* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE TOWN, UH, COUNT WESTLAKE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2026. I CALL THE REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER. THE TIME IS FOUR O'CLOCK. WE HAVE A FULL QUORUM. WE'LL START WITH THE INVOCATION FROM PASTOR CLAYTON REED OF SOUTHWEST SOUTH LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH. PASTOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. PRAY WELL, WE GIVE THANKS FOR THIS EVENING. WE GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR GOODNESS TO US. EVERY DAY. WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH SO MANY PLACES WHERE IT WOULD BE EASY TO GRUMBLE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR LOT IN LIFE. BUT WHEN WE THINK HOW GOOD YOU'VE BEEN TO US, UH, HOT DAY, THERE'S AIR CONDITIONING, THERE'S WATER FLOWING FROM OUR TAPS. AND LORD, YOU'VE GIVEN US PROTECTED SPACES TO LIVE IN. THERE'S NOT WAR ALL AROUND US. LORD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS TO US. AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD FILL EACH OF US WITH A SENSE OF GRATITUDE ABOUT YOUR KINDNESS, ESPECIALLY TO US THAT LIVE HERE. WELL, WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING TONIGHT. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL WISDOM AS THEY DELIBERATE AND MAKE DECISIONS, OR THERE'S THINGS IN LIFE WHERE WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO. AND WE NEED MORE THAN THE WISDOM THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN. WE NEED HEAVEN'S HELP. SO I PRAY AS THEY MEET AND THINK AND LISTEN TONIGHT THAT YOU WOULD FILL THEM WITH HOPE, WITH JOY, AND WITH HELP. BUT WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE CITY STAFF, OR WE THANK YOU FOR WADE. AND WE PRAY, LORD, BLESSING OVER EACH PERSON ON THIS TEAM AS THEY WORK TO MAKE THIS CITY A BETTER SPACE. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM STRENGTH AND HELP. WE GIVE THANKS FOR ALL WHO SERVE HERE. AND WE PLAY PRAY TONIGHT FOR PEACE IN THIS SPACE. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. UH, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE AND THE PLEDGE OF THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION ON INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY, JUSTICE PLEDGE, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE ON. THANK YOU ALL, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE [C. CITIZEN/PUBLIC COMMENTS] ONE PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. TOM FULBRIGHT, , TEXAS. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE, UH, PROPOSED CIRCLE T DATA CENTER. UH, I KNOW THAT'S, UH, IN, IN YOUR BUSINESS, UH, TODAY, BUT, UH, MAYBE ONLY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, BRING A FEW THINGS OUT THAT I HOPE, UH, I, I CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL, BUT HOPEFULLY EACH OF YOU RECEIVED A LITTLE SIX PAGE WE DID, UH, HANDOUT. PERFECT. UH, I'M JUST GONNA KIND OF TOUCH ON THE HIGH POINTS REAL QUICKLY 'CAUSE I KNOW I'VE ONLY GOT THREE MINUTES. UH, BUT, UM, AND SOME OF THIS YOU, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD BEFORE, BUT I JUST JUST WANT TO REITERATE IF YOU HAVE, UH, THE FIRST ISSUE IS NOISE. AND IT'S PRIMARILY LOW FREQUENCY NOISE. AND I KNOW IN THE PLAN IT CALLS FOR BURNS AND A WALL, MAYBE TREES. AND ALL THESE FEATURES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO MITIGATE THIS NOISE ISSUE JUST DO NOT WORK. UH, THEY, THEY DO A REASONABLE JOB AT, UH, AT LIMITING THE HIGH FREQUENCY NOISE, WHICH IS THE HISS ON THE UPPER ENDS, BUT THE LOWER FREQUENCY NOISES, THEY BASICALLY DON'T DO ANYTHING AT ALL, NOR DOES VEGETATION. SO, UH, THE, BASICALLY THE ONLY THING THAT DOES MUCH GOOD IS DISTANCE, JUST GETTING FURTHER AWAY FROM IT. UH, THE SECOND PAGE JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A DIAGRAM OF WHAT I JUST SAID. UM, THE LOWER FREQUENCY, LONG WAVELENGTH NOISE, UH, HAS A, THE ABILITY TO JUST CURVE AND JUST BEND AROUND, UH, THESE BARRIERS. AND SO, UH, THE BERM AND THE VEGETATION AND THE WALL DOES VERY LITTLE, UH, TO MITIGATE THIS LOW FREQUENCY NOISE. UH, NEXT I'D LIKE TO JUST MOVE INTO POWER A LITTLE BIT ON PAGE THREE. UM, AND THE QUESTION REALLY IS ABOUT GRID POWER. IS IT, IS IT GONNA BE AVAILABLE? NOT AVAILABLE. AND IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A REAL QUESTION. UH, IN JUNE OF 2025, UH, ERCOT RECEIVES THESE, UH, REQUESTS. THEY