City Council - Regular Meeting

And then Monday night I had a meeting with

And then Yesterday check. I'll check. I'll check. Can you believe

some of the things

check? Okay. Something with the TV. Yes, please. Yeah, we're having a microphone. It's a TV. It's the TV. Did you get the blue shirt?

I did not. My favorite color is blue. So, cuz it matches your eyes. It's true. I even have blue on my watch. Very good. Is that what it says you got for website showed me how to change the little bling cover for it and then just bling watch these little buttons on there.

This one was This one was a rever And it's been really really good for me once I learned to make it shut off when I'm using it. So that's always Are you serious? Why am I hearing sirens?

Luckily, it was a silent one. Not bad. talk about pushing buttons.

Do you have a question?

Yeah. Seeing we have a quorum, I will call to order the city of KMA city council and KMA public facilities corporation regular meeting on April 1, 2026 at 4 p.m. The first thing on the agenda are our pledges. I aliance 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 the flaggis. The next thing on the agenda is a moment of silence. And the next thing on the agenda is invitation to address council. And I believe Wayne Dolchafino is first. Wayne, would you make sure the mic is on when you go up there? The little button.

Yes, please. Thank you. There you go. I I I've been like in in the media for 50 years and I can't even turn on a camera. So that will tell you something.

Hey, first of all, I'd like to thank your city administrator for coming to the rescue um in a several months long battle to get records detailing legal bills for the city of Kuma. I I always call out people who I don't think are doing it right. So, I it's only proper to call out somebody who did it right, but he shouldn't have had to. Um, we fought for months with your city attorney, Mr. Dixon, who ignored repeated requests and demands for something that I thought was pretty simple, but just as how much did you spend on lawyers, right? And on what cases you spend them on? Um, he should he should refund you the billing for that because we have we have we have looked at when I finally got the records and I think this is something the public needs to know and for you guys to know too for your own council. Um, since 2020, City has spent $1.4 million on lawyers and that's not counting the several hundred,000 that you pay TML for legal stuff too. Um, that is a lot of money in a town of 3,400 people. In fact, you're on pace right now to spend more per capita for people that live here than you ever have in your history. Sometimes you get sued. Sometimes you get caught and stuff that's not your fault. Totally get it. But I continue to argue to local governments that the amount of money they're spending on lawyers to fight legitimate public records requests is just a waste of money. It's a waste of our money. It's a waste of your money. It's a waste of time. And we're going to get there one way or the other. We just are. And it's so I I really came to see Mr. Dixon to

find out my runs away from me and slams his doors in our faces, but he's not here. I know you guys saw what happened in Texas City. I was asking him about chemo records. I don't think a guy like that should be representing any city, and it's not personal. I just think that's not the kind of behavior that a city wants to represent them. So, I I came to implore you to look at how much you're spending on lawyers. Um, it's just a lot of money for a city with this few people and it's a waste of money when you have other things you want to do. And that's all I have to tell you. Again, I want to thank the administrator for coming to the rescue. But she had to, okay? It's it's nonsense. And too many cities, not just you guys, too many cities are using lawyers to block requests. It is driving up the cost. for the taxpayers. It's driving up the cost of legitimate records. I know there are people that ask for a lot of stuff. I know I'm a pain sometimes. I get it. But I just whoever's on council next. Think about that and think about trying to streamline it in a way that a lot of records are publicly available so we don't have to go through fights, especially with a city attorney who just ignores us.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. And next on the list is u Robert Kelly, but he's going to speak during the council meeting. And Shalia, did I miss you by chance? No, you did not. Thank you. Thank you for asking. Okay. Next on um our agenda is a proclamation. Do we have someone here for the sexual assault? Okay. Mayor Lindsay Durant. Lindsay Durant. Lindsay Durant is here to accept it. Okay. Thank you.

We're gonna stand up here so whatever she wants to do.

Um, sexual assault awareness month. Whereas sexual assault awareness month is observed each April to raise public awareness about sexual violence to educate communities and how to prevent it and whereas sexual assault affects individuals of all ages, backgrounds and communities. And we must work together to support survivors with compassion, dignity, and access to resources. And whereas the resource and crisis center in Delton County is committed to providing advocacy, education, and prevention services while empowering survivors and promoting a safer, more important community. Now before I call, mayor of the city of Texas, do hereby proclaim April 22, 2026 as sexual assault awareness month and encourage all of our citizens, businesses, and institutions to stand with survivors, promote respect, and help end sexual violence violence where I have here at my hand to be fixed in this first. Now she has to get something.

