City Council - Regular Meeting

Everybody get quiet in the chambers. All right. Thank you very much.

All right. Thank you everybody for being here. It is October 8th at 6 pm and this is the regular city council meeting of Winfrey, Texas. I calling it to order. So our first order of business is um as you are able and willing to rise and for a moment of fin Thank you. 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.

Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to the Texas that one state under God, one and indivisible. Here stands

sorry Chris Rome and Mayor Jeff. Yeah we have to ask I mean even outside we can hear you outside so please you have a clue. Yeah, I don't.

All right. Our first order of business, we do have a proclamation. Um, and that is Greg. Yeah. K, come on in.

Um, our proclamation is declaring October 2025 as Hill Country night sky month in Texas. And um so I'll read where the aesthetic beauty and wonder of starfilled skies are the heritage of all humankind and locally to the inhabitants of Wood Creek and the Limly Valley and are therefore worthy of celebration. And whereas the experience of standing beneath a star-filled night sky inspires feelings of wonder and awe and may encourage interest in science and nature, especially among young people. And whereas the opportunity to view star-filled skies attracts visitors to our region, providing economic benefit to the entire Wimberly Valley while preserving the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area. And whereas this October marks the sixth annual Hill Country night sky month celebrated across the Texas Hill Country through partnerships with cities, counties, nonprofits, and educational groups highlighting the collective efforts that protect our awe inspiring night skies. And whereas throughout the month, dozens of partners will host telescope filled star parties, educational programs, and collaborative policy initiatives to raise awareness about light pollution, inspire action, and honor the wonder of the night sky. And whereas light pollution caused by glare, light trespass, sky glow, and over lighting wastes billions of dollars of energy each year, contributes to climate impacts, and robs communities of their historic view of the universe. And whereas darker skies are beneficial to birds in their migrations, helping them safely navigate across Texas and ensuring the health of ecosystems throughout our region. And whereas solving the problem of light pollution involved responsible outlet lighting practices such as directing light where it's needed, reducing over lighting, using timers, and installing night sky friendly fixtures. And whereas Hill Country communities, including Wood Creek, are increasingly

dedicated to dark sky preservation, supported by organizations as the Hill Country Alliance, Hayes County Friends of the Night Sky, the Hayes County Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, and the Wimberly Valley Dark Sky Committee. And by the growing number of international dark sky places in our region, including the Wimberly Valley. And whereas the preservation of our night skies strengthens community identity, supports ecological health, and is worthy of a month-long celebration. Now, therefore, it be proclaimed by the city of Wood Creek, Texas that October 2025 shall here after be known as Hill Country Dark Sky Month in Wood Creek, Texas. That the city council encourages all citizens to enjoy the night sky and to participate in Wimberly Valley and Hill Country events and programs celebrating the night sky. and promoting preservation efforts that the city council further encourages citizens to learn about light pollution and implement nights friendly practices to preserve the invaluable natural and cultural resource for future generations and witness thereof.

I Jeff Rasco, mayor of city of Woodbury here to set my hand and cause the seal of the city to be a fix this 8th day of October 2026. [Music] It's um you want to buy the flags. It's kind of there's a store on public.

All right. You ready? And I'm gonna take a few

ready for our close. Becker saying Jonas is here. Jonas doing presentation. Are you doing what's No, I don't see you yet. I'll call you.

Yeah. So Tim's not coming. M is not coming. Um, we had the presentation of the Blanco Cypress Watershed Protection Plan interlocal agreement. Um, and if we don't have a presenter, um, we can we can come back to that later on and we'll move on to public comments. This the only shade. Yeah, there's Yeah, that's

Thank you. Yeah. All right. So, um, just to remind everybody, um, you're welcome to give your public comments. You signed up. Um, it looks like most people said during the start. Kim, Kim, and Lou said during. So, do you want to wait for that? You want to wait until we get to that item or you want to go first? I have to go. Okay. Yeah. All right. So, I'll call you. I'll call you in order. You can tell me. Yeah, I'll go. or I'll wait until like nine or 10 when we get to the um so number one.

Oh yeah, in three minutes Matt we do have a timer and it will go up and move forward.

Ready go my name is Karen P. I'll live at 20. I'm here to address two items on the agenda tonight. The first sizing stand approved the task order number four street maintenance. This is to approve up to $10,000 for basically a dry bridge shield inspection of pavement conditions of all wood creek street. It also allows for direct cost reimbursement to the company. Plus it allows them to charge an additional 15% on all pass through it. So this means they every supply everything they're going to upcharge 15%. So um page 35 of the comprehensive uh plans stated that extensive engineering and payment assessments have been completed. So I question the efficiency and freedom of using $10,000 of tax dollars to do another payment assessment in IF. Item number five is the cost analysis and cost summary of the comprehensive plan recommend a 53 5T 5 walkway along Brook and Woodbury Drive. I am opposed to a conflict walkway with the following reasons will be cut down. Page 47 of the comprehensive plan states that we enforce protected regulation treat mailboxes will need to be relocated. It requires easement or it may require easement acquisition and it there's possible damage to nearby trees that aren't cut down. Page 15 of the comprehensive plan states that trees

are crucial to our community and tree preservation is vital. The other additional uh concern I have is that it creates additional impervious cover. Page 15 of the comprehensive plan states that the amount of humanmade surfaces that do not absorb rainfall should be limited. Page 17 of the plan states, "Human development pases the natural landscape. It increases imperous cover and it magnifies resource consumption." Page 47 states that we should protect imperous coverage limits and that uh page 64 states we should limit imperous coverage. The the cost for both streets is 1,191 191,000. that does not include long-term maintenance, performance or service life of the material, design fees or easement acquisition cost the 2022 comprehensive plan.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. I'm here uh tonight uh because I'm opposing the boat walking trail andor sidewalks along Brook and drives. For the last two day two days, concerned citizens have been visiting with their neighbors and obtained 120 signatures throughout throughout the city, but primarily along Wood Creek and Belalo drives who do not want to see our rural Hill Country community turned into an urban subdivision. But before submitting these these signatures, I do want to point out some areas of concern with the state. I did not see anything that addressed the locations along Brook Hollow that serve as drainage fields for the water that flows from Augusta Lane across the golf co golf course and exits onto Brook Hall. An example of this dry is the dry creek bed between 63 and 65 Brook Hall. Any alteration to this flow could easily result in flooding home flooding during heavy rains. The study also mentions spacing between the street edge and the edge of the trail. Existing drainage flows along this area are likely to wash away the soil, undermining the surfaces and causing edge breaks like those that have already occurred in the concrete in the 30s block of Bola. Additionally, I did not see any reference to a FEMA flood state. I realize that this is not usually required for this type of project. However, based on our terrain and the flooding issues that have resulted from the street resurfacing, it is safe to assume the sun will occur with this project. There is also concern due to

the increased flow rate of runoff from the solid adding solid surfaces. This would be a very expensive project. Even if the city is able to obtain some grant money, the citizens are already paying off an existing bond and in the current financial situation, no one wants to add higher taxes. Now to our signatures, there are 62 homes on Brookal and 37 signed this petition. Four only four declining with the remaining either being vacant or no one home. There are 82 homes on Wood Creek and 29 site. We were unable to complete the canvasing of this street due to the harassment from a citizen. The remaining six signatures in this paperwork for concerned citizens throughout the city and that over to you. All right, next is Kim Smith.

Um, my name is Kim Smith and I live on Augusta Drive uh here in Wood Creek and I have several concerns regarding the proposed sidewalks project. Um, I realized that right now we're just talking about doing a sidewalk project on Bullo and um the Creek Drive. So, that doesn't particularly affect me right now. But I have a heritage oak tree in my yard that is 2 and 1/2 ft in diameter and that translates to about 8 ft in circumference. Um, if the proposed project were ever to expand and go down my street, which is a pretty busy street sometimes with people trying to get back to the back gate, um, this type of project, sidewalk, a 5ft sidewalk would literally destroy my street. And if we are so concerned about protecting our large heritage trees, this measure seems to go against that. Um, my second point is already been said, but I have spoken with many, many people in the community and in my neighborhood, and personally, I haven't found a single person that is for this project. Um, maybe I'm just asking the wrong people. I don't know. But it seems like there's significant opposition to this. Um, finally, it seems related to this, the city council is ignoring that large portion of it constituents. And this comes across as if this project is being shoved down on roads. That's just the way some of us feel. Um, I'm sorry if that insults anybody, but I would ask you to please not do that and listen to all of our concerns regarding these. Horseman.

As a resident of of Brook Creek for almost 9 years, I've enjoyed living here more than anywhere else I've ever lived. I enjoy walking with my dogs through the neighborhood and I've had no issues doing this whatsoever, safety or otherwise. I feel that the exorbitant cost of this project serves no practical purposes for the residents whatsoever. We don't need to fix what is not broken, particularly spending a huge amount of money to do this. I don't see any purpose. I don't see anything gained. As someone said, I feel like this would just be turning us into a subdivision which a lot of us left to come here. So I don't I don't support it at all.

