City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Thank you. do you

Thank you. Thank you. Zayna is going to lead us in the invocations.

Our Heavenly Father, we just thank you for this day that you've given us, Father. We just thank you for allowing us to be here today. Father, we just thank you for the staff and the council and the citizens that are here tonight, Father. We just ask that you would just give us your guidance and your blessing on the decisions that are made here tonight. Father, we just ask you to be with all of us, watch over us, lead us, guide us, and show us your way, Father. It's in your son's name I pray. Amen.

Amen. I'd like to establish that we have a quorum and we'll call our meeting to order. We're going to have our pledges. A pledge of 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. Now the Texas flag. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. Everybody can be seated. Gil, thanks for being here this evening. Appreciate you as always. Ramon, Tamara, Juan, Krista. Thank you all for being here as well. All right. We're going to start with receiving public comment. Do we have any this evening?

Yes.

I'm going to stand here.

Completely up to you.

My understanding is during public comment, comment can be made on any issues. or ten weeks ago with an issue that we had had with L&L ministry zine a 501c3 that I'm on the board for I am the former president kind of new current sitting president who will be here probably going forward as necessary but I'm still on the board so everybody knows the issue in the room but I came to just ask again what else to do I think we got one vote last time I'm gonna need a couple other votes to move forward here. And I'm gonna appeal to y'all, and I guess appeal to the citizens too. My understanding was the last video got over 1,300 views on YouTube. And I don't know about Mr. Lamb, if that's a record or something. But just briefly on the facts, I started communicating with the city back in November of 25 about possibly placing a container cabin in the city. That's documented, that happened November of 25. We just kept communicating, we being L&L Ministries through me and the city of Muleshoe through Mr. Sanchez. We kept communicating there for four or five months. There were several issues, rather potential issues brought up with the possibility of putting this cabin in Muleshoe. None of those were any substantive issues and they were addressed even to the effect of L&L Ministries spent additional funds on the cabin to put in a door. L&L Ministries purchased two lots in Milshoe on June 19th. The following Tuesday, I was made aware of a new city ordinance that was passed on May, it's either the 12th or the 16th, banning the particular cabin that we wanted to put in. So that is my issue. I came in August, requested an exemption. I'm requesting that again. I know we got one vote. Need two more votes. I heard a couple of things that piqued my interest. I want to shut this down really quick because you all have heard my case. You have the email. There's still an injustice out here. It's still lying there. What happened was not right. I don't think we could get an agreement that it was right. I'm really concerned if we have an agreement that, oh, that's okay what happened. It's not okay. I could have been emailed a copy of the new city ordinance or just communicated with pursuing You know, I just can't vote against an ordinance that I just passed. And it's sort of, and I don't want to put words in that council member's mouth for sure, but it's sort of the idea that exemptions are wrong per se. And, you know, they're not. You know, we all need exemptions at a time, and they're warranted. hours last month. But the idea that there's no need for an exemption or that's fundamentally wrong is just not true. I know what happened last time I was here in Muleshoe. I was at McDonald's and here comes a Bailey County pickup going at an unreasonably high rate of speed, very unsafe down American. However, there's an exemption for that. Not only law enforcement, but having ridden out with law enforcement, my understanding is there were shots fired outside of town. There's a gentleman coming from Clovis. We got shots fired. So why do we have a vehicle traveling at an unsafe speed down American? Because there's an exemption. There's an exception. Those safety issues are put aside for another higher reason. And so, council members, I'm just asking you to look at the facts. I bought the two lots, and I say, I didn't buy them personally. I bought them with donated funds to the ministry. So that's an issue. And then the issue that other, and I'll wrap it up, Mary, and thank you for your patience, or just allowing this a little awkward in the public comment forum here. The other issue that was concerning to me was, I heard this first from Mr. Sanchez, and then I heard it again in the meeting last month, is that you all would grant an exemption, but not on those lots. And I think that's a little concerning to me. And I'm not ignorant of socioeconomic strata in any, you know, I've been in other countries of the world. I've been in a white-collar profession for years. And, you know, there's always socioeconomic, there's the nice houses, and there's the middle houses, and there's nicer houses in any neighborhood. And I certainly, it wasn't my intent to come back to Milchew, where I'm from, put an eyesore in, or bother any of you, or bother any of the neighbors in that area. However, there's a barn, there's The idea that it's no for there, but it would be okay somewhere else was a little bit concerning because even back in the 90s, my first home after I got married was in Milshoe on East 4th, East 4th Street, right around the corner from the post office owned by a gentleman named Alex Aguirre. He's a good man, owned a tire shop here, dealt with my family, so I lived kind of in the poor neighborhood. So I'm confused on which other places an exemption might be granted beside that place. And again, I realize the socioeconomic thing. because of the length of the communication that I had. And I tried to do the right thing. And I did do the right thing. I communicated with the authority in place and didn't just try to swoop in and put something down and try to beat some deadline. I just was completely ignorant of it. So that's the issue. Council members, I'm respectfully asking you to reconsider again. This may or may not be the last time you hear from him. attorney under certain confidentiality rules. I haven't gotten in touch with him. I can't imagine a world where your attorney advised you to deny the exemption, but obviously those conversations are confidential between the city's attorney and you all. He could never reveal those to me, nor should he, but I've just come to plead my case again to ask the council members again to reconsider the specific circumstances and grant an exemption. And I really appreciate your time, especially in the public comment thing.

