City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening, and welcome to tonight's meeting in the Rowlett City Council. Today is Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, and it is 7 p.m. City Council has a quorum present in the council chambers. Prior to the beginning of each meeting, we do open with an invocation, and conducting tonight's invocation is Pastor Brian Hyatt with Cornerstone Church, so I invite you to stand with me for that invocation.

Father, we do thank you for another day, God, to be awakened, to be able to breathe, see, do things that you have blessed us with, God, for all the provisions that you have given to us, Lord. Homes, houses, family, friends, jobs, God, you've given it all to us, Lord, and we're grateful for that. lord we're grateful for our city we're grateful for this this leadership lord we're thankful that they have given their lives to public service and so lord of that in mind we're asking you tonight to get grant them wisdom lord god in every decision god in our city god that we will honor the code and to serve our city correctly and rightly in every way And God, that whatever we do, say, or think tonight will bring you glory and honor. Father, we pray over our residents, our first responders. God, our schools, as they're in session now, Lord, that your hand of blessing and protection will be upon them. And God, we give you this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you, Pastor. Now please join me in the pledges of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And now the Texas Pledge. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.

God bless Texas.

All right, feel free to take your seats and we'll get started here. With that, we'll call the meeting to order at 7.02 p.m. The first item of business this evening is item 2A, presentation of proclamation declaring September as library card sign-up month. And making that presentation is Deputy Mayor Pro Tem John Bowers. I would also like to invite members of our library and our library advisory board and friends of the library all up to the front.

Thank you, Mayor, for inviting all the VIPs up here. I appreciate that for me. How are you guys? How are you?

Mr. Pollack, good to see you.

So as the city, we wanted to think about our school year starting. And every September, that highlights the opening in the association with the American Library Association and public libraries nationwide as library card sign-up month. So that's why we wanted to bring our friends to the library. This was our library advisory board, our library director here. And when you think about just a cultural beacon in the city for academia and learning and reading, the library is one that you think of. So I will go ahead and now read our proclamation. And then after that, Laura, I'll ask you if you want to say anything. But ultimately, whereas libraries are foundational to education, imagination, and opportunity, offering everything from early literacy programs to digital tools that support lifelong learning and personal growth, and whereas libraries welcome all people serving as inclusive and accessible community hubs that connect individuals across cultures, generations, and experiences, and whereas libraries create collections and design programs that reflect the diversity of the population they serve, ensuring equitable access to information, technology, and culture for all, and whereas libraries help individuals navigate life's challenges by providing trusted information, digital access, job search support, and connections to essential services, and whereas libraries contribute to thriving local economies by equipping job seekers, entrepreneurs, students, and creators with tools and training to succeed, And whereas library resources help households save money, reduce waste, and make sustainable choices, all through the simple power of a shared public good. And whereas a library card opens the door to endless possibilities, from books and technology to lifelong learning and imagination. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, John P. Bowers III, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Arlette, on behalf of Jeff Winget, Mayor of the City of Arlette, and the city council do hereby proclaim September as library card sign up month in Raleigh and encourage all residents to sign up for a library card and explore the endless possibilities it offers. Laura, will you come up with any words?

For library card sign up month during September, patrons can replace their worn out library cards for free. Patrons who use their card online or in person will be entered into a drawing for a gift card to a local restaurant. And people who sign up for a library card in September will also be entered into a separate gift card drawing. We do this because public libraries are instrumental in preparing your future workforce, your future voters, and your future community leaders. And that is why the library card is one of the most valuable back to school supplies for a child. So if you know anyone with children, please encourage them to get a library card. And if you know anyone who is wanting to give back to the community, the friends of the library could really use your support. Thank you.

44.

Thank you, Laura, and thank you to our friends at the library who are always so giving of their time in support of our library here in Rowlett. All right, next we're on to item 2B, update from the City Council on management, financial position, major projects, operational issues, upcoming dates of interest, and items of community interest. Before we get to that, I do want to point out that we would typically have our veterans recognition program at this meeting We do it every other month, and it's typically the first meeting of the month. Fortunately, we had a scheduling conflict, and so that will be heard at our next meeting in September. So we'll be recognizing a veteran at our next meeting. We would invite you out to be a part of that celebration as well. So reading tonight's presentation items is Mayor Pro Tem Mike Britton.

Okay. Thank you, Mayor. So bear with me and buckle up.

I've got two full pages here.

All right, from our communications and community engagement group, the city of Rowlett is inviting residents to help shape our community's future as we begin the process of developing the city's next strategic plan. Two community conversations will be held at the Rowlett Community Center, Wednesday, September 2nd at 7 p.m. and Thursday, September 3rd at 8.30 a.m. These conversations are an opportunity for residents to share what they believe Rowlett should focus on in the years ahead. COMMUNITY INPUT WILL HELP INFORM THE PRIORITIES THAT GUIDE THE CITY'S FUTURE DECISIONS, INVESTMENTS AND SERVICES. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. ALSO, A LITTLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION IS UNDERWAY BETWEEN RALLET AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND SAXI, ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE. THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER, THE TWO CITIES ARE GOING HEAD TO HEAD AS PART OF THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK'S ANNUAL PEANUT BUTTER DRIVE TO SEE WHICH COMMUNITY CAN COLLECT THE MOST. You can help Team Rowlett by donating jars of peanut butter at City Hall, the Rowlett Public Library, Rowlett Community Center, Fire Station 2, or the Utility Building. You can also donate online through Rowlett's virtual drive. We'll share updates throughout the month as we work to support Texas families and, of course, Beat Sachse. So for more information, you can visit Rowlett.com for donation details. Downtown Rowlett is about to become your favorite fall hangout. Our Live on Main series returns in September with four unforgettable evenings of live music, local vendors, and all-around good vibes. You can join the fun from 6 to 9 p.m. on September the 5th, the 12th, 19th, and the 25th. More details are at Rowlett.com. From our library, the library currently offers three distinct book clubs to suit different interests and schedules. Senior book club meets the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. and the second Saturday book club meets the second Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. Cults and Crimes and Conspiracies is the new group launching September the 19th at 2 p.m. where participants explore true crime cases, examining the psychology and theories behind each topic. Find out more about each book at Rowlett.com slash library. After-school programs are a fun way to supplement your child's learning and further develop a love for literacy. For ages five to eight, the Elements programs are on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. For ages 9 to 13, Lego Robotics programs are on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Find the full program at the calendar at Rowlett.com slash library. From our police, join us for National Night Out on Tuesday, October the 6th, 2026, as neighborhoods across Rowlett come together to strengthen relationships between residents, local law enforcement, first responders, and community leaders. National Night Out is more than a night of fun. It's an opportunity to build safer, stronger, and more connected neighborhoods. Consider hosting a block party, neighborhood gathering, or cookout, or other community event and invite your local police officers, firefighters, and other city representatives to join you. The Rowlett Police Department currently has 16 neighborhoods registered for National Night Out 2026. Make sure your neighborhood does not miss out on contacting Officer Eric Mitchell at emitchell at Rowlett.com. From our Fire Department, please join us in congratulating Firefighter Paramedic Adam Shelton on being selected as the Firefighter of the Year by Rowlett Chamber of Commerce. Firefighter Sheldon was nominated for this honor by his captain, Colton Onstead, who recognized Adam for his outstanding leadership with his crew and throughout the department. Captain Onstead specifically highlighted Firefighter Sheldon's commitment to training, mentorship, and professional development, as well as his willingness to assist and develop those around him. His dedication to helping others grow and succeed is a true reflection of the leadership and service we strive for at the Rowlett Fire Department. Congratulations, Adam, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for your continued dedication to your crew, our department, and the citizens of Rowlett. On Monday, August 31st, the Rowlett Fire Department placed two new Horton ambulances into service, one at Fire Station 1 and one at Fire Station 4. These new units will help ensure our department continues to maintain its high level of readiness and provide the highest level of service to our citizens when they need us the most. We would like to sincerely thank the citizens of Rowlett, City Council, the City Manager Office, and the Finance Department for their continued investment in the Rowlett Fire Department and for entrusting us with the responsibility of serving our community. from our Parks and Recreation group. The Wet Zone Water Park is still open on weekends, now until Labor Day. Beat the heat and enjoy a day of fun with your family at the Wet Zone Water Park. For more information, visit wetzonewaterpark.com. The Senior Resource Fair will take place at the Rowlett Community Center on Tuesday, September the 8th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Rowlett Senior Resource Fair is a free annual event hosted by the Rowlett Senior Advisory Board. It connects older adults, families, and caregivers with local organizations offering health care, financial guidance, insurance options, community service, and other resources for seniors. Also from Parks and Rec, Toddler Tuesdays at the Rowlett Community Center. Let your little ones play, explore, and make new friends at Toddler Tuesdays. This fun, unstructured playtime gives children ages two to five the opportunity to burn off energy, develop social skills, and enjoy age-appropriate activities in a safe and welcoming environment. Children can explore also a variety of toys, games, and play equipment while parents and caregivers connect with their families. Open play encourages creativity, independence movement, and positive social interaction, all while having fun. Parents and caregivers must remain with their children and are responsible for supervision. Come play, make friends, and make Tuesdays your favorite day of the week. Toddler Tuesdays will be held every Tuesday starting on September 22nd from 9 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. and is $3 per child. And that's a wrap.