Good email. I'm Jack Bose 20 lane. I'll read this so I can you get the get my facts straight. I believe you have a cart before the horse. Something of this magnitude should have been discussed at a town hall meeting where real dialogue will occur. Not like this, which is a one-way sweeping conduit. Several of you have recently mentioned a comprehensive plan dated 2022, which has an entry for walk-in pass with a citizen count. But a 2023 survey has a similarly entry with a much lower citizen count. the single digits. Why the various why the vast difference? The comprehensive plan and survey included citizens located on 30 cit 30 city streets, but the effective citizens are only located on two streets. So I believe the latter should have the majority voice. The engineering report states, and I quote this in the engineering report, potential conflicts include limited rightway, mailboxes, trees, landscaping features, utilities, and slope constraints. Have you walked the two effective streets to witness the devastation devastation that a 5-ft concrete path will create? I walk Wood Creek. I walk Brook Hollow. And if I can do it at my age, you should be able to do it, too. I found potential shortened driveways, tree removals, utility box, and mailbox relocations, tree roots of nearby trees requiring

cutting for path construction, which will lead to a dying tree. cutting of unmarked close to ground service utility lines intrusion on resident of privacy and off street parking for guest of service vehicles severely impacted. Please don't sugarcoat this engineering report. The engineering firm estimates a 9-month construction period. Having lived through the five month construction is similar repeat though not quite as severe as a real hardship for residents. I believe the city has other pressing issues which need attention, funding and citizen input. Thank you. Brent Pul.

Yes, my name is Brent Po and uh I am here today to thank you guys, man. And I know it's election season, so you hear a lot of things and hear a lot of stories. But one thing about you guys is you all have worked together, all of you, even when you disagreed. And you did you've done some amazing things. You got our streets paid. You're starting to work on our drainage issues. We're finally starting to go after speeding through our community. We're we're working on infrastructure. Our parks look amazing. And and I think I can speak on behalf of most citizens in this community and say thanks, you know, for doing that. Thanks to you volunteers, thanks to the staff and and thanks to the city attorney even for uh and the mayor for for all the things that you guys have gotten done. And I think it's important every now and then you get a you know way to go and and that's what I'm here to do. other things to talk about. I guess agenda five in terms of the sidewalks. Um I I I understand this is a preliminary item and you guys are just now starting to look at options and that's all you're doing. And what I regret is that's been turned into kind of a political football since we're a month away and that I've had neighbors who believe the bulldoers are warmed up and they're about to start putting sidewalks in their front door. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you talk about getting the cart in front of the horse, uh, I think that's an amp analogy because the fact is you guys are going to look at the issue, look at what the engineers tell you, listen to the community, have a lot of meetings like because I used to be one of you guys and I remember all these meetings. They used to drive me crazy, but it's important, you know, to figure out what the right thing to do is. And that's what you guys do. You listen, you think, and then you try to do the right thing. And I know you will. Whatever it is, I think it's a way to go and I think you're on the right track and I know that you're going to listen and ultimately do the right thing. So again, I want to say way to go guys to all of you for what you've done for this community. Thank you. And I'm going to go home right now.

Uh Pat G. I mean You know, we've been I mean, people be respectful of each other. You know, don't comment about other people's stuff. I mean, I didn't hear anybody commenting about the first speakers. Don't pick on anybody. Just be nice. Otherwise, I move through the room.

Okay. I'm Pat Gains and I live at 50 Brook and I'm a new resident here at Wood Creek. lived here about a year and a half and they really enjoyed it and uh I've got problems like a lot of them have said with the tearing the trees damaging the sidewalk because I live right at the bus intersection there is on Brook going to Camp Jude there with all the the building going on campa and I love the camp it's

but there's there'll be a time limit to build something like this other than what all it's going to turn up and cause that is the roads the traffic's a bad and you're sitting there five or six months when they're four months working on a bathroom down here at the park to build a little restaurant. You know, why couldn't we use this money million dollar grant to do more stuff in infrastructure instead of worry about just a little sidewalk? cuz that'll be what something to do with water. Uh all kinds of stuff in town, utilities that need repair.

And uh another little thing, uh why uh couldn't we to help the town? Why couldn't we put a big sign when it's fawn season or pawn trails coming into the outside of town instead of having all these signs in every other house down? I mean, the less signs we have up, the better the town looks. And I know the political signs, you know, those things, they're seasonal. And uh do you have a barn? Are we going to have a buck season sign coming up with rut coming in? You know, I mean, it's it's a Anyway, I'm I'm not for the with the deal. Oh, and another thing real quick is speeding. I don't agree with adding more bump deals in the city. Uh we've got that four-way stop up there, three-way stop. They put stop signs, but that doesn't seem to stop the people running stop sign. Why could you not put a camera on the stop sign and you get the car tag of the people that win it and then look them up and see who runs them? I mean, they run it at night and day. I mean, it's it's just their habit of not having them there. One reason probably, but a lot of them coming off to work going hurrying to get home and they just, you know, go both ways and you see both ways pretty good, but it's still But that's all I got to say to you. Yeah. Ale King.

Hi, I'm Alec King. This is my first city council meeting. Uh it moves here in 23 with my wife. Um I'm my speaking on uh item number five. Um I agree with most everybody. The reason we moved here, the rural character, the oak trees, um and big thing is impervious cover. All of the impervious cover is going to affect Jacob's well recharge. It's going to affect Cypress Creek all the way down to Blue Pole. Uh these are tourist attractions for the area. Um and then I'd also since we're looking for options, I'd like to suggest maybe if nobody has um there's 10 and a half miles of existing trail on the golf course. Um has the city thought about maybe purchasing an easement on the golf course to allow residents to use the existing paths? Um, I I think it could be mutually beneficial for the businesses that are in Wood Creek and the residents of Wood Creek to be able to use the existing paths. Um, yeah, and I just, you know, uh, to put it simply, I don't see the need for a walking path in my front yard when there's one in my backyard. Thank you.

Stay with that. Sure. Uh, I just wanted to address the golf course in particular. There is an easement there. We have talked about it with them because of the liability issues. They do not allow public blocking on their property. I know you see people doing it. They are violating a trespassing when they do that. And unfortunately, that has not been an option for us um thus far. So, it it has been reviewed. Okay. And it's not it wouldn't figure it out. It makes the most sense. They're been Okay. Yeah. I mean they're so I'm sure they like you. All right. Thank you and welcome to the neighborhood.

Thanks. Um and um Kristen Wever.

Hi, I'm Kristen Wever Champion for I just wanted to express my concern about the excess excessive spending in our city. There have been many things that sound ideal such as walkways, monthly parties, but we're not that large of a city with a large budget. I'm against the pathway for many reasons, but including the expense it will entail. Um, these are things that do not benefit the majority people anyway. It's like in my home budget, I would like I would like to have a lot of things, but I know what I can and cannot afford. In the stle report, I see included in the packet, I see that almost 20% of the resident's household income is between 30 and $35,000 annually. According to the graph, almost onethird of the resident's annual income is under $35,000. In our household, we pay a little over 800 a year on taxes to the city. We're probably pretty average on tax payments. I don't really know that. When people are paying that kind of money out of less than $35,000 um annual income, that's a chunk of money from that property owner budget, which responsibility and care funds should be given. Half of the $800 we pay on our taxes was paid for a photographer at the Luwell for a fee of $400. Um, which I don't even know how many attended that. When we were talking of spending the money that's being discussed, I don't understand where it's all coming from. I hear of seeking grants a lot, but we know there are still studies paid for prior to seeking grants, and I'm not aware that grant monies pay for all the amenities such as the restroom at the park, which was totally unnecessary to uh tonight, one of the items is to discuss rebates for rainwater collection for those with pools and spas. Rebate should not be given with our tax money

to reimburse those installing rainwater collection to their pool or spa up to $7,500 and the rebate up to a,000 for a pool cover. All coming out of city city budget expense and we know where that money is coming from. It's from us. These road bonds are another issue. I hope money will be paid back and not continue to look for projects to spend the money unnecessarily. I urge everyone to look at the checks spent in September. There is spending for 1,750 and 1,400 for removing and installing 4x4 signs. I saw the one at Augusta Park. I could not see the cost in the removal and installation. Again, there needs to be thoughtful spending. I'm afraid that our city is being driven into bankrupt. These are hard times for a lot of people. The economy is not good. Real estate is not good. Um it's these are just not good times. And to ask people to pay incur more in the city budget is just it's not a good thing. And I agree. I don't like to see dogs.

All right, that's that is all of the comments. Um, Mr. Baker,

you sort of missed your spot on the thing, but we could work you in here. Do you have a place? Put this put this in. something. [Music] It's so very beautiful.

You're not going to read the fine. You're not read this. No, I'm gonna I'm gonna go really fast. This this was a 20 minute presentation, but I'm going to try to do it in about 10 minutes. So, if you guys I'm just going to I'm going to go through it fast. These are these are the reports that you got digital copies of. And then I'm going to show basically the same uh presentation that I showed the commissioner's court. Sorry, I understand. And um tell me I can't see you. Okay. That very first slide. Tell me that one. There. Okay.

