Okay, I'd like to call the meeting to
order. It's Tuesday, July 28th. It is 6
p.m.
Dina, do we have a quorum?
>> Yes, ma'am.
» Yes, ma'am.
>> Thank you. Okay. Would Ted Chitchens
» Thank you. Okay. Would Ted Chitchens
come forward? Ted, we're going to have
you come say the prayer.
Well, Madame Mayor and uh
[clears throat]
council members, men and women, the
community thanks you for your service.
Uh the spiritual comm community prays
for you and uh we don't overlook the
fact that you invest a lot of time
trying to make our lives more prosperous
and peaceful. So, it's my great joy to
pray for you. Uh uh Father, we approach
uh your sovereign throne this evening
asking you for good favor for this
meeting. Thanking you for each of these
council men and women and the mayor who
do sacrifice a great deal of time uh who
give of themselves so that our lives can
be more comfortable. we can be resting
in peace raising our children and
grandchildren in in a community that
we're proud to be a part of. So, thank
you for their service. Lord, I know
there's a lot of decisions need to be
made tonight that um individuals in the
room are all being a part of. Uh I ask
you that you'd give the council insight
and wisdom as it relates to the the
needs that are being presented [snorts]
and everyone would uh be [clears throat]
in love with each other from a Christian
perspective even if there's times of
disagreement and that at the end of the
evening the things that need to be
accomplished for the sake of the Willow
Park community will be accomplished and
this is our prayer to you Lord God in
the name of your son our Lord Jesus.
>> Amen.
» Amen.
>> Amen.
» Amen.
>> Amen.
» Amen.
[cough and clears throat]
I [snorts] pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America and to
the republic for which it stands, one
nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
» Honor the Texas flag. I aliance to thee,
Texas, one state under God, one and
indivisible.
Thank you, Pastor [clears throat] Ted
Kitchens. We appreciate you.
Okay, tonight I'm sharing the Bible
verse James 1:19.
This you know, my beloved brethren,
but everyone must be quick to hear, slow
to speak, and slow to anger.
Okay, Joyce, would you like to come
forward?
Okay. The business I'd like to highlight
tonight is Clean Eats Cafe located at
337
Shops Boulevard. The owner is Joyce
Bone. I had lunch there Thursday with
some friends and I had the bison burger
which was great. So, Joyce, do you want
to step to the podium and just say a
quick word about your business?
Yes, ma'am. My name is Joyce and I
picked uh Willow Park to retire and
[snorts] chop broccoli for the rest of
my life. Um we are a cafe uh that also
does uh graband go meals. We focus on
healthy, wholesome food. We also do a
weekly meal prep where you can do
special orders. We do special diets. Um
anything that you need to have done, we
do. We can do school lunches, school
meals, daycarees, uh anything to that
effect. And we also do a lot of
catering. Love Willow Park, love the
people, which you guys are which makes
this place absolutely great. And love
the community and hopefully it will go,
you know, forward under Mayor Palmer in
the right direction. So, thank you very
much.
>> Thank you. Please. Welcome to town.
» Thank you. Please. Welcome to town.
[applause]
Okay. So, next we have a proclamation to
recognize the Alto High School baseball
team.
>> They were in meeting today, by the way.
» They were in meeting today, by the way.
>> Were they? [laughter]
» Look at those.
>> How impressive are those? Okay, I'm
» How impressive are those? Okay, I'm
going to read your proclamation.
>> [clears throat]
» [clears throat]
>> Okay.
» Okay.
So, whereas the Alto High School Bearcat
baseball team brought home a class 5A
state championship in 2026, capping off
back-to-back titles. Wow. Right.
Whereas, head coach Chad Barry,
that's him. Yeah. and his program have
now won three state titles in the last
12 years and was named the Texas High
School Coaches Association 5A region
three coach of the year. And whereas the
Bearcats show strength and hard work on
and off the field with five players
named to the Allstate tournament team,
one player on the Texas High School
Baseball Coaches Association Allstar
Game
and THSBCA
class 5A elite team and two allstate
first team selections. And whereas the
city of Willow Park is honored to be the
largest city in Alo Independent School
District and the home of many of the
exceptional young players. And now
therefore, I, Mayor Teresa Palmer, ask
you to join me in recognizing the hard
work of these players, the coaching
staff, and the assorted trainers,
families, and fans who made us proud to
be part of such an exciting time. I urge
all citizens to extend their
congratulations to the baseball team in
the Alto Independent School District as
a whole and witness whereof. I have set
my hand and caused the seal of Willow
Park, Texas to be affixed
this 28th day of July 2026.
[applause]
» [applause]
[applause]
» That
of three. One, two,
[applause]
That was very nice. Thank you.
Okay. Item two is a consent agenda to
approve the regular council meetings
from July 14th. We have some changes
that need to be worked on. Dina, where
are we on those? Are we waiting? What
are we doing?
Um, the mayor sent me a message that
said that she would like added or
changed in the minutes um to say that
Mayor Palmer stated she had asked for
this item to be put on the agenda
because she received a phone call and an
email from council person in another
city
um WHP overheard the city manager and
city planner at of Willow Park speaking
to other public officials as TML meeting
and they were saying false fishes. some
malicious things about the mayor.
>> Yep.
» Yep.
>> She asked the council to consider
» She asked the council to consider
adopting an ordinance for new code of
conduct. The city manager acknowledged
her behavior at the TML meeting. So, I
told her that because this is a
correction totally different from what's
in the minutes that it needed to be
addressed at the table and that the
council would be the ones to make the
decision what goes in the minutes if it
needs to be corrected or not. And you
can either vote on it as, and correct me
if I'm wrong, you can vote on it that
you can say yes, we want that added and
I can correct them. They can be approved
tonight with the corruption or it can be
tabled until the next meeting.
Okay. So, I I literally said that. So, I
want what I said, not what was rephrased
in the minutes. Uh
>> we don't we don't do minutes verbatim
» we don't we don't do minutes verbatim
>> right but this is very critical I think
» right but this is very critical I think
what I said
>> you know what was
» you know what was
>> the Bible verse hold your thought the
» the Bible verse hold your thought the
Bible verse was 2121 that was only the
thing that I saw in there
>> I'll check that
» I'll check that
>> right
» right
>> I'll change that
» I'll change that
>> okay perfect so I want what I said in
» okay perfect so I want what I said in
the minutes not what was rewritten so
I'm [clears throat] asking for a motion
to approve fixing the minutes do we have
a motion to do that.
>> Tony has a question. The last sentence
» Tony has a question. The last sentence
was the city manager acknowledged her
behavior at the TML meeting.
>> That is incorrect.
» That is incorrect.
>> Okay. So, my memory of the discussion
» Okay. So, my memory of the discussion
and we do have it on video is one
comment you made is your comments that
y'all made were after the meeting.
That's what you said at the meeting and
this complaint was 15 minutes into the
meeting. So that is a correction that
the person who wrote the letter of
complaint it was 15 minutes into the
meeting. So maybe you did it correct 15
minutes into the meeting and then after
the meeting probably several times I'm
guessing.
>> So this was for item number seven on the
» So this was for item number seven on the
July 14th meetings that are before you
for approval. So it's item number seven
that we're talking about.
Well, can I suggest that [clears throat]
if you do have a video that you make
sure city council has the opportunity to
view the video before they make a
decision?
>> Mhm. Okay. So, we want to table this and
» Mhm. Okay. So, we want to table this and
work on them and that way everybody can
go back and listen the video, listen
what was said.
>> I didn't say that. That's up to city
» I didn't say that. That's up to city
council. What I said was I just wanted
to make sure that everyone knew that
that was available. Correct.
>> Okay. So, do y'all want if you're not
» Okay. So, do y'all want if you're not
going to make a motion, do y'all want to
table it? Make a motion to table.
>> I'll make a motion to approve the
» I'll make a motion to approve the
regular city council meeting minutes
dated July 14, 2026 as presented.
» Okay. Do we have a second to
>> a statement on I want if the mayor is
» a statement on I want if the mayor is
asking for specific
verbiage that she specifically said and
would like that added. I have no issue
there. it will become at anything else
that was
opinion at that point and that's where
like if you want to take the verbatim
what you said and have that added as a
script I have no issue there but I
believe Miss Fischer has said that she
didn't admit to that so there won't be
any opinions added that I would go back
and redo anything that you said is
obviously part of it and the
summarization is the process by which we
do this
>> I don't know what you just
» I don't know what you just
So, you're asking me to,
>> if the council so desires to add the
» if the council so desires to add the
item that the mayor talked about
verbatim as a a part of what's already
there or change what's there,
>> I would say make it an addition looking
» I would say make it an addition looking
at what's there. There's nothing that
you can just add it.
>> It was just a summary. Correct. That's
» It was just a summary. Correct. That's
how I do the minutes. I do
[clears throat] a summary of what's the
discussion. So,
>> the summary is fine in my opinion. And
» the summary is fine in my opinion. And
if the mayor feels that her specific
statements need to be added, I have no
issue with that.
>> We need a second on the motion or the
» We need a second on the motion or the
motion will die.
>> Okay. Do we have a second for Nathan?
» Okay. Do we have a second for Nathan?
>> No, I'll I'll withdraw my motion.
» No, I'll I'll withdraw my motion.
>> Okay. So, do we have a second for
» Okay. So, do we have a second for
Nathan?
>> I'll let me make the motion first
» I'll let me make the motion first
officially so we can go ahead. I'll make
a motion to um update the city council
meeting minutes from the 14th to reflect
the mayor's verbatim uh statements that
she would like added.
>> Second.
» Second.
>> Second. All in favor.
» Second. All in favor.
Okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate
that.
>> Did you skip public comments?
» Did you skip public comments?
>> No, we're going there. Sorry.
» No, we're going there. Sorry.
That's where we're at. Sorry.
Next for public comments,
Kenna Hannah.
[clears throat]
Mayor Teresa Palmer, council members and
other city administrators and citizens.
For your information, character
assassination is a deliberate,
malicious, and sustained effort to
damage and rep reputation the
credibility or character of an
individual. It often relies on spreading
rumors, manipulating facts, and using
unfair criticism to destroy how the
public or peers perceive the target
person. Key components: intentional
misinformation to use half-truths,
exaggerating claims, or unright lies to
paint someone in the negative light.
Reputation damage. The primary goal is
to make people stop trusting, liking or
respecting the target person format. It
happens through smear campaigns, gossip,
media attacks or orchestrated public
criticism. Why is it used? People or
groups often resort to this tactic when
they cannot compete fairly or lack
logical arguments. By attacking
someone's morals or inte integrity
rather than their actual work, the
attacker tries to disqualify them from a
debate, election, or a social circle.
A city council in Texas does not have
the right to strip a mayor of their
constitutional freedom of speech. An
elected mayor retains their first
amendment rights to express opinions
even when those views are controversial
or critical at the national level. In
Texas, neither a city council nor city
manager has a legal authority to
unilaterally strip an elected mayor of
their official duties or removed from
their office state level. City council.
A council cannot fire, suspend or strip
elected mayor of their core legislative
or presiding duties under Texas law or
elected officials tenure is protected by
the city level. City manager or city
manager and administrative employee
hired by council that oversee day-to-day
staff operations have zero authority
over elected officials. An ordinance of
the city of Will Park, Texas, amending
the city of Willow Park code ordinances.
The portion that says chapter one
providing the mayor and the city
administrator to have control of the
city control agenda. Duly passed at city
council November 17, 2025. Let us
sincerely try to respect the voters and
those who have been elected by the
voters in this city of Will Park, Texas
of this United States of America. Thank
you all. Thank you, Kenneth.
[applause]
» Okay, next we have Tara Stark.
[clears throat]
Good evening, mayor and council members.
My name is Tara Stark and I live at 2004
Ranch House Road. I want to speak
tonight about something bigger than one
development, any one property, or any
one decision that comes before the
council. I want to talk about legacy.
What standard will you set for the
legacy you want to leave the city of
Willow Park? Because the decisions made
in this room don't end when a meeting
adjourns. They become part of the
community. They shape what we see when
we drive down our roads, the quality of
life within our neighborhoods, and the
character of the city we call home. And
those decisions don't affect only you
and me. They affect our children, our
children's children, and generations we
will never meet.