You earned yourself a drink of water there. All right. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem Britton. I believe we also have an update from Council Member Fassett.

I know. Isn't that a cute one? All right, I want to go ahead and introduce you to Tommy Pickles. Five to six year old, came to the shelter severely emaciated and looking for someone to love him. Even though the beginning of his life hasn't been the easiest, he still shows love to those he meets. Everyone who meets him says the same thing. He is the sweetest, gentlest, and the most loving dog, deserves a safe and loving home. Tommy needs a rescue, a foster, or an adopter who will give him the love, care, and nutrition he needs to get healthy and finally know what it feels like to be loved. He survived neglect. Now he just needs someone to give him a second chance. If you'd like to meet Tommy Pickles or are interested in any other animals, at the Rowlett Animal Services welcomes you to come visit. They are located at 4402 Industrial Street and are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. And also, we have a Happy Tails update here, I believe. There we go. Go ahead and announce that he-man, if we remember him just a few meetings ago, has been adopted in loving life with his new sister. You too can make the difference, even if adoption isn't an option. Fostering is a powerful way to help shelter dogs in need.

All right. Thank you, sir. Council, any other updates to share? All right, seeing none, we'll move on to item three, citizens input. At this time, comments will be taken from the audience on any topic. No action can be taken by the city council during citizens input. I have several requests to speak form. If you do wish to speak this evening and have not filled out a form yet, you can get one of those in the back left corner of the room. Our first speaker this evening is Dave Hull, followed by Alan Hogan. And Dave, if you'll just state your name and city of residence, you'll have three minutes.

Dave Hole, Rowlett. Exhibit one shows a Texas game warden on Sunday afternoon, August 23rd, in the 100 degree plus heat hiking down the railroad to the bridge to remove the kids and fishermen from the railroad bridge. The next Sunday, August 30th, the Dallas Marine Police were in their police boat at the railroad bridge sending paddlers without life jackets to the kayak crossing outpost for a loaner life jacket. At the same time, the volunteer rescue divers were training at the railroad bridge. There are a lot of people and organizations working hard to cover the problems which originate from Rowlett's Paddle Point Park. Exhibit two shows a couple teenagers hiding in the alley between my store and the railroad, stealing electricity. Any of you have daughters and granddaughters? Maybe they can visit Paddle Point Park and hang around these two. Possible future husbands to join your families. Exhibit three is a foot entrapment hazard on the ADA dock reported to you nearly two years ago during that period's drought. No action was taken since the lake filled back up and it was no longer visible above the water. However, the hazard was still there. During this unsafe entrapment hazard period, many kids and adults were jumping and swimming from this unsafe structure. One child was pulled from the lake unresponsive and evacuated to the hospital by a Rowlett ambulance. But before the ambulance could leave Paddle Point Park, the ice cream truck, which followed the emergency vehicles into the park to sell more ice cream to the rubbernecking crowd, it had to be removed from blocking the fire lane and the ambulance's exit. I only presented one exhibit of the entrapment hazard, which is two years old. Today's route has once again exposed the identical picture of this foot entrapment hazard at the ADA dock located in Paddle Point Park. Exhibit four is a picture of the 50 life jackets we received for our free loaner life jacket program. The young lady in the picture with the life jackets is another GISDIB international baccalaureate program graduate. Last night, while you were sitting here in the air conditioned city hall work session, the Dallas Marine Police were performing a rescue on our section of Lake Ray Hubbard. in the trees just north of the railroad bridge. Their professionalism and rapid response allowed this to be a rescue and not a recovery. It's time for you to review your management of Paddle Point Park and Rowlett's waterfront. If you can't manage the waterfront parks safely to benefit the residents' quality of life and economic well-being, then you should get out of the waterfront park management business and let somebody else do it for the benefit of the residents. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Our next speaker is Alan Hogan, followed by Denise Aljuhi.

I'm Alan Hogan, Lake Bend Estates since 1991. And of course, I can't get up here and not talk about the screen wall. And so I know that the situation of the screen wall, but it's just that You're never going to hear us not talk about the screening wall if we have that opportunity. So you know where the screening wall lays, pretty much flat on the ground. I know it will be repaired one of these days and I thank you for, I thank every one of you for really pushing for the screening wall. It gives us hope that someday these things will get all straightened out and be back on track. The other thing I was going to talk about is the median of 66. Thank goodness I saw some trucks out there actually putting water on the median of 66. And I remember talking about it last time. So if one of you guys actually got the Park Service to do that, thank you very much. The plants are looking very poorly. It's probably going to take a lot more to bring them back. But at least something is being done. Thank you very much. You know, I've dealt with a lot of plants in the past. I have my degree in forestry and nursing. I actually worked for nurseries and things like that. And when I see something sickly like that, it kind of, Okay, so the other thing I want to talk about, I have a number of subjects to talk about. The other thing I want to talk about is the coal house. Thanks to those people of Keepa, Rallet Beautiful actually went out there and did a cleanup on that, the grounds. Fantastic. That looks so nice. But we still have a cancer that's in between or in the middle of that, those grounds, and that is the rotting of the coal house. I know there's money allocated to that, so hopefully someday we can see the cool house come back. I can't keep from thinking about the houses that I've seen in my alma mater, Nacogdoches. Sam Houston actually grew up in a house in Nacogdoches. They keep that immaculate. There's other antique homes in Nacogdoches that are just, I don't know where they get the funding, but if anybody can call Nacogdoches and say, how do you maintain all these old houses, please do that. I've only got 37 seconds. I was just going to say that as far as the tattoo parlors, we don't need another tattoo parlor. Thank you for your vote last time. I don't think we need to do a recount on that. I think that rescinding the votes is like the wrong thing to do. We need to send a message that we don't need tattoo parlors. We need other businesses that really can draw people from other cities come in and have a beautiful street to go down and not like We don't need to look like some slum street. So thank you very much.

Thank you, sir. Our next speaker is Denise Aljuhi, followed by Hassan Aljuhi.

Good evening. Denise Roulette, Texas. I'm asking the city to explain the purpose and findings of the inspection reportedly performed by Noel Huddleston on October 11th, 2023 at approximately 10 a.m. The history of the structure is well documented. The city issued a compliance notice in December 2021 and another notice in July 2022. The Board of Adjustments subsequently denied the request setback variance despite those enforcement actions and the denial of the structure remained. The structure reportedly increased from approximately 120 square feet to 226 square feet and increased about 88%. It was substantially enlarged and reconstructed without first obtaining a required permit. Council later adopted Ordinance 01025, which created a limit exception for qualifying ACCESSORY STRUCTURES. THAT EXCEPTION CONTAINS SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPROVAL WAS SUPPOSED TO DEPEND UPON EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT THE STRUCTURE MET THESE REQUIREMENTS IN COMPLYING WITH OTHER APPABLE CODES. THE CITY HAS NOT PRODUCED A COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT OR WRITTEN FINDINGS SHOWING THAT THIS STRUCTURE MET THOSE CONDITIONS. AN OPEN EQUITS REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED AND THE MATTER WAS PURSUED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S PROCESS. THE CITY CERTIFIED THAT IT HAD RELEASED ALL EXISTING RESPONSE RECORDS. THOSE RECORDS DID NOT CONTAIN AN INSPECTION REPORT SUPPORTING THE CITY STATEMENT THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS INSPECTED. WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF NOEL HUTTISON'S OCTOBER 11, 2023 VISIT AND WHAT FINDINGS RESULTED FROM IT? WHAT DOCUMENTATION DID THE CITY RELY UPON WHEN IT ISSUED PERMIT 2501060 AND Determine that the structure qualified under Ordinance 01025. The appropriate next step is a complete documented inspection. That inspection should address the structure size, construction history, wall materials, fire resistance, attachment to the house, drainage condition, and compliance with every requirement of Ordinance 01025. and other applicable codes. The affected property owners and the public deserve a written answer supported by the actual inspection report. Please order that inspection and explain the corrective action we'll be taking if the structure does not satisfy that ordinance. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Hassan Aljuhi, followed by Laura Khalil.