Where's I can't see. Right there. Got it. There we go. Okay. We'll just run up there. Just We're fine. We'll just do that. Shut the window. Yeah. No, you're good.

Sorry. I was giving you a couple. I I I I saw there was other stuff on the in front of me, so I thought I thought I was No, we put you up front so that you

knowledge. Let's not do a slideshow. Yeah, don't do a slideshow. Just Just I can't see it. the very first slide. Not not slideshow. Just make it bigger. Oh, yep. Sorry. Then take off the the Okay, there you go. So, can you go to the first slide of it? There you go. Okay. Yeah, that's that's good. We can just And then you'll just go to the next slide.

So, I'm gonna do I'm gonna do this a lot faster than I did. Commissioner Court, really nice to see you all and Mayor Rock and Council. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. I'm David Baker, the watershed association executive director and uh the presentation that we're we're going to do is on the Blanco Cypress wershed protection plan and uh this update is on our interlocal agreement to do Wood Creek, city of Wimberly and His County. This is our second year of the agreement. One that is part of a communitywide strategy for ensure Hayes County aquifer, springs, creeks, and rivers. Our uh protected our drinking water supply as well, not just for today, but for the future. And uh I want to especially thank uh you know Morgan Hammer, Mayor Charles, uh Mayor Prom, Rebecca Minnie, Mayor Rosco, Mayor Prom, Deborah Hines was there at the council meeting and um and Commissioner Lanchell was very instrumental in helping to put this together. And Jonas Rosenthal is the coordinator. He is our Haze County employee. That was a action that Hast County did to was to hire them to be a county staff member and then they listened to this here and follow working on water wise with you all. So the next one um so Jenna Walker and I from the Meadow Center are the co-managers of this project. So we're working to help Jonas and get oriented and get basically implement all the programs. Next slide. Um, and this is a map of all the watersheds in the county and see where they're in Cypress Creek wershed and this this plan really serves the entire county even though focused on the Blanco wershed and the goal is really keeping all these waterways across the whole

county clean meeting water act standards. So those callings of clean water act are really in terms of water quality uh are goals and and for drinking water recreation property values and they call them the next slide please. Uh so this is the Blankco watershed really beautiful kind of a painting of it I guess uh and it's you know people have lived here for over 15,000 years you think about uh the paleo Indians you had uh lake p Apache and today it opposes about 87 miles 275,000 um acres and then 55 miles in um in in fuels our economy, tourism, parks, property values, and it also recharges San Marcus Springs as well as uh water from the Blanco goes all the way to Barton Springs. So, it's part of our heritage and our next slide. So, this is a shot from 1941 right at the square. You drive across the bridge and look upstream. This this was the scene in the 1940s in in Wimberly. Folks from Houston coming up. This is actually the Harris family. Malcolm Harris, who's our board chair for 20 years. He's a seven-year-old boy in that little canoe back there. And that's his mom. And you know, this this was this was Wimberly, you know, growing up swimming, boating, learning from these waters. And the community's health, economy, and really our identity in a way is really tied to that stream and to to it to the to the Blanco River running through the heart of the town. So it's it really is a treasure that reminds us why they're protecting waters, protecting our weight block. Next slide.

Um so this is a scene looking upstream at Jacob's well when it's healthy and flowy and you know these services that it gives are still there. you. It's an iconic artisian spring source of Cypress Creek and um Pace County's very first nature preserve was the 81 acre uh Jake Bachel area and that was done back in 2010. Um the watershed purchased that in 2005 and I purchased part of the land back in 1990 and that was that was where my kids grew up and we had the dancing water I think the second bed and breakfast in tech in Wimberly. It it has a strong memory uh for me personally, but to have it now as a public preserve and then Car Canyon has actually doubled the size of that and and the Leno worked for us back then I don't know the early days and um so we had overund you know 176 acres. So double size um together these preserves are really intended to save part of that water and wildlife. Um, but we had over 995,000 visitors last year.

Nearly a million people came to this town. And a lot of that reason they're coming is because of Blue Hole the Well, and the last four years um you know the spring has been closed for swimming, but you can still go to the park. You can still hike and people are still coming. Literally hundreds of thousands of people still come. Next slide. So just some, you know, you all have seen these these population projections. We're this one of the fastest growing counties in the US. We're projected to be 550,000 with 300,000 now by 2040. Um that's just tremendous growth. Um and nobody can bring in their water with them. So, we're having to figure out and you know to see the rain water and the water that's really how we're going to accommodate these folks coming in because we're going to have to figure out how to be more innovative. Next slide. So, this this is just showing that red there is Case County. That's uh our wateries is projected uh to essentially more than double. Uh we're going to go over the next 40 years with the um we're going to need more more than half a billion in infrastructure investment this countywide. Um and we're going to go from about 41,000 uh acre feet today tound 108,000 seven. So how are we going to do that? Uh there is some hope. You all probably saw Senate Bill 7 and Prop 4, the constitutional amendment that's going to be on the agenda on the ballot in uh November. That would if that passes, that'll mean a billion dollars a year for the next 20 years into the Texas water fund, the state resolving revolving fund, flood infrastructure fund. That's monies that could come to

communities like like Wood Creek. And I think with this ILA, our position in applying for those funds is going to be much stronger because we're we're united and all working together. So um this plan really through the leadership and this cooperation. We also created the wastewater interlocal agreement the water and wastewater which is a separate interlocal agreement focused on how are we going to provide that infrastructure for the growth in this region and to do these projects we need to plan out 10 years ahead. So that's another big I think plus of the next slide please. So you know everybody's like man it's so hot. Well it actually is getting hotter and every year since 1975 we see those temperatures climb. And here we are in October still 90° but you see those those those peaks there. That red line goes back this goes back to 1895 1920s and 30s. You see the heat there. That was the dust bowl. The 50s were the drought of record. We're hotter than both of those times now. So that makes evaporation faster and then we're using more water. So that's exasperating the water problem. Next slide. So these this again is drought back to 1895. Those big yellow bands in the middle there, that's the drought of the 50s. And you see where we are now. We've had the 2011 drought and then our current drought. We make and most likely we're in a new drought record, but we're using way more water than we did in 1950s. Uh, next slide. And then this is this is aquafer draw down. These are think of this like a a surf thing. Those dark areas are where it's drawn down over 100 ft uh blank dripping cave. And then they're only it's only 10 feet in Wimberly. Well,

that's not so bad. Well, one foot of water level change above Jacob's well stops it from flowing. So, when we have that ogre pumping that we're seeing by won't even mention their name when they see that um that's why we're not seeing this brain flow because one one foot is how thin our margins are. Next slide. So, you know, there's the well flowing and it's not flowing 2022, just one year. And, you know, this rapid growth is straining our water. It's the clean water is really sustaining our communities and all of our property values and health. And the way the well is kind of like the canary in the coal mine. It's telling us what the aquafer is doing. So um you know in 2000 was the first time that we saw this happen and that's really when I I reached out to Meadow Center and started to work with them on on a lot of quality monitoring. The next slide um we started the clean roads program which is collecting quality assured data for the TCQ and 2003. So we've got 22 years of data. We we initiated the watershed planning in 2004. In in uh uh 2008 we developed the watershed protection plan with GCQ and then we we kind of approved and implemented it. This was a federally approved plan from 2014 to 23. So the EPA approved um including a groundwater protection component. We knew we don't protect that quantity we have no quality. Uh so it's really innovative that way. Next slide. Um so these are just some of the partners over the last 10 years. Um and uh you know I think one of the big achievements establishing the old groundwater management zone that limits a new big development there. Uh the blue

hole onewater school is a really great achievement and just the collaboration with 30 green infrastructure projects uh across the valley. Next slide. So this local commitment in the inter so interlocal agreement well the EPA funding ended in 2003 and they said we need the local community to step up and to start investing and that's when we brought the the two cities and county together and the cities agreed to $40,000 a year of investment for three years but the county agreed to hiring Jonas as a as a coordinator as a county employee and funding all the water quality monitoring that in the past at least the wershed was doing. So that's another probably 70 75,000. The county probably put in 200,000 on top of the investments from the city and we we still you know have uh that money which there was 20,000 that was used for water quality monitoring intra from the time um the the funding for EPA ran out and when the city signed that interlocal agreement but there's still $60,000. Our plan is to come back to the executive committee and to the council and court in August with a plan for the next phase that could I think the city or the county establishing a watershed protection department order. So, next slide. Um, you know, and just, you know, the county staff, Tammy Cromley, uh, Jay Taylor, the parks natural resource coordinator, Katie Halchin, and Jonas have all really stepped up. We've really added a lot of capacity having those uh, folks from the county and the natural resource division. Next slide.

So um so you know we're the coordinator's headquartered with parks natural resources. Yeah. He leads the plan delivery partner coordination permitting support and engagement and he links the the uh the board level vision field implementation. So next slide there. So the outreach engagement these are just some of the statistics. They're all in the report, but over 1775 students and teachers, 30 events, uh 480 direct stakeholder engagements, 12,000 touch points through the social media and and emails and and collaborations, including these BMP evaluations, uh storm water dumping signage and community updates and these one workshop over a year.

