City Council - Regular Meeting

I call the meeting of the Henderson City Council to order at 6 PM on this 19th day of August, 2025. I declare a quorum is present and declare the notices have been legally posted pursuant to the open meetings act. So at this time, would you please stand for our invocation which will be led by Reverend Weatherton and our pledges will be led by Councilman Strong. If you all will join me in saying the pledge of allegiance flagg to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I aliance to the Texas. One state under God, one and indivisible.

Thank you. Someone come in there. All right, we are down to our citizens comments and uh I have four of those turned in. Are there any more, Miss uh Cheryl? Okay. All right. First, we have uh Mr. Dulan, just in time. Yes, sir.

I mean, at the end of the deal. Yes, sir. Would you please uh state your name for us? My name is John Dulan, native of Russ County, and as you're most aware, I've been going through the uh cemetery records for the city and about got those finished up. And so I'd like to see if I can get permission to go through the city council minute books as far back as they go and then come forward with that uh purely for historical purposes. What might be in there?

You have any you have anything else, Mr. Dan? No. Okay. All right. Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Mr. Okay, now we have u three more and we'll try to keep that to three minutes. Uh first of all, we have uh Mr. Dunovan Ready, Henry? Yes,

sir. All right. My name is Donovan Dixon. I live at 1925 Eastwood here in Henderson, Texas. I'm a member I mean I'm born and raised here for 55 years and I've owned a shop downtown for 26 years. I'm holding your city of Henderson code and ethics and conduct for elected and appointed officials. This is your official rules and regulations. I want to read some to you. It says, "Public officials be independent, impartial, and fair in their judgment and actions. Conduct of elected and appointed officials. EAO shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal charges, verbal attacks upon the character or motives of members of council, boards, and commissions. The staff are public. What you're holding, and three of you have already gotten this, these are this this is sent on Messenger to another public citizen, Tony Johnson, who is not here. This was sent by Brian Ballard through Messenger. And let me see it. And you can read it. This was sent on, I believe, the 16th or 18th of July. And it states, "Don't fall for Donovan's crap. He has lied and doesn't tell the whole story. A bully that is used to getting his way. This was approved by all boards. I think you might have approved it if you had been giving all the facts. If you know, you know." Now, his threats are definitely showing his immaturity. Now, immaturity is to send a picture like this as a board member. He's not just a board member. He has been appointed an official of the board. He is vice president. And this is not what I want to represent me on a board here in Henderson. All of you can see this. It's not professional at all.

The second one, this is the second one that was sent to me on 718 on my personal messenger. He took down the the picture before I could screenshot that. My sister was with me. We were buying plant material. This one on this one, his his it was a picture of me and Michelle on my Facebook page and his title was this man is delusional. And then you see where it says Brian Balor deleted the message. I said I saw what you said. Why did you take it down? It's been screenshot, sir. You're welcome to go downtown at 12:30 for your approval. When Michelle was speaking on TV, his exact words, took it down because I felt it was inappropriate. I applaud your enthusiasm for downtown. I made an error posting it. It was just I was a bit upset and thought better of it. I will not post any response to anyone. I sent it to you only but realize name calling is wrong. For that I truly apologize. I was also sent this today. Let's see there. When you are when when you fill out an application, the very end of this before you sign it, it states, "I understand that if appointed, I serve at the pleasure of the city council." That's you folks. It says, "And may be removed from this position at any time and for any reason or no reason at all with or without notice."

