[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.
[34:22] 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.
[1:12:21] Woo hoo.
[1:12:22] All right.
[1:12:24]