This is over about a year and a half. Yeah. So next slide. So the monitoring and data um the uh this clean rivers program you know we've been doing for almost 23 years and Jenna is working on a plan and it's almost ready a dashboard that'll have all this data interpreted across the whole whole Blanco basin and here in Silence Creek. So it's almost 368 samples from 43 sites that were collected. Um we see you know this data we want these decisions to be data driven. You use the data to make decision. And so what's showing is that obviously low flows are causing nutrient spikes solids from the wastewater discharge of blank issue and then the Cypress Creek showing elevated E.coli levels below the branch 12 bridge but we discovered that that is mainly coming from the paths under the bridge. we having some runoff from the square and from upstream. Um but the kind of the idea that the septics there are causing that is probably not exactly right. Um so we we've done some die tracing ground tails and then targeted BMPPS as well. Next slide. So so these are just sites that we collect. You see we really have a concentration around Cyprus and we're in believe we have three sites. Blanco, city of Blanco above and below the wastewater discharge site. Next slide. [Music] But some of the ancillary benefits I think of having the watershed and association and uh and meadows is you know we've been able to we can do things that you know that maybe sometimes the

city or the county or even meadows can't do such as the intervention and rate case but then um now that the city is involved in that you know this is a second rate case we had the system improvement case that was for the capital improvements And we won that 4.7 million back to anybody who was a rate a refund. That was because we fought them. It showed that they weren't they they weren't doing it properly. They were misrepresenting what they were trying to cover. But now we're in this big case that could last up to two and a half years. But we're paying for the lawyers. You guys put met with Lauren earlier and Lauren so she's like hurry up uh but she's representing us well as in the great case as well as the bico discharge case and then land conservation working with the county to protect all that land uh the one resolutions that you all did now every city and the county have all done those resolutions uh the subdivision and rule rewrites that the countyy's working on bureau's comprehensive plan which is really exciting. Those are important uh efforts green infrastructure the rain gardens uh these OSSF inspections and then the storm water wastewater and development planning integration. So next next slide how to get through this. Um so our our plan forward is to you know continue coordinating with the executive committee um working with the stakeholders case county subdivision revisions to inspect and map storm water wastewater systems launched the water wise program that you all have endorsed and uh saying and saltwater working on and um we got a right parenting workshop on the 28th

many the later events with water wise coming um addressing the citizens water quality development storm water concerns and really engaging these upper Blanco stakeholders. I think the city of Blanco may want to join the local agreement and then returning to the county and to you all next uh August with a with a plan for going forward. So last next slide. So, you know, we look forward to, you know, continuing to just drive this kind of sustainable water management through this collaboration, which is probably I think the secret sauce to this is working together across jurisdictional lines and through the innovation things like one water and then bringing this expertise together that really supports and and I think give a lot of leverage to the investment we're making. So the last slide is uh that's my contact Jen Walker's contact and then Jones is as well and just thank you all. We we look forward to you know continuing cooperation partnership and just hearing your feedback and questions. So thanks

good I was going fast. That was good. I never I never forgot that. I know you got a lot done. No, that's a really good presentation. Well, thank you all and you don't have happy to answer any questions or hear back. Any question from the council? No, thank you. Thank you for putting our money to work.

Yes. Well, I think that leverage is so important, you know, because it's it's just all coming together. we can do more than we can by ourselves and and it it it sometimes takes longer to do things you know in in across these jurisical lines but I think the outcome is is so important nothing more important than our water and I think in terms of the future and every day you know so one of the things we've worked hard on for the last four or five years is breaking down the transception laws yes and sort of getting out of our city limits and and into the bigger

and the aisle as a good example. Well, appreciate you sending your comments to finish court and we all they all attending as well and uh happy to you know come back any anytime. Yeah, we want to keep them happy. Yeah. Oh yeah, we'll kind of keep the county happy and I think they were I think they were I've never seen all five of them say hey good job. So sweet. Thank you.

Okay. So, we'll get back into um and into our sequence. The consent agenda is next. Um the item there is to approve the city council from September 10. Mayor, I move that apologies. Mayor, I move that we approve city council meeting minutes from September 10th, 2025. Second by member Richardson. All in favor, please say I. Um, we'll go quickly through the reports. Um, city, good evening, mayor and council.

I will try to keep it brief. I know there's a lot on tonight's agenda. Uh so the first thing I was going to mention is there is no current special session of the legislature. There could be one before the end of the year. And the two things that have been mentioned as priorities include water and the other is property taxes. So those two things could be on the horizon that could affect municipalities. The other item I wanted to mention is something that he just mentioned in the presentation and that's comprehensive plans. U comprehensive plans are not just good governance. They are legally required uh as a matter of due diligence. Any corporate or any governing body has to establish that their legislative policym isn't just arbitrary and haphazard. There needs to be deliberation. There needs to be an established record. The legislative process requires planning deliberation. The local government code itself mentions comprehensive plans numerous times and grants cities the authority to adopt various types of of comprehensive claims whether it's transportation capital improvements things that will affect zoning. And just to confirm the the plan is aspirational. It's not the zoning regulations themselves, but you need to have the plan in the first instance so that you can then go and make the regulations. So it is important to have that from a legal perspective um as a matter of due diligence and in the future as the city grows and there's growth um problems and

issues you you in order to defend the city's policies for example if there's parkland dedication fees if there's impacted road fees if developers and inevitably developers will come in some point in order to in order to defend those policies in court if they're challenged by developers or other stakeholders, you have to have that comprehensive plan. And and if you're going to pass legislative ordinances that impose duties on developers in the future, you've got to have that comprehensive plan. Otherwise, it's not. So, it is important. And I just wanted to mention that it's something that the city has to grapple with in a planning point. Uh you can't bind future city councils, but each council, each administration has to have a guiding document, some structure, some guard rails to work with. So it is important and that's why I wanted to mention it. That's all.

Thank you. Thanks very much. Um my report I'll just skip over some things real quick. Um you know trees and parks did meet. One of the things that we asked them to look at is the um triangle vart tank and what to do about um beautifying or decorating and doing something to that. Their their take on it was a little different from the art committee. Um they said, you know, that they would probably like to see it painted, you know, maybe a subtle green. Um and then one of the options was to put the um Wood Creek Parks logo on it from a t-shirt. Yeah. That some of us had.

Yeah. Just do do a logo, you know, for Wood Creek Park. So that is um that was their recommendation. Um they they followed up on our on our approval to redo the street tree out about um Shady Grove and Meadow that Mexican sycamore would look good there. They went over the educational components of the November 9th tree giveaway. Um they uh they appointed a set of committee to to go after the work of staff to get bids on the native landscapers that we talked about. And for now they've tabled the dog park discussion because there was you know some question about just how much space we've got where my might work. So they're going to do some more work on them. Um community relations as you might imagine planning on spectacular coming up on the 30th. Um and they will be having a special meeting on on October 14th u for further discussion and sort of last minute planning date. um selected a new vice chair, Leslie Scott. Um they did some initial planning on a holiday event around the the Christmas time and um and some some discussion on the music and the park program that we ask about um planning and zoning. We're going to talk about what they've been up to later on in the agenda. So we'll go into that. Uh mayor's arts subcommittee would be postponed. um basically their modification. Um and then on the um on the the ILA like what David was talking about, we have number three there. Um we did he had a discussion Garrett Allen who is the manager of Wimberly Water um presented to the group and we're asking questions about you know how Wimberly Water was handling things and because they've had some looking they've been looking at

some maybe even some surface water uh program. So, so lively discussion on the Garrett. Um the Wood Creek Wimberly monthly leadership meeting was um was not nothing really much came out of it. So, that's not important. Um burden unless there are questions burden. Okay. Well, I'll be as quick as I can as I can question to speak up. I'm going to go a little bit out of order, but um um sheriff's reports in there. Standard standard stuff. Yes, I did tally up the tickets. Okay. Okay. So, it's

not in the it's not in the package, but Oh, yeah. I just because people want to know where the speeding tickets were and where. So, um, of the seven, uh, no, seven speeding tickets, I only found six, but, um, they were all but one were on Wood Creek Drive. One was Brook Hall. So, the majority, five of them were Wood Creek and one.