I'm giving you my time. I expect something to be done by you folks because this is not toler I will not tolerate this. First, I've done way too much for this city, way too much for downtown. To have somebody that sits on a board that's supposed to represent me, who is governed by you folks, I won't I will not allow it. I won't. The second thing I have to talk about is I I'm done with that. That's fact. He has went above and beyond. He has I I don't I I don't even want to talk on that anymore because that upsets me too much and I want something done. The second thing is when this whole mural I'm not going to call a debacle even though that's what it is. Um I I tried to go the right way. I reached out to the director first, Mr. Gardella. We had a conversation on the phone and I just reached out and said and will not be called a liar either that I have a t just like I said I'm here 55 years born and raised graduated here have a business and his ex when I said I'm a taxpayer and my tax dollars go and that's where you get your money from his exact words to me were you do realize that's not your money you just collect it for the state I know I collect Ed for the state because of the goods and services that I both choose to sell downtown and the services I provide. And I had my sister Teresa who does all my accounting from January the 1st, 2020 through August the 17th of 2025. My sales at those two locations are 5,517,434.65. And the little 2% that they get or y'all get is a total of almost $57,000 in five years. I've been in business for 30 years. So I've given the state and Henderson

200 over $250,000 worth of collected taxes. And you better know I've got every right to know where my money is spent in this town. I'm tired of it. I am I am furious about it. And we go in there today to that meeting and we find out afterwards one $150,000 to Brent Bane for some kind of facade at his new place down there. $27,000 for a self-serving advertisement for headcoat. Give me that $27,000 for downtown. I represent a lot of people downtown. I am the anchor store for downtown. People come to Henderson because of my store. I promise you. Y'all know that and I'm furious about it and I will not stand for it anymore. It's time everybody opens their eyes and realizes we're not going to give money away to everybody. Some of these people they're giving to, they are wellbodied and have plenty of money to do their own stuff. And I I just cannot get over $150,000 for that. I'm hearing $3 million for velvet oil. Are you kidding me? You know, but what I'm asking for on the first ones, I want Brian Ballard's resignation or I want that appointment done away with and I'm done. [Applause] Thank you. Oh, I'm Michael Bell. I'm the president of Headco is um one as a got in late and

listen to Donovan kn Donovan for many many years. Donovan actually called me when this started. Uh, I'm just here today to, you know, at the end of the day when I look at everything and we're here today and I, uh, have a lot of respect for Donovan. me and Don might disagree on different things, but we can sit here and talk about it and we do is u but just overall from from a head coach standpoint uh um don't have any notes here just kind of talking off top of my head but I just tell you that you know this community I've been part of this community for the last 30 years is I would not be back in this community if it wasn't for Headco took the opportunity many years ago that a lot of people desissented about because it was actually a prison and didn't want it in my backyard, didn't want it in my community is I had moved off here when I was 18 years of age and had the ability to come back uh because of that because of head coat. Today I serve on the head co board because people ask me you know everything y'all are going through and and you know why you do it and um you know I just tell you I want to give back to the community is is any board or government entity perfect not at all is with what feedback we get and people that do reach out to me uh and listen just as Donovan expressed then is I I think that we all need to listen. We all need to look at it. I think the board needs to look at it. I thank any board, but I also will tell you that the head coord I believe other boards as you got many people I volunteer um on Donovan Donovan don't mind is uh

y'all didn't ask me to come serve on this board is I agreed to it because I actually put in an application. I volunteered. I had to go through an interview process to be on this board and um my schedule is pretty busy. I'm hard not here a whole lot because but I choose to because I want to give back to this community and I believe that the board members that we have continue to do that too. I think that um if anything out of this and the what started off with the mural um anything comes out of good is I hope we do get more people active and and there's no doubt that we will and we have and we'll continue and I don't think that's a bad thing. I don't think that's bad from the council standpoint, head coach standpoint or anybody else, but to sit here and it's easy to uh play quarterback on Monday is I think again we could have maybe handled some things differently and looked at it differently is but at the end of the day getting people engaged, getting people involved, getting people on these boards and where I know that we have struggles sometimes doing that. I just hope that that comes out of it. And from a board standpoint, I've been on the board four years and I know this last year and I know the debate of what we spend money on, don't spend money on the island, but we collectively talk about it as a board and we make the best decisions that we can for this community and continue to uh and try to and I think that opportunities from committees and everything else that we could look at additionally and see what we can learn from this and move forward. But thank y'all. We are down to our Are there any more announcements or presentations at this time?