Hassan Roulette, Texas. I have a few questions. First of all, the first question is the building was constructed in 2016. And the zero setback is really strange, because I talked to some people that are in the construction company, and they built houses. Nobody had the zero setback between houses in 25 years. It never happened. But somehow, Chris Hoff and Mr. Jeff and Mike Britton, they allowed this to happen. And it doesn't seem right. We did not do anything wrong. If anything wrong happened, it's not from us. It's happening from the other side. Secondly, no permits in this building. We're getting flood, and if a fire happened, we'd be in a really bad situation. So for no sit back and all this plastic fencing with no firewalls, no permits for the concrete slab, no permits for the electric, no permit for the water inside. He has also, like, the carry for the gas, when the only bush for gas, like an 80-gallon, 60-gallon, I'm not sure, for his boat. It's stored inside. It's a disaster that's about to happen. And I know you guys are not going to answer my question, but all this question I'm going to ask you, we can go on Rolife Facebook and explain to the resident how this building is still standing. It looks like a white container ship. What I'm also going to say, there is no inspection in this building, in that building. And it's built in 2016. We need to understand how, why did you, Mr. Mayor, and term setting manager, and Mr. Britton, allow this to happen? Why would you fought for a zero setback? Even if being told, by the old mayor. This has never happened. He can't approve this. It's in tape. People can watch it. But he still decided to do it. And how much time did you spend to make this happen for three, four years from taxpayer money, which is my money, one of them. I pay a lot of taxes. You know, how much is it? Ten, 30, 40, $50,000 spent. and to get this happen, that shed to be built and allowed. Why did you push so hard to get it going? We're not getting justice. We followed the law. He did not. But what happened, we've been stepped on. We've been ignored until today. And I'm not expecting any answer. Just go on Facebook and tell these people, this resident, why this happened, who's behind it. And I need this to be in the agenda again.

Thank you, sir. Our next speaker is Laura Khalil, followed by Patrick Vandal.

Are you willing to mute my microphone today, again, because I am publicly raising concerns about favoritism and possible corruption and the handling of my case? Or will you allow the public to hear me this time? I live near two successful households. Next door a bank president and her husband both with a strong business background across the street PhD counselor and her husband also with a business background for educated successful adults with impressive neighbors What impressive neighbors to have then enter June 2nd?

Can I ask you to pause for just one second? We're gonna restart her time to be very clear and Victoria, I need to know whether or not it's appropriate to have a son.

I already asked her. I already asked them before I do that. I already did.

Understand that. I'm asking our city attorney who provides legal advice.

Yes, I actually asked her too. I did.

Okay, then I would love to hear from her the answer to that question.

She asked me if she could hold a picture, and I said yes, because we allow people to pass pictures around, so I didn't really know it was going to be like a large protest sign. It's not a protest, just a picture.

And to be clear, I don't have a problem with the sign. What I have a concern with is the fact that you're pointing out your neighbors and their profession.

There is no, yes, but there's no names for this, and nobody knows the names.

Right, and that's why I'm asking the question. I just would like some clarity.

Yes, she's allowed to.

Not an issue. Okay. Thank you. Debbie, if we could restart our time, give her the full three minutes. And Ms. Kalila, if you could just state your name and city of residence before you start.

Laura Rockwell.

Thank you.

Thank you. So anyway, I was unaware that $50,000 of my cash accidentally blew from my backyard through my wrought iron gate during a brief wind event. My evidence indicate only these two households collected my money. More than $33,000 was gone. With no evidence, the money that scattered beyond this immediate area or toward the lake. The PhD counselor said that they counted and divided my money ten thousand dollars for one and only seven thousand dollars for the bank president's household because she collected longer and found it first nobody knocked on my door and nobody called the police instead let's see who calls only after i received my camera I looked at my camera, identified them, confronted them, and called the police. It was a little over $18,000 was returned. I'm still $15,000 short. Officer Patterson warned that returning only part could result in a serious theft investigation because of the amount involved. Police wanted black and white video of a hand inside my gate while While ignoring circumstantial evidence, money found two to three feet inside my gate with an arm reach and camera showing them collecting my money and all over my unfenced private property. I was shocked when the elected DA wanted a video proving how much each person took and did not return. Apparently, the victim must solve the case first Now, listen to the bank president's husband, the only one of the four collectors interviewed before my case was closed the next morning. Beginning of quote, my wife is a president of the bank, home bank of Rockwall, president. She is on a half dozen different boards. She is on a board with the legal people. Let her handle that. End of quote. Why did he emphasize my wife position and legal connection during the theft and the investigation? I demand the city council directed the city manager to arrange truly independent investigation on how my case was handled. Thank you. And you can see it's right there. They are taking my money. It's right there, people. It's right there. See? and they went into my gate and reached underneath my gate and nobody wants to to to take care of that because the president of the bank and board okay and that's what it is and nobody investigated do not believe when they said investigated it's right there nobody investigated my case and i am 15 000. thank you ma'am all right our next speaker is patrick vandal followed by brooke allen

Patrick Bandel, Rowlett. I'm here to follow up on last month's meeting when you had to vote to reject the bids concerning the Lake Bend screening wall project. Prior to your vote, I spoke at length regarding the requirements to acquire the easement rights for the four corner entry lots. Kristof has stated in emails, quote, our efforts to acquire the necessary easements are progressing well and are not expected to impact the schedule or scope of the project, unquote. I wish this were true. However, as we've stated before, one of the owners is very difficult to communicate with and doesn't trust the city or its legal paperwork. Please press this issue to get it resolved as soon as possible. The city and Black Land Consulting have had plenty of time to coordinate and communicate with this resident. Not to mention they've been paid $14,000 to acquire the easements for only four properties. WE TOLD JEFF FROM THE BEGINNING THAT OBTAINING THIS WOULD BE A STRUGGLE AND FROM THE BEGINNING, I MEAN, YEARS AGO. SO AS I SAID, PLEASE ACQUIRE THE RIGHTS OR BEGIN THE NECESSARY STEPS TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION SO THIS DOESN'T DELAY THE PROJECT ONCE A BID IS FINALLY ACCEPTED. I'M SURE IT IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO CONDEMNATION. PLEASE BEGIN THE STEPS NEEDED. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THIS SHOULD HAVE BEGUN A LONG TIME AGO. because I know condemnation usually takes about two to four months, but can drag on for 18 months if the homeowner appeals. I have been speaking at these meetings regarding this wall for 18 months coincidentally, and prior to that have sent emails and made phone calls for a year with no attention given, which is the lack of the response or action led me to come to these meetings and complain for almost two years now. I think we would all prefer if I didn't have to continue wasting your three minutes for the next 18 months. Please find a solution to this easement problem so the construction can begin without wasted time and we can all have closure on this matter. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Our next speaker is Brooke Allen, followed by Dan Haupt.

Hi. Hello. Good to see you guys. My name is Brooke Allen. I live in Rowlett. As you know, I'm very excited about Hereforth Park. I was happy to see the community survey go out yesterday. I just wanted to reiterate what I sent in an email late last night. So, you know, you may not have seen it yet, but that I believe that Hereforth Park actually sits on land that originally was owned by the Coyle family, which I think gives us even more opportunities to use Hereforth Park to really honor the founding families. But the park is named in honor of J.W. Hurforth, who was the mayor of Rowlett at the time that the city acquired the land. And so that's why it's named Hurforth. But just wanted to make sure, I'm sure we share the common goal of spreading accurate information as we continue sharing the history with the city. So thank you for that. The other issue I would like to make you aware of as Hereford Park moves forward is the issues of safe drainage solutions in the park, especially retention ponds. So unfortunately, retention ponds actually pose a serious drowning risk. They're often very deep, they're slippery, they have low visibility. They're a particular risk to young children and children with disabilities like autism. So I provided you with some recent news articles about drownings. Those are just from the summer. In Texas, a 74-year-old took her two-year-old relative for a walk in their neighborhood park, and they shortly after both drowned in a pond. And in Florida, a child with autism left his home while his father slept and was later found drowned in a nearby pond. When I worked in a nonprofit in Dallas, there was a young boy with autism there who slipped away from his mother while I was speaking to her in the lobby. He went down an elevator and onto Lemon Avenue. We quickly realized he was missing and tried to look for him. By then, he was in the middle of the road. Thank God he was OK. But as you can imagine, we were all shaken. Young children and children with disabilities like autism, they don't register and avoid danger like typical people might. And so that's the same thing with retention ponds. My concern about this stems from the fact that Herberth Park is between an elementary school and a middle school. And despite a school's best efforts, sometimes kids elope from school and are found in surrounding neighborhoods. And so if a child was drawn to the park, and then wanders close to that retention pond, I'm just concerned that situation could end in tragedy. So I'm just asking you to consider this as the design for Hereford Park goes forward, looking at how to manage drainage safely, whether it's attractive fencing, creative draining methods, underground detention. I just ask that you make those decisions with the safety of the vulnerable children in mind. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Our next speaker is Dan Haupt, followed by Tracy Haupt.

