City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. I'd like to call this meeting to order uh at 6 o'clock on the 7th day of August 2025 at 6 uh p.m. This is a rescheduled meeting of the Henderson uh city council and it will be here at the uh Thomas Ward uh council chambers. Uh our notices have been uh posted for the uh con according to the uh records uh act and you'll have to excuse me because I don't have my glasses but I'm gonna make it through this today. I'm gonna make it through this. Um uh we do have a quorum present and if you would would you uh stand so we can have our pledges and our invocation. our invocation. I'll lead the invocation tonight and uh Councilman Strong will will lead us in our pledges. Father, I want to thank you for this day. Thank you for life, health, and strength. Ask that you would uh be with us as we uh come and gather to uh discuss the city business. Ask that you would uh continue to lead us and guide us. And we'll be so careful to give your name the praise. uh in your name I pray forever. Amen.

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. flaggisible.

Okay. Thank you. Yes. And they work. They're the right right strength there. Okay, we are down to our uh citizens comments. I have uh several here. Uh the first one that uh we have is uh Mr. Walker. Up to the uh podium and uh state your name and your address, please. Sir Walker 360 Panon Creek. And what I have is a thank you to the mayor for spearheading an effort to clean up part of our city. If you had noticed where highway 259 comes in and hits 79 on both sides, those big trees, you know, I think the state was mowing it, but all the dead limbs and stuff, they were just piling up everywhere and it just abandoned. Even a big big dead tree. Well, he spearheaded a group to get in there with the city and some volunteers, I understand, to cut the tree, clean it all up, and it's really looks a whole lot better. And this is what people see when they come into our town from that direction. I hope he's not finished yet because there's some crepe myrtles there.

They need to be dug up. Yes, they will be because they were trimmed. Anytime you trim Donovan, you ruin the tree. It's just a big ugly bush. But everything looks so so much better for our city. Thank you. [Applause]

Thanks for that. All right. Uh now we'll have uh Mrs. Thrasher. Michelle Thrasher, 1925 Eastwood Drive, Henderson, Texas 75652. And I'm going to have to say I've noticed those trees, too, and they do look great. And I know you work with the Hope House with that as well, correct? Yes. And that's a very good organization. Donovan and I work with that organization as well. So, thank you for that. Uh, so the reason why I'm here tonight is I um am asking um our c our city council to please consider to divide the um preservation board and the main street board. Um I feel like um as you can see with our community, things that have happened in the past that are very upset. Um I know we have about 10 to 20% of our community that have been upset about things. So, I would um I'm just asking the city council to please uh consider dividing that board again. I know it h was in the past, but um I feel that um having those two boards, preservation and main street serve two different purposes. Um also too, they um with preservation there's a whole different set of of uh education that comes with that. So, I'm just asking the city council if you will please consider dividing those two boards up. I know myself I've put in an application to because I feel like um if you're going to come with a problem, be a part of the solution. Um so, I'm asking you just to please if y'all are consider dividing those boards up. Um people I know um since things have arisen in the past here recently um have put in their applications. So, I feel like that we'll have enough people to support these boards and also to on top of that, make

sure that there's these people are educated um in this um because I do know and when I owned a building downtown, I know even with with Donna and I still owning a building downtown um there are specific things that have to um be done and even as far as like the type of paint, things like that. So, I'm just asking our city council if y'all please take that into consideration. I'm willing to help in any way in a positive way. Um, and so that is my main thing to to here to be here today is just to ask if you would please um consider dividing those two committees up just it so that it holds one responsible to the other. It just it to me it just makes sense. So, and that's my opinion. So, uh that's what I'm here for tonight to ask you if you will please do that. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Mayor, I do request that our next regular agenda that we Mr. Wheeler, excuse me, Greens are looking for a few good men, so I'm used to it. My name is Chris Leonard Wheeler and my addresses are 209 and 210 Watson Street. That's my house and my father's house, uh, where I take care of him. And I just had a couple things to say. First of all, not to beat a dead horse, but about the advertisement or mural that has recently been placed downtown. Clearly, it's a done deal and we'll be looking at it for a long time. Like it or not, some do like it, some do not, as you know. Um, I wanted to say that it's more than unfortunate that the local boards appointed to serve us apparently uh fell short on gathering ideas locally. We have talented artists and designers right here. I could name a couple for you and the murals that they've painted that are stunning. Um, we also have painters and equipment rental companies. And from my read on it, local people were bypassed, which is unfortunate. If your intent is to serve Henderson, then using local talent is worth considering first. And I I realize this is more of a headco and other people thing, but just to be publicly stating my interpretation of things. Um I hope that those involved have seen that it would be helpful going forward

