, we still have the option

[21:53] for 3 and 1/2 the resolution.

[21:55] It's just showing you additional scenario,

[21:58] but I can't give it to you without the authorization.

[22:02]

[22:05] Had to be approved by the community.

[22:08] I'm sorry ma'am.

[22:10] I knew I'd have to be approved by the community.

[22:11] We're going to get to public comment in just a minute.

[22:14] OK OK.

[22:14] I'm sorry.

[22:15] Any other questions for Mr. Reeves or miss behrens?

[22:19] No All right.

[22:21] Now for public comment.

[22:22]

[22:25] Look, if you want to get up and talk about tax rates, please do.

[22:29] Please do.

[22:30] But we're not setting a tax rate tonight.

[22:33] We're talking about getting information

[22:35] from the tax assessor collector on possible scenarios.

[22:42] I pay taxes.

[22:44] Everyone here pays taxes.

[22:47] I don't want my taxes to go up.

[22:50] Also, I didn't want a flood to come down the river

[22:52] and kill 120 people.

[22:54] OK, we're trying to figure out how to pay

[23:00] and how to rebuild critical infrastructure in our community.

[23:04] We don't even have an estimate of the total expenses

[23:08] we're facing.

[23:09]

[23:13] I guarantee you.

[23:17] We will be transparent and discuss every step of the way.

[23:21]

[23:24] It's prudent in my opinion, and we haven't

[23:26] voted in my single opinion.

[23:29] It's prudent to have the information before us so we can

[23:34] make a more informed decision.

[23:37] Does that mean we're going to change the tax rate.

[23:40] No it doesn't.

[23:42] But if the evidence suggests that's the most prudent

[23:44] course for our community.

[23:46]

[23:51] I'll be paying more taxes next year.

[23:55] We all will.

[23:56] We'll all be pitching in to help rebuild our community.

[24:04] And with that said, who are our speakers that have signed up.

[24:07] Yes, sir.

[24:08] Garrett baxby.

[24:11] Garrett if you wouldn't mind stating your name

[24:17] and if you're comfortable, your address for the record.

[24:20] Yeah Garrett Baxley 1082 Bluebonnet.

[24:23] I just want to say thank you to Councilwoman, Councilwoman

[24:26] and Mr. Joe mayor Joe, for letting us in here

[24:30] and listening to us.

[24:33] As I was just thinking about what I might say,

[24:36] I don't want to bring anything about flood victims.

[24:39] I know y'all are.

[24:40] Your hearts are inclined toward them.

[24:44] And as somebody who doesn't do this very often,

[24:48] a few things just come to mind quickly.

[24:52] I love Kerrville, and I think there's a difference

[24:56] between liking and loving.

[24:58] And that difference to me is that I

[25:01] want to raise a family here, and I want to also

[25:05] bring family and friends here.

[25:07] And I know the same is true for many

[25:11] of my other extended family.

[25:13] We love it.

[25:14] We love it here.

[25:16] And unfortunately, and I know you've clarified this,

[25:21] that there's no action being taken yet,

[25:23] but if the taxes were to go up to 8%

[25:27] it would be very difficult to love Kerrville in the way

[25:30] that I want other people to love it.

[25:33] And so I'm afraid that would be the same for many more

[25:39] people of my generation, people my age

[25:44] who want to love Kerrville but wouldn't have the option to

[25:48] and I would.

[25:50] I would just hope that things would

[25:52] stay the way that they are, obviously before the flood.

[25:59] And so I would just urge if there's any action that might be

[26:03] taken later down the road, that you all would look

[26:06] for a middle ground that hopefully would

[26:10] not make it hard for people.

[26:14] My age and our families who want to stay here.

[26:19] And thank you for your time.

[26:20] You did well.

[26:22] I was once your age.

[26:23] I raised my family here.

[26:24] I hear what you're saying.

[26:25] So thank you for coming.

[26:26] All right.

[26:26] Thank you.

[26:27] Who's next.

[26:28] Ian Doherty.

[26:31] Ian Doherty, that guy on your shirt.

[26:33] I met him the other day.

[26:34] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[26:36] Well, I wish I could have as well, but I understand.

[26:40] My name is Ian Doherty.

[26:42] I live 115 Plaza drive.

[26:45] At the Lakeside apartments.