With that being said, we I have 15 16 I got another one today. 16 applications for either cemetery, Main Street, or Preservation Board. So, we'll we have enough now that once we get everything in place that we need to get in place legally, then we can start doing some interviews to actually have different members on Main Street and preservation instead of having to use them combined. So, I just want to let y'all know we are

what's going to be the process with the current members. Well, I I think we're going to run do a poll to see who wants to stay on the main street board and if any of them want to go to the preservation board, we kind of feel like we might need a little bit of got I don't know what's the word for it. instead of having seven brand new people on it. And if we end up with seven brand new people on it, then that's okay, too. No matter which ones are on what board, we're going to have to get some training in place. There's going to be too many new ones out there. So, we need lots of training in place. And I've already Sunday I was on the Texas uh historical commission's website and reaching out to them already about some training stuff that we need to get done here. I have not had them respond to me yet. So, okay.

Once you have the poll complete, will you inform us? Sure. In the process of vetting the new applicants. Okay. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Now we're down to our consent agenda. This contains routine or non-controversial items. Are there any items that the council would like to move into regular session? If not, could I get a motion upon the uh consent agenda?

Mayor, I'd like to move item four to the regular agenda. Other than item four motion by Mr. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Same sign. Right. We'll just talk about uh item number four, consideration and possible action upon code financial for the month of June 2025.

I want to move to table this because I want these presented in a different fashion. I want monthly reports, check register um minutes. I want that to be a recurring item and whether it's on the consent agenda or the regular agenda, that's how I would like it presented. Um there's there's been too much with all these developments that I'm just not comfortable with it being presented in this format and I want to table it. I'll put that in the motion table. All in favor say I. Any oppose? Same sign. Four. All right. Now we're moving to regular session number five. consideration and possible action upon the final payment to John Wright construction on 2024 water improvement pro project of $34,890 and possibly setting a warranty date. Mr. Hartman and Mr. This was a project that was started a little while back that's finally complete now on route going through re uh redoing some of the streets. A lot of the infrastructure was in the middle of the street or maybe unders sized. So either it was moved, retapped or

upsized. So, the the job's complete now. Inspections have been complete. We're ready to move forward with setting them on today. Do we have any questions from council? Did I get a motion on item number five? Mr. Cersei makes that motion. Mr. Strong seconds it. All in favor say I.

I. Any oppose? Same sign. Item number five passes. All right. Uh item number six, consideration and possible action upon the final payment to Rayford truck and tractor on the 2024 master street improvement plan program of $18,783.80 and possibly set a warranty date.

Evening council mayor. Yes. Uh, as the mayor indicated, this is the final payment for Raper Truck and Tractor on a $1.8 million street contract that they have completed. They punch list and the contractor went through and completed all punch lists and all.

Yes, we would like to issue them their final payment and set a warranty date. al together. Okay, so there was 400 to begin with. We're down to about 50 more left. Started in 2003. Any research on that little I have looked at that. Yes.

That's ours. I would, but let me let me lie. Yes, sir. Don't let me lie to you here. No, I don't want to throw you off the spot. Yes. No, I will absolutely check into that. Yes. The entity there is going to repave their parking lot, their little apron, the rescue unit their apron, but they were really hoping to get

I believe we own that right away, but let me let me double check that. research that because they sent a letter and they meant to send it to everybody but it got to me. No problem at all. I make a motion for approve it. All in favor say I. I. Any oppos? Same sign.

Thank you, council. Thank you. Item number six carries. Item number seven, consideration and possible action upon uh resolution 2025-08-01 for boards and commissions transparency. Mr. Look review.

Okay. is a priority of mine but I don't want it dropped on everybody suddenly. Motion to table item number seven. All in favor say I.

Any oppose? Same sign. Item seven will be tabled. All right. Moving on to uh item number eight, consideration and possible actions upon resolution 2025-08-02 ordering a municipal election to be held November 4th, 2025 for the council districts 1, 4, and five. have any questions on item eight? If not, could I get a motion on item number eight?