Good evening council. I am here tonight to speak against the ordinance 5B that was put on the agenda for basically a do-over vote. The vote that caused this action was on August 18 two weeks ago. There were six council members present so there was a quorum. The vote in question was a 3-3 tie so the motion on the proposed tattoo parlor failed. I was shocked when I saw this coming back on the agenda as a change to the ordinance. This is no more than a do-over vote for someone who wants a tattoo parlor on Highway 66. Those of us who do not want one were represented by the current City Council and the motion failed under Robert's Rules of Order that the City of Rowlett has used for decades. By the way, this is the same kind of nonsense that the previous council created with a special exemption variance for a shed on Warwick Drive. In case anyone in attendance does not know this shed on Warwick Drive, it's built on the property line. The rest of Rowlett's citizens cannot build a shed on the property line. It's against Texas state law for your water to run from your roof or shed roof to drain on your neighbor's property, not to mention a fire that would be so close to your neighbor's home. The city is still dealing with their error this problem now. This is the same issue you are considering tonight. A rule for one person. Back to the issue 5B on tonight's agenda. You cannot approve the ordinance on 5B or you'll be disenfranchising many Rowlett voters. If you change Roberts rules of order that Rowlett been adhering to for decades, you'll be adopting the old slogan we all know, rules for thee, not for me. I've been so excited by the movement that this council was taking. Starting work on Hereford Park like the voters approved three years ago. Deciding to move on the animal shelter project independently of the fire department and the police administration building. All of these were approved three years ago. No, the municipal building was not approved even though it still talked about like it was. You are better than this do-over ordinance. Stick to the rules. Otherwise, why do we even have a city council? Stay out of these traps you're making for yourself. Keep moving forward, and for God's sakes, get someone or some company to fix the downtown lights before the Live on Main series happens downtown. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr. Hap. Next is Tracy Hap, followed by Allison Hap Felderhoff.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm concerned by the decision to revisit the vote on the tattoo shop. This matter was already settled with a clear no. Now it's back on the agenda, not because anything has changed, but because someone didn't like losing. As a rule follower, I must ask, are you a rule follower? Robert's rules of order exist to stop exactly this. If a no only holds until the right person complains, then every vote this council takes are provisional. Nothing is settled. Nothing is final. That's not governance. That's whoever pushes hardest wins. I'm asking you to do what you already did, uphold the vote, and stop treating settled as a suggestion. Zoning works the same way. This property is zoned for a reason. The moment you grant a variance because it's inconvenient for someone, you've told this entire community the zoning code is optional. Why would any residents respect the rules if this council won't. If an area is zoned for specific uses, we must adhere to those regulations. Frequent variances disrupt the clarity and stability that zoning is meant to provide. Let's respect the decisions already made and the zoning regulations that guide our community. Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you, ma'am. Our next speaker is Allison Habt Felderhoff, followed by Kathy Kirk.

Good evening, Council Mayor Allison Felderhoff, Rowlett, Texas. So I'm here tonight to speak against item 5B on Lakeview Parkway. So I want to be very clear. This is not whether I personally support or oppose a tattoo parlor. My husband actually has tattoos. This is about the integrity of our process and whether the decisions that are made by this council actually mean something. special use permits exist for a reason they allow this council to consider a specific use at a specific location and determine whether that use is appropriate for that location on august 18th you did exactly that you considered the request you voted and the vote ended in a tie under parliamentary rules governing this council a motion requires a majority 51 to pass a tie does not constitute a majority or a revote therefore the motion failed this is not a mistake that needs to be corrected That is the result of the vote. There are many nights when I leave these council chambers disappointed by the outcome of a vote. There have been many issues in our city where I strongly disagree with that decision, but I respect the position that each of you has and has been elected to serve in, and I respect your process. I don't campaign afterwards asking you to change the rules, undo the vote, or give me another opportunity simply because I didn't get the outcome that I wanted. Because if we start doing that, what does a vote actually mean? And the absence of one member of this council doesn't make the votes of the other members who were present any less legitimate. We are a democratically governed city. Rowlett is not a monarchy where one person's absence means the rest of the governing body's duly cast votes somehow don't count. The council members who were present showed up, participated, heard the matter and cast their votes. Those votes should be respected. Robert's rules are intended to create consistency and fairness in our decision making. They are not to be manipulated or reinterpreted simply because someone doesn't like the result. Tonight, you have an opportunity to set a very important precedent. You can say that when this council votes, the vote matters, or you can say that if someone doesn't like the outcome of a vote, we can simply find a way to bring the exact same matter back in front of you and try again until we get our desired results. I sincerely hope you choose the first. If this applicant wants to operate a tattoo parlor in Rowlett, she can find another appropriate location and apply for a special use permit there. That is what this process is for. What should not happen is changing the outcome of the location because the first vote didn't produce a desired result. This isn't about winning or losing a zoning case. It is about whether the Rowlett residents can trust that when their elected officials take a vote, that that vote actually means something. We cannot have a government where the rules are respected only when the outcome is convenient. Please respect the vote that took place August 18th. Please respect Robert's rules and please respect the democratic process that this council was elected to uphold. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Our next speaker and last speaker I have a card for is Kathy Kirk. Again, if there's anyone else who wishes to speak this evening, you can grab a speaker card off the back left corner of the room. Miss Kirk.

Kathy Rowlett, Texas. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I believe Rowlett has the right people in place to begin getting our city back on track. Council and staff have an opportunity to resolve outstanding problems correct errors, and improve the processes that allow them to occur. I spend considerable time reviewing municipal reports, permits, budgets, public notices, and meeting records. I look for errors, inconsistencies, missing information, and red flags because they affect public decisions, tax dollars, and residents. Identifying an error is not an attack. An error found early can be corrected. A red flag examined carefully can prevent a larger problem. Several outstanding issues require action. The Warwick accessory structure remains unfinished business. This cannot be dismissed as merely a civil dispute. Municipal officials made the permitting, inspection, and enforcement decisions. The city secretary certified during the attorney general records process that all existing responsive records have been provided, yet no inspection report was produced. If development services cannot produce a documented inspection supporting the permit, the structure should be fully inspected and the results documented. Now, let's get it done. The Springfield Estates, no, the screening wall project should appear on every appropriate council agenda until the construction begins. The city manager should provide regular updates on the contract, schedule, funding, and progress to residents and the council. Residents should not have to keep asking what happened. The coil house should be professionally assessed now Staff can identify the drainage problems, the water intrusion, things like that, while the work proceeds on the chamber building. Council needs that information before further deterioration increases the bill. The scenic point park is another public property sitting and deteriorating. Staff should at least go determine if the 50th anniversary park benches and other historical features are salvageable before the thing falls into the lake. My purpose is accountability and improvement. And when I identify a discrepancy, I want the responsible department to determine what happened, correct it and improve the process. Getting Rowlett back on track. Y'all got it.

Thank you, Ms. Kirk. Was there anyone else from the public who wishes? We have one more speaker. All right, if you'll just step up and state your name and city of residence. You all have three minutes.

Hello? Hi, I am Pamela Spector. I am the owner of Crown and Curio, the one that everyone is here to argue against, and that is completely fine. That is everyone's right. I just wanted to explain to the people who don't know me and had the opportunity to be for or against this building before the special use permit was heard. There was a time, there was a notice in the newspaper, there was an opportunity for that, and I understand they're against it and what they're More talking about, and I don't have this written down obviously, I didn't plan this speech, is they do not want the decision to be rescinded or reheared. I understand that. I understand that Robert's Rules exist. I believe they're antiquated. I believe they need to change. They need to be updated. And I do believe that it's fair to have a full quorum when you are making a decision concerning somebody's livelihood, as well as many people's livelihoods that just want to make Rowlett better. I know tattoos are frowned upon by many people and that is completely understandable. I have been in this business for 30 years. My clients are doctors, they're lawyers, they're nurses, they're city council members, perhaps not from this city council, but We have a large variety of people that come and see us. We're highly respectable. I do work in a studio on Farmer's Branch right now. We constantly spend time raising money for our library. We spend time for suicide prevention, raising money for that, for many things. So this is something that I do plan to bring to Rowlett. to provide fundraisers for many of our relatives, citizens, for our library here as well, for Toys for Tots, for everything. We're not your regular tattoo shop. There's not going to be a bunch of bikers rolling up. There's not going to be a bunch of loud noise. It's going to be mostly appointment only. The jewelry I carry there is 14 18-karat gold solid diamonds. I'm sorry, solid gold, real diamonds, genuine stones. We are nothing like anything that y'all have visited or seen before. I understand Robert's Rules exist. I respect that. I do wish there was an opportunity to change that. But I was told after I believe the attorneys did check into the fact that if one person does rescind the denial that we can get a rehearing and that is fair and that is legal. So I really hope that's what happens tonight. I know it's not up to me and I appreciate y'all even bringing this to the floor. I appreciate everything that you've done. I do wish that if there was any problems or any questions that anyone would ask me, I'd be more than happy to answer anything and that's all. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, ma'am. All right. Do we have anyone else from the public who wish to speak? All right, seeing none, we'll move on with our agenda to item five, excuse me, item four, our consent agenda. The following items may be acted upon in one motion. A city council member or a citizen may request items be pulled from the consent agenda for individual consideration. We will be pulling four different items this evening. We'll be pulling item 4F. as well as 4H and 4I and 4J. So item 4F is the purchase of a 2025 camera van. 4I is the 2026 rider annual rate adjustment for, excuse me, 4H, let me do that one first, is the letter of credit agreement between the city of Rowlett and a business address on Singleton. And 4I is the 2026 rider annual rate adjustment with Atmos. And 4J is the establishment of the 75th Anniversary Task Force. So we'll be pulling all of those for individual consideration. Were there any requests from the council to pull any other items this evening or from the public? All right, seeing none. Debbie, if you can please read those items into the record.