[snorts] The truth is, one day all of us
will be gone. But the land will still be
here. And what will Willow Park look
like 20, 50, and even 100 years from now
will be influenced by the standards we
choose to uphold today. Growth is
inevitable. Change is inevitable. And a
hundred years from now, another
generation may look at what we built and
decide to bulldoze it all and start all
over. But until then, we are the
stewards of this place.
We have been entrusted with a community
worth protecting and an opportunity to
shape what it becomes.
So, as future decisions come before you,
I hope the question isn't simply what
can we approve. I hope the question is
what should we approve? What fits the
character of Willow Park? What protects
the quality of life of the people who
already call it home? What will we be
proud to drive past 20 years from now
and say, "We got that right."
There will always be pressure to grow.
There will always be financial
consideration. There will always be
someone asking for an exception,
asking for a variance or a different
standard. But standards matter because
once we lower them, what that will allow
will become the expectation of tomorrow.
Each one of you have been given the
responsibility and an opportunity to
help shape the future of Willow Park. My
hope is that when you make those
decisions, you don't consider the next
project or the next few years. Consider
the legacy.
Because long after all of us are gone,
the land will remain. and what we leave
behind will tell future generations what
we valued while it was ours to protect.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Terra. [applause]
» And next we have Marcy Galley.
[clears throat]
Good evening, mayor and council.
Uh my name is Marcy Galley. I live at
500 Squawk Creek Road.
Let's see. We only have 3 minutes. So,
the first thing I'd like to ask very
quickly is I noticed that there was a
speaker uh signing up to give comments
and he was turned away because he didn't
um submit within
5 minutes before the meeting started.
Can we please amend that to just if
somebody gets in public comments uh a
request to give public comments before
the meeting starts at 6, we just allow
them to speak?
I don't know where that stipulation
comes from. Okay. So, my first issue is
I wanted to ask when the certificate of
convenience and necessity amendments
were when was that effort approved?
I know that Jacob and Martin put in the
application at the beginning of
February.
Can someone answer when that was
approved? No, not during public comment.
>> If you have an answer, you should
» If you have an answer, you should
answer,
>> but not during public comment. We can't
» but not during public comment. We can't
bend the rules for one person.
>> You can do it under TOMA in public
» You can do it under TOMA in public
comment. We always have.
>> So,
» So,
and we're back to, you know, people
running the meeting that aren't running
the that aren't supposed to be running
the meeting. So, anyway, okay. How much
was the effort,
right? How much are we paying Jacob and
Martin to amend RCN's for water and
sewer?
And I'd like to know when every public
official of Willow Park was aware that
we were putting in those amendments
through the PUC.
And why is Gretchen Vasquez not the one
overseeing that effort? She's our
in-house engineer.
Number two, I wanted to know the
Bandidas Willow Park item number on item
12. We're doing economic development
negotiations with Bandidas Willow Park.
So, is there an application online for
economic development requests for all
businesses that come to the city or do
we pick winners and losers? Because
that's kind of the way it feels to me.
I know personally that some businesses
have been required to retrofit as they
move here from other cities. And do we
do we require that for all businesses? I
mean, who do we give those incentives
to?
And uh I would like to just say Bankhead
Highway should never be completely
closed to through traffic. I would like
to see one lane open. And I don't know
why we're doing it that way because I
don't believe it was bid that way. And
if it was bid that way, that was an
error.
Thank you. Thank you.
[applause]
Okay. Next, we have Chris Wood wants to
speak.
I'm Chris Wood. I live at 184 Crown
Point Boulevard. Please evaluate
employee compensation based on the
actual duties that each position
performs. Consider also a regular cost
of living adjustment so city pay keeps
pace with inflation.
I support adequate pay for Willow Park
city employees. Willow Park employee pay
may generally appear average, but that
average does not tell the whole story.
Pay varies by role and the police
department has recently faced retention
challenges.
Comparing Willow Park city employee
compensation is difficult because the
city operates with a lean staff. Many
employees wear multiple hats to keep
services running. This makes standard
role for roll comparisons with other
cities incomplete and somewhat
misleading.
Employees often juggle duties across
departments. For example, public works
staff may also handle code enforcement.
Salary surveys rarely match these exact
blended jobs, leaving no clear baseline
for compensation.
A base salary may look high or low until
you factor in the weighted average of
the various skill sets and market rates
for all the indivivividual functions the
employee performs.
I believe in safety first. Thank you for
approving a 2.5% pay increase for police
officers in May to improve staff
retention. Retention is critical for
police departments because it helps
prevent burnout, preserves knowledge,
and reduces costly overtime. Experienced
officers can also mentor recruits,
creating a safer and stable work
environment. This benefits all of Willow
Park. Adequate employee salaries helps a
municipality attract and retain skilled
professionals, maintain highquality
services, and reduce the financial
burden of constant turnover.
Competitive, fair pay also boosts morale
and helps keep experienced employees
serving the public instead of leaving
for other opportunities.
Please evaluate whether city employee
pay aligns with actual workload by
identifying the tasks each employee
performs. Compare these responsibilities
with the relevant market rates and
adjust compensation where duties have
grown beyond the job title. Please also
consider implementing regular cost of
living adjustments for city employees. I
am on disability and the yearly cola
gives me peace of mind because it
protects my purchasing power and helps
maintain my standard of living. City
employees deserve similar protection.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
» And next we have Jean Martin.
» Madam Mayor, other members of the
Bullpart City Council, I'm Gene Martin.
I continue to reside at 700 Kingsgate
Road. Many meetings ago, the new solid
waste contract was a hot topic due to
the sudden 25%
increase to residents. Statements were
made that there would be discussions
with the other five affected cities from
that contract. [clears throat]
Uh there have been no updates since. Uh
however, after researching the expense
other communities face, I'm not overly
concerned about the current rate. We're
actually getting a pretty good deal. I
think
waste management changed their process
though. The historic single trash truck
that used to go around pick up trash, it
still runs around, picks up well what it
does is goes about 30 35 mph down the
road looking to see if anybody has left
any like yard debris next to the
96gallon
containers. And then the other truck
comes around, goes up one side of the
street, bumps the down the other side.
So effectively waste management has
tripled the trash truck load on our
meter streets.
Um we all remain curious on the intent
of the twice repeated agenda item to
impose subdivision regulations in our
ETJ.
Uh it's an extremely complex subject.
Uh, local government code chapters 212
and 242
allow limited control over platin
infrastructure standards.
Do not appear to be any provisions to
mandate building codes or create zoning
definitions.
Steps to limit data center development
seem to be universally agreeable to
everyone not specifically wanting to own
a data center.
However, putting those buzzwords in an
agenda item is counterproductive to
establishing general standards
that might achieve the desired result
without being considered discriminatory.
You can't just do something for data
centers. Okay.
Last month discussion identified naming
apart for previously for previous mayor
promly young. I as someone who solicited
Lee to run for city council years before
she did. I wholeheartedly uh support
that. Um I'm going to have to shorten
this. [snorts] Um it's encouraging that
the parks department semiannual report
indicates vegetation improvements at the
memorial park. question is, is there a
water source for the vegetation there? I
recall, and I think Leah Young told me
this, that the water for that park was
primarily from the aerobic system that
used to service the previous city hall.
Of course, that's not operating anymore.
And by the way, on the last thing, the
2.5% raise for the police department is
about $50,000 total. and the total raise
for
city service fees will be $720,000
per your budget.
>> Thank you,
» Thank you,
Bill Green. [applause]
» Thank you, Madame Mayor, City Council.
Bill Green, still like him living on his
street. I'm still on Vista Drive and we
sure are getting a lot of rock trucks
coming down there, but we'll talk about
that sometime. we can get together. But
anyhow, uh I didn't have anything in
particular I was going to say till I
walked in here, but then I got to
thinking about things. And we're going
to call this past, present, and future.
The guys on this side of the room are
the past. They grew up under a different
group of people, a different way of
thinking, a different way of doing
business. A lot of times that business
was never made to where the people that
live here could tell what was going on.
Okay, let's move along a little bit. The
new guys over here, they're just now
getting into this and we don't want them
to have the same way of thinking as
these over here. And we've talked about
that. Not that you guys are bad guys. I
just think you make bad decisions. I
think you make decisions that are not
helpful to the citizens of Willow Park.
Roads. You still haven't done anything
on roads. The roads were part of the
campaign for the guys over here. Nothing
has happened. Squawk Creek, nothing has
happened down there. That was part of
what everybody set their votes for on
it. A lot of people placed their faith
in you guys whenever you got elected,
hoping that it would wash over to you
guys here. Okay, that's past and that's
a little bit of present. A little bit of
present. We got things going with uh be
uh excavation up there.
Who's paying for it? Are any of our
taxes going to that? Who's servicing the
water that's going to come to it? Are
any of our taxes doing that? Are we
going to run out of water on that?
What's going on? I mean, everything is
hush, hush, hush.
Now to the future. We're not the only
city that are having these problems.
Just about every small city or medium
city in the state of Texas is having
issues with their city councils, with
their mayors, with everybody else that's
there to make their life better. And
some of them have found a way out of it.
[clears throat]
Trinidad, Texas, San Angelo, Texas,
Abalene, Texas,
Houston, Texas
are all under investigation by the Texas
Rangers
because of the things that has come to
their attention,
but the government of Texas has put them
in a position to go rectify it. They've
arrested people.
People have left town so they don't get
arrested.
There's more out there. I don't even
know who all is out there. I just pick
up on on what on what I see and what I
hear. What I don't want to see is Roy is
the Lone Ranger come riding in here in
Ohio Silver and take you guys away. What
I want to see is you guys getting back
to taking care of the people that live
here.
>> Thank you. Thank you. [applause]
» Okay, now we're going to go to item
three. We're going to talk about the
wildlife. And Jean, do you want to talk
about that before we get our
presentation?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> I'm Jean Martin. I'm still at 700 King's
» I'm Jean Martin. I'm still at 700 King's
Gate. Uh and I talked to a couple people
that are here because they want to find
out what's going on about deer. Okay. Um
Sunday morning I went out just in
Willowwood up King's Gate, down
Queensway, and up Knight's Bridge. Just
those three little street about 100
acres. And I only counted 27 adult deer.
28 those seven bucks.
And the bugs, boy, they're getting nice
finery. Still a little fuzzy, but
they're growing stuff. They're getting
fed well. Okay. Um Oh, they were
accompanied by 14 pawns.
Okay.
So, just in my neighborhood, we're
looking at about a 50% increase in the
size of the herd.
Everyone I know cannot help but smile at
the playful annex if you see three or
four fawns jumping around in the yard.
They're just beautiful. They're fun.
Um, but those smiles turn to grimaces if
anyone darts across the road in front of
a vehicle, which they do. probably about
the only way we have attrition in that
herd.
Um, so most everyone tolerates the herd
of living lawn or that we have
make a mistake, this herd is not
wildlife.
We're here to talk about game and
wildlife, but they're domesticated.
They're domesticated by people feeding
them and everyone else accepting their
presence.
When I walk out of my house, often
there'll be a dough.
Does the dough run away? Nope. The dough
take a couple steps for me to see if I
have anything to eat.
My neighbor stopped feeding them after
she found that they they ate all her
flowers and shrubs in addition to the
food. These lawn ornaments are
destructive. They are not malicious or
dangerous, but they are a problem.
Looks like I said the will the will of
wood local herd will increase by about
50%. There's no natural predators in
wildwood. At least not yet. That's a
question I'm going to have I hope our
representative answers. What's the
likelihood of herd this size attracting
predators into our neighborhood?
Does anyone remember the founder of Wild
Hogs that decided to make Squall Creek
and the Clear Fork run their home base?
This is like 2014, 2010.
Um that was before Meet Place developed
for Wilks. We [clears throat] found a
trapper to gather them and relocate them
and he did it for free. Actually, he
relocated them to a honey preserve that
paid him to bring them.