Warz made the motion. Mr. Strong second it. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose? same sign carries. Uh item number nine, consideration and possible actions upon a contact with the Rus County Extension Rush County Election Administer to run the November 4th, 2025 municipal election for council districts 1, four, and five. That's it. I'll second it, too.

Okay. M. Warz makes the motion. Mr. Strong seconds it. All in favor say I. Any oppose? Same sign. N carries. Item number 10, open a public hearing uh on the proposal proposed tax rate to be the uh no new revenue tax rate of 0.529139 per $100 valuation on each assessment to be based upon 100% of its appraised value. Council, this is the um after the y'all set the tax rate last meeting. This is that no new uh revenue tax rate of 0.529139. Um so this is just of the the public hearing first public hearing we'll have on the tax rate. So any questions or anybody else does? Does anyone have uh anything on that question? Uh item 11, consideration and possible action upon closing the public hearing. Second. and Mr. Cersei. All in favor say I. Any oppose? Same sign. All right. Item 12, uh, open a public hearing on the proposed 2025 2026 budget. Same thing here, council. The proposed

budget is in front of you. you remember we had the workshop. Um you also have a little um printed sheet there um in front of you that has any changes since the workshop. The only changes were um council wanted to do the 3% to cost of living raise across the board to employees and then the added uh $50,000 Mr. Wares on the pickle pickle ball project and the general construction. That's the only change since the budget workshop that we had to the number. So that's the proposed budget and it's been posted. So this is the first public hearing on that. Any questions? Questions? Item 13, consideration and possible action upon closing the public hearing. Get a motion. Makes the motion. War seconds it. All in favor say I.

Any oppose? Same sign. Item 13 carries. Okay. Item 14, consideration and possible action upon headco program of work for physical year 2025 2026. Sir, good evening, council. Um, I believe this was submitted to you in your packet. that I could walk through it line by line or if there's any questions that anybody has about our scope of work that we've been doing and what we anticipate continuing doing, happy to discuss. Well, we didn't get this until an hour before the meeting, so I haven't had time to look through it. Happy to walk through it line by line. Is that what you're Okay. I apologize. That's new information for me. be happy to go through it line by line then if you'll want to read along or go along with it. Uh obviously you know when the corporation was established as a type A and then uh altered to a type B of the November 2021 referendum were managed by a seven member board of directors appointed by you guys that serve at the pleasure of the council. Daily operation oversight is the responsibility of the executive director and staff. Our mission statement, Henderson, Texas EDC goal is to create and foster a sustainable environment for attracting business investment and job creation, advancing opportunities that

enhance the economy of the city and improving the well-being and standard of living for our citizens. Our goals obviously as a type B organization, we're able to do a lot more nowadays. I don't know if that's been specified in the past. Business retention and expansion is something that we're uh really expanding our reach on, especially on small businesses. uh business recruitment. We have started uh new categories of recruitment that we're looking at um both on a national and international level so we can be competitive. We're marketing the Henderson Innovation Park, the railroad optimization and other sites and buildings that we're aware of in the city and we work with a lot of those property owners to show those properties when we get the opportunity. And we use every financial enticement available from local, state, and federal uh opportunities to partner with our skilled workforce in support of government services for the benefit of recruited businesses. Economic diversification. Three paths of economic diversity we pursue now are retail recruitment, residential recruitment, and primary job recruitment. As a type A organization, uh it was really just primary job recruitment in the industry uh industrial nature. Uh but now as a type B, we as you guys know, we're we're working with entrepreneurs, small businesses, and recruiting large businesses uh that will really boost our employment basis. Um and obviously you you understand the the challenges that we have about trying to get retail before we get rooftops or get uh primary jobs before we get rooftops. So they all work hand inand and we work on those things daily to try to recruit in every aspect. tourism. We will continue to support the city and we've had conversations about how do we expand and create different um amenities and offerings for the city. Uh there is a possibility that we uh are looking at a new sports complex. As I mentioned earlier, the rail service, the