For A, consider action approved in the minutes. For B, consider action to approve a task authorization for the State Highway 66 West Force Main. 4C, consider action to approve a task authorization for the wastewater master plan. 4D, consider action to approve a funding agreement with Friends of the Rescue Animals. 4E, consider action to authorize the acceptance of a justice assistant grant. And 4G, consider action to support the Rowlett Housing Finance Corporation's application for a reservation with the Texas Bond Review Board.

All right. Thank you, Debbie. Council, I will entertain a motion on those items. Mr. Britton.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. I move that these be approved as read.

And I see a second by Mr. Bowers.

I second.

We have a motion and a second to approve the items as read. Any discussion? All right. Let's go ahead and call that vote, please. And those items carry unanimously. All right, next we'll move on to item 4F. Consider action to adopt a resolution authorizing the purchase of one 2025 Ford E450 camera van from Industrial Disposal Supply Company, LLC, an authorized Texas dealer for Rapid View, LLC, through a Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for a total price not to exceed $306,953, authorizing the interim city manager or his designee to execute all necessary documents to effectuate said purchase and providing an effective date. And we have Mike Lasby, our fleet and asset manager here.

I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER AN ACTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF ONE 2025 FORD E50 CAMERA VAN FROM INDUSTRIAL DISPOSAL SUPPLY AND AUTHORIZED TEXAS COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ACCOUNT. THE CITY CONTINUES TO PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY SUSTAINABLE UTILITY SYSTEMS. MAINTAINING A RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM IS A KEY COMPONENT OF SUPPORTING THAT PRIORITY. Staff is requesting authorization to purchase one 2025 E50 camera van for the utility division of public works department. This vehicle will support utility staff in keeping sewer lines clear of obstructions and in identifying blockages or breaks within the system. Approval of this item will authorize the purchase from industrial supply in the amount of $306,953 through a cooperative purchasing agreement source well. The Utility Division of the Public Works Department operates several programs designed to keep the city's wastewater system functional, reliable, and efficient. Each program depends on specialized equipment, including a camera van, which allows staff to visually inspect sewer lines for blockages, obstructions, and breaks, and to ensure lines remain clear for proper flow. The current camera van is a 2016 Ford T350 and is up for replacement this year. The vehicle is currently on a 10 year replacement cycle. The current camera van has been down for maintenance frequently and a more reliable vehicle is needed. Oops. The proposed Ford E50 camera van is a demo model with full warranties and will save the city approximately $22,000 from a new model. You can see the van right there. The demo model has been thoroughly tested and the bugs typically found in new models have been worked out. Currently, the utility team is focused on addressing inflow and infiltration, INI, in the wastewater system. The addition of a 2025 4050 camera van will significantly enhance the team's ability to identify and correct sources of I&I. This vehicle will allow staff to keep sewer lines clear, identify breaks and intrusion points, and perform thorough internal inspections of the wastewater collection systems. These capabilities are critical to mitigating I&I and maintaining system integrity. Once breaks are identified using the camera van, staff will have the option to repair some breaks and issues using a proprietary trenchless wastewater point repair system. The trenchless point repair system allows crews to repair isolated sections of damaged sewer main without excavation. A resin-saturated fiberglass liner is positioned at the damaged area through an existing manhole and cured in place, creating a new structural pipe repair inside the existing pipe. This doesn't eliminate the need for excavation. Some repairs will still require excavation. This method can be used to address cracks, separated joints, root intrusion, and other localized defects identified through CCTV inspections. Performing these repairs in-house allows the city to address defects before they become larger issues or failures, reduce inflow and infiltration, and extend the life of existing sewer infrastructure. Because the repair is completed through existing manholes, it also reduces the time, cost, pavement damage, traffic impacts, and restoration associated with traditional excavation. the financial side the available budget exceeds the cost of the vehicle as i said this vehicle is up for replacement this year on a 10-year cycle we'll be using the waste wastewater vehicle replacement fund for that and oops MOVED TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF ONE 2025 4050 CAMERA VAN FROM INDUSTRIAL DISPOSAL SUPPLY AND AUTHORIZED TEXAS DEALER FOR RAPID VIEW LLC THANK YOU MIKE ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL QUESTIONS I CAN'T I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO ASKED TO PULL THIS ITEM

Yeah, I asked to pull it. And first of all, outstanding presentation. I always enjoy listening to your presentations. I asked to pull this. Mayor, you said the other day, and I find myself thinking about all the time, I know more about wastewater than I ever thought I would know since I came on council and there's more to learn. The reason I wanted it pulled is I really wanted the citizens to really hear what I call the behind the curtain work that goes on. The amount of infrastructure work that goes on, I did not understand it, and I'm still amazed by the work that you do. And items like this, which I find to be extremely proactive, and I don't think anybody knows about it. And we spend a tremendous amount of time pushing, pushing, pushing. FOR BETTER, BETTER, BETTER. BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO STOP AND SAY THANK YOU. AND UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND I THINK THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A GOOD USE OF MONEY, PROACTIVE WORK THAT NOBODY IS GOING TO REALLY SEE. BUT NOW, GUESS WHAT, WHEN THEY DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE THE TRUCK, THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? Mike, what are we doing with the old van? Are we going to retain that, maintain it, and have a second vehicle, or are we going to dispose?

It will be disposed of.

Got it. Any other questions? All right, I'll entertain a motion on this item.

I'll attempt it.

Just hit the make motion button.

Make the motion button.

There you go. I see a motion by Mr. Fassett.

Let's see what happens here.

You're already on mic, so.

I will go ahead and make a motion to approve this as written and as stated.

I have a motion by Mr. Fassett to approve as presented and a second by Mr. Holston. Second, Mayor. I would expect a second from no one else. All right, we motion to approve along with a second. Any discussion on this item? All right, let's call the vote, please. And that passes unanimously. Mike, thanks again. We appreciate the presentation. Appreciate you being here. Next item on our agenda this evening is item 4H. This item was requested to be pulled by the applicant and not considered this evening. So, Council, unless there's any objection, we will not be considering this item tonight. Any objection to that? All right, seeing none, we'll move to item 4I. Likewise, this item was requested to be pulled by the city manager and not considered tonight. Were there any questions or any disagreement with not considering this item? All right, in that case, we will move on to item 4J. 4J is to consider action to adopt a resolution to appoint members to the 75th Anniversary Task Force. And before I do that, I want to show you guys something really cool I found. So anybody that's been up here and done public comment has probably already seen my cool flag. But if you haven't, I found this in the annals of City Hall. And I don't know when it's from exactly, but I think it's awesome because it's Rowlett history and it's a fringed flag. It unfortunately does not have like a slot to put a pole in. I assume it was pinned up or something somewhere.

But yeah, just a really cool kind of piece of history.

Also located, and Mr. Bowers knows this because I already shared it with him, a key to the city, which I never imagined us having, but we do. Incidentally, it's also a bottle cap. So I don't know what that says about Rowlett, but it, excuse me, a bottle opener. It's not a bottle cap, sorry. And so it's a key to the city, says the city of Rowlett on it. It's made of brass. It's probably 30, 40 years old, I would guess.

Yeah, it's probably very old. I'm not sure what year it was made.

Pretty cool little eye.

Definitely older than me, for sure.