Please consider if there's an available
option to re relocate many if not all of
our non wild
>> Thank you. All right. Thank you. Okay.
» Thank you. All right. Thank you. Okay.
Now we're going to have the parks and
wildlife representative to discuss deer
issues. Kaylee is going to come and do
our presentation for us. Hi Kaylee.
>> Hi. How are you?
» Hi. How are you?
>> Good. Okay. Um so my name is Kaylee
» Good. Okay. Um so my name is Kaylee
Baduna Aught. I'm the wildlife biologist
for Texas Parks and Wildlife. I cover
Tarant Parker, Hood, Johnson, and
Somerville counties. My primary
responsibility is working with private
land owners on game species, but we do a
little bit of everything wherever we're
needed. Um, I'm here today because I
received a call about concern for urban
deer. And luckily, this is something
that we see quite a bit. So, there's
some few publications that came out and
I provided those. I'll talk a little bit
about them today, but it's a problem
that can be solved if you're willing to
take the steps to do so. Um, so the
first thing when talking to urban
municipalities, HOAs, private land
owners, anyone that thinks they have a
deer problem, the number one step is to
determine where we are. What do you
decide the problem is and is it actually
a problem? Um, so the number one thing
you can do that is a deer survey. Figure
out what your population is within the
cities. Another thing that you can keep
track of is the number of deer vehicle
collisions. I know that three different
fawns have been hit on the same access
road of 20 this week. Um the amount of
property damage that comes from it and
then um doing urb or doing neighborhood
surveys with the people to figure out
their tolerance toward deer which we
heard a little bit of. Um the next step
is to be identify where we want to be.
So just defining what success looks like
whether that is maintaining the herd you
have if your population you feel like
it's a good number or if that's kind of
thinning it out maintaining and getting
it to a point where you can maintain and
then the third thing is kind of bridging
the gap. So where you are and where you
want to be and kind of the strategy
strategy to do that. That's kind of
where I come in. We provide technical
guidance. Um I'm giving you my
professional opinion on it. It's all
based on science based on research
that's been done across the state. Um,
for urban approaches specifically,
there are kind of three approaches.
We're kind of past the first one, but
I'm going to talk about it anyways. Um,
so there's planning for wildlife that's
in developmental stages of cities and
maintaining green spaces, stuff like
that to kind of promote wildlife to stay
in their wild areas rather than
encroaching in those urban areas. Um, so
it's just suitable use of natural
resources and kind of reconnecting your
society with the natural world. Again,
that's more in the planning phase. We
might be a little past that. Uh, number
two is getting to the root cause. That's
probably where we are right now. Um, so
it's an environment that does not
encourage overabundant deer. That's the
goal. You want to have a healthy
population that's maintainable. We call
it carrying capacity. So whatever the
land can provide for, that's the numbers
you want. Um, ideal habitat in the Cross
Timbers and Prairies eco region, which
is where we're situated, is a deer per
25 acres. And that is completely ideal
conditions. I mean like pristine
prairie, rangeand, all the jazz. We
aren't really that. Um so that would be
that would be nice. It's just not
possible. But um another thing that we
talk about when it comes to
overabundance is preventing feeding
altogether, both intentionally and
unintentionally. Uh we don't really want
to feed any wildlife. And I can go into
that a little more if you would like.
Um, and it's important to allow your
predators, your natural predators, your
coyotes and bobcats to not be habituated
to people. And that kind of goes back to
the unintentional feeding. If people
feed feral cats, raccoons, stuff like
that, you're attracting coyotes. They
get kind of used to people. They start
showing up at parks. We don't want that.
We want them to act the way that they're
supposed to. Same thing with the deer.
The third approach is the do nothing
approach. Uh so this you need to prepare
for increased loss of vegetation um and
money that goes into landscaping. You're
going to have increased deer vehicle
accidents. You have potential for your
deer to actually starve out or be
congregated enough that diseases and
parasites start to pass around and then
you're going to have a decline of
habitat for your other wildlife species
like your small mammals, your song
birds, stuff like that. And I have other
things that I hope are going to be asked
questions, but I have a little bit more
to talk about feeding if you would like.
>> So I have a a question. Do y'all have um
» So I have a a question. Do y'all have um
are y'all doing any trapping and
relocating?
>> So before I started as a biologist, we
» So before I started as a biologist, we
had a program. It was called traps trap
transport and transllocate. It was then
seized due to CWD being detected in the
state of Texas. So, we no longer allowed
transport of living deer at all across
the whole state of Texas.
>> What did you say? Explain that.
» What did you say? Explain that.
>> Chronic wasting disease. I do have that
» Chronic wasting disease. I do have that
to talk about. Sorry.
>> I have no idea what you just said. Okay.
» I have no idea what you just said. Okay.
[laughter]
>> Chronic wasting disease. Um, it was
» Chronic wasting disease. Um, it was
introduced in Texas and we don't want it
to go into our native herd. So, it it
kind of cut down on movement of wild
deer altogether. There is a program that
is TTP, which is trap, transllocate, and
process. Um, I have a couple cities that
do partake in this. Pretty much it's you
pick a location that you're going to
trap at. You can set a drop net, trap
deer. Those get transported to a
processing facility. They are processed
and then the meat is donated. So, that
is a program that we offer.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
Wow. And that's your only choice? You
don't relocate them somewhere else and
let them run away?
>> No, ma'am. Not anymore to diseases,
» No, ma'am. Not anymore to diseases,
especially urban deer. Um, so I have a
couple diseases that I've actually dealt
with um, in these counties, if you don't
mind me talking about them really quick.
Um, one of the number one things that I
see in deer that are fed by people is
laminitis, also called floundering.
Floundering. It happens in
[clears throat] sheep, goats, anything
with hooves. Um, so pretty much what it
is is it's caused by an imbalance of of
a high carbohydrate diet. If you don't
know what deer eat, they eat mostly
forbes and brows. They don't eat grass.
Um, and so whenever you feed them a
whole bunch of corn and it's just carbs,
they kind of lack that fiber, which then
causes um a drop in pH in their
digestive tract, which is called
acidosis. Um, and then this causes
reduced [clears throat] blood flow to
all your extremities, and they get these
really, really long hooves. So, it makes
them painful for them to walk. They'll
stop eating. You can hear them clicky
clacking around on the road. Um, and it
usually just causes a decline of health.
So, I have seen that. And then in the
springtime, I've dealt with a couple
deer that die from pneumonia. Um, it's a
bacterial disease. It's not susceptible
to people or anything like that, but
deer pass it around really quickly in in
urban areas because they're so close
together. And usually they're they're
congregating at something that can pass
it along. So, a bucket of corn, a bird
feeder, stuff like that. So, it's on a
surface and then they're just pretty
much passing it deer to deer and then
they will die from that. And then I can
talk about chronic wasting disease if
you would like, but we don't have it in
our counties.
>> So, do y'all um drive around like Will
» So, do y'all um drive around like Will
Park? would you drive around and see how
many there are or what's your process?
Right.
>> So, for deer surveys, we can um provide
» So, for deer surveys, we can um provide
guidance on how for you guys would be
easiest for you to do it. Um we have a
couple cities that run their own kind of
like a spotlight route, but it's a
little bit of modified. They do it
during the day. So, they start at a
central location and they have people go
out and do a minimum count of beer. So,
it kind of gives you your minimum
population. It's not. You'll have to add
in a couple numbers to adjust for your
fawn crop and stuff like that, but that
would give you a baseline of the minimum
number of deer you're seeing. That's
under the assumption that where
everyone's walking, you're not double
counting deer, right? If you have people
over here and over here, this deer's not
running and they're counting it twice.
Um, you also, there's a new thing that's
coming about with drone surveys. Um,
they're kind of new on the private side,
but I haven't seen any cities do it yet,
but it might be a good option. um you do
a drone survey and it runs certain um
like lines pretty much throughout the
city and it's covering the whole thing
and it's counting deer as it's going. So
then you're getting an actual population
estimate. Um we have people that do that
and then you can provide me numbers and
I can provide you with recommendations
on hey your herd's too high your herd's
you know you have too many bucks too
many does stuff like that.
>> So we get like volunteers with the city
» So we get like volunteers with the city
who are going to check the herds.
>> Yes ma'am. Um, the one that I work with
» Yes ma'am. Um, the one that I work with
most closely, they have a group, I think
it's a little smaller than Willow Park,
but they have a group of about 20 people
and they pick a main road, which
probably for here's Ranch House. Um, so
they pick a main road and then they have
everyone has a sector and so they go out
at the same time. They either do it uh
pretty close to sunrise or 30 minutes
after sunset. That's when deer are most
active. Um, and they go out and they
count and they pretty much get a minimum
count of the population.
>> Okay. Scott, you had something to add.
» Okay. Scott, you had something to add.
Can you come to the podium?
>> Can I have to ask my left for real
» Can I have to ask my left for real
person? No, I'm asking for real. Can I
come to the podium?
>> Oh, I can I can answer. It's up to you.
» Oh, I can I can answer. It's up to you.
I don't know what you guys
>> Yeah, I think you can come up come up to
» Yeah, I think you can come up come up to
the podium and if you have a question,
I'm sure she can help answer that for
us.
>> Um, I'm a little bit of game in this cuz
» Um, I'm a little bit of game in this cuz
when I walked out to come to this
meeting, I had like a dozen deer
sleeping in my front yard. They sleep
there every night. Um, I live near the
spillway. Um, there's collateral to
this. And while I think this is a thing
that could be looked at, I think that
the issue of coyotes is about tfold more
important because there's not 10 coyotes
here. There's about 50. And I hear them
kill deer every single night in the
spillway. So, if you remove the deer,
you're going to have coyotes killing
your cats, your dogs, and they walk
through my neighbor's backyard during
the day. Coyotes are nocturnal. So, I
watched them walk down Creek at
high noon. [clears throat]
They're unaffected by this. So, before
you start taking their food source away,
you better address the coyote because
one of my friends owns a thousand
something acres north of here and he
pays them to call them and he kills
numerous coyotes every year. And I asked
him if it's made a difference. He goes,
"No, he can't keep his cattle there. He
has to keep them in Gordon. They've
killed every cat he's dropped in the
last seven years." So, this is all
great, but before you do this, I can't I
called and said, "How do we can we call
them if they're on our property?" I have
a kid with special needs. She now
understands the difference between
coyotes and dogs, but when we moved
here, we didn't. That was going to be a
problem for the coyote.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> So, I just need you guys to understand
» So, I just need you guys to understand
there's not 10 coyotes here. There's
probably 30 or 40 living in that
spillway.
>> Okay. Thank you, sir.
» Okay. Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Do you want me to touch on that? I think
» Do you want me to touch on that? I think
>> Yeah. How do we deal with that? Yeah,
» Yeah. How do we deal with that? Yeah,
>> kind I'm going to touch on it with deer
» kind I'm going to touch on it with deer
first because it kind of correlates the
same way. Um, so the reason that urban
deer don't move when they're being fed
is because they don't have to. It's like
a kid with a candy store. Um, if they
have unlimited access to candy corn,
they never once are going to touch their
broccoli, if that makes sense. So,
you're you're giving them a food source
without them having to move to look for
it like they normally do. Coyotes are
the same way. So, you have a a large
deer population and therefore you have a
large coyote population. Um, if you can
thin your deer, if you if you make your
deer disperse, the coyotes should
follow. That's not saying they will, but
they should. Um, and again, I kind of
touched on it a little bit. They get
indirectly fed a lot in city situations
when people are feeding raccoons or
feral cats or stuff like that. They tend
to also utilize the same food sources.
>> Okay. Anybody have any questions for
» Okay. Anybody have any questions for
her?
>> Yeah, you real quick. You had a
» Yeah, you real quick. You had a
statement about unintentionally feeding
and I'm do we just not go with lovely
plants in our front yard for this time
period or what are some recommendations
you could have for um keeping that
unintentional feeding down as well
please?