Thank you. And I think

Thank you. So, first I want to thank everyone um from the city of Ka for standing with the resource and crisis center um in supporting the awareness and prevention of sexual assault. While April is sexual assault awareness month, um the resource and crisis center is here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year round uh for our community, assisting sexual assault survivors, whether it is um providing emergency shelter, accompanying them to uh sexual assault exams at the hospital or connecting them with local resources. The ultimate goal of course is prevention. And prevention starts with awareness and knowledge. And that's what we're here coming together as a community today to support um our our victims as well as spread awareness of these crimes. It I encourage everyone to visit the um website for RCC. It's rcccgc.org and see how you can get involved. There's many ways that you can volunteer or donate your time or um even your items to our resale stores. The um the Resource and Crisis Center has actually been selected this year as the uh benefiting charity for the Diva Run in Galveastston and we are in desperate need of volunteers. It's a very large event and so I do encourage you guys to look at on the website. I also have some flyers here so that you guys can get involved and help us uh support our victims and um eventually prevention.

When is the diva run? The div.a run is on the Well, if it's on the fly, it's 20 on the 25th. Okay. Okay. So, is it okay if I pass them out to everyone? All right. Is a diva run only for divas? The volunteers can be anyone. Um, and I'm sure divas can be any gender. I shop at the the um the the store in Galveston all the time. Okay. Well, thank you. Yes, I have donated many many times. Okay. We love donating. Yes, ma'am. All right. Well, thank you so much for having me and for Thanks for honoring this day. Thank you.

Okay. Um, Robert um and Robert Kelly is going to do a presentation uh for WCID12 record re regarding our upcoming bond election in in May. Like to take a moment and thank every one of you for what you guys have accomplished just in in the way of that park. It's it's it's coming together. I'm proud to be in Kuma and and I'll tell you it's it's kind of refreshing to say the least. Um even Doug made a comment that the packet was down to a staple. So tonight

I applaud you guys. Um the bond as you well know did not uh succeed the first presentation of it. um it it failed, but there were a number of items um that were inappropriately put together on it and I will take partial uh responsibility for that, but I wasn't completely in charge. Now I'm quite a bit more in charge with what we got. So, we reduced the the bond by the request for smart meters and the valves that need replaced in the in the actual older part of KMA. That's roughly 3.81 or 3,819,920 remd off the bond. With that said, that puts you at the remaining amount of roughly 6.7 million. That 6.7 million is strictly to build the Delisandre water plant. So with that being said, we will not have a tax increase. It will not affect per David Smalling who actually does our financial work for us and our taxation. So we're not going to have an increase in that point. I'm asking you for your support. Obviously I can't demand it, but I'm asking for the support. It it it helps every particular cause in KMA and to grow this the efforts that every one of you guys have put in on a number of fronts. We uh we'll get it done. I believe we will get this done. But this makes it where it's not going to increase any of the taxation for a person. They can vote yes, but they will see on their ballot when they go sit in there, they will see that it says your taxes are

going to increase. So for that, I have another letter that will be sent out to everyone. Every particular account, you'll receive this letter that tells you that our taxes will not increase on this bond. And I'm allowed to actually set send that out. It's it's appropriate to send it out. I had Chris Richardson make certain pass it all through the people that would flag me on it and at this point I can send that letter out and that that will become forthcoming real quick. Any questions? What did you say was removed? 3.819 million in meters and something else.

Okay. This is what's from the last one. Just so everybody's aware, even if this bond passed, it's probably eight eight months before they get the bid package, the funding, everything done. And it's going to take about a year to do it. So, we're looking at the end of 27 before completion, best case scenario. So, a lot of these projects we're working on here in KMA, this project that fails in May, it's going to hold us up and probably run some people out of town because we're not going to have the capacity to facilitate the water needs for the projects that are wanting to come to town. I would ask for everybody's support as well to make sure we get everybody out to vote yes for this bond because it's instrumental in the future of KMA. Well,

I agree with that. And bottom line is so much of the effort that every one of you have put into this, we don't want to do an all for not. So I want to do it exactly right the first time. If anybody wants the the hard numbers on what the valves would have cost and what the smart meters would cost, I have it for each and every one of you guys want to set it. Not a problem. I appreciate your time. Thank you.

Thank you. Next on the agenda is mayor comments. Um uh first of um Easter holidays coming up and city offices will be closed. Um they close at noon on Thursday and reopen Monday morning. Uh we hope everyone takes this time to slow down a bit, enjoy the weekend, and spend some meaningful time with their family and their friends. But from all of us up here, we wish everyone a happy Easter. I also want to remind our residents that we have elections. They're right around the corner. Um early voting starts on a Monday, April 20th, and then it's closed the next day for what is it? San Die. Yeah. So early voting starts on the 20th. It'll be closed on the 21st and then it opens again on the 26th and goes through the 28th.