Yeah. We we've asked them to, you know, focus on the major roads, but our deputy that does most of the work, he's the one that drives around and he he's caught several people. He's pointed out that poor part lane that stops on there. People come down the hill past Deborra's house and they may be going quick and they may or may not even tap the brakes going to that stop sign. So that's some of the he you're saying most of most of it's you know speaking and and whatever but he u he reiterated that you know he he thinks it's coming down so that could be a combination of the tickets and it could be you know plus the measures we've been been putting in. So, but uh their just their personal opinion is that things have calmed down some degree since we put in uh the existing speed cushion and stuff. So, but yeah. Well, and I actually ran across uh like a three-year-old uh graphic report that Greg Polly had done and it was very detailed and so I started thinking why can't we have a detailed report? Well, I'll tell you there was a lot if you compare this one from three and a half years ago to now there's a lot of snow that

it's good. Anything else on church? Thank you Monday for that. Um we want to skip for just say Sean's been doing a great job. He's all over. He's around town. He's been talking to people trying to verbally educate when he can. Um he I think he gets a little frustrated because he can't do more of that because that's kind of his nature, but he's he's on top of it and he's getting results. So um well not have to figure out the stat, but it's it's pretty good. He's he's doing he's he's fired up about been a good addition. Um any questions on code enforcement? Um engineering updates? uh Champions Court turnaround. Um they've uh finalized the plans and went out to quotes per contractor which they hope to they anticipate receiving other quotes by the 17th of this month. Um and they'll need to review you know contract process to follow. Um it's also pending charter um spectrum relocating um some service. there's a argument over who's responsible for the financial part of moving that. So they're same as tires or tires. Um but there's some design the designs in process and um you said we're working through trailer is representing us on that side of pushing back on the cost. It's a couple thousand bucks for to relocate to do that. Um, but they should have uh have the quotes by then the middle of the month and hopefully maybe by the end of the month first of next month they'll be ready to present uh who who they recommend. Any questions about that? So, and also

um one other thing I want to address with waste connection all that is we may need to trim a tree just so that they can get their trucks down there and turn around. So, um we don't have all the trash cans sitting up at the tree across from Miss Weaver's driveway. So, I know she would appreciate that. So, um pedestrian mobility feasibility. I've got that. Um the drainage master plan um they should have they expect to deliver it in the next week. The um you know the 10 spots that they u that they are targeting and they'll give a preliminary report to council hopefully on the 22nd. So, we'll be able to present that. They're just working out the fin details, getting ready to present um the pedestrian bridgeability study surveys and pro progress. I didn't know we got down there surveying the other day. Concept development to follow completed by December 1st council around that time. these completed beginning of the year and some dates options on that. So, but

did you repeat what you just said?

The pedestrian bridge feasibility there. Yeah, just they'll have by the end of the year, first of the year they'll be ready to present something options and feasibility and expected cost on that. Um we have a that's an agenda item and then the maps the zone maps we have they got them completed and got back and staffed behind those questions on engineering uh city hall updates just briefly the creek side bathroom expected the end of the month they're be doing finishing up plumbing and then going to do the masonry next week and then they just trenched the line so for electric so that'll be getting hooked up in the next couple of days. Um once we get all that done we'll get rid of people and get that set up there so long as not any other surprises we should be done by the end of the month. Um any questions on that? Safety half of phase two. All materials have been ordered. Um they yesterday or Monday said there were the materials back ordered of course and with everything else going on, but they sent it and they got it in and we should see it in a couple weeks. So I don't know if we can get it installed by the end of the month, but that'll be close. Um once once they're in, you know, I will go around and pinpoint the exact spots and those radar sides of the the two spots for the cushions and the sides are going with that. Uh the generator, backup generator, show you how installed and done little things up there. It's done. And so now we're of our emergency preparedness. You know, we now have battery backup here, generator backup.

So when an emergency that place stay on it and um use if you need me. Um the security cameras at the parks I just got back an initial um um quote um he and I are going to sit down and just work through it, make sure I got all my induction for present. So hopefully the next meeting I can present it to you guys and decide I I had and do every bar, you know, more all the other three different options. So there's options and some of it's you know take you know either do or don't and there's most likely there will be some monthly fees as far as monitoring there'll be some cameras that modify back to us and our data where we can follow. So I hope to have that to next month I mean next meeting. Um new street signs just u street names. I had Sean go around town give me the six worst dang signs of town and uh we've got those ordered and they I ordered them yesterday and they comment great.

So and we also put a new no outlet sign down on Streout trace people they they requested that that sign get put up to tell people don't put down there. So that's been done. And then also um this goes back to a question in in the that we'll touch on in the financials is that we did add I forget the exact number 10 to 15 signs around town with the city limit signs or dark um dark sky really uh removing um a sign around a street tree over on Country courts kind of similar to the silent look at your house back last year. Same thing. It was in their way. We moved out and then we added cross traffic stop. So that so there's there's a bunch of signs that got put out there and that's in addition to the six new ones that are in they need to pick they need picked up. We'll get those installed. Um any questions on that yet? Hold on. Going back up to the financials. Um, everything's in the packet. Um, I don't know if there's any questions on that, too. Um, it was pointed out that there was and I could see the confusion. Um, it looked like it double entry um, 1400 and 1750 and for a 4x4 sign. Um, that's one invoice split into two sections. So that's my doubles up in in description, but one of it is the quarterly landscaping maintenance that we do. We go to weed all the flower beds and turn over and add mulch and all that kind of stuff. Part of that is that and then the other part the 1400 mostly to do with adding the

sign triangle and all the street sign you just talked about those installed. But I see the discrepancy. Confusion looks like a double book, but it's one invoice split into two. I just want to say thank you because some of those signs have been pending for years now, right? And there was no action on them. And so I really appreciate you taking that kind of hunting business seriously and getting it done.

Yeah. And we're we're not done with the new street signs, but we just picked the six worst. There's some bad ones out there. And I think uh um Pebble Brook and Westwood, Jack Miller and Dittle down on Wild Baldwood. Um yeah, they're bad. So, oh, and then East the Villa the Villa Meadows. Um that we got to put stop sign back, but that one so we'll be putting up new sign and stops. Let's uh come along. So, and then as we move forward, as we the budget progressives and we'll look at addressing some more later on in the year. So, um the uh audit is wrapping if you will unmute Mike and and Carrot. We've got our U CPA account. Um he's on Zoom. Um, I'm going to turn it over to him in a second, but we the the audit close. I'm pushing to have them present something on the 22nd. I I'm not confident in that, but I've asked uh the auditor at least provide give me a status update specifically from you telling me what to expect because they're right at the end to get a draft, but they're process and they've got to go internally before they and approve it before they come to us. So, um Carrie, I'd like to introduce you. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and then kind of if you can um you know kind of give your input on the audit and then where we stand on our update and know fun and the issues that come along with that.

Yeah. So can you all hear me? Can you all hear me? Yes. Okay. So yeah. So my name is my name is Carrie Erskin. So I am a CPA. CPA. I graduated from&M in Texas, Texas&M in 2002, got my CPA in 2008. Um, so I audited uh governmental agencies, whether they were rural telephone companies. Oh, hold on. I just can't see your face. Yeah. No. Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to It didn't seem like it wanted to work from my All right. Can you all see me now?

Yes,

everyone. Okay. Yeah. So, again, my name is Carrie Erskin. Um, so I graduated from&M in 2002, uh, with both degrees with a bachelor's in accounting, masters finance. So, I I worked at CBA firms, got my CPA license in 2008. Um and in all that time I was auditing local school districts, cities, rural telephone companies, things like that. So I I have a huge experience in um basically governmental entities. So, um, over the last I I took a private job in or like a corporate job for about 10 plus years, but then the last 30 plus years or so, I was the assistant city manager, CFO um, at a city that's about 5,000. So, it's Morgan's Point Resort. We're up in Bell County. We're close to Temple um, and clean. And our biggest issue was that we didn't have a audit. So the last audit that they had when I started there was in 2018. So it was something that I had to come in there and clean up. So I have a lot of history in doing some of this stuff. Um, and a lot of the a lot of these things is I I kind of want it's not like I don't want to blame it on conversions or anything like that, but when you convert from one software to the other software, there's going to be a lot of big issues. So once you get those issues cleaned up, every subsequent audit after the first one will go a lot smoother. So this has nothing to do with city staff or anything like this. This is it's just trying to get all the backside or the front side, you know, or backside, whatever you want to say, kind of cleaned up. So, it it took me several

months um to do it. Uh and I was doing that as my 40-hour job. So, ultimately, this audit will get done. I have pretty good communication with the audit firm. It just it took me a little bit while to get into it. Um, and like I said, I I think the biggest issue is and as a council member, as an assistant city manager, I think sometimes sometimes the questions could be not in necessarily the right space, but so like, you know, you have your cash in bank, you know, you have your investment in bank. So there's nothing that I have seen that has been incorrectly booked or anything like that. It's just certain things with setting up the conversion is really confusing even as a CPA. So once we get those kind of cleaned up and you're we might even have to go back till all the way back to like whenever the conversion was you know once we get that done the audit should be pretty easy and smooth going forward. So, you know, uh for me, um like I said, that was kind of my spiel about me. And I I basically had the city where I worked at going to where we're going to be cleaned up and we we would have the 2025 audit on like on track type deal. So ultimately I think here it's just that this first audit is going to be the trickiest and nothing to do with city staff or anything like that. It's just there there are certain things once you go from QuickBooks and we were on a we were on a much more robust software. It was just more certain things with Fun View like unless you have the city staff that can dedicate 40 hours a week to do it there's going to be things that are missed. So ultimately, I think we can get pretty close. Um, not pretty close.

Sorry, I shouldn't say it that way. We'll get there soon. So, I I I think here like I I know that's probably not the answer that a lot of y'all want to hear that like it should have been done slightly earlier, but I'm going to say that's mo mostly on me and I think that's probably sorry on the the conversion process. So once we get past the 2024 audit, 2025, 2026, any future audits will go pretty smoothly. And sorry, my dogs are barking in the in the background. So thank you, Carrie.