>> So when we talk about unintentional
» So when we talk about unintentional
feeding it's usually like someone that
puts out a a three pounds of cat food
for the 87 feral cats they like to feed
in their front yard. That's more what we
refer to. And when in terms of an
unintentional feeding, um, you're trying
to feed other things. When it comes to
ornamental plants, um, there's a lot of
publications out there for Texas
specifically about like deer resistant
plants. Your deer are desperate enough,
they're going to eat those plants cuz
they already know that you landscape,
they're going to eat those cuz it's easy
picking. Same way, they have a food
source. They're not going to move for
it. Why not? Um, we can provide you
those. Again, it's hard when you already
have the problem to then landscape with
deer resistant plants cuz they are
probably going to eat them. But
unintentional feeding is more like feral
cats, raccoons, uh leaving out pounds
and pounds of corn, you know, just
trying to have unnatural attractants
pretty much.
>> So, I was told that Hudson Oaks uh has
» So, I was told that Hudson Oaks uh has
had an ordinance for years managing
their deer population. So, that might be
something we need to think about.
there. I haven't worked with Hudson Oaks
yet. I took over this position um about
a year and a half ago. Uh since then,
I've been to six city council meetings
and four HOA meetings. Um and you know,
we we pretty much go and we talk and we
provide the knowledge that we have from
ones that we've worked with in the past.
Um we've had two that were really
successful that they they implemented a
feeding ban, they enforced it. um they
did do TTP and it helped them quite a
bit, but it worked for their
circumstances. Um and they've they've
had good success. That's there's not
without caveats. Everything kind of has
that. When you have, you know, people
that want to look at deer in their front
yard, you're just going to have them a
little less. They're not going to leave.
You're probably never going to get rid
of them, especially when we're still
surrounded by enough connected uh
habitat. But um you know, it's just
you try your best. You try your best and
what works for one city hopefully can
work for another, but there's really not
onesizefits-all for this.
>> Okay, Katie, thank you very much.
» Okay, Katie, thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> I have I have a question.
» I have I have a question.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> We uh live on Mr. Drive and any day we
» We uh live on Mr. Drive and any day we
have 60 plus
>> here and they're just right on the other
» here and they're just right on the other
side of my driveway. We've got a lot of
open land out there. They sleep up there
during the day, during the night. They
roam all around through there. We've
taken videos of them to show our
friends. I know if I want to know what
they are.
>> And and and well, some of them even try
» And and and well, some of them even try
to come up and get in the garage. We
have the garage.
Um
several of my friends at church want to
lease my driveway,
but you know, she won't let them.
But [laughter]
how do we get that many of them to go
away? I mean they were there a barard
and then there's another herd of about
25 right across the street and there's
probably a dozen or more.
>> Can I talk facing this way or do I need
» Can I talk facing this way or do I need
to talk facing you? Does it matter?
>> As long
» As long
>> into the speaker. Yeah.
» into the speaker. Yeah.
>> Let me yell into this microphone really
» Let me yell into this microphone really
quick. Right.
>> Um so I actually live in town funny
» Um so I actually live in town funny
enough. I live here. I'm a I'm a
resident of Willow Park. Um, so the
places that we've seen that implement a
feeding ban, if they have two, let's
just say if they have two or three
people that aren't willing to follow
through with it, the pro the problem
will not solve itself.
>> Um, so we're kind of [clears throat] at
» Um, so we're kind of [clears throat] at
the point where we're past, okay, it's a
problem. You know, there's enough here.
You're having them in your yard. Um, it
takes time. It takes time. So if you
stop feeding, there's also you can haze
them again when you get to this point.
Sometimes it'll work, sometimes it'll
not. you can blow an air horn in your
front yard, they might statter. They
might have been here so long that
they're just used to it and it won't
bother them. Um, so it's pretty much
trying to find what works. We always
usually start with a feeding band. We
suggest it. It's it's one of the easiest
things that you can do because they're
going to be hungry. They're going to be
hungry and um I have the numbers. I They
deer eat about 2,000 lbs of food every
year. We don't have that to support
them. um they're being supported by
landscaping, by corn stuff drawing them
into the area. For them to get that,
they're going to have to go. Um and
again, it takes it might you might not
see it for a couple years, but they will
go.
>> Okay. Thank you, Kaylee. Yes,
» Okay. Thank you, Kaylee. Yes,
absolutely. Thank you.
>> Okay. Next, we're going to go um number
» Okay. Next, we're going to go um number
five.
» Hold on. Sorry, I jumped. Whoopsie. You
want to go to four first? Let's do that.
Okay. So, the discussion on wastewater
treatment. Chase, you're going to do
that?
>> Yes, ma'am.
» Yes, ma'am.
>> All right.
» Good evening, Mayor and Council. Um, I
set a schedule on in front of every on
y'all's desk uh yesterday. Um, we are at
about 94 to 95% completion. Um
everything is there's a few touch-up
things on chemical feeders and things
that are still being installed. Uh the
air diffusers and things have been
installed. So we are basically at the
point now that we have roughly about 2
months of testing. So it's startup
putting treated some treated water in
there, testing blowers and testing
mixers and certain things like that. Um,
and like I said, we're looking at
roughly close to two months or a little
bit shy of two months on basically
starting up and testing all of the
actual equipment and then conjunction
with the computer, the SCADA system,
manually running everything.
So, that's perfect. Fairly short and
sweet.
>> So, I I got a call today. Can you see
» So, I I got a call today. Can you see
who that is and have them lower, please?
Their voice. I'm sorry it's distracting
me.
Who is that?
>> I believe the biologist.
» I believe the biologist.
>> Okay. She can dare outside would be
» Okay. She can dare outside would be
really good. Okay. So, I did get a call
from Pastor Clark Boer today from Willow
Park Baptist. This is I'm going to guess
his third time he's called me on this
issue. Um, and he was talking about the
wastewater that's on across the street
and that he said it it smells, right? So
he said it smells and the city was
supposed to move it June 2025
and so he needs that move so he can sell
the property. So like I said it's like
the third time he's called me on this.
So he wanted me to bring it up cuz I
someone must have told him or he saw it
was on the agenda and he asked me are
y'all talking about that? Yes, Chase is
talk to us.
>> We are in the process of doing that. We
» We are in the process of doing that. We
have the engineering drawings for the
decon decommission of the old plant and
we actually did have the bid opening
today. So we're the engineer is still in
review vetting bid openings and checking
all the numbers on the bids to make sure
everything is good on that end. But we
are in the process of moving forward
with the decommission of the plant.
>> So maybe in another month or so I can
» So maybe in another month or so I can
talk to him about that that it's really
going to happen. Uh yeah, I mean
obviously like I said we had the bid
opening. Once that gets vetted, it has
to come to council to approve the bidder
for the project itself. And then once
that happens, we will have a far better
timeline of where we're sitting.
>> And we've got to have the new plant up
» And we've got to have the new plant up
and running first before we get
>> Yes, there's there's going to be a
» Yes, there's there's going to be a
cushion between startup of the new
>> decommission of the old, but we are in
» decommission of the old, but we are in
the process of trying to line everything
out to where it's day to day, not week
to week and waiting. So, we're preparing
for all avenues on that.
>> And startup with the new one is is it
» And startup with the new one is is it
two months out or
>> we're looking at uh well the I mean the
» we're looking at uh well the I mean the
startup is going to be u starting up
sometime next month but there is a lot
of troubleshooting and testing because
this this isn't just a manually ran
plant like we're used to now. There's a
lot of u electrical components like
SCADA. So, it's going to be a lot of
troubleshooting, making sure everything
is properly functioning before we just
abandon the old plant and then we're,
you know, in an issue we can't get out
of.
>> So, how long does it take, cuz you know
» So, how long does it take, cuz you know
that, I'm sure. How long does it take to
take the old one down?
>> Uh, that I have not received the
» Uh, that I have not received the
schedule for the for the decommission
yet. And once
>> once we pick a contractor for that, then
» once we pick a contractor for that, then
they'll be able to provide one for us
>> and the the contract days will be set.
» and the the contract days will be set.
I'm not aware of those yet.
>> So, this might be on the schedule next
» So, this might be on the schedule next
month again maybe.
>> Possibly.
» Possibly.
>> Yeah, that was going to be my question.
» Yeah, that was going to be my question.
Do you think the bids will be available
by first meeting in August or
>> days out?
» days out?
>> Possibly. Yes. I can't speak for our
» Possibly. Yes. I can't speak for our
engineering firm, but they're usually
pretty quick on the turnaround for that.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Okay. Any other discussion?
» Okay. Any other discussion?
>> And we're going to be looking to
» And we're going to be looking to
potentially move that equipment to our
facility we have that will be opening up
since we have the
>> Yes. there.
» Yes. there.
>> Yeah. Once the once the construction has
» Yeah. Once the once the construction has
gotten to a certain point with site work
and things, it's going to clear space on
the new location to store the old
package plant. Yes.
>> Okay. Thank you, Chase. Appreciate it.
» Okay. Thank you, Chase. Appreciate it.
>> Thanks, Chase.
» Thanks, Chase.
>> Okay, so number five, I think we've seen
» Okay, so number five, I think we've seen
him before. Jean, you want to talk on
number five?
>> Well, I told you could pull this. I
» Well, I told you could pull this. I
already made a comment about it, but I
could repeat it if somebody didn't hear
me the first time.
>> I think we recorded it. We're good.
» I think we recorded it. We're good.
Thank you very much. Okay, moving on.
Okay, item five, discussion and action
consider possible subdivision
regulations in the ETJ
of Willow Park as it relates to data
centers. And I think Eric put this on
and Eric wanted to talk about this
again.
>> Yeah, absolutely. Um, still working with
» Yeah, absolutely. Um, still working with
our legal team to create something that
we feel confident in to bring before
council. These things take time. We're
still working through it. So my um I'd
like to table it to the next meeting. I
think we should have it ready to go by
then.
>> Okay. So you've been talking to our
» Okay. So you've been talking to our
attorneys
about this issue. Um
so you want to bring it back again?
You're tableabling it for now?
>> Yes, ma'am. Uh table [clears throat] it
» Yes, ma'am. Uh table [clears throat] it
to the next meeting.
>> Okay. Okay. If we're going to table
» Okay. Okay. If we're going to table
that, is there a motion to table the
item? You want to make a motion to do
that?
>> I'll make a motion to table number five
» I'll make a motion to table number five
to the next meeting.
>> Do we have a second?
» Do we have a second?
>> Second.
» Second.
>> All in favor? There you go. Okay.
All right. And we have number six, the
Jean. You busy man.
>> I back again.
» I back again.
>> I asked for this one to be removed. I
» I asked for this one to be removed. I
got the information that I needed.
>> Uh I don't want it removed. I have
» Uh I don't want it removed. I have
information that's here.
>> My agenda item
» My agenda item
asked for it to be removed.
>> You ask who?
» You ask who?
>> Our attorney and staff.
» Our attorney and staff.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Don't make the
» Don't make the
>> I run the meeting so I should know about
» I run the meeting so I should know about
that. Did I get an email and I missed
it?
>> I don't know. I asked.
» I don't know. I asked.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> So, we need
» So, we need
>> No, he doesn't care. Okay.
» No, he doesn't care. Okay.
>> We need a motion to table it.
» We need a motion to table it.
>> I'll make a motion to table agenda item
» I'll make a motion to table agenda item
number six.
>> Second.
» Second.
>> All in favor? Okay. I'll do it next time
» All in favor? Okay. I'll do it next time
myself then. Thank you very much.
>> I did sign up to speak to an agenda item
» I did sign up to speak to an agenda item
posted.
>> Okay.
» I'm running the meeting. Go ahead.
» Okay. So, I'm Jean Martin. I'm still at
700 Kingsgate Road. Um, the employment
agreement for the Walpart city manager
contains a sentence that begins with,
and I quote, "Employee shall serve as
the chief administrative and executive
officer of the city."
Quote,
in local government code chapter 22, we
find section 22.042
entitled powers and duties of the mayor.
First uh sub bullet a
the mayor is the chief executive officer
of the municipality.
This employment agreement appears to be
in direct conflict with state law.
Actions by the city council throughout
the past 14 months suggest that the
designation in this employment agreement
and the identical text in the prior
employment agreement going back to at
least 2022
confirm it is and has been the intent of
the city council to run will park
as a city manager form of government.