to solicit community input and be far more transparent and follow the protocols that we can all go and read are supposed to be being followed. What happened with this whole project is not a good look and and it didn't stay within town. It's not a good look. Uh, also the previous mural acknowledged formative businesses and I think that's why it hit such a nerve with people in the community. The current ad is well and uh it's not for a business that we citizens who see the downtown mural all the time um can can go and patronize. It comes off looking a little bit self agrandizing toward headco and remember they need to remember we're already here and headco needn't advertise itself to us but more importantly um I listened to and read a bunch of the minutes from recent meetings and a few things stuck out to me one of them was just the statement it's great advertising all right and it's good for people to come to town and see that we have economic development We Okay. If the goal is to display economic development in the city of Henderson, bringing a desperately needed grocery store to the other end of town would be more effective than a dozen gigantic headco ads. When you appeal to industries to relocate here, and we all want that, of course we do. That revitalizes your town. When you appeal to industries to relocate here, they look not only at the tax incentives and the available land in your beautiful business park that you can offer them, but also at what the community can offer to their prospective employees. They

might hire them from here. More than likely, they will bring some with them, probably many if it's an established business. So, court new businesses, yes, bring in new companies and new people to staff them. But right now, we have whole neighborhoods where the only convenient choices for food are fast food and the limited, mostly grossly unnutritional options available at dollar stores and mini marts. I live in a neighborhood that in a district I live in your district that that has this problem. I addressed the council. Some of you are back on council. Some of you have been here the whole time. Congratulations to you for becoming mayor in the meantime. uh six years ago after I knocked on every door in my council district and talked to hundreds of people and did extensive research about the grocery stores in towns our size all up and down the highways along here from here to Austin and in other directions. And I presented all of that information to the council. I asked people what their concerns were and the lack of a grocery store was if not number one it was number two and once they thought about it they said oh and I don't like driving all the way across standing in line to check myself out only two grocery stores which serve the other side of town much better. So I think that it's kind of unfortunate that six years on I'm back in front of the council beating the same drum, but I'm telling you, it's an issue. It may not be an issue in your neighborhood, but it's a big issue and people do talk about it. So, I just thought it would be

a good time to bring that up again, shift the focus. And it seems to me that if you want to attract businesses and grow the population for tomorrow, a good starting point is meeting the needs of the people who live in the city today. [Applause] Next is Walker. My name is Cindy Walker. I live at 360 Pan Creek. I've been Henderson almost all my life. I have a very deep love for this place and for the small town charm that makes it so special. I had the honor of serving as the main street coordinator for the city from around 2009 to 2012 and I learned a lot in that position. I also serve on the historical commission and I'm president of the heritage association and that's the Howard Dickinson House and I've written a book about the history of Henderson. Our town was founded around 1842 and many of the downtown buildings date from the 1880s to around 1900. People who came before us and especially uh some of the ladies in Henderson who loved local history knew that the protection of our downtown buildings was very important. People like Ma Jaggers spent untold hours documenting the history of our buildings and one by one submitting these histories to the National Trust for Historical Preservation and to the Texas Historical Commission. Their hard work and perseverance resulted in so many of our buildings not only having Texas Historical Medallions, but also plaques signifying they are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places. We have so many listed that our entire downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Do you realize how important this is and how really rare this is? Not many towns in our entire country can make this claim. Our entire downtown is on the National Register. We became a Texas Main Street city in 1988. Prior to that time, many of our buildings had been slip covered. And that is their ornate brick facades were covered with sheet metal. And that was done back from the 1930s and 40s when they wanted things to look sleek and modern. They started thinking that our beautiful historical facades were ugly and so they put metal slip covers over all the buildings. Well, the good thing about that was it did protect what was underneath. And so, uh, the downtowns before the main street programs were being abandoned because they were just ugly with the slip covers on all the buildings. The businesses, as you well know, had all gone out to the shopping centers and the malls. Well, the Main Street program advocated taking the slip covers off, and we did that here in Henderson, and that picture shows you just how pretty our downtown is. We showcase the beauty of the brick facade today. So, um, I'll be glad to come back with a slideshow if you'd ever like to see the pictures of the before and after because it is striking. Businesses came back, pride came back, and the charming downtown that draws visitors to the syrup festival and other events is a big reason. Historic buildings must constantly be protected, and when they are gone, they do not come back. The Henderson Historic Landmark Preservation Committee was created by