What?

Oh, 22nd. Yeah. Okay. So, open on the 20th, closed on the 21st, open again on the 22nd, go through the 28th, and it's all down at the community center. Um, Kimma Community Center, 800 Harris Street. Um, but all of these uh locations and times will also be on uh Galveastston Boats website and I also assume that our it'll be on our city website as well. Uh the past two uh weekend we had a great example of uh the community coming together. We had uh trash dash uh more than 30 volunteers showed up on a chilly Saturday morning and collected an impressive 1797 pounds of trash. Um, and what, seven shopping carts? Oh my goodness. Okay. But afterwards, a lot of the participants hung around. They went down to the park and spread mulch under some of the uh, playground equipment. So, we appreciate that. We're grateful to everyone who pitched in. Uh, keeping KMA clean and beautiful is truly a community effort and it shows. We also welcomed uh, more than 250 children and their families at the Easter Extravaganza on Sunday afternoon. events like that uh don't happen without a lot of people coming together. And um I want to extend a special thank you to the Lions Club who helped us a great deal that day. All of the volunteers that came out, the police department and an extra Easter bunny at that and public works and all of city staff. They all spend a lot of time getting ready for um all of these things. This is a very memorable day and beautiful weather. Kids had had a blast. Um, lastly, we will be holding a special meeting, a city council meeting on April the 8th at 4 pm. So, that is next Wednesday. And I need four of you here to have that meeting, gentlemen. And, uh, I think that's it. Uh, we also have uh, council member comments. Uh,

Councilman Brisles, I just want to say thank you to the residents that came out and helped on Saturday and for the Givemore Foundation as well, cuz I mean, we had 1300 lb of food donated for that foundation and then we did 1,800 lb of trash and we didn't even make a day in this town, honestly. There's there probably that much more still out there that we probably need to go out and get. But uh it was refreshing to see young kids out there smiling and and and participating in the event. Gives me hope that the next generation might start giving back to the community as well. So just want to say thank you. Uh Councilman Oliver,

uh I'll echo that statement to thank you the residents that came out and helped and all the volunteers for the Easter egg hunt. It's always well attended and good to see everybody having a good time. It's all I got. Councilman Myer, just to say that we did not buy a helicopter and we did not buy was it a Ferrari? I literally got called on Lamborghini. Okay. We did not. That's all I have to know. We We didn't And Councilman Wallace is not here tonight. And Councilman Sal. Well, today is the beginning of autism awareness month. So,

we're all in blue. Caesar made us or pass us all over make us. Uh so a couple things. Last year I requested a few things. I requested that the PD get uh trained to deal with people with special needs or neurody divergent people. Um I asked that the boardwalk have a sensory friendly day and that restaurants uh start working towards being sensory friendly. Uh the third one was very very hard and we're going to expand on that now. this year's asked and oh by the way the PD did go get qualified and the word walk thank you guys for having the century friendly thing we had censory Easter egg hunt too

we did and Kylie was sick was the only reason we were there and so this year I'm asking to expand on everything uh I've already talked to chief I sent him some information on some additional training he has already contacted them he's already going to expand the training this time it won't just be somebody telling how to treat people with special needs will be a doctor involved on how to recognize certain behaviors and he's also reached out to the fire department uh who's also going to take part in the training and dispatch and then expanded over to the uh community center and hopefully have you know 30 40 participants and thank you very much for that very important. Um you know if you look at the news here recently in the past week two autistic children drowned because they are very drawn to the water. uh when we built our home, it was very important that we taught our daughter how to swim. We weren't ever we would never have broken ground. And so now she swims alone, you know, so it's very important. You know, maybe water education will be a future thing, but uh so this time again, we're asking for expanded education. Uh we're also asking uh we're also going to try to work on criteria to lay out for sensory friendly uh businesses around town. And if they achieve these sensory friendly items, uh they will we can deem them a sensory friendly destination which then we can make a map to special needs parents and and and organizations that they can come to our town and see where they can go that their children will be accepted and and know how they can how they treat their children. Uh on all that, it's been noticed that we've done these things thanks to Caesar. uh the office of the governor's disability group called us and asked us to be part of a uh a panel uh and we're going to be on a zoom call next Monday and they're they're actually using KMA as a template of how to create a sensory friendly city.