Thank you, Carrie. Mike, you got anything to add? Is it good? No, I just uh you know we we we teamed up with Carrie uh several months ago to um kind of assist with the reconciliations for Fun View that we had been working on and excited to have Carrie on the team. He's got extensive experience in the financial services industry and so uh things things are on track and going well and and excited to uh get this audit wrapped up and then you know we'll be on track to you know get the 2025 audit completed much quicker and and in compliance with the new state law. So,

thank you. Appreciate you guys. Um, it's not in the budget, but I emailed all the council yesterday to see the the um revenue expenses. Um, hope you all took a good look at that and it looks like we're intentionally we've got some other input inputting to do we haven't received all looks like we or look around $200,000 send back to the general fund so to reserve. So no more plug your ears.

Anybody got any questions on any of the fun stuff? Do you want to give a final update on city hall 88 updates?

Um I uh no I don't. Um Freland Turk is I mean we're almost done with the inside. Um it's the same vendors contractors that are doing the bathroom. We're at a point right now here in this building. I said focus on the bathroom get it done and then we'll come back because it's really you know a day or two we'll work here. Um but for the parking lot free on Turk is still I talked to them last week and just said hey you know reminding you we got this out there I think it fell through the cracks a little bit on their end but they were picking it back up and um reviewing the report that we got from whatever that company name is but u yeah so hopefully we'll they'll they're working on it so hopefully as far as the outside parking It's going to be it's not an easy easy resolution.

More focus on moved everything around. Yeah, I think it's just the doors, right? Yeah, we've got to work on the doors, which is going to be a big pain. I'm going to try to make them do that on the weekend while while there's people here. But, you know, we've we've got some newer um hand grab grab bars in the back of those. Um and the rest is I mean as far as ADA go and you gota the skirt all the things low we got fix that there's everything is pretty minimal like I said I wanted to focus on the alter and then we'll be back. So

yeah I guess the electrical through the ceiling is just cosmetic.

Yeah. Yeah. So that's some other some electrical stuff they're going to put. We got lighted exit signed up. Um, we just the electric bag. We're going to sink some more wires in the in the uh walls that can bounce back there. And I'll get a meeting possibly tomorrow with the um our audio visual version that was referred to by Wimberly just to kind of get a a better idea of what with the new 6 plus software that we got coming on, how to tie all that in together. And uh we shouldn't plan on tomorrow if you can get them. Um so there's some It's not ADA stuff, but it's, you know, some upgrades to, you know, you get some additional screens and well, so we don't have a problem.

So, thank you. Any other questions? No, that's it. for people.

All right. So, um we're going to move into the regular agenda and there will be at least one change in the scheduling. I'd like to sort of be able to get people that are here visiting in and out as quickly as possible just for so moving number 12. Um there's no objection under 12 which is the discussion possible action to approve a water wise event in partnership with water association for November 8th 2025 to take place at the county approved design plans bus

mayor I move that we approve the waterwide event in partnership with the watershed association for November 8th 2025 take place triangle improve design plans plus associated cost not to exceed $2,000 dollars from oh no from the trees and parks board account number 10-10-5206 oh sorry wrong account number 10-10-554

yes sir and and we do have so here that I um I did get to propose I would bring it up and hand it out to everybody. I don't think everybody's had a chance to really read through it. You might want to just come up and touch on it a little bit about what the plan is.

Council, everyone at your desk has this report. This is what they're referencing. Um just to kind of jog everyone's memories, uh this is about the triangle part. We already approved working with them. We just had to kind of fine line the details and this is the final approval of the project coming back to us with those like minor details. And to clarify, the funds we were putting to it is so that we could potentially alleviate uh burden on volunteers should we struggle to find a new land management company for uh land movement and bringing things.

Awesome. It's amazing. So, the origin of this project actually came from one of those ECWPP meetings long ago. It was the first time I had really heard of Trial Park discussed as like an area of need with storm water management. So that sort of like that meeting really clarified to me, okay, so there's a real need for moving water in creative ways in Wood Creek that doesn't just involve concrete cohorts and we have a real need to educate people about Wood Creek in particular in terms of moving water across the landscape. And then Solakon approached the wershed association about putting together a water wise landscaping series. basically showing people what can exist here without lawns, without outdoor watering and still thrive and look beautiful. So we began putting together that series and then in meetings with city council members and of the BCWP, there was also sort of a declared need to have a teachable space in Wood Creek. So, we thought, why not schedule an event to teach on rain gardens, native landscaping, and landscaping that can exist with only one sort of midsize rain barrel, as well as making a teachable space in Wood Creek on those topics. Um, so we had our friend come out from Symbiosis LLC. They're sort of like a they're a water centric land management company. Um, they do a lot of really creative rain gardens, BMS, and swailes. Their whole focus is caching and sinking water. And we had Michael come out and look at the Triangle Park. And it was pretty amazing what he was able to observe for us just real time in the moment. You can see where the erosion is moving. You can see where the water naturally pools. Initially could come up with a pretty elaborate like amazing sort of like uh a pond type situation. It kind of it was a lot bigger. We said, you know what? Let's do something that is making the park still accessible, still usable for the upcoming music festival, still familiar, has a lot of those similar open spaces, but find one choice rain garden to focus on, and then focus on native plantings in and around the gazebo, along the walkways, areas where we're losing a lot to erosion. So, in our plan, we've got a couple of

phases. The phase one is going to be focusing on the gazebo, the walkway, and the rain garden. Um, which is already sort of existing in there's already kind of a depression in the land that you'll be able to notice when you go out and walk it. Um, it's sort of magnified now, especially with the new walkway. So, we're definitely going to be channeling the water that's moving really, really swiftly down that road that usually sheets down Triangle Park and trying to sink it there before it gets to the golf course. Um, it'll look really beautiful. The hope is to have kind of a wide variety of different things growing, fluffy things and beautiful things, things that are a little bit deer resistant. Um, and also the mission of the project is to ensure that the whole space can function off of that 1,00galon green tank. So the idea is to show Wood Creek residents what it's what's possible. The phasing is about ensuring that we can establish the first round of plants before we plant the second round. Usually they need a little bit more water the first few years and then they kind of get more comfortable. Um but hopefully in the coming years those plants won't really need a lot of maintenance. Um and then it's also our mission to make a maintenance plan so that anybody who navigates the park is tending to the park kind of knows what areas we're focusing on and if there's native need. And uh one of the reason for the phases is that uh what we're hoping is that Wood Creek residents will really like the demonstration garden and will want to uh incorporate some of these ideas into their own yards. And in order to do that, they would have to do it in phases because, you know, you wouldn't want to be planting a whole bunch of native plants and not have enough water to keep them going to get them out. No, it's kind of a practical example of what how

Yeah, we don't know if it's a for focus on that. So, after the drought and trees, I lost all oaks and 16 cedars have a large circular driveway. Circular driveway in the middle was all cedar

and you know the weight of the ice is cracked all down. So hope I'm not I'm not planting any more trees there. Turn this into a rainbow because it's about a 12 degree slope that comes off of Bristol Lane down there. Great idea except it had just I think kind of gloss over. I just want my you know affirmation from you and think that if we plant these plants in bed one which is technically the rainart correct bed one

bed one is is off the edge. Yeah, those were on the edges. It's not depicted in the drawing. Actually, it's depicted in the private pages. It's kind of in the center. Yeah, we had Lynn Weber from Master Naturalist make the drawing and then Michael from Symbiosis made a 3D model before the rain garden sits. So, it's actually already catches the most water on the park. It's sort of where all the water pools goes over. So, just below that one. Yeah. So will our rain harvesting which doesn't have anything in it be able to support this gardens and beds

uh and how so how's how it's not raining and you're not getting any water in it. How are you sustaining? Well so the mission is to try to work within that water budget. Right. We made the plan based off of a full rain tank. So that is a challenge in the coming months. We're expecting a little bit of rain. Hopefully, we get enough. Um if we don't, we're totally fine with like having to buy water, shipping in water, borrowing water from other rain tanks, things like that. Yes, we do. Yes, totally. Yeah. Um to establish the plants, but um ultimately the mission is that that rain tank is what sustains the plants. So, we wouldn't go all hop and I'm not trying to be naysayer about it. It's just I've gone through I don't have rain harvesting at home. So, I've got about $1,500 worth of dead plants instead,

right? Plus 4 500 hours worth of back breaking paper work from me to get this when it was raining looked beautiful. Wow. You know, now like what happened to your yard? Yeah. Well, another thing to note too is that none of the plants that we've selected are particularly like waterheavy, water loving, water heating. They're all like really drought tolerant. The rain garden is positioned in a place with relatively dabbled tree light. So, it's not a really hot spot, but it is a spot that catches any rain that comes. Um, but that's a great question. I didn't know that the rain tank was empty. It's not It's not Okay. Like,

okay. Well, good. I'll be right. So, is there It's in your proposal though that you would supplement that if it kind of continue. It's not in the proposal, but we're willing to do it totally. And I'm a member of the Jacos Community Guard, we have rain tanks that we often kind of we move rain around a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Great. Fantastic. Thank you. Please continue.