Yeah. That doesn't take much. And then I also found a flag, an American flag that's folded into a triangle. It was flown over City Hall at one point. Former Councilmember Bruce Mankin, I believe it was his father's or grandfather's. And so it has a note in it that talks about his time in the military and his service. So we have those items. Again, this is kind of part of forming up this task force is to find some folks who are really passionate about bringing this stuff to life and telling the story of Rowlett over the past 75 years. You know, Ms. Kirk's recommendation earlier about the benches and everything, I think that's extremely timely. Incidentally, I was out there when Scenic Point Park was ribbon cut and opened and I took a picture of a trash can of all things, but it had a plaque on it that said, you know, the Rowlett 50th anniversary plaque. And it was a really cool, really cool little thing. So I'm hoping we can pull as much of that together as possible, find things that are buried here in City Hall and buried throughout many of our facilities and put them to work for us for this event. So just wanted to share that with you guys before we kind of get to this next item. I did not. I probably should have. All right, so with that council, the consideration here is to appoint members to the task force. There is a resolution included with our agenda. I went ahead and pulled this item because the resolution doesn't list the individuals to appoint. So we do need to list those individuals. I have a list of all the names that we considered, even those that were not here yesterday to be interviewed. And so I'm gonna list those names off. And that's Daniel Kabuya, Shelby Coleman, Michelle Watson, Michael Gallups, Steven Pruitt Jr., Larry Glick, Becky Sebastian, Betsy Chapman White, Zoya Tanvir, Lonnie Blades, Andrea Tagliaferro, I'm certain I'm butchering her name, and Chance Jobe. So those are the 12. There should be 13. Did I miss one? I did get Glick, yes. Yes, Alyssa DeQuant was the last name. Thank you, Christoph. All right, so those are the proposed names to appoint to the 75th Anniversary Task Force. Happy to have discussion on that or happy to also entertain a motion. Did I say everybody's name? Lonnie Blades? Betsy Chapman-White? You want me to read it again? I'll read it again. In fact, whoever does this should probably read the list of names. Probably wouldn't hurt. So I got a motion from Mr. Britton. So Mr. Britton.

You're going to make me pronounce it.

I just want somebody else to pronounce it wrong, so I'm not going to.

All right. Thank you, Mayor. I move that we appoint the following individuals to the 75th Anniversary Task Force. Daniel Cabrera, Shelby Coleman, Michelle Watson, Michael Gallops, Stephen Pruitt Jr., Larry Glick, Becky Sebastian, Betsy Chapman-White, Zoya Tanvir, Lonnie Blades, Andrea Tagliaferro.

Tagliaferro okay chance job and Alyssa Duquan So we have a motion to appoint those members to the task force do we have a second see second by mr. Gibbs I Happily second that I have a motion and a second to approve those items any discussion Do you have one thing that I want to point out really quickly that came up last night so I We do have one employee serving on the task force here, and I want to ensure that we're really clear about this employee's role in this, because anytime you get into having someone who is an employee of an organization and also volunteering for an organization, it can be somewhat challenging. We did confirm with our city attorney that there is no conflict there. However, we would ask that use the task force and specifically our council liaisons be somewhat specific about what her role is in what she's working on so that you know she's working if her day job is to work in parks and do event planning maybe don't have her volunteer and also do event planning because there could certainly be some overlap there so as the task force carries out its work maybe try to avoid where there might be overlap with with our one city employee who's who's giving of her time even more to the city and to the public so we thank her for that Um, any other discussion or questions?

All right, let's go ahead and call the vote please. Mr. Fasten.

That's all right. And that item carries unanimously. So thank you all. I know there's a few members in the crowd here who are on our 75th anniversary task force. So thank you again. I said it last night, but thank you again for stepping up and being a part of that effort. All right. With that, we will move on to our item five. Consider action to adopt a resolution accepting a voluntary annexation petition submitted by Trail Creek Partners LTD for an approximately 14.87 acres located at 3805 Troy Road and being more specifically described in the annexation petition and setting the date, time, and place for a public hearing on the contemplated annexation. Manal Maladad.

Good evening, counsel. Council, the property that was just mentioned in the title that was just read out, this property is approximately 14.87 acres. It is currently located within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, which is the ETJ. It is also contiguous to existing city limit lines, and I'll show this on a map momentarily. The applicant is requesting a voluntary annexation into the city of Rowlett, and future development is proposed to be single-family residential development. The image in front of you, the drawing in front of you reflects the subject property, which is this one in the yellow box. It is contained within the ETJ. As you can see on the legend, the ETJ boundary is what you see in green along here. And then this red boundary area is the city limit lines. And the purpose of this map is to give some perspective of the location of the property in relationship to the city of Rowlett city limit. So the purpose of tonight's action is to accept the voluntary annexation petition that has been submitted by the applicant, which is Trail Creek Partners Limited. This would establish the date, time and place for the required public hearing. Acceptance of the petition does not annex the property. Final consideration of the annexation will occur at a subsequent city council meeting following required notification requirements and public hearing procedures. To talk a little bit about the property and the services associated with the subject site, utility service with the water service would be through a special district, which is the East Fork Special Utility District. Waste water services would be provided by the city. And upon annexation, police, fire protection, code enforcement, of course, those natural municipal services would be provided by the city itself. As you can see on the map that I showed earlier, the property has adjacency of frontage to Troy Road, and so that's approximately 685 feet of frontage along Troy Road. Troy Road is currently in Rockwall County, and through any annexation procedure, should this annexation occur, then that limit of Troy Road from the boundary to the whole extent or the whole width of Troy Road would then be annexed into the city as well as part of this annexation. Troy Road would be owned at that point of that function of Troy Road and that frontage of Troy Road would be the responsibility of the city of Rowlett and the master thoroughfare plan would have to be amended accordingly. All internal infrastructure applications and responsibilities remain that of the developer and the site would be designed to prevent adverse drainage impacts to Troy Road as discussed prior to when we, and would be codified in development agreement conditions or has been. Applicable requirements, again, following this annexation will also bleed into the development agreement. The yellow box that I showed you on the screen looked very small, but as in relationship to the adjacent adjacencies. However, this is the component that would be annexed into the city that you see in green. This is Troy Road along here, and then that is the remaining parcel. There's connectivity to adjacent development here. This is a different pictorial or image showing relationship of the proposed annexation area that is potentially being earmarked for residential, single family residential development and its adjacency to the trails at Cottonwood Creek, specifically phase five or phase E. Just by way of background council, just to a friendly reminder, City Council approved a development agreement on this property early July, July 21st of 2026. The agreement established the framework for future development that I've touched upon, the development standards, infrastructure obligations, utility service points, and other development criteria. The property is proposed for single family residential development, as I've mentioned. and should the annexation be successful, would be a zoning change to PD. Based on the information provided to you and Council, the applicant is also present here tonight. Should you have any questions of him, staff does recommend approval of the resolution to accept the voluntary annexation petition for 14.87 acre located at 3805 Troy Road and also set the date, time and place for the required public hearing on contemplated annexation. With that, Council, I'll try and answer any questions that you have. And as I've mentioned, the applicant is also present.

Council, what questions do you have for either Ms. Malladad or Mr. Walhood? Thank you. I guess your presentation was very thorough. With that, I'll entertain a motion. A motion by Mr. Holston.

Mayor, I'll make a motion that we consider to adopt this resolution accepting voluntary annexation petition as written.

We have a motion to approve and a second by Mr. Gibbs.

I second that.

I have a motion to approve with a second. Any discussion? Just as a reminder, this is part of a much longer process. Manal kind of laid out a few components of it, which is the development agreement that was already approved along with, do we need to pause before we call the vote?

Apologies council. I just have a quick question Victoria. Do we have to name the time and date of the? meeting in this Action, it's in the resolution. Okay, beautiful.