The for this form of government is
defined
and authorized by Texas local government
code chapter 25.
A possible issue arises by the manner in
which the city council has implemented
this policy.
We find in local government code chapter
25 section 25.021 021 adoption of city
manager form of government.
The municipality
by first holding an election on the
question may adopt the city manager form
of government.
This required election is actually no
different from the requirement to have
an election to adopt a home rule
charter.
Far from entertaining an election on the
subject, our council adopted the policy
by approving an employment contract.
It's related to ordinance 802 that was
passed in 2019
that established governance policy.
And on that note, that particular
ordinance only took questions from
citizens last year,
six years to get published as part of
the municipal code that the citizens
knew about.
Thank you for your attention.
>> Thank you. [applause]
» Okay. Number seven is to discuss action
to address the mayor being abruptly
removed from the agenda setting process.
I put this one on. So I request this
item because as soon as Conniey's
contract was approved by the council, I
stopped receiving the team's meeting
invitation to coordinate finalizing the
agendas with staff. Treating me this way
is insubordination and it goes against
my statutory authority.
Under the local government code, chapter
22, I received a legal opinion related
to Tony's contract and my involvement in
the agenda setting process. I requested
to have the document posted online and
there are extra copies available to the
citizens and attendance over the desk
where agendas are located. I don't think
I saw those. Did we do that, Dena? Okay,
she did not do that. So, the chief
executive and recommending measures
22.042 042 as the chief executive
officer. The mayor is tasked with
actively ensuring laws are carried out
and has the duty to recommend that is
the duty to recommend to the governing
body any measures or information related
to improving the finances, health,
security and good government of the
municipality. My input on city council
meetings agendas is vital to ensure we
just had we just had a s a sample of
this tonight. What happened? My input on
the council meeting agendas is vital to
ensure the items listed or done so in a
way that informs
I want to inform the public and making
sure certain public documents are
included in the packets is a
responsibility I take seriously. It is
my duty. Suggested motion is to amend
the ordinance 92625
to remove the word from the words
section 1 that changed the city code
1.03.035
addressing meetings and agenda.
Do I have a motion to fix this issue
from our city council?
>> Mayor, did you say your duty was to
» Mayor, did you say your duty was to
inform the public? I'm just asking a
question,
>> right?
» right?
>> Okay. So, under section 22.042,
» Okay. So, under section 22.042,
power and duties of the mayor, C says
the mayor shall give to the governing
body, which is city council, any
information, and shall recommend to the
governing body any measure that relates
to improving finances, please, health,
security, cleanliness, [clears throat]
ornament, or good government of the
municipality.
Are you keeping the city council
informed?
» I think that's what I think that's what
these meetings are about. Is there a
specific subject that you have a problem
that you want to talk about in front of
citizens?
>> No, I'm I'm asking you a question. Are
» No, I'm I'm asking you a question. Are
you keeping the city council informed?
>> I do. I send emails and I ask Dena to
» I do. I send emails and I ask Dena to
forward them to you. And I've seen she
has included me on the emails that are
forwarded to you. So, yes, that answer
is yes, sir. I sure am. So,
>> and I see those going to you. Yes.
» and I see those going to you. Yes.
>> So, when you're asking to get on this
» So, when you're asking to get on this
team's meeting with our attorneys, are
you forwarding that information on to
the city council? Because I have yet to
receive anything.
>> It doesn't come from me. It come It was
» It doesn't come from me. It come It was
coming from our attorneys and we
actually had meetings before this
contract happened. We had meetings and
it was different attorneys. We have a
lot of attorneys. We have like six of
them we work with. that one of the
attorneys would and Ashlin mainly the
assistant would put it on the schedule
and the calendar and at that point in
time it did not come from me. I never
did a teams myself. I was sent on my
calendar to do a teams to discuss the
agenda. That's what that what was
happening and now I'm totally taken out
of it and items are moving back and
forth and things are being rewarded and
I'm not being informed.
>> So, one follow-up question to that is
» So, one follow-up question to that is
who was in attendance in those meetings?
Was it just you and legal counsel or who
else was on there?
>> No, legal counsel, Dena,
» No, legal counsel, Dena,
and most of the time Tony would be on
there.
Okay.
>> I used to be on that list as well. I
» I used to be on that list as well. I
have not received any teams meetings in
the past probably month and a half
either. My understanding was that it was
more a like you request your items. The
people that request it put it on there.
There's really not a need unless there
is a legal issue as how something is
worded to have an hour plus meeting each
time an agenda is set. like I'm not
there to like if you have an item, I'm
not there to talk you in or out of it.
It's your item and vice versa. And so
the legal team's review to my
understanding, and please correct me if
I'm wrong, but it's just to make sure
that anything we place on the agenda is
legally done and there's not any
potential violation there. It's not a
the source material is is ours to
decide. The legal team is just to decide
if what we're going through is legal and
worded correctly and all of that. So I
haven't been on any teams meetings as we
used to be on those together but at this
point it's been the last
>> month or two that we I don't think we've
» month or two that we I don't think we've
had
>> any I think it was very nice. It was
» any I think it was very nice. It was
very professional
>> to have a meeting to discuss that with
» to have a meeting to discuss that with
the secretary and
>> may I say something to possibly clear
» may I say something to possibly clear
some of this up. There was a discussion
in executive session, but it was me that
requested that back in February
regarding my health and this this was
discussed. Can I talk about that or do I
need to not?
>> Well, you don't have to talk about what
» Well, you don't have to talk about what
happened in executive session, but you
can talk about whatever the concern is
that apparently is still
>> that brought this to the change that we
» that brought this to the change that we
are at now.
>> That's fine.
» That's fine.
>> Okay. Um, if you all remember the city
» Okay. Um, if you all remember the city
council meeting on February 10th, I was
I stepped out of the meeting and I ended
up in the hospital with a potential
heart attack.
>> At that time, I was told lots of
» At that time, I was told lots of
different things and some scary stuff
that might have happened to me. So, the
very next meeting, I asked Tony to have
an executive session with the city
council to discuss the stress that was
happening in this office regarding
setting our agendas. It was going back
and forth and back and forth all the way
up till 5 or 6:00 on the day that we
were supposed to post the agenda.
Particularly on July 3rd of last year,
my husband was in the hospital pass
potentially passing away on July 3rd and
I [clears throat] wanted to leave here
at noon. That was the day that we were
going to post the agenda. It was a
holiday weekend and I was informed. I
started getting information from the
from the mayor that no, you can't do
that. You need to send this to me. We've
got to make these changes. And that
lasted till 5:30 before I could leave
this building to go be with my husband.
So, it was due to the stress. And during
that discussion, we talked about the
fees for the city attorneys because
there was discussion about how much
money we were doing at that time.
And it was decided as we came out that I
think a a comment was made by Mayor Prom
Croml to possibly limit the items that
we have on the agenda to help alleviate
some of the stress. And it was even said
by Mayor Palmer, well maybe we need to
pull back some of the stuff that we do
with the attorneys because Ashlin, the
assistant, she parallegal, she's
awesome. She was actually typing up the
agendas and I made the comment if she's
doing it then why do you need me?
>> I have done this job for 43 years. If so
» I have done this job for 43 years. If so
that that is why things are the way they
are now. We're not trying to disqualify
the mayor or the mayor pro Tim in the
process. You're welcome to join us.
You're welcome to call us and ask
questions. Just don't belittle us and
don't beat us up because we put
something or change something you don't
like. I hope no one does that.
>> Well, you too, mayor.
» Well, you too, mayor.
>> I think Dena, I understand and you
» I think Dena, I understand and you
explained your health issues and I I
sympathize with that and I know we
>> I didn't I didn't bring this up for
» I didn't I didn't bring this up for
sympathy,
>> but I want you to know that we do. Do
» but I want you to know that we do. Do
you have a backup to do your agenda when
you're gone? I thought
>> No, ma'am. I don't.
» No, ma'am. I don't.
>> You don't have anybody?
» You don't have anybody?
>> No, ma'am. I do not. I think the point
» No, ma'am. I do not. I think the point
what Dena is trying to make is is that
we've set cut offs to to be able to get
the agenda out as needed and you still
continually to send information days
after the cut off for agenda items.
>> I have sat in those meetings as well
» I have sat in those meetings as well
>> meeting with our attorneys and it's
» meeting with our attorneys and it's
literally us paying them to tell us
what's on the agenda.
>> And I told Andy that's ridiculous. We
» And I told Andy that's ridiculous. We
spend an hour on the phone for him to
go, item number one is this, item number
two is this, item number three is this.
It takes an hour. He has an attorney.
He'll have a secondary attorney and
he'll have Ashlin.
>> Right.
» Right.
>> That hour is costing us over $800.
» That hour is costing us over $800.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> To have them on to tell us. But this is
» To have them on to tell us. But this is
a meeting that you're requesting,
>> but it was happening three times a week.
» but it was happening three times a week.
Let's just address me one at a time.
>> I am. That's what I'm saying. So I told
» I am. That's what I'm saying. So I told
Andy,
>> so Dina,
» so Dina,
>> I'm still I'm still speaking one at a
» I'm still I'm still speaking one at a
time. Go ahead.
>> So I told Andy that we do need to repeal
» So I told Andy that we do need to repeal
that back a little bit because it's
absolutely ridiculous that we have to
meet with our legal team just to be told
what's on the agenda. And I and I'm not
going to sit in a meeting just to be
told what's on the agenda by our
attorneys when we have a secretary and
we have our city manager here to go over
those items.
>> Okay. I think if we review the bills,
» Okay. I think if we review the bills,
the agenda is very minimal compared to
all the other $322,000
necessary.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Yeah, they are.
» Yeah, they are.
>> RC had something
» RC had something
on this.
>> I was going to say I don't believe it's
» I was going to say I don't believe it's
an issue of you being abruptly removed
as the thing says. I believe there was a
process changed and like if you're
worried about a team's meeting, I'm not
on it either. That was something that we
used to either.
I think we should reinstate that to not
have what we just had tonight where I'm
in the meeting, I'm running the meeting
and then oh yeah, I took that off. But
that's not
>> I should know that, Nathan. Do you not
» I should know that, Nathan. Do you not
think that
>> that's that's to me that's something
» that's that's to me that's something
that happens later. The agenda setting
process was completed post the agenda
agenda being set. Something changed.
Something was provided that he needed
that made the item no longer relevant.
Those changes will happen. Eric didn't
have what he needed tonight. We tabled
it.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> And so that is the action that you take.
» And so that is the action that you take.
It's not being removed. Did you know
Eric was going to table his item?
>> No. I think the difference is that
» No. I think the difference is that
>> he got
» he got
>> Scott had already talked to everyone
» Scott had already talked to everyone
else and knew he was going to do it.
>> I got the information that I need and
» I got the information that I need and
you didn't have that information.
>> I didn't have that information either.
» I didn't have that information either.
But when Scott said he had what he
needed, then we were good. I'm I'm just
I'm not trying to
>> Mhm.
» Mhm.
>> I want to just to discuss the abruptly
» I want to just to discuss the abruptly
removed. In my opinion, there was no
[clears throat] such abrupt removal. We
have had a process.
>> It changed.
» It changed.
>> We did.
» We did.
>> It changed. You and I are no longer on
» It changed. You and I are no longer on
these team calls. It is not just you
being singled out. You
>> I'm not saying I am.
» I'm not saying I am.
>> I think it doesn't say the mayor and the
» I think it doesn't say the mayor and the
mayor pro Tim. And so I I just think
that it's a mischaracterization of what
has happened here and it makes it the it
shines poorly on our city staff. It it
seems like we're cutting you out and
we're not. This is a a process where
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Let me Okay, hold on just a second. We
» Let me Okay, hold on just a second. We
need one at a time. Do you want to
finish?
>> I would like to finish real quick.
» I would like to finish real quick.
>> Go ahead.
» Go ahead.
>> I would just say like we have names next
» I would just say like we have names next
to each one.