Yeah. I think that the biggest thing is that in stage four drought curtailment, people, it's a real pain point. People not being able to keep up that vibrancy that they're used to around here. I know I'm personally a gardener. It's kind of devastating not being able to water a vegetable garden and not really knowing where to go next. So, the idea is that eventually a few years down the line, this is like a hands-off space. This place is essentially functioning on its own. In those winter times, those roots will get really deep. Each year it'll sink more and more water. As the roots get deeper and then the hope is also it kind of shows people about the flow on the land in a different way. They'll sort of think about the park differently than they have before. So, uh you say the acronym so fast. Uh I don't think I could copy that. The BCWP

Cypress Wershed Protection Plan, right? So this is the ILA in action for us. This is our money working for us. Um this partnership will fund a portion of this project. The money I asked for us to allocate is like I said through the the land movement. We do intend to try to get volunteers and I know uh Mr. Rosenthal Jonas that was here. he has offered his back and tools and so uh the the the full cost of this will likely be well under what we're talking about the city spending but we did want to give some power to our land management company if possible and I I just wanted to point out some of the further history of this council improve uh approved previously improvements to this area and actually at that time allocated $3,000 that budget has gone so that's not really standing but that that concept of wanting to improve around the gazebo and plant sustainable plants has been uh long-standing several councils. Now, the other component to this is that when we install that rainwater collection around the gazebo, it has a twofold purpose. One, the gutters collect water. Having sheet flow off the roof helps reduce erosion around the gazebo, but also it's that educational component that she's stressing because we want residents to understand we're on small lots. You might not get that 15,000galon tank, but you can do this size tank. And this is a size garden you could support with it. Or, you know, you've got those those lovely plants you planted and you're in love with and how you maintenance zone because you're not supposed to be watering outside right now from your hose. This system is that model, that educational component to kind of like help our residents um sort of understand that full rainwater cycle.

And the hope is to continue to educate in that space too as it changes over time. Maybe there if there's lessons learned and things like that and we've got the great folks from symbiosis who are really used to kind of teaching on those things. They were the first people to teach me these concepts in master I'll add great presentation. Thank you and to Councilman Scott's concern um you know and from a a budget standpoint we I think we're the wershed is happy to you know help cover this cost and we we would like to come back to the executive committee and really work with you all on maybe a expanded budget of of other projects but we're happy to match that you all are putting in on this and be able to you know from the funds that are your funds and and but put watershed funds in with that just like we're doing with the legal you know we're covering these costs and I just want that to be an added value and then we do have big rain tanks where if it is it is critical that we need to fill that up we can we can bring over to fill that tank to to you know make sure that those plants don't die

we're 50 we're 50 in declined rainfall the last 5 years And so this this is just, you know, it's very unheard of. But of course, the minute I say that, it'll rain 11 in one spot and and you see that that happen. So good job. Thank you. Appreciate that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we want to be good partners and this is, you know, I think if people can see it, like you're saying, see it for real life. Oh, this actually works. I think they'll be more that eventually, you know, want to adopt that for their own. Could I maybe add something too?

It's unrelated to the triangle, but your your house, we have a AC condensate that we put into a 50 gallon tank. And right now in May, June, July, we get an average of 10 to 15 gallons every single day. It's raining 247 off of your AC condensate tank. So that $1,500 probably still be alive if you have I mean I have a 50 gallon tank on the side of my house and every day right now I'm getting five gallons blue place about 600 gallons of AC day when AC's too that's very

great well thank you all very much for so Um any conversation heard vote say all in um all in favor of approving the water wise event in partnership with the water show associated from November 8th 2025 to take place at the triangle and approved design plans plus associated cost not to exceed $2,000 from um the parks budget 1010 5554. throw your hands up. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. Keeping trying to get um our our guest through um next I don't know, but it was actually with our our bond council board. Um, so the and here too, so it sort of confined these a little bit, but y'all might have some figuring better. Yeah, we'll go after for those of you that have been for a few since you've been working with us from the getgo on our on our road as very very helpful. Step over.

Good evening. Mayor said I'm Julie. I'm at the welcome and I've been here on the council over the last several years. Um I was asked to come tonight. Um I don't really have a presentation but I understand there are some questions potentially about how some of the remaining um bond proceeds for your project you can use. So, um, I'm here to

Yeah, I think a lot of it I mean, we realized that that, you know, we we did really well with the bond and then we did really well with bids on the construction and so we ended up with money. So, you know, we don't want the devil. Um, so, but you know, we realized that, you know, we wrote we wrote the bond language to be pretty very specific. you know, we I remember y'all telling us at the time, well, you could be sort of broad with this, but it gets to be a problem. You're better off, you know, sort of keeping it, you know, straightforward. And so, it was like rope discover.

Well, and and there is a a law that you can only have one basic concept. So, you couldn't do water, sewer, and streets in the same bond. They'd have to be two different propositions. And so, this was a proposition just for streets. Uh but the proposition language had language at the end. So it was street improvements in all matters incident or necessary there too. So that kind of opens it up to um not just streets. Uh I know we've talked about uh I've gotten calls occasionally about a culvert under a street um potentially a street sign. That's true. Yeah.

Call me. Yes. Yeah. Uh the only thing is it has to be capital in nature. It can't be for maintenance because when you issue a bond that goes out 30 years, um the the life of the improvements that you're financing need to be consistent with the life of the bonds. Yeah. So, I'm going to ask a series of questions and I'm asking them for the purpose of educating the public, not necessarily because I don't already know the answers. Okay. Okay. So, number one, do we have to use the remainder of the bond and buy within?

Okay. So, I would suggest using it. You can't the the document as your your ordinance does allow you to use anything that not needed purposes to repay the bonds. The problem is the call date on the bonds and I can let Brad speak to that a bit um is a few years out. So you they're not currently callable is what we say. And so to put that in layman's terms, what you're saying is we can only use the money left over to pay off the debt after that date

at a future date. Brad Angifle public finance serve as the the villages I'm sorry the city's financial advisor and so the call option is is a prepayment option and so that date ends in 2033. So if you set aside these unspent bond proceeds that go into an escro account uh you're not going to have a lot of savings um on the interest cost because of that. They're going to have to sit for for you know eight years or so. And how does not spending them because there's another date that we've talked about this date that you're supposed to have spent down a certain amount. How would that impact this and what is that amount in date?

Okay. I Well, it's 85% needs to be spent within 3 years. Um, but that's just so that the So, I'll back up one step further. So when you issued the debt, um the city signed a tax certificate and made the representation that its intent on the day that it was signed was that they would the city would be able to spend 85% of these proceeds within three three years. Um if you don't then you have to start yield restricting on those proceeds after the 3 years. Now,

because and and this is something uh council member Bailey, when I spoke to you, I didn't realize your questions were going to be tax related. I hadn't pulled your tax certificate, but because you qualified as a small issuer exception to rebate. um that means you will not have to do rebate calculations or owe rebate but that doesn't um it it doesn't excuse you from yield restricting uh what's in your project bond. Can you explain the public what that is? Okay. So yield restricting is so you have a yield on the bonds which Brad we talked about was uh approximately 4%.

Yeah. So that's the interest we're gaining and then so at a three-year mark we have to restrict that interest. We can't continue to draw on it. But you're saying that we

Well, yeah. So anything a delta above that. So it so like right now you're in that three-year period, you could be investing it at rates above the loan bond and you could use those that interest. But once you get to that three-year mark, um because the IRS expects you, if you're going to issue tax exempt bonds, uh they expect you to to use it and use it fairly expeditiously because it is a subsidy to local governments. Um and that's one of the reasons they don't want you to draw this money and just earn interest on it. Right. Exactly.

They want you to use it. That's why we gave you this penalty just so that you're not you're not gaining. It's because we took taxpayer money for a purpose and so we must act on it. Well, it's that this is an IRS regulation and it's because the interest on the bonds is taxfree to the bonders

and so the government views that as a subsidy to local government so that they can get lower interest rates on their debt obligations. So, so the tax by borrowing tax exempt instead of taxable you you get that lower rate but in turn you can only use it on a capital project. You can't use it for operations for investing to earn extra money. You can only use it on project.

Okay. Um and so we talked about some of the things that are included in that and you were very clear that maintenance is excluded. So if there's something that by many terms is considered maintenance, but we want to reflect on that, what process would we have to do in the council to prove something isn't actually maintenance? For example, like additional coding for the road to prevent wear and tear. Oh. Uh, you know, I'm a lawyer and that's kind of like out of my area of expertise. I know a lot of cities have like a city engineer or the city can you know understand what's capital and what's not a capital

also that is actually an accounting issue. It's what is a capital asset versus an expense side and generally capital asset has longer than one year's life and usually it it is not a small incidental cost. So, and I did look up the difference between GAP and Gatsby. Okay, GASP is a government account. There is absolutely no difference between your allocation of capital asset and expense and GAP or gas fee. This is one that you don't really need to ask an engineer. You ask an account.