Thanks, Walter.

And I fully realize we can't have a discourse here because of the rules, but I appreciate y'all listening. And I can tell the council members are, again, listening to me, and I appreciate it.

Sure. Thanks. I would maybe encourage you to call the other council members and maybe try to have some conversation with them if you could. I still would stand behind my decision to... find a solution because I am typically solution-oriented. So I would prefer to find the solution for you. We just have to have the other four of them here or two more of them be on board with finding a solution instead of being resistant.

Thank you, Mayor. And I respect there's other opinions on that. Sure. But thank you.

I really appreciate that. My solution mind isn't because... I don't want to disagree with anybody. It's not because I want to disagree with the four of them here. It's not because I want to disagree with Ramon. But I do believe the good things that you're doing for our community. And even if you weren't a nonprofit doing charitable work in our community, I would still want to help find a solution. Through real estate and different things, I do a little bit of development and stuff in other states, and sometimes we run into some walls, and you've got to be able to have people work with you to find solutions.

And just briefly, I mean... And I'm not going to stop serving because you guys don't see it my way. We're coming back on Thursday, Lord willing. Why are we coming back on Thursday? Because I come every month. What are we doing on Friday? I'll be preaching at the nursing home. What are we doing Friday night? We're having a prayer meeting. That doesn't make me any better than any other pastor or minister in this town. I'm just called here to do some things. What are we doing on Monday? I'm preaching at the nursing home. Does that make me special or better? No, it doesn't. We've just been called here to do it purpose. Because I feel like I've been called here, and it's my passion. So thank you, Mayor. Thanks, Walter. Yeah, and we're going to excuse ourselves.

Absolutely. All right. Any other public comment? If none, we'll move into our agenda items. The first item on the agenda is approval of the minutes for the August the 10th, 2026 meeting. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Next item is the agenda from the August 24, 2026 public hearing, the 2027 tax rate for 2026-2027 budget public hearing. I'd like a motion to approve this bill. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries. The next item is to consider resolution R-830-0926, ratifying the increased property tax revenues. Ramon?

Mayor, this resolution is required by state law. It rectifies or it confirms the increase of property tax revenue. Total increase is... $56,104 for the 26-27 budget. What it does is it counts it's aware that there is an increase in revenue.

I'll make a motion that we approve that resolution.

I'll second.

I'm assuming that this is required by the state?

That it's required by state law, yes.

Because Governor Abbott doesn't think we can realize that we are going to increase our revenue when we increase our budget. I don't know if you've seen this commercial recently, blaming us for increasing taxes. But if you dig deeper into the issue, you'll realize the truth. All right, so we have a motion to second. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries. Our next item is consider Ordinance O-562-0926, Adopting the 26-27 Budget.

Mayor, this ordinance adopts the 26-27 budget. There is a copy of the proposed budget at each one of its places. It's provided to you in drop boxes as well. As I stated before, it is a lean budget. There are no major purchases in this budget as far as equipment, vehicles. So it's a real conservative budget.

I'll make a motion that we adopt the budget. I'll second. We have a motion to second. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries. The next item is to consider Ordinance O-563-0926, setting the 2027 tax rate.