>> Not always, but yes. For the for the
» Not always, but yes. For the for the
most part, I'm looking at tonight's and
with the exclusion of the deer issue.
Uh, everybody has something next to it.
Um, we don't we don't change we don't
ask Eric to change Eric's. We don't ask
Sean to change Sean's you to change
yours. Nobody's changed theirs. So,
>> well, there have been, but go ahead.
» well, there have been, but go ahead.
Well, if it is, then that's a legal
question, then I'm counting on each
member at this dis to have discussed it
if they think there are any legalities.
And that's fine. But we don't need to
>> circle the troops and all go over this
» circle the troops and all go over this
one by one to discuss an item. You can
call the attorney yourself and say,
"Hey, this is what I'm thinking. Is this
worded correctly? Is this in violation
of anything? Can we do this because of
Texas Open Meeting Acts?" It's not. We
don't need the city manager, the city
secretary, one of the city council
members to jump on there with you to
hear it if there's an issue. I mean, and
like we talked about, you're the one
that's going to disseminate the
information to all of us if you if there
is something based on the duties of the
mayor. Correct. So, we're not we're not
asking for any of this. Nothing is
abruptly changed. You've not been
abruptly removed. There's an agenda
setting process that we try to follow
and we're not there's there's no point
in like Scott said having the attorneys
go over this one by one if you're
comfortable if you're the sponsoring
member and you're comfortable with the
wording then it stands you don't need to
have a
>> sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't
» sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't
mine get changed right they do get
changed
>> who changes them
» who changes them
>> well if there's a legal review I will
» well if there's a legal review I will
change something if It violates
>> when the mayor the mayor requested this
» when the mayor the mayor requested this
item be changed to say abruptly removed.
She took the language that I had on
there and wanted it changed to what's on
there not tonight
and that's what we did.
>> Thank you. I appreciate that. And I do
» Thank you. I appreciate that. And I do
think the amount of money we spend on
the attorneys to do an agenda review so
everyone knows what's happening is a
good process. It was working very well.
Um, if Dena needs a backup, I think
that's something where we need to talk
to staff about getting back up, but I
would like to continue the process so we
know exactly what's happening. Marcy,
>> may I speak first, please?
» may I speak first, please?
>> Please. Please.
» Please. Please.
>> Okay, Tony would like to speak. Go
» Okay, Tony would like to speak. Go
ahead, Tony. Go ahead.
>> So, I want to clarify what the agenda
» So, I want to clarify what the agenda
process is because maybe I'm missing
something as far as what we're supposed
to be doing. So, every member of council
and the mayor gets to put items and
staff get to put items on the agenda
that are necessary for city business for
the next meeting.
I collect that information from staff
and all of their items that need to go
with it as far as their brief explaining
as to what that item is and all of their
backup data that goes with that, all
their supporting data that goes with
that. That is collected and put on the
agenda by me. That is staff going
through me. I collect that. I put that
on the agenda. Council can tell you,
they can tell me of items they want on
the agenda as you also tell me or and or
Dena as to items that you would want on
the agenda. Those items typically do not
have supporting information because you
aren't required to have briefs on them
to explain what that information is for
the rest of council or for staff, which
is fine. The point is that is the
process. So there is no I like this, I
don't like that. If they're ready to go
before council, if the items from staff
are ready to be presented to council for
city business to move forward on an
item, that item is put on the agenda.
You forwarded to me a contact that had a
problem with deer. We communicated with
him. We communicated with the Texas
Parks and Wildlife. That item got put on
the agenda because we had a source that
could speak about that issue. That is
how that was done. The other items were
put on,
let it be known, none of this is staff
items. Not the last agenda, not this
agenda. Nothing has been staff city
business. That's been on the last two
agendas. So if council or the mayor has
issues to put items that you'd like
discussed on the agenda, those items are
put on there per your recommendation and
request. We now have sponsors that are
added on there as well. So as well as
executive session, the same process
except the item the people who are
requesting it are not on there. The
sponsors are not on there for
confidentiality purposes of not being
targeted.
So unless I'm missing something, that is
the agenda process. There is nothing
that is there's nothing drawn out.
There's nothing magical. There's no
secrets. There's nothing crazy going on.
>> I'm not saying that, Tony. I'm just
» I'm not saying that, Tony. I'm just
trying to explain. I
>> We had just a second. We had team
» We had just a second. We had team
meetings. That's what we did. And I got
the agenda once y'all started putting it
together. Sent it to me. We had
meetings. We had with the attorney. you
were on the phone. Yes. Dena was on the
phone. We were on the teams and then if
there were any changes then we I knew on
the agenda what was happening before it
got put out on a deadline. All of a
sudden all of a sudden things were being
put out and I'm like where did that come
from? I didn't get to see that. I'm
saying what I'm saying the process we
had was a very good process. I'm running
the meeting. I would know what's going
on. I don't think we should change the
process we had that was working. I hear
what you're saying. Yes, I asked for
sponsors. I want to know who's on it. I
would like to continue as we were with
the agenda. So, I am running the
meeting. I know what's happening. That's
the way it's supposed to work. Not just
all of a sudden, oh, it's too late. It
just got posted. Teresa, I didn't I
didn't send it to you. So, mayor, let me
uh clarify on me for end.
>> Back in February, we were told that we
» Back in February, we were told that we
were no longer involved in the agenda
process and that we would get a draft of
the agenda on Friday and that would
allow us to do a legal review once you
meet your noon deadline. I believe it's
on Tuesday. Correct.
>> And that's what we were instructed to do
» And that's what we were instructed to do
by city council pursuant to action that
was taken in an open session.
>> That's correct. So if you are saying
» That's correct. So if you are saying
that you don't like that action, then
your request is not that there's been
some abrupt change, but that you want
city council to reconsider. So that's
the
>> that is what I'm asking to reconsider. I
» that is what I'm asking to reconsider. I
[clears throat] mean the abrupt is seems
to be a word that's a trigger word here.
Take the word out, but I would like to
request to go back to the process that
we had that worked very well. Then I
knew what was happening in a meeting
instead of, oh, we have an attorney.
It's fixing to be uh we got to stop the
meeting at 8:00. We have an attorney in
the back room that's going to be on the
phone. Things like that. I should know
those.
>> We're always going to change. I mean,
» We're always going to change. I mean,
based on people's availability, whether
it be Texas Parks or your staff, we may
we have the flexibility. The Open
Meetings Act allows us to move things
around,
>> right? That would be good to know. So, I
» right? That would be good to know. So, I
I'm sure that we can try and keep you
more apprised, but I do know that you
are emailed that you receive all of
these emails cuz I get them and you're
on them.
>> So, I I I I don't know. I'm not sure why
» So, I I I I don't know. I'm not sure why
there's a claim that
>> Do you have a call like with the
» Do you have a call like with the
attorneys? Is there any Do you
>> Not anymore. No, that was taken off. So,
» Not anymore. No, that was taken off. So,
I did have calls that Andy got too busy
and then Judy was going to be on some
calls and all of a sudden, but she
wasn't going to be at the meeting. So,
we had no cohesiveness.
>> Well, let me correct you there because
» Well, let me correct you there because
we have offered at least three different
Mondays my availability for you to speak
to me instead of Andy. That's true.
>> You haven't.
» You haven't.
>> Right. Because you weren't going to be
» Right. Because you weren't going to be
at the meeting. Andy was going to be at
the meeting.
>> But I don't Okay. So, that is my
» But I don't Okay. So, that is my
request. I'm just asking Marcy, did you
want to say something before we keep
moving on?
>> I just simply wanted to ask from what
» I just simply wanted to ask from what
I've been listening to here, it seems
like there was a team's meeting that was
standard operating procedure. Are those
happening still with only staff?
>> No.
» No.
>> No. And it wasn't standard operating
» No. And it wasn't standard operating
procedure either. It was a request by
the mayor to be told what the agenda
item was. We had a team's meeting that
the Ashlin set up
>> to tell Andy what to do.
» to tell Andy what to do.
You commented earlier. I told Andy,
>> I made the suggestion.
» I made the suggestion.
>> I made the suggestion to Andy that these
» I made the suggestion to Andy that these
are unneeded because the purpose is to
go through agenda items to tell the
mayor what the agenda item is and we'd
be on a call for an hour to explain to
her what that agenda item.
>> Scott, you didn't have to be on on any
» Scott, you didn't have to be on on any
call. Nobody else. I There were several
times where I couldn't make the meeting
if I had a a conflict with work and I
would ask another council member to step
in as the council representative and
Scott was most usually readily
available. So that's why
>> he would be in there and I would agree.
» he would be in there and I would agree.
I I feel it was
>> pretty much just going line by line. Any
» pretty much just going line by line. Any
legal issues here? Nope. Okay.
>> From seven and $800 an hour two or three
» From seven and $800 an hour two or three
times a week.
>> Well, I think that's a minimal amount.
» Well, I think that's a minimal amount.
>> I'm sorry. gets a minimal amount spent
» I'm sorry. gets a minimal amount spent
on agenda items that these meetings are
very important for us. They're important
for all of us and they're important to
citizens. I think keeping the
organization
and the group as a whole and I am
presenting it. I would very much like to
be on a team's back as a group like we
did before. So I would know things are
changing before their final
>> parliamentary requesting [clears throat]
» parliamentary requesting [clears throat]
>> Eric, would you like to say something?
» Eric, would you like to say something?
>> Yes. Parliamentary inquiry. Uh, who
» Yes. Parliamentary inquiry. Uh, who
controls the power of the purse?
>> City council.
» City council.
>> Okay. And we voted on it. Thank you.
» Okay. And we voted on it. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> What was that?
» What was that?
>> You keep saying that we are over on our
» You keep saying that we are over on our
attorney's budgets. We cut some things
out. Um, so we're trying to control
expenses. Mayor
Well, I don't think the agenda was a
small amount compared to everything else
that y'all are spending. Eric,
>> we're talking about lawsuits which will
» we're talking about lawsuits which will
cost money.
>> Um, but if you look at everything else
» Um, but if you look at everything else
besides that,
>> um, we have to make tough decisions or
» um, we have to make tough decisions or
else then we start looking at where else
are we going to be cutting. Uh, are we
going to raise taxes in the next budget
cycle, which I don't want to do. I want
to be below new revenue rate. That's
always what I want to do because I don't
want anybody having to pay more taxes
than they should.
>> That's a That's a good key phrase to
» That's a That's a good key phrase to
use. It is. Jeff, you want to say
something?
>> During the time that these meetings were
» During the time that these meetings were
held, was there ever anything found
during that meeting that was worthwhile
that needed to be adjusted, need to be
corrected, need be reevaluated?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> No. Yes, there was. And it was it was
» No. Yes, there was. And it was it was
very good to have the meetings and it
was not a large amount compared to
everything that we're spending. So my
request was to amend the ordinance 92625
to remove the word or the word section
one that changed the code addressing the
meetings. So that's what I'm requesting
a motion. Is anybody going to make a
motion as we sit here?
>> Anyone going to make a motion?
» Anyone going to make a motion?
>> Just to be clear, um,
» Just to be clear, um,
>> from the numbers I've looked at, it
» from the numbers I've looked at, it
appears that all five council members
combined attorneys fees when you look at
all the the billing um is below just
what you have as the mayor on the
attorney's fees billing. So, um, we're
doing a good job, I think, at managing
our expenses. Um, but you, your
expenses,
don't laugh at him. Don't laugh at him.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
I was getting one hour a week. That's
what I was getting. And then that got
cut out. So, I I don't think you can say
I was spending a lot of money. So, okay,
>> we need to move on. We're going to spend
» we need to move on. We're going to spend
all night on this subject. Apparently,
y'all are not going to uh address the
issue, correct the issue, and put the
meetings back where they were. Y'all
don't have an interest in that. I want
everybody to understand the mayor does
not have a vote. So Jeff again, yes,
>> just to reiterate,
» just to reiterate,
>> these meetings were useful because I
» these meetings were useful because I
feel that these are being unjustly
painted as $800 for an attorney to read
the agenda to you. But it sounds to me
like it is more than just that that come
out of these meetings. You have actually
found items that need discussed that
need addressed.