CALL 'EM INTERCONNECTION CUES, UH, WHICH KIND OF IS A PREDICTION INDUSTRY IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT WHAT THEY THINK THEIR POWER [00:05:01] NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE, AND THAT FOR THE PLAN PLANNING PURPOSES. UH, AND IT WAS, UH, YEAH, IT SAID IT WAS 186 GIGAWATTS IN JUNE OF 25, AND THEN IT WENT UP TO 271 GIGAWATTS BY APRIL OF 26. JUST A HUGE INCREASE ON THE TRANSMISSION LINES, WHICH IS THE SECOND PARAGRAPH. ENCORE'S FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN WAS $1.2 BILLION, FIVE, THEIR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN A DECADE AGO. THEIR MOST RECENT CAPITAL PLAN IS $36 BILLION. THAT'S AS OF FEBRUARY OF 26. THAT'S PRETTY LARGE INCREASE, UH, ON THE GENERATION SIDE. UH, ERCOT, UH, GENERATION INTERCONNECTION QUEUE IS UP TO 432 GIGAWATTS. THAT'S JUST, IT'S HUGE. SO, WHERE I'M GONNA ON THESE NEXT, ON THE NEXT PAGE, UH, THIS, UM, YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE TEXAS TIME. WELL HAVE COUPLE MORE . THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS ERCOT, UH, SUPPLY AND DEMAND GRAPHS. AND YOU CAN SEE IN 25, OUR SUPPLY IS A LITTLE ABOVE DEMAND, WHICH IS WHAT THEY LIKE. BUT AS WE PROCEED INTO 27, 28, 29, AND 30, THE SUPPLY, I MEAN, THE DEMAND OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY, AND BY A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MARGIN, 35 GIGAWATTS ACCORDING TO MR. FRIGHT. I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS UP. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. FRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT LAST PAGE, I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THAT. 'CAUSE IT WAS 27,000 IDLING CARS IF THEY RUN ON A HUNDRED PERCENT BACKUP POWER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [D. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] SASSER ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. UH, WE'RE GONNA KICK THIS, UH, AFTERNOON OFF WITH A, UH, A REMINDER ABOUT BLACKSMITH GIVING DAY COMING UP IN JUST TWO DAYS ON THE 17TH. IT'S THE BIGGEST FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR FOR WESTLAKE ACADEMY. THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS $1.5 MILLION TO BE RAISED. UH, THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GIVE, AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO GIVE AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT IT GOES TO AT THE ACADEMY AS WELL. ON THE WESTLAKE ACADEMY FOUND, UH, FOUNDATION WEBSITE, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST IN TWO DAYS. BLACKSMITH GIVING DAY, UH, WESTLAKE ACADEMY HOMECOMING IS GOING TO BE ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH. OUR NEXT PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 6TH, AND OUR NEXT TOWN COUNCIL MEETING IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED JED FOR OCTOBER 20TH. UH, RATHER LARGE ELECTION COMING UP HERE, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WITH, UH, WITH A LOT OF IMPORTANT DATES. UH, TO NOTE HERE, WE'VE GOT THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS OCTOBER 5TH. THE FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING IS OCTOBER 19TH. THE LAST DAY OF EARLY VOTING IS OCTOBER 30TH. AND THE LAST DAY TO RECEIVE YOUR BALLOT BY MAIL IS ON ELECTION DAY NOVEMBER 3RD. AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO, UH, ROUND THIS UP WITH A, UH, A RECAP OF THE NINE 11 MEMORIAL RUN THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND. UH, JUST A PHENOMENAL EVENT WHERE THEY HONORED, UH, 343 FIREFIGHTERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN A NINE 11 ATTACKS, WHICH WAS, OF COURSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, 25 YEARS AGO, UH, ABOUT 70 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN THE RUN. UH, STUDENTS FROM SEVERAL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE AREA, UH, ATTENDED AS WELL AS FOLKS OF ALL AGES TOOK PART AS WELL. UH, IT WAS JUST, JUST A TREMENDOUS JOB BY CHIEF ARD AND THE ENTIRE STAFF AT THE, UH, UH, AT OUR FIRE AND EMS, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CHIEF HARD. YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB. UH, IF YOU HAPPEN TO MISS IT, YOU, YOU, YOU GUYS WERE, UH, UH, OUTTA TOWN OR BUSY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. THERE'S A, A GREAT RECAP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OF