Mayor, this ordinance sets the tax rate for 2027. It does for the maintenance and operation. That is 0.560123, and that is per $100,000 valuation. And then the interest and sinking That one is a 0.112970 for a total of 0.673093. That is the current rate we have right now. I do need a vote. I need a vote. We'll do the M&O first and then the INS.

So we're keeping the rate the exact same as it was last year?

Yes. So the increase of revenue is because values went up.

And you need to vote on both of them? Separately, yes.

Do you need a show of hands on the vote? Show of hands. Yes, preferably show of hands, yes. Okay.

I'll make a motion to adopt the ordinance for the tax rate.

Why don't we adopt both?

You want to do them separate?

Please.

So the motion is going to be for setting the M&O tax rate. Correct. At .560123. Correct.

I'll second that. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Oh, sorry, raise your right hand.

Please raise your hand.

All right, motion carries. Now I need a motion to set the INS rate. I'll make a motion to set the INS rate. I'll second that. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, raise your right hand. All right, motion carries. Okay, thank y'all. The next item is to consider the official ballot of TML Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees election.

Well, senators may vote on a representation of the TML Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees. There are four phases in the ballot. Staff recommends the following candidates. Place one, Carey Dean Neal, Jr. Place two, Emily Crawford. Place three, Garrett Spradley. And place four, Isaac Tarwell. They're all city managers in the state of Texas. They all, Garrett's from Borger. Emily's from Abilene. Neal's from Saginaw. And Isaac is from right around San Antonio area.

I'll make a motion that we approve those four places. Second. I have a motion and second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Our next item is number six. Consider the ordinance O-564-0926 amending the fee schedule.

Mayor, what the ordinance does, it does amend the fee schedule for fees and rates charged by the city. The changes to the fee schedule are as follows. There are, to the water utility fees, A1 will increase the minimum water charge by $5 a month. A2, additional amounts for water usage shall be charged as follows. Gallons used, $1,000 to $10,000 is a $2.50 per thousand. $10,000 to $20,000 is $3 per thousand. $20,000 to $30,000 is $4. $30,000 to $40,000 is $4.50. $40,000 to $50,000 is $5. And $50,000 and over is $6. The bottom tiers are not changed at all. Those stay the same. The change will be from $30,000 to $40,000. It's gone from $4 to $4.50. $40,000 to $50,000 goes from $4.50 to $5. and the 50 and over goes from $5 to $6. That is a water tier that we use. Like I said, the bottom tier, it's not being affected at all. That is, this is reflected on the budget. The budget, you guys approved that this is reflected on that.

I'll make a motion to be approved by the ordinance. I'll second.

Move a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries.

Just real quick on that. The minimum was 30. Now the minimum is going to be 35. Correct.

Item 7 is to receive the financial statement for the month ending August 31, 2026. I'll make a motion to receive the financial statement.

I'll second.

We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Administrative reports.

Mayor, the SPAG Annual General Assembly meeting was held Wednesday, September 9th at the Science Factory. Councilmember Carpenter and staff attended that meeting. It's always interesting. They gave us a review of the annual and some of the things they've done throughout the year. The TMA annual conference will be in San Antonio November 13th, 11th to the 13th. And music in the park. I think I'll ask Council Member Allard kind of gives us a little update on that.

Yeah, so we had that scheduled or on the calendar for this weekend, which is the 19th. I You know, we've been trying to get, like, local music, and Rhonda Myers, Jackson's mom, whenever we were at the Heritage meeting, recommended South Plain College performing. They have, like, their, I guess, what would it be, like, their music departments that perform, and they have to do that for, like, credit and stuff. So I did reach out to them, and I was in contact with two – I guess maybe there's two different genres of music that they do and I forgot my notes at home so I don't have it memorized and I don't remember the contact person's name I apologize but I was waiting for them to contact me because they were super excited but didn't know with availability on that day so I'm assuming we're going to have to push that back for sure and it's still very hot so it may be even appropriate to push that back I think we should just put a pin in it for maybe next time we have a meeting see if we can put that later in the year, or maybe just postpone it and see, come up with something for next year. That's kind of where I was at, but I'm just waiting to hear back from them. But they were super excited, so it's definitely something that we could put on our radar for maybe even other future events. And they have a whole list of different genres of music that they play.

That's great. Does the council have any remarks?

Oh, is the... fortunate enough today to get to attend the Bailey County 100 year recognition that they held today. And that was a really good event and I appreciate the county for doing that and was glad to be a part of that.

At that we're adjourned.