>> Yes,
» Yes,
>> I disagree.
» I disagree.
>> That's true. I just name an item.
» That's true. I just name an item.
>> Oh my gosh. Really, Eric?
» Oh my gosh. Really, Eric?
>> No. I mean, you said you just said yes.
» No. I mean, you said you just said yes.
No. Eric, stop. Stop. Don't be so silly.
Let's be mature. Let's be professional.
>> So, you'd rather spend $8,400
» So, you'd rather spend $8,400
a month to be told what an agenda item
is.
>> Like I said,
» Like I said,
>> Scott,
» Scott,
it is. It's the math.
>> Very unprofessional. If you don't want
» Very unprofessional. If you don't want
to get it corrected and do it the way we
did it before let's move on and not just
go back and forth. We're not going to
cross talk. We're not doing that
anymore.
>> Well, we could have no more. We're doing
» Well, we could have no more. We're doing
that. No more back and forth. Tony
matter.
>> Stop. You have not been You have not
» Stop. You have not been You have not
been acknowledged. Hold on.
>> Excuse me.
» Excuse me.
>> One at a time.
» One at a time.
>> One at a time.
» One at a time.
>> Stop.
» Stop.
>> Yeah. Excuse you. Hold on.
» Yeah. Excuse you. Hold on.
>> Okay. God.
» Okay. God.
>> So, lacking a motion. I hear that
» So, lacking a motion. I hear that
there's no motion. So we can move on.
>> Nope.
» Nope.
>> Correct.
» Correct.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
Not getting help on that one.
Reports. Staff reports for second and
third quarter. Item eight.
[clears throat] Quarterly staff
municipal court. Michelle Low.
>> These are just in the packet. They're
» These are just in the packet. They're
not for discussion.
>> If you had any questions on any of I
» If you had any questions on any of I
think
>> Okay. Parks department. So we're not
» Okay. Parks department. So we're not
doing any reports. Mandy is not coming
up. No, they're on the they're in the
packet. We haven't like that.
>> Okay. I think it'd be good to discuss it
» Okay. I think it'd be good to discuss it
in front of the citizens, but I guess
you're not ready for that.
>> Mayor, this is the way it's been on
» Mayor, this is the way it's been on
quarterly reports for
>> years. Years. Like that's how we do it.
» years. Years. Like that's how we do it.
And if you have a specific question for
>> a department here,
» a department here,
>> okay, excuse me, months.
» okay, excuse me, months.
It's been at least several quarters at
this point. This is not a new process.
If there are department heads to which
you had specific questions, this is the
way we reduce time to instead of going
through each report one by one, we
reduce the time and if there were
specifics you had for each department,
you could address those and I would say
that if they are here and prepared to if
you have questions specifically for the
department, please do so because that is
the purpose of this time.
>> Thank you very much, Nathan. Okay, so
» Thank you very much, Nathan. Okay, so
we're going to skip down since no one's
presenting anything. Is Gretchen here?
I'm here.
>> Gretchen. Okay. So, Gretchen,
» Gretchen. Okay. So, Gretchen,
>> why are we moving to Gretchen?
» why are we moving to Gretchen?
>> I had some questions I bet that you know
» I had some questions I bet that you know
and can answer.
>> What?
» What?
>> Where are we going with this?
» Where are we going with this?
>> What What What item are we on on the
» What What What item are we on on the
agenda?
>> We're jumping down to the project update
» We're jumping down to the project update
from Gretchen.
» Where which is it on one of the specific
reports? You mean?
>> Yeah, it's it's Gretchen's second and
» Yeah, it's it's Gretchen's second and
third. That's what I'm going to ask her
questions.
>> Gotcha. So, if you use the item number,
» Gotcha. So, if you use the item number,
that would be helpful. You're still on
item number eight, but you
>> Yes, I am.
» Yes, I am.
>> Gotcha.
» Gotcha.
>> Sorry.
» Sorry.
>> All right.
» All right.
>> Mhm.
» Mhm.
>> Okay, Gretchen.
» Okay, Gretchen.
>> Are you ready?
» Are you ready?
>> Hi.
» Hi.
>> Okay. Okay. Is this construction work
» Okay. Okay. Is this construction work
being done right now along Bankhead
Highway for the sewer line and the water
line or possibly efficiently address
both to accommodate the water main
upgrade?
[clears throat]
>> Yes, we're doing Yeah, we're doing work
» Yes, we're doing Yeah, we're doing work
um on Banket Highway. Um the project
consists of approximately 4,800 linear
feet of 8 in water line and 4,900 linear
feet of 10 in sewer line. So yeah, we're
doing work out there. We started July
21st.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> And it's um for water and sewer.
» And it's um for water and sewer.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
So, what entity uh made the decision to
close Bankhead
um for phase 2 project and when was that
decision made and why was it made to
close the road? How did that work?
>> So, we had meetings with the contractor
» So, we had meetings with the contractor
about the work that was about to get
started.
>> Jacob Martin.
» Jacob Martin.
>> Yes, Jacob Martin. Yes. Um the
» Yes, Jacob Martin. Yes. Um the
contractor Sky Blue Utilities
and um city staff.
>> Gotcha. Okay. So, how and when were the
» Gotcha. Okay. So, how and when were the
notices sent to businesses along phase 2
uh project road?
>> I believe the first push was July 1st.
» So, y'all contacted the businesses
before that happened? Um it
>> the city
» the city
>> um I through the city's Facebook page um
» um I through the city's Facebook page um
other social media platforms.
>> I don't I can tell you
» I don't I can tell you
>> we that contacted
» we that contacted
>> June 29th signs were put out. July 1st
» June 29th signs were put out. July 1st
the first website and email messaging
and Facebook post went out. July 17th
was a second website and email messaging
Facebook post and the work started on
7:20.
But the city did not contact these
businesses on the on um the road. Is
that right?
>> Not on Bake Head Road. No. Bank Highway.
» Not on Bake Head Road. No. Bank Highway.
No.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
They were contacted through the same
channels of everyone else was contacted
being the website, the email messaging
to our residents and our res and our
businesses in our city limits. Facebook
posts. Second website, email messaging,
Facebook post. So, the same way that we
tell everyone else to get our messaging.
>> Okay. Well, I I personally got
» Okay. Well, I I personally got
complaints from business owners, spent a
lot of time when they called um very
upset that we did not contact them. Um
some of them pay um their water bills
through Willow Park. even though they're
Alto, they paid the uh city of Willow
Park and those were some of the people
that were upset. We didn't contact them
personally. When you shut the road down
and the business is there and then all
of a sudden it's very upsetting clearly
when they reached out. Um and then one
of them said that one of our staff hung
up on a business owner and they got very
upset and I I heard all about that one
also. So, what I'm [clears throat]
suggesting is we might going forward, we
might try to call uh the businesses
before we close the road right in front
of their business to to help our
businesses and our citizens out. I think
that's something that we definitely
should do. Um I don't see any reason why
we shouldn't do that. Uh we know where
they are. We can drive by them and they
they pay the water bill. I don't know
how many of them do. Maybe some are on.
Well, I do not know that answer, but I
think it would be a good practice going
forward for uh the businesses.
>> Mayor Palmer, I do want to correct the
» Mayor Palmer, I do want to correct the
fact the road was not closed. So, there
was no through traffic. The road has
never been fully closed. So, the traffic
can get through and get to those
businesses. And we did have a meeting
with the contractor last Thursday. And
there is a flagger there as of Monday
that is trying to field traffic to get
to the businesses. So there the road has
not been fully closed at the point where
they're doing the construction.
>> Well, it was closed and then rerouted
» Well, it was closed and then rerouted
through a neighborhood and routed back
and that was the complaint that I got.
Yes.
>> So I got several of them.
» So I got several of them.
>> There is a detour obviously so that they
» There is a detour obviously so that they
don't have traffic constantly going
through.
>> Are you a business owner back there? Is
» Are you a business owner back there? Is
that why you're waving at me? Uh, I
tried to go through there because I
heard that there was you couldn't go
through there. It was completely closed
off at 8:00 this morning.
>> Oh, this morning.
» Oh, this morning.
>> So, this morning it was closed.
» So, this morning it was closed.
>> Wow.
» Wow.
>> Did you know that
» Did you know that
>> they're not starting at 8:00 in the
» they're not starting at 8:00 in the
morning for work, but there is a flagger
that will be there during the day.
>> But they totally closed the road down.
» But they totally closed the road down.
>> It should not be fully closed. There
» It should not be fully closed. There
should be the the barricade that goes
mostly across the road to deter traffic
from going through to interrupt the work
that's already been opened.
>> Okay. So, you're saying you couldn't get
» Okay. So, you're saying you couldn't get
through at all?
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> How soon is it before school start?
» How soon is it before school start?
>> Two weeks, I think, when somebody called
» Two weeks, I think, when somebody called
me to complain about it.
>> There was a meeting with Alto ISD today,
» There was a meeting with Alto ISD today,
so they're fully aware.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
So, is there a plan?
>> We we have another meeting scheduled
» We we have another meeting scheduled
with the school for for Monday um to
talk about traffic flows, detours,
emergency access, active road projects,
communication channels for unexpected
incidents, and um district operations.
>> So, y'all are meeting Monday.
» So, y'all are meeting Monday.
>> The school Yeah. Um is Yeah. Um they
» The school Yeah. Um is Yeah. Um they
scheduled that. Um I think um the
neighboring cities um were included um
texter
county we'll have more information.
>> Okay. And so we'll once you meet with
» Okay. And so we'll once you meet with
the school again, you'll push it out on
our our city site. So everybody needs
everybody needs to look at the city site
to get the updates because a lot of
people that one that called me very
concerned about school starting and and
this traffic how are we going to get our
kids you know
>> to school right which is what y'all are
» to school right which is what y'all are
addressing right
>> so the school scheduled the meeting so
» so the school scheduled the meeting so
we'll know more but yeah
>> the schools the schools will push that
» the schools the schools will push that
out too on their student parent portals
and everything as well too because
they're going to have to reroute buses
and things of that nature. So, I just
know that because I've got kids in
school still. So,
>> traffic and safety coordination meeting.
» traffic and safety coordination meeting.
>> Great.
» Great.
>> When are you meeting with are you
» When are you meeting with are you
meeting with Skyblue on a daily basis or
how regular is that? And are there any
Let's answer that first. How often is
that happening?
>> Yes. So, um um I go out over there um
» Yes. So, um um I go out over there um
morning um afternoon. Um there's um
Jacob Martin has an inspector on site,
too. Um, and so if they have any issues,
um, they call us, um, Chase. Um, so
yeah, that's kind of how we're handling
it. But, um, I went over there, um,
today around noon, no, not noon, about
11:00. um talked to both well one of the
flaggers. They had two flaggers and
everything seemed to go I mean I did see
cars going through but um they were they
were doing the detours. Um I asked the
flaggers you know um how how was it? I
mean is it getting better? It seem seems
to be I mean you get the occasional
traffic. Um but for the most part I I
think people now know how to you know
follow the detour signs, how to get
around where they need to go. Um I go
home for lunch um every day. So I do I
travel back to go home. Sorry.
>> Um, so I've been able to do that um
» Um, so I've been able to do that um
during lunchtime after work um and and I
I follow the frontage road um turn on
new energy and you know just go back
home back and forth. So,
>> let me ask then if if we do have like a
» let me ask then if if we do have like a
flag or trying to get people through on
each end of um the construction, would
it not be is it an option then to ask
them to open one side and just have the
radio communications as we've seen on
many of our two-lane highways throughout
Texas to say
>> so they had
» so they had
>> this group comes through now use
» this group comes through now use
[clears throat] the sideway.
>> Yeah. So, they've got the two flaggers
» Yeah. So, they've got the two flaggers
and then there's another one kind of
like in the middle just watching, you
know, traffic flow um and letting cars
go through um through through traffic.
Um but um yeah. Um what So, they're
going to be more, I guess, proactive.
the flaggers are um because sometimes
people just go through um that either
are not going to the businesses or they
just want to go through. Um so I I think
they're just going to stop them and um
inform them of what's going on and that
that's one of what one of the flaggers
told me this morning. They're explaining
what's going on and how they can make
the or or they can take alternate routes
so that they don't have to go through
the project work zone.