uh organization is working with Blacklands on the engineering of the Henderson Railroad Optimization. The site is just adjacent to the inh innovation park and uh we are trying to create a real served facility that is going to help um Blacklands move their operations forward, gain additional business, and provide us the opportunity to be able to attract in some um heavier users in more of the industrial nature or logistics nature that need rail service. In East Texas, rail service is a challenge to come by and we have the ability to create something that we think will be attractive for people. Quality of life, we're working with the city right now. We've had conversations about how do we make the city more walkable and bikable um including looking at u helping the city with grant opportunities uh and pursuing grant opportunities so we can do that. Um I think it's very important that we have the ability to make sure that our citizens are safe when they're walking around. It's not just on some of the streets that we have but some of the state highways that exist around here that um I'm sure everybody sees daily. people having to walk down the street because there's no path or sidewalk for them to get out of uh the flow of traffic safely. So, that's something that we want to help pursue. Residential opportunities. We are working on housing needs for uh the city in every respect. We've had a lot of conversations with the city about tiny homes up to executive homes. We know we have the need in this community um of every size. I think the board has been very proactive in finding properties that we are looking for developers to help us to build those out with um including the piece down here at 323 and 64 which is what we believe is going to be a very nice track for multifamily and retail sites. So, uh, that's something we'll be pursuing in the very near future and working on. Um, marketing, obviously, you know that we've created our new

vision, Tomorrow's Texas, and, uh, that really means that we are going out, uh, and trying to recruit the opportunities for the future of Henderson. Um, we are looking at advanced manufacturing in several different fields. Yes, we are looking at space and aerospace and it um we're trying to demonstrate to our school kids that they have an opportunity to work in a different field than what they're used to seeing and growing up with around here. And if there are several dozens of other small communities around Texas that are doing this, then why can't we? So, if we don't try, we won't get. And for those people who don't want to support us in that, I would say change your minds. Give us a time. Give us an opportunity so we can change the lives of our kids so they have not just a hometown to come back to, but a home to come to. That's what Tomorrow's Texas is about and what we're trying to pursue. Our current projects, you y you all will see that we're getting finished up with the innovation park. The street lights are in. The monument signage is the only that is being delayed by the sign builder. The conduit is in place. The smart flowers about to be finished uh and regular maintenance is occurring um out along the park. We're starting work right now, as I said, with Blacklands on the engineering for the railroad optimization. We have our work with Raso Development on the scout crossing housing development. Uh we just completed our support of Christ Medical Center with the public infrastructure expansion to help them to get their facility built and up and running. God bless you. And we continue to support small businesses with our small business matching grant which is new. It's about four months old. Uh Shelby just reported in our meeting that in the last four

months she's visited over 90 businesses. We are up to 18 um applications in. Uh, and I want to say that we've got about 14 of those businesses have already done the work or about to finish the work. This is a 50-50 match up to $10,000, which means that what we invest, the business owner or the property owner invests. So, um, you know, we've put in close to $100,000, which means the property owners have also put in about $100,000. That's $200,000 of positive change to the look of our city and those businesses. and we aim to uh help even more in next year's budget. We want to make sure that the small businesses have every support of us and that's what we're trying to do. Our industrial grant program um it's about a year old. We I my notes are actually outdated. We've assisted up to three businesses now. uh that is a 5050 grant program up to $50,000 and we're right in the neighborhood of uh granting out about $100,000 through that program as well. Um we're supporting several Henderson businesses with their current operations with performance agreements based on capital improvements and job creations. Uh some of them are under non-disclosures. I apologize we can't say it. Some of them have been discussed earlier, certainly not at the value that was mentioned. Um, but that's okay. Uh, and we're expanding our reach in new employment sectors by working with strategic organizations throughout this country that can help us to get the touch points in the right industries that we're looking for. Um, we have 300 acres in our innovation park that we need to get filled and we need help to do that. uh and that comes from local organizations, state organizations, national organizations, and international organizations to help us