Yeah. And so that again that came straight from the governor's office. Um again thank you Caesar for for championing that. And uh uh when you look at the agenda, it's all about what's KEA doing and and the effort is to make Kima the very first sensory friendly city in the state of Texas. So we're working on that now. So it's all very everybody knows that's dear to me and I appreciate everybody's help on that and you know I'm always on board to help as a question. Yes, sir. Has anybody checked to make sure that they're dealing with the correct? Yeah, chief chief chief expanded over there. Yeah. And thank you for that. And he's gonna count.

It's important. I mean, if you look last year when I talked about this and he was a young man that got shot because he was an autistic child, young man that didn't know how to interact with the PD. And it's just sad. You know, those things that are can be prevented. So again, thanks Chief for for taking and Caesar for taking a full heart on that. Any other comments? Uh we will now go to the next item on the agenda which is the city administrator's report. We'll turn it over to you Caesar.

Thank you mayor um and council for the kind words for our team. Our team's worked very hard. We've been very busy last couple weeks whether it's playgrounds or speed humps or flashing signs or cleanups or Easter events. Uh kudos to our team and to our staff for uh hooded lifts.

Taking a left. Yeah. hood of lefts and construction and you name it. Um seem to be a hot button. I did want to address something that I apologize for uh not being here for for the very beginning of the meeting. I I missed the comment that was made uh in in its entirety about our open records request. Yes, we have an um a large influx of these requests. Um but we don't treat any of them any different than any others. Uh so kudos to everybody that's involved in them. Uh I can tell you about one we're dealing with right now that's redaction alone is over 100 pages of things to be redacted. Um we're being very careful with how we release these things. Um but kudos to our our partnerships through our uh uh city attorney's office uh through our city secretar's office and all the work that goes behind it. Um I understand we were commended for how we deal with with with one in particular. Sometimes we just got to just just roll up our sleeves and and uh do the work. and it's a lot easier to do that when we're not having to deal with other distractions and things. So, um, thank you all of you for your continued support on that. I I do think that, uh, just wanted to commend that. Um, it makes a lot easier to respond to these if we get what we're really being asked for, right? When we don't have to decipher things and figure things out and sometimes it takes time out for us to pick up the phone and call the person, say, "Hey, listen. What are you actually asking for?" And that was the case of a point with the one that was mentioned earlier. uh and just suddenly a lot of things that are going on. Uh I will say um as a staff and as a team just next item I guess is we are tiny but we are mighty you know from our PD finance just everybody everybody I I can't say enough uh we are we are very very uh resilient team uh we we deal with bumps and bruises and we keep moving forward. So thank you all for your continued support on that. I did want to echo to say thank you for the efforts um of of of some of our residents to help us recruit. I I I do

want to uh commend both um uh Miss Shalia Thorne who was present there for the cleanup and Mr. Langford who was also present and helped us recruit volunteers. It is a true team effort. Um not one person picked up those 1,800 lb by themselves. Not one person collected that entire effort by themselves. Uh even as we were going around certain streets to go check on trash and certain things, you had residents coming out and saying, "Hey, we heard you were doing this and we picked up around our general area and, you know, around our block as well." So, it's a testament to the spirit of Ka and I thank everybody that was involved in that. Um Easter was great. Had several people who told me that that was probably the biggest one we've had. I've now been here for two of them. Patty's been here for three of them and every year we hear the same thing. Uh soon we're going to run out of space. I think that was something else that was mentioned. We may have to move this thing over to to um one of the larger parks, but right now it is still accommodating what we need. But we'll see what continues to happen. Who would have thought we would had Acrobats at our Easter event? It was it was it was it was truly great. So, thank you to everybody that that participated in that. Uh with that said, we have a pretty um short agenda, but a couple items of some importance. So, thank you again for the continued support by everybody. Thank you.

Uh next on the agenda is reports from staff. Do we have any that are going to happen tonight? Okay. None tonight. Uh, next is number 10, consent agenda to approve the minutes of the 318 2026 city council regular meeting. So moved. Second. So we have a uh motion by Councilman Darren Bris, a second by Councilman Dustin Oliver. All those in favor?

Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Number 11, consideration and possible action to approve resolution 2026-17. 2026 Centerpoint Energy GRIP suspension resolution. A resolution by the city of Kuma, Texas, suspending the April 18, 2026 effective date of the proposal by Centerpoint Energy Resources Corporation, BBA, Centerpoint Energy Intex, and Centerpoint Energy Texas Gas, Houston, Texas coast, South Texas, and Vont East Texas geographic rate areas to implement interim grip rate adjustments for gas utility investment in 2025 in requiring delivery of this resolution to the company and legal council.