[26:47] I was about two blocks, literally away from the river.

[26:52] And I was one of the very lucky few that didn't get touched.

[26:58] And that is simply a blessing of God, period.

[27:04] God had his hand definitely upon this community

[27:09] and still does have his hand upon this community.

[27:12] There are many people around here,

[27:14] and I thank each and every single one of them that

[27:18] are putting their time, their lives on hold

[27:22] to be able to help out people that they don't even necessarily

[27:25] but they still care about.

[27:28] And not just Texans, but people around the country and even some

[27:32] around the world that have come here to be able to help

[27:35] Kerrville out because they understand what's going on.

[27:39] It's one of those things where you

[27:40] don't quite understand it until it actually happens to you.

[27:44] And I think a lot of people here in Kerrville

[27:47] do finally understand that, unfortunately.

[27:53] And the reason I'm here today is because of this.

[27:58] And I understand, as you said, nobody wants things like that.

[28:03] Nobody wants their taxes to go up.

[28:04] Nobody wants.

[28:07] For instance, as you said, nobody wanted the flood to come.

[28:11] But we also do need to take action to address

[28:16] the situations as they are.

[28:18] And I understand you have to have

[28:20] the information to be able to make an informed decision.

[28:25] I agree with that 100% The one thing I do

[28:30] need to make sure that people understand

[28:34] is that just like what happened with the commissioner's court,

[28:38] the public came out and made a point of pointing

[28:47] all this information out.

[28:48] That may happen.

[28:50] May not happen, but they made a point to point it out

[28:53] and the world took notice.

[28:56] Remember what we do here today.

[28:59] What you do here today won't just affect Kerrville.

[29:04] Will affect this entire country.

[29:07] And you will be under a spotlight.

[29:10] You will be under a magnifying glass

[29:14] because people will look into each and every nook and cranny

[29:20] about what is going on.

[29:22] And I understand that it was not exactly

[29:26] the best time to be able to do certain things before.

[29:30] And I think that's one of the reasons

[29:32] that the commissioners court got so

[29:35] much blowback, because they did it at a very inappropriate time.

[29:41] Waiting might have been a better idea,

[29:44] but you still got to understand people are

[29:48] going to look at everything.

[29:50] Everything you do, everything you don't do.

[29:52] And people are starting to look at now that things have started

[29:56] to get a little bit better and time has passed,

[30:04] people are going to start looking at accountability.

[30:07] So everyone here needs to make sure that they understand that.

[30:11] And this is the Court of public opinion,

[30:14] whether you all like it or not, and you all

[30:17] are going to be on blast, you all

[30:19] are going to be on every single social media account,

[30:23] probably in the country, if not the world.

[30:26] So remember what you do here and do the right thing.

[30:31] And the people of Kerrville need to know every single detail

[30:36] when it's happening.

[30:38] Thank you.

[30:40] Next George.

[30:42] Baroody Mr. Baroody hello.

[30:52] George Baroody, 1616 Glen road.

[30:54] Hello so let me clarify a couple of things.

[30:58] And one, I'm going to ask Mr. Reeves to clarify me.

[31:00] Not in my time, but afterwards.

[31:03] One is this notion that you're not taking any action tonight.

[31:07] We all understand.

[31:08] Technically speaking, no tax rates

[31:10] are being set and all that.

[31:12] However, the only reason to take the action that you're taking

[31:15] is to set the stage for the ability to do so.

[31:19] I would argue that you don't need to do that,

[31:21] and we'll get to that.

[31:22] The other is the potential increase.

[31:28] You actually can get this information.

[31:29] It's really simple to figure it out.

[31:31] The increase the cap of increase is not about the rate.

[31:34] It's about the revenue that you're able to collect over

[31:37] what you collected last year.

[31:39] And this is where Mr. Reeves can correct me if I'm wrong.

[31:42] But what you're choosing to do is

[31:45] look at the possibility of collecting 8% more

[31:48] than you collected last year.

[31:50] That comes to about $600,000 based on last year.

[31:53] So you can loosely get that number.

[31:56] In my view, $600,000 is not worth the bad

[32:01] optics of raising the tax cap on a community already in distress.

[32:08] Especially since the fund balance, which you all

[32:11] are fully aware, is already well in excess of the policy standard

[32:14] and is designed to be a cash flow emergency fund.