the Henderson City Council under ordinances 88-4-14 on April 12th, 1988. The committee was given the authority to approve or prohibit construction, destruction, or modification of buildings within the Henderson Historic District. This is serious business and requires a well-trained committee comprised of people with special knowledge and experience such as architecture, design, construction, historic preservation, and the like. The main reason I wanted to speak to you tonight is to say this. I had no idea until recently that our city had modified what had been established in 1988. That is the city council voted to abolish the separate committee that had been established as the landmark preservation committee and to make the main street board also be the preservation committee. This is wrong and I will tell you why. I stated the preservation committee needs specialized knowledge. These members should ideally serve for many years and not come and go. The current Main Street board is made up primarily of realtors and downtown merchants, which also is not an ideal makeup for a preservation committee. They have ended up voting on their own projects, which cast an unsavory flavor on things. Please, please help protect our downtown by undoing this mistake. Please reinstate a separate landmark preservation committee. make sure that they and the Main Street Board have the training that is provided from the Texas Historical Commission in Austin and by all means learn about the rules and restrictions that are already in place to protect our downtown and enforce those rules. No one should be able to put graffiti on a building, which is what happened years ago in our downtown, and have it stay

there. There were no consequences. All changes to the facades of downtown buildings must be approved. Painting should be discouraged on brick that is unpainted. When something is painted, it should not be waterproofed in a way that will prohibit the paint from being altered. Sand blasting must never happen. The old brick is so fragile and most most of our buildings need repointing whereby old mortar is dug out and replaced. Now, that would be a project that Headco and the city council could help building owners with with matching grants. If we don't protect these buildings, they will fall down. Unused buildings must be mothballled, whereby the roofs and the windows are repaired and the building is waterproofed until a use for it arises. Just because a building is not used now does not mean that a future owner will not come along with the means to make it useful again. Our downtown is small and if we lose buildings one by one, we won't have a downtown. It is a serious problem and one that affects all of us. As goes the downtown, so goes the rest of the town. Thank you for letting me speak. [Applause] All right. Thank you. Um, we're down. Hi, I'm Elite Townley and my address is 1700 Slen Street and I'm also going to beat the dead horse so I apologize. Um, I moved to Henderson to help support my family despite very strong reservations. I had no desire to come back to a town that felt stagnant and resistant to change. I made a firm decision to stay

out of local politics, but that's clearly not an option anymore. On May the 27th, after leaving the Main Street Board preservation meeting, I raised these concerns with you directly. Mr. Gardella was told if he rammed this through, it would not go well. Emotions have run high. Facts have been shared. A petition has been signed by so many and audio recordings, they have been reviewed. Still, the city council has yet to act. You have the responsibility to look into how this mural bypassed your desk and was approved. It was approved within minutes by a group who admitted they were not properly trained on historic preservation guidelines. When someone asked on Facebook if the city council had approved the mural, a city council member responded, "No, we did not." That response alone confirms proper procedures were not followed, allowing an advertisement to be painted on a building within our historic district using our tax dollars. Only one city council member attended the recent Main Street advisory board alongside three police officers. Were the rest of you unavailable that day? I was encouraged to apply for a local board position because I was told I could make a difference. But how can I help make a difference for our community when guidelines are ignored, procedures are overlooked, and decisions appear to be served personal interest only. I've since withdrawn my application. I have absolutely no desire to be a part of a process that overlooks accountability unless things change in the future. This mural is no longer just about bad art. It's about transparency. It's about