>> Is the work taking place on both sides
» Is the work taking place on both sides
of the street?
>> It it's um well the line's right in the
» It it's um well the line's right in the
middle,
>> right? Is there that would be my
» right? Is there that would be my
question then to talk to Skyblue and see
about opening up a a through route even
if it's just to relieve some of the back
to school, anything like that. Lane,
we'll we'll more
>> I touch on that.
» I touch on that.
>> There was Wasn't there an issue with the
» There was Wasn't there an issue with the
width?
>> Yes, we we sorry to cut you off. We we
» Yes, we we sorry to cut you off. We we
did have a meeting today on site with
the contractor, some members of the
county, their engineering firm and our
engineering firm. And that was that was
the sole part of the discussion was
trying to see if there was a way to make
one lane either east to west or west to
east open fully in the issue.
>> That would be great. Well, that don't
» That would be great. Well, that don't
get your hopes up. Unfortunately, that
the way that road is designed as it is
currently that there's
>> wider stretches and narrower stretches.
» wider stretches and narrower stretches.
You have
>> drainage with um guard rails and things.
» drainage with um guard rails and things.
So, doing that will be very intermittent
and it'll probably just create more
confusion and for the alignment of the
new utilities going in and it's going
center line of road or slightly offset.
And
>> the issue with that is the equipment
» the issue with that is the equipment
that they're using. They're using a
excavator to dig the trench right now.
And at the depth they're at, they can
use a midsize excavator, which setting
up on the ditch line overhangs three 3
and 1/2 ft into the other lane. Now,
when they get a little further down,
they're going to have to upsize their
equipment due to the depth and it's a
14t wide piece of equipment. So, it's
going to hang basically center line of
the other lane. So, it's not going to be
feasible. It's going to be more
dangerous for everybody involved trying
to squeeze cars in through one lane.
So, that answered your question on that.
>> So, we're getting a big no in the back
» So, we're getting a big no in the back
of the room. And what is your name? I'm
sorry.
>> Me?
» Me?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> I don't have anything to say about this.
» I don't have anything to say about this.
>> Nothing.
» Nothing.
>> It's horrible. It's more than the plan.
» It's horrible. It's more than the plan.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> And there is there was at 8:00
» And there is there was at 8:00
there was no flagger there.
>> It was just blocked. So, what time do
» It was just blocked. So, what time do
the flaggers come on? If you got traffic
at 8, how does that work that she's
saying no one is there?
>> We um I'm don't can't answer that
» We um I'm don't can't answer that
question, but I can definitely we're
we're having weekly meetings with the
contractor. We set that today. We're
going to have weekly construction
meetings to alleviate any road any speed
bumps. We know it's been it's been a
nightmare and a half trying to get this
started, but we're
>> bear with us. We're we're working lock
» bear with us. We're we're working lock
step trying to get this resolved as best
we can.
>> Marcy, you have a question.
» Marcy, you have a question.
>> Is there a way to be done through the
» Is there a way to be done through the
night? Will that alleviate some of the
issue?
>> Uh that has not been discussed. Um we
» Uh that has not been discussed. Um we
could possibly discuss this approach and
it was 30 to 40% more.
>> Oh, okay.
» Oh, okay.
>> For the cost for that and that is way
» For the cost for that and that is way
beyond our budget for this project. So,
>> and I would just make a note on that.
» and I would just make a note on that.
Doing night work next to a subdivision.
I think we'll have very a lot of angry
people.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Well, in that
» Well, in that
>> we have Chief Hamilton raising his hand
» we have Chief Hamilton raising his hand
in the back of the room. He has
something to say.
>> I was going to say I take my son here in
» I was going to say I take my son here in
the morning. So, usually going early,
right before 8:00,
>> they had set up so
» they had set up so
early in the morning when they
start setting those cones up. So that's
why you don't have anybody at that bar.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Once they get set up and everybody gets
» Once they get set up and everybody gets
there and you can easily they'll let you
» have to go back and forth like 7 and
then go back at 8:30 pick up back.
>> Yep.
» Yep.
>> And 8:30 it's kind of locked down.
» And 8:30 it's kind of locked down.
>> It's up. Everything is up and they're
» It's up. Everything is up and they're
working but they'll let you.
>> So if you pull up to the cones they let
» So if you pull up to the cones they let
they'll talk to you. electric
line.
>> Did you have your uniform on when they
» Did you have your uniform on when they
were letting you go through? Ah, you
knew I was going to ask you that. Boom.
Right there. I I would let you go
through, too. Yeah, I would go on
through here. You No uniform can't go
right.
Just Just wanted to throw that in.
Does anybody else have questions for
them before we move on?
>> Yeah. Yes, Gretchen. on the Kingsgate
» Yeah. Yes, Gretchen. on the Kingsgate
road bridge replacement project. I know
the contractor we were using went out of
business. I know Tex's now trying to put
the bid out. Do we have any sense of
when that closes?
>> No, we don't. Um I emailed um text last
» No, we don't. Um I emailed um text last
week um and they don't have any
information. Um they basically told me
once they do they'll contact
>> okay
» okay
>> the city but no.
» the city but no.
>> And then one other question on the water
» And then one other question on the water
supply and infrastructure grant.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Uh house bill 500.
» Uh house bill 500.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Um I know we have to have it submitted
» Um I know we have to have it submitted
by July 30th which
>> it's approaching very soon. It we're
» it's approaching very soon. It we're
confident we're going to get that
submitted. Correct.
>> Yes. We just received the the copy of
» Yes. We just received the the copy of
the application today. We're going
through it to be ready for submitt.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Yes, we everything's ready.
» Yes, we everything's ready.
>> All right. Perfect. And that was for up
» All right. Perfect. And that was for up
to $10 million and that would be used
for Creek
water um pipelines and other areas where
we had major water leakage.
>> Yes, that's correct.
» Yes, that's correct.
>> Right. Mhm.
» Right. Mhm.
RC
>> that 2 million includes the 5.5 for the
» that 2 million includes the 5.5 for the
West Oak subdivision.
>> That's going federal. Is that correct?
» That's going federal. Is that correct?
>> Yeah. So, um it does not um we were
» Yeah. So, um it does not um we were
going to um seek an alternate funding
mechanism for that.
>> That would be federal funding. Correct.
» That would be federal funding. Correct.
>> Yep. Versus states.
» Yep. Versus states.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Based on income.
» Based on income.
>> Jean.
» Jean.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Yeah. Eric actually prompted the
» Yeah. Eric actually prompted the
question. There's a electric billboard
[clears throat] on the service road that
says take the detour because King's gate
is closed. Are we renting that or is
that on text?
>> Text.
» Text.
>> Okay. Well, you might recommend to them
» Okay. Well, you might recommend to them
that they put up a permanent side
[snorts]
>> until that. Yeah. Yeah. That that that's
» until that. Yeah. Yeah. That that that's
a state project. So, Texot's managing
the project. Um they're inspecting the
project. So yeah, they're overseeing
everything.
>> Thank you, Gretchen. We appreciate it.
» Thank you, Gretchen. We appreciate it.
Thank you.
>> I do want to point out that the uh
» I do want to point out that the uh
repaving in front of Brookshshire's all
the way down to New Energy yesterday for
Tex dot, we were not alerted for that
project or was it yesterday? Yeah, just
yesterday.
>> Text dot did not tell you they were
» Text dot did not tell you they were
doing that.
>> That is correct. So,
» That is correct. So,
>> wow, that's huge.
» wow, that's huge.
>> I just it was inconvenient timing like
» I just it was inconvenient timing like
all construction is, but the fact that
like every corridor had something going
on was especially challenging. But we
were not aware of that. So,
>> okay. Okay. We're going to move on to
» okay. Okay. We're going to move on to
executive session. Uh the next items
will be discussed in executive session
as allowed by the Texas government code.
Section 551.071
consultation with city attorney. Section
551.074 [clears throat]
personnel. Section 551.087
economic development negotiations.
Number nine is the city of Alo, Texas,
and the city of Fort Worth, Texas versus
Willow Park. Beline Ranch and Parker
County. Cause number CV26-0175
and Parker County 43rd District Court.
Number 10, home rule charter and charter
commission legal issues. 11, police
chief position. 12 economic development
negotiations with Bandidas Willow Park.
The time now is 7:47. Thank you.
Okay, we're going to reconvene into open
session. The time now is 9:15.
Does the council wish to make any
motions related to the closed session?
>> No action.
» No action.
>> Okay. No one has anything.
» Okay. No one has anything.
>> Hang on.
» Hang on.
[clears throat]
>> No. Are we closing out the as of today
» No. Are we closing out the as of today
at 5?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> So, we need to go and vote on that. You
» So, we need to go and vote on that. You
want to go ahead and do that?
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
Okay. So, we have a motion to close the
uh resumeumés out off TML at 5:00 pm
today. So, do you want to make a motion?
>> Uh, yes. Uh, close out any more resumes
» Uh, yes. Uh, close out any more resumes
coming in after 5:00 today, unless
they're postdated, I guess, or the email
time stamp.
>> Huh.
» Huh.
>> Okay. Do we have
» Okay. Do we have
>> Yeah. For I'm sorry, for police chief.
» Yeah. For I'm sorry, for police chief.
Yeah, I guess we
>> police chief. Yeah. Do we have a second
» police chief. Yeah. Do we have a second
on that?
>> I'll second. Oh, go ahead. No, you got
» I'll second. Oh, go ahead. No, you got
it.
>> Nathan's going to second. Okay. All in
» Nathan's going to second. Okay. All in
favor? There you go.
>> Okay. So, item 13 is city manager
» Okay. So, item 13 is city manager
comments, response, reaction to the
meeting.
>> No, ma'am. Just the uh community
» No, ma'am. Just the uh community
interest about Bearcat Nation is 101 is
the back to school event that is at the
Alto High School that is on Saturday,
August 1st from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
And so it is just an event for uh back
to school that the city hosts uh excuse
me that the that the school hosts the
city will be there as we are every year.
And then national night out again just
to remind you put on your calendar is
October 6th of 2026 at the district of
Willow Park. And then our university
schedule and our next will be in
September. So more news to come for
that.
>> Okay. Thank you.
» Okay. Thank you.
>> All right. Thank you.
» All right. Thank you.
>> Okay. Number 14 is mayor, city council
» Okay. Number 14 is mayor, city council
comments.
Anybody have any comments before we move
on?
>> Yeah, just a reminder of our uh or my
» Yeah, just a reminder of our uh or my
event, I guess, is the uh C coffee with
Councilman. That is August 7th. That's
that first Friday of the month. 8:30
starts right at 8:30 a.m. and ends right
at 9:30. I want everybody's hour um for
that day. So,
>> okay. Anybody's welcome to join. Open
» okay. Anybody's welcome to join. Open
conversation. No agenda. Love to see you
there.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right. Number 15,
» Okay. Thank you. All right. Number 15,
future agenda request
by mayor and city council. I have some.
Do y'all have some?
>> We don't have agenda anymore.
» We don't have agenda anymore.
>> H
» H
>> We don't have that on the agenda.
» We don't have that on the agenda.
>> Yeah, it's my 15, but
» you didn't put that on there.
Dina, is that on the agenda?
» You don't have it this time. Okay.
>> Number 15 is not there.
» Number 15 is not there.
>> All I've got 14.
» All I've got 14.
>> All right. I'm used to putting that on
» All right. I'm used to putting that on
the end. So, I guess, uh, we'll be
turning them in to you, Dina, as our
request.
>> So, um, moving on to adjourn. Is there a
» So, um, moving on to adjourn. Is there a
motion to adjurnn?
>> I move we adjourn.
» I move we adjourn.
>> We have a second.
» We have a second.
>> Second.
» Second.
>> Scott's first. Second. All in favor? Hi.
» Scott's first. Second. All in favor? Hi.
>> There you go. Good night. Thank you very
» There you go. Good night. Thank you very
much.