do that. So, we're we're working that very aggressively. And let's see, workforce development. We continue to work um with our workforce development, Texas workforce commission. Uh we also will continue to work with the high school program and their CTE program to provide any assistance that they need. We did uh put monies back into our budget this year to help them to achieve grants when and if they're ready to write those grants. Uh and we're also working with Kilore College and a couple of other university systems around here to see what we can do to create the environment for them to bring higher education into our city and have more offerings. So any student of any age will have that ability to be able to go to uh post-secary school here in in Henderson. That's not obviously all of these things with economic development. They take time, but we've been able to start the conversations and I think we're having some pretty good conversations in all of these respects. That's what I have. Any questions? I have one on uh on your uh on you guys the stuff that you y'all are doing. Are y'all seeking out for local contractors? Are you going out of town or what?

I'm just asking. Just curious. I guess it depends on what you're referring to. Um like your uh the the housing project that you got going on. That's what I'm kind of most curious about. Sure. We talked to a couple of local builders. All right. I can't help whether they've followed through or not or stepped up to do anything with us. Um, but we're also looking for a developer and the gentleman that we have is a developer. Now, that's only on he's only working on five acres right now. He has an option on another five and if things go well, he has an option on the 35 across the street. But the conversation

is that a Bullard Tyler or something like that. Um the conversation about the 35 acres across the street though he full well knows if he's the master developer of it he can't build out 35 acres. So there is every opportunity that anybody who wants to build homes can work with him on buying some of those lots and build. I can tell you that there's another builder in town um two actually that I've talked to several months ago about building tiny homes because at the that point in time our outgoing mayor and our incoming mayor were talking about how do we get something going. We know we have Crimrest up the road here who has small lots that would be a nice area. It already has all the infrastructure in there so why can't we get some tiny homes up there? City Secretary and I visited quite a few times about it. we found out that we have the ability through ordinance to do that. So, I've had that conversation with with a couple of these gentlemen. They have not we we pledged our support to them to help them build and they have not followed through. So, yes, we are doing what we can locally. Uh big projects out in the innovation park that gets sent out for bid. Anybody has the ability to bid on those projects. Um the bids that come in are typically highest and best use and price that is involved in that but that is all controlled through Stokes and Associates our engineering firm. They put everything together. So everything is maintained and above board.

So a local contractor would do what? Say I'm a home builder and I want to come talk to you. What do I do? Come to your office. Or do you have like something on your website that they need to come? I think it's just come in have a conversation. Why can't we publish it on the website as well? RFP opportunities at most every other municipality and a lot of EDCs do that.

But what would you like me to post? What what request for proposal would you like me to propose? Anything that you put forward that can have local either developer or developers if you can't get a local developer, a developer that will bring in local subcontractors to help do some of the work, anything of that sort. But you're so you're making an assumption that the developer that we are working with now isn't doing that and he has talked about

nobody's talked to me about it. So I don't know is this developer is he trying to engage local subs? Yes, he is. That's all I needed to know on that front. Okay. So I guess another question that I have to piggyback off of this uh what what is your plan to help mitigate some of the the feedback that started with this advertisement, the mural project, and then your PR campaign following it. Because I've tried to look at it. I came and visited with you and talked about it. I've talked to so many people and there are a lot of people. They don't want to give you a chance right now. They don't want to give economic development a chance to turn the page and move in a positive manner. And I've seen nothing of that sort that makes me want to support it right now because quite frankly, you burn some bridges here. So I I guess I want to know before we move forward with this, what what is your plan to help men the fences here? Okay. And if if you're even up for it. I'm I'm more than willing to have this conversation here or anywhere else. Uh out of this entire process, all of those people that you said I've burned bridges with, none of them have talked to me. My office is right down that hall. My office is right down that hall. I've had nine nine people, three on the historic commission that were brought into my office by Ben Patterson. We sat down and met. I've had six people call me. Okay. You came in and visited with me when you heard the information that you heard.