process and trust in leadership. The public elected you to uphold the law and represent our community fairly. Choosing not to call an emergency meeting or even acknowledging the growing concern sends a very, very clear message that rules can be bent and public input can be ignored. I don't speak out for personal gain. I do so because others feel they can't. Since May the 27th, I've learned my voice matters. I speak not as a disruptor, but as someone who still believes in the potential of this community. It's encouraging to see our community and neighboring cities come together on this matter. But it's extremely disheartening to see elected officials remain silent in the face of it. And I urge you to prove us all wrong. Thank you. [Applause] Show a photograph. Okay,

I know you can't answer any of my questions because I did not get on the agenda, but I do want you to think about my questions and I want to know if the city owns the downtown water tower and has there already been posted a notice for another shameless artwork for it? I would rather see a lovely Henderson lion than an H with an arrow going through it. Okay. So, why can't the city council stand up for us and say no to these boards that want to erase our history? Why did the city hire a man like Brett Gardella as director of headco? A man who has worked in eight cities with an average of two years each time. A man who has lied on camera that he was not painting the American flag. a man who has installed three smart flower solars at a Google cost of 17 to 20,000 each and a want of two more that is servicing not one thing out there. Last but least, my question is, how long will the city be willing to keep such?

[Applause] Hey, thank you. I'm ready for our regular business. We have one item on the agenda for tonight. Uh item one is consideration and possible action upon taking a record vote for the proposed 2025 property tax rate. For that we have Evening. Calvin Culage once said, "Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery." Across Texas and right here in Henderson, residents are pleading for relief from property taxes, and rightfully so. We should not be taxed on unrealized gains. Everyday Texans are being forced out of their homes because not because of bad decisions or poor planning, but because they can no longer afford to pay the everinccreasing property taxes. And the younger generations, homeownership is quickly becoming a fantasy. The American dream is slipping out of reach. Between rising cost and growing tax burdens, young people simply cannot afford to buy in. Despite the legislaturator's claims of delivering us record property tax relief every session, most of us rarely see real savings. Why? Because of the shell game, appraisal values rise. Tax rates drop just enough to look good on paper. Yet, the tax bill keeps climbing. At the recent budget workshop, numbers were were presented based on last year's taxable value, suggesting a balanced budget. In 24, this body adopted a tax rate higher than the no new revenue

rate, but a belt still below the voter approval rate. A concerned citizen recently challenged the Long View City Council to be bold, heroic even, by keeping this year's property tax revenue at last year's level. Today, I'm asking you to do the same. Adopt the no new revenue rate, but not in name only. Actual real tax neutrality. Keep the revenue flat. Do what families across the city are being forced to do. Draw a hard red line um between wants and needs. We value our first responders. We want safe streets, but we also want to keep our homes and give the next generation a chance to own one. Thomas Jefferson said, "The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects forbids us um in the dispensation of public monies. Yet here we are. So, let's talk about a deeper issue. Accountability or the lack thereof. I'm concerned this council is not upholding its fiduciary responsibility to oversee the boards and commissions it appoints. Headco, for example, spent $27,000 on a mural without first seeking city council approval. A clear violation of Texas Local Government Code 501.073 and 505.158. The silence from this body in response has been deafening. This lack of oversight has eroded the public's trust in this body. When boards act without oversight, when taxpayer money is spent outside the law, and when the very people responsible for the oversight stay silent, that is a failure of leadership. Under Texas Local Government Code 501.41, this council has sole discretion to supervise, alter, or terminate headco activities. That power rests entirely with you. And yet, we've heard nothing. No review, no investigation, no accountability. And let me be very clear, your silence speaks volumes, volumes, and the public is listening. You swore an oath to uphold the law and