[32:19] It's already approximately $2.5 million

[32:21] above what it needs to be by policy.

[32:24] The better alternative, in my estimation,

[32:26] would be if you're going to get $600,000 out of somewhere,

[32:29] the first place would be out of the fund balance.

[32:32] And you don't have to change any taxes to do that.

[32:36] Further, the impact of a tax increase on a community

[32:39] with such a large frozen tax population

[32:42] means any increase in tax revenue

[32:44] hits the working families doubly hard.

[32:46] As an example, council of five people, three of you,

[32:49] I believe are in the frozen tax rate.

[32:52] That means the dollar that's raised instead of being split

[32:57] five ways is split two ways.

[32:59] That's just a microcosm of what's going to happen

[33:01] in the community again.

[33:03] 600,000 not worth the effort of the bad optics.

[33:06] Also, this situation highlights the reason it is never,

[33:10] in my estimation, under any circumstances,

[33:13] advisable to rebate or exempt property taxes as an incentive

[33:18] or otherwise.

[33:19] As has been stated here many times,

[33:21] property tax is not profit to the government,

[33:24] it is fee paid for services.

[33:26] So under collecting is nothing more than underfunding

[33:29] the budget you create.

[33:31] I suspect someone in the city actually finally snapped

[33:35] to understand that as the whiskey springs development

[33:38] agreement with its million of tax rebates

[33:41] is conspicuously not on the agenda tonight.

[33:45] Obviously, the optics of raising the cap in order to raise taxes

[33:49] on the community is while at the same time diverting millions

[33:54] of dollars of future property tax to a developer over 40

[33:58] years does not look good.

[33:59] And will not sit well with this community, I wouldn't think.

[34:05] Again, the main thing is to focus

[34:08] the attention on not the increase in the rate

[34:11] because that gets confusing.

[34:12] Just focus it on the amount of revenue

[34:14] you're going to collect by doing this arguably unnecessary act.

[34:20] So please just consider that.

[34:22] Thank you.

[34:23]

[34:27] Nathaniel Hall Mr. Hall.

[34:33] Howdy, y'all.

[34:34] I want to thank you all, first off,

[34:35] for your leadership in this very unprecedented disaster.

[34:39] And it's Nathaniel Hall, 175 pine lane.

[34:42] And really, where I like you specified,

[34:46] we're not specifying the exact rate increase,

[34:48] but I want to encourage you all, as the gentleman before me said,

[34:51] to not even take this action to consider it,

[34:53] because as a young person, the way this will affect me,

[34:55] even though I don't own a home, is rents go up.

[34:58] It makes it that much harder for me to own a home someday

[35:00] and raise a family, which I have every intention of trying

[35:02] to do here in Kerrville.

[35:03] I know we've been decimated and you all are in a tight position,

[35:06] but I just really, really encourage you all

[35:08] to try and find another way outside of a tax increase,

[35:11] any budgetary adjustments.

[35:13] Or like the gentleman said before me,

[35:15] lots of great suggestions.

[35:16] So I would just really encourage you all to please

[35:18] not do this tax increase.

[35:20] It will really hurt the young people in this community.

[35:22] Thank you.

[35:22]

[35:27] What about the insurance question.

[35:28] Anybody else.

[35:29] That's the end of the citizen speakers.

[35:32] I vaguely remember being a young person.

[35:35] It was some time ago.

[35:38] Look, even if we authorize the calculation,

[35:45] we're not required to do the full 8% We're just finding

[35:49] out what the revenue is.

[35:51] And if it turns out to be not sufficient,

[35:54] I'm sure we're going to see that.

[35:57] The thing about this is George broody has been on city council

[36:03] before.

[36:03] I'm looking around Glen Andrews.

[36:05] Been on city council before.

[36:06] I'm trying to see who else here has been on city council before.

[36:11] The truth is, none of us have ever been here before.

[36:13] We've never had a natural disaster

[36:16] of this magnitude to deal with.

[36:20] What we're asking for tonight, if the council approves it,

[36:25] is information.

[36:26] That's all we're looking for.

[36:30] And we'll be very transparent about all those discussions.

[36:34] And if you can't attend the meetings, they'll be on YouTube.

[36:37] You can watch them at your leisure.

[36:39] But the truth is.