This is just putting off for how many is it 90 days? 45 days. 45 days. Um this is an item that was tabled from the previous meeting. We were recommended to pull it at the previous meeting. Our our partners with TCAP recommended and their attorneys recommended that we bring this forward. Uh the only remedy we have for our residents is that we can buy them in 45 days time. Um so it was recommended um by us as a staff to bring this to you to try to provide the reprieve of 45 days to our residents and businesses on their electricity bills as much as possible. But it's going Motion to approve resolution 26-17.

A motion by Councilman Darren Bris, a second by Councilman Doug Linger. All those in favor? Uh motion carries. 11B, consideration of possible action to approve ordinance 2026-02, an ordinance amending chapter 6, amusements and entertainments by adding article four, gaming sites and gaming machines, providing a severability clause, providing a penalty clause, providing a savings clause, providing for publication, and providing an effective date. This would be the first of two readings. Make a motion app to approve ordinance 2026-2. Second.

So we have a motion by Councilman Darren Bris, a second by Councilman Doug Linger. All those in favor. Any opposed? Motion carries. 11 C. consideration and possible action to approve an amendment to the interlocal collection agreement andor resolution for tax assessment and collector services with the office of Galveston can county tax assessor and collector she addressed us at the meeting she said there was going to be an increase yeah there's going to be an increase in uh is it was like 50 she said I think is that what she said

it's it's under $1,000 Make a motion to approve an amended to the interlo interlocal collection agreement andor resolution for the tax assessment and collection services with the office of the Galveistston County Tax Assess Collector. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion by Councilman Darren Bruce, a second by Councilman Dustin Oliver. All those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. 11D. Discussion and possible action for the city council special meeting to be held on April the 8th, 2026 at 4 p.m. We need four in attendance and that'll be next Wednesday at 4 p.m. action item. Can all of you come? I can be here. Natasha this have to be a voted item next Wednesday week from today. What's the meeting? What do we discuss? What's important? Um events. Yes.

We also have a special guest uh coming from the governor's office. Oh, that's right. I knew there was something else. Okay. Is it four? Yes, sir. It's the day we start the renovations in the back room. Um, are you swinging a hammer? Huh? Are you swinging a hammer? Oh, there's a hammer. SW There's something that has to be demo. I'll demo. I won't rebuild it, but I'll Yeah. No, I'll swing it. So, do I'll be there. Do we have a motion? Do we have to do we have to vote on it or just discuss it? Okay. All right. Well, then you'll schedule. Everything's great. Agenda is already posted. Mayor, I beg pardon.

The agenda is already posted. Okay. Um uh we will now adjourn at 4:31 for executive session. Mayor, do you want to take a picture while we're in blue? Yes, I do. How did you do that?

An hour before a day before. Where am I?

I'll go between You're photobombing us

in yellow. How are you? that I'm See what happens. and I was like,

"Oh,

you're officially,

you know, I wear I wear box slides most of the time. My daughter said my daughter stole it from The What we want to do is how are problems.

Always fixing and talk to you. But you didn't want to talk. Yes.

I'm ready. I feel like I feel I

think you're supposed to find a replacement. I think that's how it works. Replacement ad and approved by the entire city.

I'm pretty sure that's just gohead around. Excuse me.

What are you doing here? You trying to keep it safe? Trying to hold trying to hold it all for yourself. Butter. Nobody wants butter. Yeah. Caramel. Caramel. Yeah. H candy's best candy. I don't know what you're talking about. I like him to be a little chewy. like suspicious strawberries smell a little bit like grandma's potato.

Well, let's work on getting candy, guys. Come on. That that was complic Is it terrible? Terrible. Hey, I was a couple days ago. I think I had to do All right. Yeah, I was just in the area.

Um, My dad.

Oh, great. Yes, right here. space. Hey,

how soon are they closing? Um, what time do they close? No, it's not two hours. It's like 20 minutes. go in and they'll tell you

I would go and just go in anybody. Okay. All right. Okay. There we go. And so they'll probably tell you today,

especially especially in San Antonio, you won't freak anybody out. So Don't get tired.

Okay. All right. No, I can't. I couldn't do it if I just All right. Have a great day. Whatever, man. Whatever. Hey, what's up? You okay? You okay? Okay. But are you okay? Yes. Nobody.

Oh yeah. Let's

see. That's awesome. This is

Sorry. I mean that's fine. That's good. Um I mean that's obviously but it's something else. Got what they came for. We got the monologument. I'll call the meeting back to order at 4:55. We do not have any action items from executive session and unless there is any other comments or anything to talk about, we'll adjourn. We'll adjourn at 455.

20 minutes until the launch. What? 20 minutes until the launch. Pretty excit. Mhm. Way back.