I sat down and I had a direct and honest conversation with you about it. When you left, your words were paraphrasing. You were so glad that they hired me and brought me here because my vision is so far a field of what this place has done. Don't mischaracterize my words. Now, I said you had some good approaches.

Okay. I said you had some good approaches. Okay, we we're not going to carry on with this. Uh, so you you want me to mitigate something that I can't mitigate because I didn't start this situation. All I did was I presented a marketing plan and a marketing concept to my board. They said yes, go forward with it because we were changing our logo, our design, and being very proud of who we were and who we are. Then it was presented to the Main Street folks, not once but twice. first in anformational meeting in April where it was shown to them. This is our concept. Then it was taken back to that board in May where it was not only approved, it was unanimously approved and the meeting was not chaotic as it has been represented because someone has put those recordings out there for people to listen to.

Okay. So listen, gentlemen, uh all due respect, let's just uh stick to things that are on the uh agenda. Okay. Well, I think this is potent to pertinent to the scope of work. I mean,

without community support, right, this is all fine and dandy, but it's it's it's not going to work. We just we'll um move on to our Were you uh done, Mr. Gardella?

Yes, sir. Unless there's any other questions from any of the other council members. Okay. Do we have any more questions? What about you? Uh, Cersei have question. I I could ask some more, but they're they're not going to we're not going to get anywhere with that. All right. Um, yes. Could I get a motion on item 14? I'll make a motion to table it until we have further discussion. Got a motion table I want to have more dialogue about the approaches of what we're going to do with economic development. Interject right. Um um on item 14, could I have a uh a motion? Item 19.

Seconds it. All in favor say I. Any oppose? Any opposed? Same sign. All right. Item 14 will be tabled. Just didn't hear a response. I just heard two. All righty. Okay. Now we're down to item 15. Consideration and possible action upon headco budget for physical year 2025 2026. I guess the uh the budget was in your packet of information. I will entertain any questions. Go back up. Go down a little. What you have and what's on ours is a little different. So, well, it's just more compact. So, I'm trying to follow along those uh starting with line 6101 and working down.

Can you can you elaborate on these for us? Sure. These are performance agreements. Uh

I agree. Second. Correct. Mes the motion. Mr. Strong second it. All in favor say I. I. Same sign. 15 carries. Thank you. Okay. Now down to our departmental reports. The city council may deliberate and make inquiries into any item listed in the departmental reports. Does anyone wish to do so?

I would just like to point out that Sunny tried to leave a few minutes ago. Oh, there he is. All right. Okay. So, we're up to down to the secretary's office. Mrs. Emerson,

my turn. Report. Yay. Y and and I'm going to pass this around and go ahead and get all you council members to sign the order. I need your sign.

Good evening, mayor and council. Good evening. Right. So, I'm Cheryl Jimmerson. I'm your city secretary. So, I have TRMC as my acronyms after my name, which is the Texas registered municipal clerk that I have.

I was actually excuse me, the real master in charge. There you go. I can do that, too. All right. Well, I was appointed December of 2018 to become your city secretary officially, and I love the position. It is a a love. You have to have a love to do this because it's a lot. So, um, this is just one of the four charter positions that there is in the city of Henderson. And I did not see if my little slideshow was going to work. I'm at the end

and that's all I did. That's it. But I I don't know which way to go with this. J have the bottom one. did not train me on this little thing right here. Okay. So, it doesn't change mine on my screen. Okay. Uh we're the only level of government that actually makes contact with the citizens on a daily basis that I know of. So I I do every day answer some kind of response or see or conversate with with the citizens on a governmental level. So you're the city secretary. It's one of the oldest in public roles in local government. The second oldest profession or council if you if you'll If you will read the second one, I just love this. In ancient Greece, each meeting was governed by the body began by the recorder reading allowed the documents to be considered and pronouncing a curse on anyone who would say could have saved the people. Yeah, our council made sure that that was redacted a few months back. So, we don't get to do that. Um, more curses. Yeah. Uh, the city secretary is one of the I just that mine's not changing. So, uh, the city secretary is governed