Thank you Okay, so this is part of a larger as I mentioned kind of a larger process that we're going through with the annexation of this property It will involve the development agreement, which was already approved The annexation but also then zoning of that property so there will be all the requisite public hearings and everything else that's associated with that. So I Those are my comments, let's call the vote. I see some people have already voted. All right, and that item carries unanimously. All right, our next item is item 5B. Consider an ordinance rescinding the City Council action denying item 5D from the August 18th, 2026 meeting agenda regarding a proposed ordinance granting a change in zoning for a property located at 5321 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 104, and being more particularly described as being out of the Thomas Lumley Survey, abstract number 789, Rowlett, Dallas County, Texas, from the General Commercial Retail C2, to general commercial retail with a special use permit to allow tattoo parlor use C-2-SUP and providing an effective date. Before we do any discussion or presentation or anything else on this item, we did have a request to go into executive session to seek legal advice and get some questions answered by our city attorney. With that, we will move to the work session room and do a brief executive session. Let me go ahead and read that executive session language into the record as well. As authorized by Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code, this meeting will be convened into closed executive session for the purpose of seeking confidential legal advice from the City Attorney on Agenda Item 5B. It is 8.17 p.m. Following our executive session, we will return here to the Council Chambers to conclude our meeting and wrap everything up. Thank you very much. All right, ladies and gentlemen, we are back into our open session. We concluded our executive session at 8.58 p.m., and we are going to move on with item 5B. I did already read this item into the record, and I'm going to go to the podium and just make a brief presentation. I don't have anything for the screen, but it just gives me an easier opportunity to talk to you guys face-to-face. All right, so thank you, everybody. Thanks for engaging in this dialogue. Thanks for the conversation, the public comments that we had tonight. That certainly helps with the process of good governance. So a few prologues before I kind of get into my comments that I've shared with you all via paper, to be clear, not in the executive session, but on paper. NUMBER ONE, I DON'T BELIEVE STAFF MADE A MISTAKE IN THE PROCESSING OF THIS ITEM. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S AN ERROR THERE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE PRESIDING CHAIR OF THE MEETING MADE A MISTAKE. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUR PROCESSES WERE IN ERROR. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING WE DID AND I ACTUALLY SHARED THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY DID WAS ABOVE BOARD, APPROPRIATE, ACCURATE AND CORRECT. Mayor Pro Tem, I think you did a fine job running the meeting last week, two weeks ago, and I appreciate that. I appreciate you not only being willing to serve when I'm not here, but being willing to serve our community. We had some really good questions that came up in our discussion just now, and I think they're very poignant, and I would encourage that if you guys want to share those or ask those, you're more than welcome to. But I do want to read the comments that I shared with you all on paper. because I think what they do present is just a question for all of us to kind of consider. Okay, so there's really three main points. The first is the date of the meeting specifically. So following this item that was heard on July 14th by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the city issued a public notice to hear the item before the city council on August 4th. That notice was issued erroneously. It stated that the location of the meeting in the second paragraph It listed the location of the, quote, planning and zoning commission rather than the city council. The first paragraph stated that the city of Rowlatt City Council will conduct a public hearing, et cetera, et cetera. The second paragraph stated the planning and zoning commission meeting will be held in the city hall chambers located at 4000 Main Street. SIMPLE MISTAKE COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY, COPY-PASTE, TYPO. I WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO DISCOVERED THAT. I READ THE PUBLIC NOTICES AND I OBSERVED THAT AND IMMEDIATELY SHARED IT WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY AS SOON AS I SAW IT AND HER RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE RENOTICED BECAUSE THERE WAS A MATERIAL ERROR WITHIN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE. THAT MEETING WAS THEN SUBSEQUENTLY RESCHEDULED AND RENOTICED FOR AUGUST 18th. MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOTICING THAT ITEM, THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ITEM EARLIER IN THE MONTH ON AUGUST 4th AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY NOTICED. SECOND POINT IS WITH THE FLOW OF THE MEETING. SO I'VE TRIED TO CONDUCT THE ZONING CASES WITH A PARTICULAR CADENCE. THAT DEVELOPS KIND OF A RHYTHM WITH YOU ALL, DEVELOPS A RHYTHM WITH THE APPLICANT, WITH STAFF WHO ARE PRESENTING THE ITEM, AND IT JUST HELPS US KIND OF ALL ADOPT THE SAME PROCESS. most disheartened by were some of the comments that were shared earlier with respect to the motivation behind why this is being considered. In particular, the comments that this is somehow circumventing Robert's rules. And I totally think Robert's Rules are awesome. Most of the time, sometimes they're a pain, but most of the time they're pretty awesome. And they give us a good structure and a good form through which we deliberate and debate and make decisions. Generally, our zoning requests consist of a series of items. And they allow for the public hearing to take place. They allow for the public to contribute to the discussion. They allow for discussion amongst council members and questions to staff and the applicant. Normally, when we have a meeting, the order of those items are that staff will stand up and make a presentation. They'll introduce the item in a very unbiased and simple manner. And that did take place in this case. Liliana Morihan got up here and made a presentation. Following that, there's typically council questions for staff if there are any, and there was an opportunity for council to ask questions of staff at that time. Usually following that, the applicant, if they're present and they're willing to present, and it was mentioned by Liliana in the meeting that the applicant was here and had a presentation if the council wished to hear it. She did not make a presentation at that moment outside of the public hearing. However, she did make a presentation within the public hearing. And she was afforded more than three minutes, which is what we would normally give a public hearing speaker. And I believe that's totally appropriate and totally fair. Usually after the applicant is presented, PRESENTS THEIR PRESENTATION, COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THEN ASK QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT. SO THERE'S KIND OF THAT ASK THE STAFF QUESTIONS, ASK THE APPLICANT QUESTIONS, AND THEN THAT PROVIDES THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION BOTH FROM THE STAFF PERSPECTIVE AND FROM THE APPLICANT'S PERSPECTIVE AND AT WHICH POINT THE PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE OPENED AND THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE. IN THAT PUBLIC HEARING THERE WERE EXACTLY TWO SPEAKERS. THE FIRST SPEAKER WAS THE APPLICANT AS I MENTIONED. THE SECOND SPEAKER WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR SOME SORT OF acquaintance of the applicant. I did watch the meeting again today, just because I kind of wanted to be sure I had the flow of things right in my mind before the dialogue this evening. And the applicant made their presentation. And then Mr. Britton, you asked them, you asked the council at that point, were there any questions for the applicant? And at that point there was some dialogue that happened again, Not being here, I don't know exactly what was said, but I believe Christoph had leaned over to you and mentioned something about the public hearing still being open or something like that. Couldn't pick it up clearly on the mic. At which point, the applicant took a seat and another speaker stepped up and delivered her remarks, and then the public hearing was closed after that. They were brief remarks. The public hearing was closed. After the public hearing was closed, the meeting moved straight into requesting a motion. So may I have a motion, right? Motion was made by Mr. Gibbs. There was a delay and then Mr. Kazar seconded the motion and then immediately a vote was taken. There was no discussion at that point, which is one, Typical process of Robert's Rules is that following a motion and a second, there would be discussion before the vote is called. Again, no disparagement against you, Mr. Britton, no disparagement against anybody. We, as I said, do have a parliamentarian who also serves as our city attorney or vice versa, perhaps. But all of us also, as council members, are accountable to keep the meeting flowing and on track and conducted properly. So again, once a decision is made, certainly The method that we take to get there may be less important, but I wanted to bring that up. And then lastly is one thing where the city attorney and I, I think somewhat disagree, and that's just around motion language. Victoria has advised each and every one of us, and I think she's also advised the Planning and Zoning Commission would likely also advise the Board of Adjustment, if given the opportunity, to always make motions in the affirmative. And so if we're going to make a motion, we say, I move that we do this thing rather than I move that we deny this thing. And certainly there's a purpose behind that. But the main purpose that Victoria has shared is if you have a motion that's made to deny and that motion fails, does that mean the item was approved? I guess that's the question to ask, and certainly you can avoid even having to ask that question if you always make the motion in the affirmative, and I think that is Victoria's methodology there. I have a slightly different interpretation of motions, and I could be totally off base, but to me a motion is more of a getting to a decision. The words, I move that we, et cetera, is like saying I put forth the following decision for consideration. And so if I put that in a different context, just to make it a little bit more lighthearted, I guess, if I were to ask my wife to go to dinner and she says no, does that mean that we don't have dinner? Or does that mean maybe we leave the kids at home and we go out on a date night or maybe we go to a different restaurant or maybe we're eating in tonight? Do you want to go to dinner doesn't necessarily mean that we just don't have dinner. And so to me, that's what a motion is. A motion is a possible decision that we might make. And saying no to that question doesn't mean that another question then couldn't be asked. And in my opinion, the objective of a governing body should be to find a motion that's approved by a majority of the members present. We weren't able to accomplish that for that particular item that evening. However, the denial, as Victoria has stated, is effectuated and lifted up by the courts as being a denial. It is a true denial. The fact that a motion was denied means that the item was denied. As a result, the City Council could have been provided the option to consider a different motion perhaps. Certainly that could be the case for almost anything that we consider. You know, an SUP and a plan development are kind of interesting zoning cases where you can, you're afforded a little bit more wiggle room in terms of what you're approving, right? An SUP has certain conditions that are drawn along with it as does a plan development when those are considered. And typically the applicant will bring what they're expecting that SUP or that plan development, what those guidelines are gonna look like. In this case, there were only a handful of items on her list. One of them indicated what type of sign she would install. One of them indicated the operating hours. And then there were a few others that talked about some other things. However, when you're making a motion, you can always say, I move that we under the condition that, et cetera. Perhaps if there was a question about maybe operating hours or maybe the signage or parking or number of vehicles, artists that are going to be in the studio, certainly those could have been provided for in the SUP or could have been considered at least with a different motion. With that, I think that pretty much captures the three main points that I had and I am happy to answer any questions that you guys have. Again, I appreciate the questions that we had in executive session. I think they were very poignant. You know, Victoria, I appreciate the way that you answered the questions because I think it was a very fair and good discussion. Decisions like this are tough, and I feel like I've put you guys in a tough position, and I do apologize for that. I do feel like it's important that we're fair and just with all of our applicants, with all of our residents, and, again, just wanted to kind of ensure that we gave that due consideration here. As I said... These are the points, and there you go. So questions?