OUR TOWN. THERE'S PLENTY OF PHOTOS, UH, SOME GREAT DRONE VIDEO AS WELL OF, OF THE EVENT. AGAIN, THAT'S ON OUR TOWN FACEBOOK PAGE. ALL THE MONEY RAISED WENT TO THE, UH, TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS VETS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO, GREAT JOB BY THOSE GUYS FOR SURE. AND THOSE ARE YOUR ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. COUPLE THINGS, CHIEF ARD, SORRY, WE WERE TRAVELING. SORRY WE MISSED THAT, BUT I HEARD IT WAS FABULOUS. I RAN IN A COUPLE YOUR GUYS THE OTHER DAY. AND THEN JOHN, WE HAD, UH, 18 PLUS VOLUNTEERS FROM YMSL SUNDAY. WE GOT A GOOD JOB DONE ON TRACKS AROUND TOWN, A LOT OF BAGS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THEM VOLUNTEERING. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANKS SIR. YES. [E.1. Recognition of Former Planning and Zoning Commissioners: Mr. David Ricci Mr. Rachit Gupta] AND WE NOW HAVE RECOGNITIONS TO RECOGNIZE TWO FORMER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY. NEITHER COULD BE PRESENT THIS EVENING, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK DAVID RICHIE, SERVED FROM AUGUST, 2023 TO JULY, 2026. GUPTA SERVED FROM JUNE 24 TO 2000 TO JULY, 2026. I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE, HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE ARE. THANK YOU BOTH. [F. CONSENT AGENDA] [00:10:02] UH, CONSENT AGENDA, UH, ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WE NEED TO PULL OUT AND TALK ABOUT? YEAH. UM, I HAD MENTIONED THIS TO WADE ABOUT THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE BEING PUT FORWARD. OKAY. WHICH ONE IS THAT? UH, FINANCIAL PROCEDURES. UH, LET'S, UH, F THREE. F THREE. YEAH. UM, A LOT OF IT IS CHANGING THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO REFLECT THE FACT THAT WESTLAKE ACADEMY IS NOW DOING THINGS ON THEIR OWN RIGHT. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, DR. RITCHIE HAS REVIEWED THESE AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS ARE. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S HAD A CHANCE. I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT THAT HAPPENS. UH, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU AND AND CASEY SIT DOWN WITH, WITH HER AND JUST DISCUSS HOW THINGS ARE GONNA CHANGE. I THINK SHE PROBABLY KNOWS THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE'S OKAY. DOCUMENT CASEY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. NO, I, I, I, YOU CAN GO FORWARD. I THINK SHE JUST NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF IT. I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE YET. I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN, BUT I, I THINK THAT SHE HAS. GOOD, GOOD. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES PUBLIC HEARINGS AND CORRESPONDING [G.1. Hold public hearing, discuss, consider and act to adopt Ordinance 1052 approving the Annual Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, including a taxpayer impact statement.] ACTION ITEMS. UH, G ONE HOLD PUBLIC HEARING, DISCUSS CONSIDERING ACT, ADOPT ORDINANCE 1 0 5 TO APPROVING THE ANNUAL OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027, INCLUDING A TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT. CASEY, WE'VE GOT A ONE LITTLE THING UP HERE. ALRIGHT, SO GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE THE FINAL ACTION ITEMS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET PROCESS. UM, WE'VE PREVIOUSLY HELD TWO WORK SESSIONS DURING OUR LAST TWO REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS WHERE WE DISCUSSED WITH COUNSEL WHAT WOULD GO INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN WHAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC ON AUGUST 13TH WITHIN THAT PUBLISHED PROPOSED DOCUMENT. UM, I'LL DO A QUICK RECAP AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL KIND OF ALSO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE REALLY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT STATE LEGISLATURE REQUIRES US TO DO. THAT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE. CLICK IN FOR ME. THERE WE GO. OKAY. SO THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET INCLUDES 42 MILLION IN REVENUES ACROSS ALL FUNDS AND 32 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES RESULTING IN A PLANNED CONTRIBUTION TO FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 10.8 MILLION. OF THAT CONTRIBUTION, 