[36:40]

[36:43] We're driving down a road that doesn't have any signs on it

[36:46] doesn't have any lane markings.

[36:48] It doesn't have any shoulders.

[36:49] We've never been here before.

[36:52] And it in my opinion, and I may be the only one

[36:55] that feels this way.

[36:56] Having information as we try to process

[37:00] the cost of this community is preferable to not

[37:06] having information.

[37:08] That's my opinion.

[37:10] We will have a budget workshop next week.

[37:13] I believe that's a Tuesday.

[37:16] We should have had it earlier, but flood intervened.

[37:21]

[37:25] I guarantee to every person in this room we will do our best.

[37:30] None of us up here want to.

[37:33] We don't have to raise taxes.

[37:35] I mean, it sounds like we do, but now we

[37:39] want to provide services to the citizens

[37:41] of Kerrville in an efficient and transparent manner.

[37:46] That's what we want to do, and that's

[37:49] what we're going to work to do at our budget workshop

[37:51] next week.

[37:53] We have a resolution before us.

[37:55] And if there's anybody wants to make a comment or make a motion,

[37:59] I'd be happy to entertain it.

[38:03] Comments is there a motion then.

[38:09] I move that we approve resolution number 21 2025,

[38:13] authorizing the Kerr County tax assessor and collector

[38:16] to calculate the voter approval rate

[38:17] at the 8% Is there a second.

[38:21] I'll second.

[38:22] We have a motion and a second.

[38:24] Any discussion.

[38:25]

[38:29] All in favor.

[38:30] So vote.

[38:31] That passes unanimously.

[38:33] Keep an eye on us.

[38:34] We have a budget process next week.

[38:37] What time is that meeting.

[38:38] By the way, I don't know.

[38:39] When is that meeting.

[38:41] Let me look.

[38:42] Let me look.

[38:43] I think it's three o'clock three to five.

[38:46] 3:00 3:00.

[38:47] OK, good.

[38:47] And you can.

[38:48] And you can see it online, too, if you can't be here.

[38:53] Again, this is.

[38:54] This is on uncharted territory for us.

[38:58] Item 4.

[38:59] See reconciliation of executed contract change.

[39:04] Order for the callow theater roof Mr. Burrow.

[39:07]

[39:13] Good evening, Mayor and council.

[39:14] I'm going to wait a little bit as people transition out.

[39:19] Billy, I'd like to motion while you talk.

[39:23] If you want to hear me, I can yell a little bit louder.

[39:25] I can hear you.

[39:26] Go right ahead.

[39:27] So what we have before you is the callow theater project,

[39:31] and we're as a department, we're trying to move forward.

[39:33] There's a lot of other stuff going on in the city.

[39:36] Our contractors are still working to build better build

[39:41] the community that we've already been progressing forward with.

[39:44] This is not part of the rebuild project.

[39:46] This is just part of our progressive movement.

[39:48] So in 2023, EIC and council agreed to the sales tax

[39:53] sales revenue bonds.

[39:55] This was part of the project.

[39:56] The callow theater HVAC and roof renovation project was

[40:01] commenced earlier this year.

[40:03] When we took this to council, we had an action that was taken

[40:07] for the base bid plus a deductive alternate,

[40:10] approximately 62,000.

[40:12] There was project oversight and we actually

[40:15] constructed the project with the roof,

[40:17] which was the deductive alternate in the base bid.

[40:20] So what we're asking is kind of a two part here before you

[40:23] tonight.

[40:23] One of them doesn't need action because we just

[40:26] need authorization from you to move forward.

[40:28] And that's the reconciliation of that amount.

[40:30] The contractor did the base bid amount.

[40:32] We have the money for that.

[40:34] The second part of this is a change order.

[40:37] So once we started peeling back the layers,

[40:39] we noticed that there was a lot of damage, which we anticipated.

[40:42] That's why we had a little bit more in the budget.

[40:44] We had some contingency within our project budget

[40:47] to account for structural components, water damage,

[40:50] and is actually a little bit less than what we anticipated.

[40:53] So with that, we also got some pricing from Guido

[40:56] as our general contractor for Playhouse 2000,

[40:59] some upgraded maintenance items that they don't have a whole lot

[41:04] of fund balance within their system

[41:06] to account for the full needs of what they had.

[41:08] We did have some project budget.