I don't know if it's not much a question, but some comments to it. I don't think it was unfair to put us in this position. I think this has been an amazing opportunity. I'm being serious. From day one of this council, thrown two lines then, and it has allowed us to have some very candid discussions, and I think we all have learned a lot from it. I don't know that it's a bad position. Good governance comes from having discussions like this. And frankly, good governance comes from disagreements. I've always said a 7-0 vote's not always a good thing. Disagreement is a good thing. That being said, I do want to comment on your points. And really, to me, this comes down to equity. This whole thing comes down to equity. And I think everything we do and we're governed by are we being equitable to everybody is does everybody get a equal opportunity um and i and i would argue our rules and our regulations our policy procedures the rule of law or the rule of process that we have provides that equity but what equity doesn't do is guarantee outcome you are provided the opportunity and i i think as we look through the whole process there was no error Everything was done correctly. Even though there were some dates and stuff, I think it's a fair statement. There was no error anywhere here. The applicant was afforded those opportunities. I just want to say to that point on the applicant, because I think we're at a different stage here. This is not at this point in my mind about a tattoo parlor. It is about protecting the integrity of the process and integrity of the system. 100%. And I think that is for everybody to understand, to gain their trust across the board. So I really do think it is about an equity on that. And I've got As you can probably count, I got a bunch of pages, but I think you've done a very, very good job. I want to commend our citizens. They did an amazing job of articulating. But there's a couple of points that I do want to make, because when we try to. I don't want I want you to push that when we try to make this go through. It implies that matter of fact, the ordinance says THAT IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THIS WILL BE EQUITABLE, IS THAT HOW IT SAYS IT FOR THE COMMUNITY?

IT IS ONE OF THE WHEREASES AT THE TOP OF PAGE 201 IN THE PACKET. IT SAYS WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL BELIEVES THAT IT'S EQUITABLE AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AN APPLICANT TO RESCIND THE PRIOR FORMAL ACTION OF DENIAL.

WHEN WE SAY THAT, IT IMPLIES IN MY MIND AS A READER that harm was done. The process was not equitable. But I don't think anywhere, I think we all can agree, there was no error. Equity was there. So I think that statement is not an accurate statement. It implies that, not only does it imply that error occurred, but I think it It takes away the vote by utilizing this from council members, and I think it disenfranchises the citizens. That's just my take and my opinion on it. So I do have a challenge in that. But I will keep it brief because, again, I think everybody's done, including yourself, Mayor, in really presenting really good positions on this. I will say in my position, all my 38 years of police office, I used to tell my people all the time, just because a rule or a law says you can do something, it's not always a good idea to do it. And we should always keep that full mark of mind. But I will say that... You know, we do have our process. They exist to ensure fairness, consistency, and trust in decision making. Upholding those principles protect both the council and the community. And, you know, for those reasons, that's why I have a hard time, you know, I believe it's important that we respect the process and the validity of the August 18th vote. Because again, that process I think proves that it was fair and impartial and provided equity. And so I'm just going to close on my part with, you know, good equitable governance is not just about the final vote, who won, who lost. It relies entirely on the integrity of the process and the steps that were taken to get there. So those are my comments on it.

Thank you, sir. And yes, I appreciate the fact that To me, this is not about a tattoo shop. It is definitely about the process. And I saw some quirks and some inconsistencies, and that's what just made me want to pause and just say, if nothing else, let's just look at that process and make sure that we're comfortable with how that was conducted so that we don't have questions in the future about whether we did the right thing, whether we did the wrong thing, or anywhere in between.

And I think your point is very well taken. I've heard some comments tonight on that. And I used to say at my job, then if we don't like the rules and the laws, we change the laws, but we can't change them in the moment. to because then it looks like because it's no longer equitable at that time. It does look like favoritism is being produced. But if we should look at if they are outdated, then we should have a look at it. And we had we actually have a charter thing coming up that where we can actually have that hard look. So I agree. We think we got agreement.

Thank you, sir.

MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, I RESPECT YOUR POSITION AND YOU BRINGING THIS TO US. I SAT BY YOU FOR A YEAR AND OVER A YEAR, MADE SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS. SO THIS IS ANOTHER TOUGH ONE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE AGENDA. BUT JUST SPEAKING ON, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED PROCESS, ROBERT'S RULES, SO THERE IS SOME COLOR I WANT TO ADD THERE TO THAT POINT. SO ON AUGUST 18TH, we could have, by reading Robert's rules, people of the prevailing side could have taken a position to reconsider this action. And that was not taken. So we conscientiously, as a group, made a decision to not move this forward. Two times, ultimately, having to vote, and nobody made a motion to reconsider this action because we saw it as being finalized. UM AND THEN ULTIMATELY SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESCIND RIGHT WHICH IS GIVEN TO ALL OF US WE CAN STILL DO THAT UM TO COUNCIL MEMBER FAST'S POINT QUESTIONS OVER THE WEEKEND RIGHT DOES DOES MY VOTE MATTER CAME UP RIGHT IS A QUORUM POWERFUL DOES FOUR PEOPLE ON THE DIES EVEN MAKE DOING WORK MATTER UM BECAUSE WE ULTIMATELY KNOW RIGHT MAYOR PROTECT BRITAIN YOU DID A GREAT JOB RUNNING THE MEETING BUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE RUN MEETINGS DIFFERENTLY. AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT YOUR CADENCE AND HOW YOU DO THINGS. BUT IN YOUR ABSENCE, THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE CHARTER, THAT IS WHY WE HAVE A DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM AND SO FORTH TO CONTINUE MEETINGS AND MOVING THEM FORWARD IN CASE SOMEBODY HAS SOMETHING WITH LIFE HAPPEN, RIGHT? And I think just on the matter, people come to us with their dreams all the time, like citizens of Rowlett that really care about everything. And I don't take that lightly because I understand the presentation. I also understand, right, not really about the tattoo parlor in my position, but why it's a tough decision to make and why you care about going through the process. THE ULTIMATE THING HERE IS I DO BELIEVE IT GOES INTO WHAT ARE WE SETTING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY AND WHAT ARE WE SETTING FOR THE FUTURE OF COUNCILS TO COME THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT HERE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WAS ABSENT, IF SOMEBODY ELSE WAS ABSENT, THEN IF I DIDN'T LIKE SOMETHING, COULD I MAKE A MOTION TO RESEND AND WOULD THAT HAVE TO GO FORTH AND FORTH AND THEN WE WOULDN'T GET ANY WORK DONE BECAUSE WE WOULD JUST BE REHEARING THINGS ALL THE TIME. um so that is where my point lies it's like i understand your point but um i have to agree to disagree with you on this one thank you for that feedback no other questions i don't know if we're doing questions or comments well either i suppose

Well, first and foremost, you know, I was on the side that did not prevail. And I was very disappointed because, you know, during my lifetime, I was against tattoos until I began to see the different side of how it is when, you know, we got over probably 80% of our police officers have tattoos. Probably about 80% of our firefighters have tattoos. You know, my son who survivor of cancer got a tattoo for that, you know, and many folks have children that have passed that they get tattoos and remembrance. I mean, tattoos go for many things and many reasons to memorialize, you name it. And I was okay with it, and I wanted it to prevail, but it didn't. And I am very cautious and rescinding, so I probably won't be able to support.

Anybody else?

Yeah, I'll weigh in. Yeah, you know, just like Marvin said, I was one of three that voted to affirm that. I thought it was the right thing to do. Not that I have a tattoo. In fact, I'm probably one of very few Marines who would go through 20 years and not come out without a tattoo, but that's just personal choice. But when I looked at it, I looked at where it was at. I looked at her presentation, and I thought, Yeah, I can support this. I'll probably never go in there and get a tattoo, but I didn't have a problem with it. But also, like Marvin, it's a tall order for me to come and approve rescinding this, not because it's a tattoo place, but because of the process. And I think we would probably be setting a pretty dangerous precedent if we did that. So that's where I stand.

Thank you, sir. It's okay if you don't have other comments. My legs are getting tired, but go ahead.

No, Mayor. Please make yourself comfortable. First of all, I can't thank this council enough for your integrity on this matter. I really think that we as a city always get ourselves in tremendous trouble when we don't follow a process. And I won't quote the times and the events that have recently been held where we didn't follow a process. And so I think good governance dictates that we always follow the process. And as Council Member Fassett pointed out, there was no errors made. There was nothing that would cause this action to occur in my opinion. And I think it's a slippery slope if we open this up. I just considered three votes on each side and what this measure would do tonight if we took another vote. I don't like that. I don't think that's good governments. I also think that this particular matter brings to the point of unequal treatment. We did something different this time. And I don't think there's any justification for that. And so I will strongly not support this matter, Mayor.

Thank you for that feedback. All right. Well, I'm going to come sit down because I don't see anybody else leaning forward yet. And with that, I think we are ready to entertain a motion if there is one to be made. And I'll be very clear that the mayor does have the ability to make a motion. However, I will not be making one on this item. I don't believe that's appropriate since I wasn't at the meeting. All right, seeing no motion, we will move on past item 5B. And with that, at this point, members of the City Council may request topics be placed on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. Any deliberation or decision shall be limited to a proposal to place a topic on the agenda for a subsequent meeting. Do we have any agenda item requests? All right, seeing none, we will adjourn at 9.26 p.m. Thanks, everybody. Have a great evening.