7.8 IS BUDGETED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY HELD AND RESERVED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MINIMIZING DEBT ISSUANCES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. FOR SOME PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS BUILT WITH A PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 18.50 CENTS, WHICH IS FLAT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. AND IT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR 51.5 FTES, A CASH TRANSFER OF 1.5 MILLION FROM THE TOWN TO THE ACADEMY, AND 1.4 MILLION IN CAPITAL AND MAJOR MAINTENANCE SPENDING. WHEN COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR'S APPROVED BUDGET, REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 7.5 MILLION. THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO CONTINUED DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTAGE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASES IN SALES TAX. WE HAVE INCREASED INTEREST EARNINGS BECAUSE OF THAT FUND BALANCE THAT WE'RE BUILDING UP. AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL VALUE THAT WAS ADDED TO THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL THIS YEAR. AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE CON HIGHER USAGE IN UTILITIES. WE ARE NOT RAISING OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE, NOR ARE WE RAISING UTILITY RATES FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR. BUT WE ARE SEEING HIGHER REVENUES, EXPENDITURES ARE INCREASING APPROXIMATELY 640,000 OVER THE PRIOR YEAR DUE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A STEP PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, MOVING NON-PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES TO THE 70TH PERCENTILE OF OUR SURVEY CITIES. AND THEN INCREASES FROM THE COST OF WATER FROM FORT WORTH, WHICH HAS THAT OFFSET ON THE REVENUE SIDE. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET? GREAT SLIDE. YEAH, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ONE THING. JUST MAKE SURE I HEARD IT CORRECTLY AND REPEAT IT. SO THERE'LL BE NO INCREASE TO PROPERTY TAXES, NO INCREASE TO SERVICE FEES FOR TOWN SERVICES, CORRECT. WOW. YES, WE, WE DID OUR RATE STUDY LAST YEAR AND ADJUSTED THE TIERS FOR THE UTILITY SIDE. AND THEN LAST YEAR WE DID INCREASE THE TAX RATE TO 18 AND A HALF CENTS, WHICH WE'RE HOLDING FLAT THIS YEAR. AND I'LL JUST NOTE, AS I'VE DONE A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS, WE ARE LIKE THE SECOND LOWEST MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAX RATE IN THE RE I THINK BARTONVILLE IS A LITTLE LOWER. IT'S 17 AND CHANGE, BUT NO ONE ELSE ACTUALLY COMES CLOSE, SO THAT'S RIGHT. CORRECT. [00:15:01] ALL I HAVE FOR BUDGET, CASEY, YOU PROBABLY SAID THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I WAS FUMBLING. DID YOU SAY THAT THIS IS WHAT WE REVIEWED? THERE IS NO CHANGE TO WHAT WE REVIEWED LAST YEAR. THERE ARE NO CHANGES COMPARED TO WHAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WHAT WE DISCUSSED DURING LAST MONTH'S WORK SESSION. AND I JUST WANNA KINDA STEP BACK AND REITERATE, I'VE BEEN, THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR IN PUBLIC SERVICE. WHEN I WALKED IN HERE, WE HAD A $5 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. OKAY? SO IN FOUR YEARS, THIS BUDGET, 21% INCREASE IN REVENUE EXPENSES, 2%. OUR GENERAL FUND, OUR RETAINED EARNINGS HAVE GROWN 55, GROWN 55% OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. DEBT RATIO IS PRETTY LOW, 1.7 AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT. $700 MILLION OF DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE IN IN PROCESS. OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION IS FABULOUS AND WE OWE IT ALL TO YOU GUYS. I MEAN, WE REALLY DO FOR THROUGH THIS, SO THANK YOU. BUT WE'VE CHANGED THE COMPLEXION OF THE FINANCIAL, UM, UM, STRUCTURE OF THIS TOWN. I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO A PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ITEM? I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UH, COUNSEL ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THIS ITEM IS A RECORD VOTE. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND ADOPT ORDINANCE 1 0 5 2. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A ROLL VOTE. SO, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM REEVES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER AKIRA AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH. COUNCIL MEMBER GOODIER AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER DUANE. AYE. ANY NAYS? OBVIOUSLY NOT. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT [G.2. Discuss, consider and act to approve Resolution 26-27 ratifying the property tax revenue increase.] IS GG TWO. THIS, UH, DISCUSS, CONSIDER AN ACT APPROVE RESOLUTION 2 6 2 7 RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE. SO NOW THAT WE'VE PASSED TO FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH IS NOT AN INCREASE, THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE. SO NOW THIS ITEM AND THE NEXT ONE IS WHERE WE GET INTO THE FUND. WEIRD STUFF. SO, UM, STATE LEGISLATURE REQUIRES THAT COUNSEL HAVE A SEPARATE ACTION TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASES INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED. AND SO ALL THIS IS, IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT VIA VOTE THAT THE REVENUE THAT WE ARE PROJECTING WITHIN THE RECENTLY APPROVED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS MORE THAN THE REVENUE ADOPTED IN LAST YEAR'S PROPERTY TAX REVENUE LINE ITEM WITHIN OUR BUDGET. LAST YEAR WE SAID IT WAS ALMOST 4.7 MILLION THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THOSE INCREASED VALUATIONS WE ARE LOOKING AT COLLECTING 4.9 MILLION IN REVENUES. THE TAX RATE IS NOT CHANGING. THAT'S THE WHOLE BIT . HOW COULD YOU SAY NO TO THIS ? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. I MEAN IT'S JUST, IT'S A MATTER OF CALCULATION. IF YOU READ THE STATE'S LANGUAGE, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO SAY NO TO IT. REALLY? YEAH, HE'S NEXT. HE'LL READ THIS IN A MINUTE. WOW. I DON'T, I GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW THAT UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION APPROVED RESOLUTION TWO SIX DASH TWO SEVEN UH, LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? NOT YET. NOT YET. THAT'S THE NEXT ONE. SORRY. Q3. SO MOVED. YEAH. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES CASE. I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN OUR GOVERNOR ON TV TALKING ABOUT WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO RAISE TAXES TAKING THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. YES SIR. WE ARE KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON NEXT YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'M PROBABLY GONNA SEND HIM A NOTE ABOUT OURS. BOTH UH, G THREE HOLD [G.3. Hold public hearing, discuss, consider and act to adopt Ordinance 1053 to Levy an Ad Valorem Rate for Tax Year 2026.] PUBLIC HEARING DOES DISCUSS, CONSIDER AN ACT ADOPT ADOPT ORDINANCE 1 0 5 3 LEVY AN ADD VALOREM TAX RATE FOR THE TAX YEAR 2026. ALRIGHT. AND SO THIS IS THE FINAL STEP IN THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET PROCESS WHERE WE LEVY THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT WOULD BE THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED. AND SO NEXT YEAR'S TAX RATE PROPOSED IS FLAT AT 18.50 CENTS. THE CHANGE TO THE RATE HAS TO DO WITH THE ALLOCATION FOR NEXT YEAR. AS I STATED, WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE OVERALL RATE BUT WE ARE CHANGING THE PROPORTION BETWEEN THE DEBT PORTION AND THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PORTIONS. WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE IN THOSE TWO SETS AND WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ADOPT AN INS OR DEBT RATE IN AN AMOUNT THAT WOULD GARNER JUST ENOUGH REVENUE FOR US TO PAY OUR DEBT OBLIGATIONS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AND SO WHAT WE DID, BECAUSE OF THOSE HIGHER VALUATIONS AND A VERY SLIGHT DECLINE ON THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST REQUIREMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE SPLIT APPROXIMATELY 1.20 CENTS FROM THE INS PORTION OVER TO THE M AND O PORTION TO KEEP THAT [00:20:01] RATE AT THAT 18.5% AND CONTINUE OUR PLANNED BUILDUP OF FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. SO THE INS PORTION BEING SET AT THE LOWER AMOUNT FOR NEXT YEAR WILL STILL GENERATE $4.7 MILLION, OR EXCUSE ME, WILL NOT GENERATE $4.7 MILLION. WE ARE BUDGETING $4.7 MILLION FOR ALL DEBT PAYMENTS NEXT YEAR. SPLIT BETWEEN THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT I'LL GO OVER IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT THAT IS TO PAY OFF ACROSS 11 ISSUANCES WE WILL HAVE $49.1 MILLION OUTSTANDING AS OF TEN ONE. OKAY. AND CASEY, JUST TO CLARIFY 'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE GOING, OH MY GOD THAT'S $25,000 PER HOUSEHOLD OR WHATEVER THE SILLY THING IS OUR DEBT RATIO IS 1.7% AND THAT'S OUR DEBT AGAINST OUR APPRAISED VA, NOT OUR ACTUAL VALUES, OUR APPRAISED VALUES. CORRECT? CORRECT. OUR DEBT RATIO IS WAY WITHIN OUR CONFINES OF ONE TO 2%. YES SIR. AND I'LL GO OVER UH, SPECIFIC IMPACTS TO TAXPAYERS IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES. THANK YOU. SO FOR THE 4.7 MILLION IN ALL OUTSTANDING DEBT REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED NEXT YEAR WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1.4 OF THAT WILL BE PAID FROM PROPERTY TAXES. THE REST OF IT WILL BE COMING FROM SALES TAX RECEIPTS AND UTILITY REVENUE RECEIPTS. I DO WANNA NOTE THAT ALL UTILITY DEBT IS PAID BY UTILITY FEES AND THE REMAINING DEBT DEDICATED TO ACADEMY AND TOWN INFRASTRUCTURE COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX. AND THEN HOW WE COME UP WITH ALL OF OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES IS PREDICATED ON TWO PARTS. NOT ONLY IS IT THE TAX RATE THAT WE ARE LEVYING TONIGHT, BUT IT'S ALSO THE TOTAL VALUATION THAT IS CERTIFIED BY THE TWO CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THAT GARNER US. IT'S TART AND DENTON. AND SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH IS TAX YEAR 26, WE'RE LOOKING AT A NET TAXABLE VALUE FOR ALL REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE TOWN OF WESTLAKE OF $3.2 BILLION. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 445 MILLION OVER THE LAST YEAR. THE BULK OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH REAPPRAISALS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL. IS THE DELOITTE EXPANSION ON THERE? YES. AND THIS NUMBER. OKAY, SO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS LOOK AT THE VALUE OF ALL CONSTRUCTION AND PROGRESS AS OF 1231 ANNUALLY AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS IN THE TOWN OF WESTLAKE. OUR AVERAGE TAXABLE HOME VALUE HAS GONE DOWN FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW TO 2.5 MILLION. SO THAT'S A ROUGH INCREASE OR DECREASE OF ABOUT 240 FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, AS I STATED, WE ARE KEEPING THE TAX RATE FLAT BUT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WILL SEE A DECREASE IN THEIR PROPERTY TAX ANNUAL BILL OF ABOUT $442. AND EVEN WHEN WE HAD THAT MINOR RAISE IN OUR TAX RATE, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER SAW 600 A REDUCTION. YEAH, THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER THAT YEAR SAW LESS THAN $70 OF AN INCREASE WHENEVER WE RAISED IT LAST YEAR. AND ONE OTHER FUN FACT, UM, WHENEVER EVERYBODY GETS THEIR TAX BILLS FROM THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY NEXT MONTH, UM, THE AVERAGE TAX BILL, OUR PORTION IS ABOUT 12% OF THE TOTAL BILL. SO WE ARE VERY, VERY SMALL COMPARED TO THE OTHER OVERLAPPING TAXING ENTITIES. AND WHICH THE BIGGEST IS OBVIOUSLY THE ISDS, WHICH CORRECT WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY OF CORRECT. THEY ALL AVERAGE ABOUT A DOLLAR PER HUNDRED DOLLARS VALUATION. RIGHT. AND WITH THAT INCREASED VALUATION AND THE FLAT TAX RATE, THE PROPOSED TAX LEVY FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE ALMOST $5 MILLION SPLIT BETWEEN M AND O, WHICH FUNDS OUR GENERAL FUND AND THEN THE 1.2 THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE INS PORTION OR THE DEBT PORTION. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE QUESTIONS FOR CASEY? A LOT ON PROPERTY TAX, IT'S A LOT. I'M GONNA OPEN UP A PUBLIC CLEARING. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ITEM? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, NO OTHER DISCUSSIONS FROM COUNCIL. THIS IS A ROLL VOTE. SO CAN, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 18 POINT A HALF CENTS, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A NEGATIVE 10.3% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. AND THAT IS TAX CODE 26 LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO HAVE Y'ALL READ. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND? ALRIGHT. ROLL CALL MAYOR PRO TIM REEVES. AYE. [00:25:01] UH, COUNCIL MEMBER Y CARRO AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GOER. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER DUANE AYE. MOTION PASSES. CASEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. A REGULAR AGENDA ITEM DISCUSSING POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTANT FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH THE SELECTED CONSULTANT, MAYOR GREAVES. WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT TO AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY. SORRY COLE, YOU'RE HALFWAY THERE. [I. EXECUTIVE SESSION] OKAY. UH, THE TIME IS NOW 4 4 25 AND PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, THE TOWN COUNCIL BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WE'LL ADJOURN NOW INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN, UH, I ONE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 A ONE DELIBERATION REGARDING PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, APPOINTMENT EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES OF A PUBLIC OFFICER EMPLOYEE, A POLICE SERVICE PROVIDER, B TOWN MANAGER, ANNUAL EVALUATION I TWO, SECTION 5 51 DASH 0 7 1. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING PENDING OR CON CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION A SOLANO ENTRATA, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT B, VERTICAL BRIDGE VERSUS TOWN OF WESTLAKE AND C THE DATA CENTER I THREE SECTION 5 51 DASH 0 7 1. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, UH, CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL ADVICE FROM TOWN ATTORNEY REGARDING REGARDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RFQ PROCESS AND CONSULTANT CONTRACT TIME IS NOW 4 26. WE ADJOURN, UH, INTO IT IS 7 7 54. WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UP ITEMS, [H.1. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the Selection of a Consultant for the Comprehensive Plan and Authorizing the Town Manager or Designee to Negotiate an Agreement for Professional Services with the Selected Consultant.] UH, GOING BACK TO AGENDA ITEM, UM, H ONE DISCUSS AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTANT FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER DESIGNATED NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE SELECTED CONSULTANT. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR TIME MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT? CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UH, THE NEXT ONE IS TO FILE MAYOR, JUST ONE SECOND. OH, DID WE NEED TO STATE WHICH FIRM WE WANTED TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH? ON THE H ONE? YEAH. YEAH. OH, I DIDN'T KNOW. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST AUTHORIZING YOU WITH, WITH LJA. SO, UM, THAT'S THE CONTRACT. SO, SO LET'S, SO CAN I GET A MOTION, UM, DISCUSS POSSIBLE ACTIONS REGARDING THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTANT OR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND AUTHORIZING TOWN MANAGER DESIGNATE TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE WITH A SELECTED CONSULTANT, WHICH IS LJA. CAN I GET A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU . NICE JOB PAUL. YOU GUYS THANK YOU AND THANK YOU BOTH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BOTH. SORRY FOR WAITING HERE. YEAH, WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE, YOU WERE STAYING HERE. UM, WE HAVE A [J. TAKE ANY ACTION, IF NEEDED, FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS] FOLLOW UP FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE POLICE SERVICES PROVIDER. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO ISSUE A NOTICE OF NON-RENEWAL OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR POLICE SERVICES WITH THE CITY OF KELLER PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN ALPHA OF SET AGREEMENT. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU. UM, WADE, [K. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS] ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? NO SIR, BUT DIRECTION I HAVE, UH, UH, CONTACT DR. RICHIE AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S UNDERSTANDS AND, AND HAS SEEN THE FINANCIAL POLICIES, UH, THAT WERE AGREED UPON. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? IS THAT IT? ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNSEL? IT IS 7 56 MEETING, ADJOURN. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. LATE NIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.