serve the public. Not yourselves, not each other, and not a small group of insiders. The people of Henderson deserve better. We deserve real leadership. I'll say it plainly. It is time that we have real leadership. Leadership that listens, leadership that acts, and leadership that remembers who they work for. So, I'm asking, please do not add insult to injury by adopting a tax rate higher than the no new revenue rate. Do not take more from citizens while allowing unchecked spending behind closed doors. And to my fellow citizens, August 18th is the deadline to file and run for city council. Three seats are open. If you're tired of excuses, tired of silence, tired of being a NOR, step up because Henderson doesn't need change. We need transparency, accountability, real leadership, and most of all, we need to take our city back. Thank you. All right. Thank you.

So, um you heard some of the from Miss H some of the uh the the language on the no new revenue rate, the voter approval rate, um and then the current tax rate. Um this is this chart represents those three um different rates and then what the revenue would be uh the proposed budget difference and then just for reference uh on a $200,000 value home what that what the city's portion of the tax their tax bill is and then what that difference would be based off of whatever the tax rate the proposed tax rate that you would look at tonight. um little confusing because the no new revenue that shows more revenue, but that's going to be the brand new um property or values that have been listed. So, they're one-time ad. They're not part of the three and a half percent that that um it goes into that no new revenue rate. I think a lot of that's from the expansion of West Frasier. Um and there'll be more I think coming this next year as well. That's a large large expansion. So, um, so that's kind of a one-time increase that you'll see with with the new property. Uh, but that's the difference in those those three those three rates and no new revenue, the voter approved rate and then the uh and then what the current rate is values. You have the ability to do um anything up to the voter approval rate and then you can go down as low as you want. That's ultimately what the uh what your options are. I put those three there because those those are the significant ones that that um Um the the current rate would would gather 550,931 more dollars than um than it did last year. Like I said, that's basically based off of the new mostly the new the new ad. Some of it is from appraised

appraised values. Any questions on that chart or any questions in general? Happy to explain. Another thing I would add is that based off of what we did with the budget workshop and where we were, um I would not advise that we don't have any other expenditures that we would try to add to the budget based off of this new revenue other than potential um cost of living stuff just for you know staff from from a cost of living standpoint. But other than that, nothing should be added to the budget. In fact, we need to push some back into the reserve a little bit higher than That would be my recommendation. I'll repeat what I said. I think the county is trying to hold the their last year's rate where they that's they can't go any higher than last year's rate when they finally approve. Very close. It's not the same, but it's it's close. Theirs is about 523.

I looked it up. I tried to memorize the number again. They're 54 54 cents. Almost the same as where it's really close. Fraction of a cent. No new revenue rates. difference of the current rate about 13,000 13,550. That would be the difference based on this chart. Hey, does that difference uh that you just

113,550? Does that put us in a bind at all? Well, I can assure you that no one in my neck of to raise taxes. The only thing that would affect would be the amount that would be in be able to put back in reserve from a budgetary standpoint. That's it. No other expenses should go into this budget based off of what y'all already seen. I got feelings.

I'm just saying I'm just sitting the same thing. We don't need it. I mean, what I would I would make a motion that we move to approve the no new revenue fee at the at the recommended or the lowest rate, the 52 cents. 529139 since

the county the 20th they did what we did Tuesday what we're doing right now they they've set their proposed rate Tuesday

yeah it's close to 54 cents and some change. How much do we need to how much do we need to look at putting back in reserve to get to that three months operating?

That's the only thing I forgot to ask. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, good question. My suggestion ultimately we need about a million to a million and a half more is is be my goal to get back into that reserve fund. Doesn't have to obviously happen in one or two years. going to move it. We just need to move the needle a little bit.

I'm going to second his motion. The motion second it all in favor say I. I. Same sign. Motion carries. Second.

All in favor say I. Did you second it? Did you second it? Oh, you I need a back ticket.