by the city charter, state statutes, and the council direction. There's over 1,200 Texas at this time. This is a little dated officer. You hear me say that there was four positions that was actually in the charter to hold decision. Auditor is the only one that is not. The judge, manager, city secretary, city attorney, all is within the charter to be appointed by council. I like to do value to all customers, internal and external. I it it doesn't matter if it's what department it is coming in. I I want to talk to them. I want to answer their questions if I can. And if I can, I'm going to find an answer. I I feel like all the citizens that reach out to me know that I will do that as well. Administrative services for eight different departments. all the council meeting stuff, the ongoing council training reference sources, member of the city management thing, all the uh annual cyber security compliances on the city staff that hasn't got them turned into me. You do have a little more time, but one week. And of course, you know, the most famous one is performs other duties as

assigned. That falls under every job description. I believe I only work under pressure with few distractions occasionally. Um, I administer the public information act. Any open records request pretty much through my office and then I make sure the correct department gets them and gets gets the uh request answered or move forward with whatever needs to take place at that time. I administer all the board applications. I've never had this many five years, six years now. I'm I'm very excited to have these this many applications to sort through and be able to schedule interviews with the interview committee. I don't know if all of you know it or not, but the interview committee actually consists of the mayor, a council person, either J or I, and the liaison for that board. So there's there's several people involved in it. Um the liquors license permitting comes through me and the bingo applications, oil and gas applications. I am a notary. So many things I do I am appointed the election official. I have not had to run an election at this city yet. Thank you. I have been involved with running elections before at a smaller city. It is it is a very big job. I do thank y'all for all of y'all's uh all the records official records actually runs through this but it's I'm

custodian of all of them including the city seal I know how many of you really know of that there are actually guidelines on what our city seal is supposed to look like within our charter as well just order a seal and it's the official city it's within the charter all the storage and safekeeping of all documents, historical files. Um, Dylan was asking to go ahead and start looking through all of our council minutes. I have 11 fragile. I do I have had help making sure all of those are scanned. I hope he is willing all of them. They're very delicate. They are disintegrating and I don't know how to quite preserve them, but I keep them in a dark place. Also, digitizing. I'd love to have everything go digital. I'm working toward trying to make that happen. I've reached out to the uh Texas State Library and getting some information on what I need to do. make that happen. Most every department's pretty easy. HR is is not one that'll ever have everything. So, we may have everything except for the HR, but we may take HR from a beginning date and move forward. And for the past year, I've been assisting the community. Uh West Brottenberg has been really good about picking up. He's going to

plat and um working on some of the completely off velopment municipal parks association. This just everything that I'm a part of and look to have good resources. I have questions. I know I can go there manager. You are I am the link to to all the city. I I I like being that way for my work. Anything that runs through this pretty much runs across my desk at one point or the other, either in the beginning stages or the end of I'm actually standing and making sure all the contracts are legisated on all the legislative stuff. uh here a few months ago. I had reached out and I found some grant software. I' not ever been able to find the money to be able to have someone really search for grants. There's a lot of grants out there that you have to pay a person.

software to help me with the digitizing of I put that on hold. I will be continuing to look for I'd like to be able to put together Charter review board would be prepared to have the charter updated on that and of course I'm working on my reertification now. I left this in here. I I did take this from one of the author and I just made me feel good. So I just wanted to be in there. enjoy my job. I did enjoy

everything I've been through. I'm still smiling. song. I just might be crazy. So, y'all need to be aware of that. And I see somebody added a little blurb on there. Jay, did you happen to that wasn't you?

Scares some people around here. I'm not sure. So, David, David, you and I'll be having a conversation after [Laughter] you. Does anybody have any questions? I'm sorry. along.

Yeah, you Cheryl, you are a walking encyclopedia for this city and for that I am forever grateful. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for all you do for everyone in town, all the citizens and everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Okay. At this time, we will enter into executive u session at uh 7:08 to consult with the attorney this time.