[41:10] So before you as a change order, that's

[41:12] a culmination of the damages that we

[41:14] incurred through the 2017 hailstorm, the 21 snow storm.

[41:19] But in addition to some just routine maintenance items,

[41:23] upgrading the fire retardant on the drapes, for example.

[41:26] Another component is the fire suppression system,

[41:29] where as soon as we got above ground in the auditorium,

[41:32] we found some sprinklers that were covered up.

[41:36] And so we've got to get those back open.

[41:39] This was a couple of weeks that have gone by since we did this.

[41:43] So the contractor contractor is still progressing forward.

[41:46] We are still looking at a mid-august completion

[41:49] for Playhouse 2000 to come in and do

[41:51] a few more things that they had on their schedule.

[41:55] Still getting a final completion and back open to the public

[41:58] in September or early October for them to get all their fall

[42:02] and winter activities where we get a little bit more interest.

[42:07] So again, the action before you is really just the authorization

[42:11] of the change order.

[42:12] But we're asking you to reconcile just

[42:14] so we can make a contract execution

[42:16] or a change order execution.

[42:18] Any questions for Mr. Burrow.

[42:21] So the narrative in here has a different price of 2,000,999.

[42:26] But on your breakout itemized sheet, it's three million 119.

[42:31] So I just want to make sure.

[42:32] So that's the revised with the authorization.

[42:35] If you look at the top, the original

[42:37] contract amount is a 2,000,999.

[42:40] So again, that is the executed contract amount.

[42:43] So the first part of this was reconciliation to get to that

[42:45] so we can authorize a change order because the council

[42:49] action was that 62 less so in order to bring

[42:53] a change order before you.

[42:54] I can't bring one.

[42:55] That's the contract is 299, right.

[42:58] Has nothing to do with that.

[43:00] But yes, the executed change order would take this .11 OK.

[43:06] So other questions or comments.

[43:09] You're still well under budget here aren't you.

[43:11] Yes, ma'am.

[43:12] And this is also with the revisions

[43:15] that we made to the funding agreement for the pool.

[43:17] So we're still under everything.

[43:19] OK I love it when you say under budget.

[43:21] I don't know why.

[43:23] Any other questions.

[43:24] Somebody else behind me does to.

[43:27] The questions.

[43:28] Mayor, I will move for the approval

[43:31] of the executed contract amount and the authorization

[43:34] of the city manager to execute.

[43:36] Change order number one.

[43:38] Second that motion has been made and seconded.

[43:40] Any discussion.

[43:42] All in favor.

[43:42] So vote.

[43:43] Passes unanimously.

[43:44] Thank you.

[43:46] Item 5 is this one from or.

[43:51] Sure so we have one vacancy on the Kerrville

[43:59] recovery community coalition, and we have one applicant.

[44:03] All right.

[44:03] Who are the.

[44:05] I'm sorry, I have that.

[44:06] Please go ahead.

[44:08] Lamar Davis has made an application is good experience

[44:13] in the recovery community.

[44:15] And I would move to nominate Lamar Davis to be on the board.

[44:22] Recovery community.

[44:23] Motion and a second.

[44:24] Any discussion.

[44:26] All in favor.

[44:27] So vote.

[44:28] And it's unanimous.

[44:29] Thank you to Mr. Davis.

[44:31] Next item is an executive session item

[44:33] I'm going to need a motion for us

[44:35] to go into a brief executive session.

[44:38] I make a motion to on executive session pursuant to Section

[44:42] 551.004074074 Excuse me.

[44:49] Is there a second.

[44:50] I'll second.

[44:51] Motion has been made and seconded.

[44:52] All in favor.

[44:53] So vote.

[44:54] All right.

[44:55] We will recess up to executive session and come back down

[44:58] and close out the meeting.

[44:59]

[45:02] So that guy told me.

[45:04]

[1:12:01] Executive session at 743.

[1:12:04] Are there any item.

[1:12:05] We have nothing to report from executive session.

[1:12:07] Are there any items for future agendas.

[1:12:11] Yes Well, no, because we're going to have

[1:12:14] full agendas, so that's great.

[1:12:16] Yep hearing none, I adjourn the meeting at 743.

[1:12:21] Woo hoo.

[1:12:22] All right.

[1:12:24]

City Council Meeting

Agenda

Transcript