Okay. So, back to what you were saying and I do have the floor right now. If we were wanting to do something that's typically called maintenance and we wanted to use the bond to do that, how could council legally pursue that? Would we get a letter from an engineer?

The risk would be if you ever got audited by ours. So, you would have to have something in your files back back up. Now, I don't know if the IRS I mean they they do lots of audits. So, I don't you know I don't know if they have certain internal uh I don't know cheat sheets so to say that if it's this kind of thing that is you know we always view that as maintenance. You know I'm I'm not sure how that process works but um you just have to be comfortable that it's a capital asset. So, we would need literally a letter from so many professionals stating that an additional seal pull on our roads is not considered maintenance and this is why.

I think that would be very helpful in advance. Yes. Yeah. And then so if we were repairing a road that we've been granted a license to repair but is considered a private easement like it's a private road that we get a license on this to repair it. that could be road bonds could go to that. Correct. Possibly, but I'd like our tax council to look at it because it's got to be an interest that the IRS recognizes. Okay.

Um, so if if you want to enter into some sort of agreement like that, if you let me know, then I can uh let our know. But you would the road itself, you say you would only have a license to use it? So we are already we have a prescriptive easement on it that we have not pursued the legal process of getting recognized but it is a recognized prescriptive easement by literally the entire valley. We use it daily. It connects uh it's a major road. Even the county has uh considered adopting this road because it connects two county roads. Okay.

And so it's a very short period of time that's a private drive technically but it's left open year round. So they don't even meet the basics of required to close it occasionally. Right. They don't close their gates. So, it's left open year round. The whole public uses it. It's in major disrepair. It's located in our city limits and one of our neighbors neighborhoods is isolated would would lose their ingress egress and have to use an emergency exit if they lost access to this road. So, it's it's very much a Wood Creek road, right? But there is responsible for operation. There are joint private ownerships on it. So it's not even a single unity and we are uh um entity sorry and we are in negotiations right now with securing that license. So it is not bound up in a massive legal process. So

you said you do. Yeah. If you would send us the license agreement that would be great and then I can have our tax council look at it and make sure it's a it's an interest uh in the asset that the IRS code. And in that private street there is a small pulvert slash it looks somewhat like a bridge but it's really a water culvert a very big one big one but small bridge if that makes sense and it's collapsing so there is a and the road goes over that it's in the middle of the road it's part of the road okay so one of the major goals is being able to repair that collapsing small bridge largeberg uh to be able to do that I would say that was a cost that would be necessary in incident to the street.

Okay. And then uh one of the other projects we're looking at using a portion of the remainder of funds and for all the public to understand this is not the full remainder of the funds we have left. What we've allocated for potential expenditure and our capital improvements for next year is only a portion of that. We would hopefully meet that 85%. Um but um we need to do those final calculations. So this other project we're currently looking at is um something you and I have already talked about. It is an expansion of an existing roadway and bridge to include pedestrian mobility and safety to allow access to a public park. And there is some erosion around this bridge at this time. There is also a covert that kind of dumps into this area, but the goal would be specifically to expand that bridge to possibly incorporate a pedestrian pathway. Would that be considered usable bond funds? from what you're explaining to me against.

All right. Um I think that that was most of my uh questions for this evening. Um and so when I'm hearing just to find like I'll put a pin in it, we can't use bond funds to pay off the bond until 20. What was the year? 33. 33. All right. Thank you. That's something the public has um is a little confused about and the the call date you know affects your interest rate too and so

that's right be clear you could set that money aside uh for the future day could be invested in a restricted account um and have some earnings but um yeah it's not going to make that payment uh for quite some time to 23 and it be for future uh payments. But we couldn't commit a future council to leave it in that account. You could you can make that decision now. Transfer the money will be designated for that future payment. But how how would we commit a future council to retaining the money in that account, not spending?

It would be out of your control though. So any future council could then pull that money out and use it. No. No. No. So I'm not saying once you transfer the funds you make the decision to transfer the funds to an escort account make these payments it would stay there you would not be able to access it so it would be a finality you know not a loss but it would be permit

okay I don't think it' be the most effective use for the funds but we can certainly explore that that option if you you want to because the addage Another comment and recommendation um it was Miss Houston's presentation. Well, 85% of the funds need to be spent with three years if it it is always our recommendation to try and have 100% those funds spent at that time. Um going through an IRS audit is is not worth it. It's expensive um to hire specialty lawyers that explore that. Um and they're not going to go away without some kind of payment. Okay. um to clarify why we're not spending the money triggering audit. I mean, we're supposed to spend 85% by the end of the third year, right?

Correct. Okay. But what was what did you just say regarding we don't want an audit? If we don't spend 100% are we subject to No, but they they may start to uh look at you closer and look for other um that other procedures and and items were followed.

So, um whether you're in the right, whether you followed your intent, uh you just want to avoid getting audited. So something we learned tonight is there isn't necessarily that risk of penalty previously had thought there would be. Did I understand that correctly? Penalty penalty.

So at 3 years I believe in previous discussions or the the understanding that council members walked away from those discussions right because there's always that difference between what you say and what we hear and then what we remember later. So there was a a concern that at 3 years we would suffer a penalty beyond that yield restriction and you're you said tonight that because of the small issue exception, right? Okay. I thought your So that means that you're not subject to having to pay to do rebate calculations and pay rebate. Okay. But it doesn't you still have to yield restrict

and so you know if you weren't yield restricting you know that could be a red flag. And how would we yield restrict? What does that look like?

We can provide the uh the the actual figure the yield that you cannot invest at a rate above that. Um and so it's um you know working with maybe an investment advisor that that works within that parameters those parameters or having you know whoever's handling finances at the uh city um doing on their own and making sure that you're not um earning more than than you're uh paying on the bond.

Good. I don't have more volume questions, but I do have additional questions for you. Anything that for Jul?

Well, I just reiterate that um the one thing that I kind of suggest is the seal code for the roads because that is not that's a capital asset. It is a final coat over new construction. After it's it's cured for at least one year, then it it does it top seal on the roads. This applies to all nine nine miles and roads that we've done and it is clearly more than a one year asset. So I I think your your thought on talking to your auditor or accountant is a is a good

question. [Music]

Thank you very much. appreciate it very understand electronic version of this too for posting. So again, uh for the director, I'm Brad AS with Steel. Uh we serve as your uh municipal advisor is the technical word but um basically help you with bonds uh setting tax rates uh your continuing disclosure requirements with your your bond and the financials that you have to provide uh in an ongoing basis. Do my colleague Stephen Bell um pleased to be here with you. So, flipping uh behind tab one above to page four, we're just going to walk you through again some of the metrics and uh in your debt portfolio and some of the items that we look at um particularly with your property tax base. You all have issued and sold general obligation bonds which are backed by property tax. So we like to evaluate and keep an eye on uh the assessed valuation. So looking there on page four on the left hand side you'll see uh the city's you know tactical assess valuation over the last 10 years. It's been growing very

steadily as we've seen in much of the central Texas area. Um there's been strong growth, steady growth um in that tax base or the taxable assess valuation. So we use that taxable valuation to apply the tax rate against that that produces your property tax revenues uh both for some of your operational dollars here at the city but also also to repay uh the debt service on your fundraising loan. So looking in the middle section there, you'll see the tax rate history. You have an M rate, which is maintenance and operations used for day-to-day activities at the city. And then I and S that's interest and syncing fund. That's that's your principal and interest or your debt service fund. And so that rate is what uh brings in the revenue to pay your debt service off. So the the the city has been able to lower its tax rate here over the last two years because of uh some of the strong growth in your valuations and uh being able to take care of the budget on a little bit lower tax rate. So um congrats to you all on being able to accomplish that. And then over on the right hand side is population. We keep an eye on that for some of the other demographics when we uh look at the city's credit rating and credit profile. Moving to page five.

Oh, can I just point one thing out? Yes, ma'am. I love your statistics because I have reports of them later. Okay. Even though we have kept our tax rate similar, if you compare like your 2017 2025, our tax base has gone up 110% and our population has gone up 10%. So we still are charging our people more per capita than we have and that's also why we can start to lower our tax rate but we still are collecting more than we did. So, let's go.

We're on page five looking at um continuing with some of the fact base overview or demographics. Uh important statistic of the credit rating agencies. It was looking at the diversity of of who's paying your property tax. If you uh have any single taxpayer or help the taxpayers that dominate uh your tax base, if they were to leave or go out of business, it could be a big hit to the economy. So, what we like to see is that your top 10 taxpayers are less than 10%. Uh we see you all at about 6.43%. So, it's a pretty uh good diverse uh set of of paths. You'll see the top one uh is sitting at 3.2%. So a little bit larger um portion there of the tax base. Looks like it's a a developer. Couple other statistics for reference here um on the page. But moving to page six when it dives into uh your your debt portfolio. Um the city has one outstanding uh debt obligation. Again, this is a general obligation bond and that means that it's the full faith and credit of the city and it's paid through property taxes on an adorn basis or or proritate basis. So uh in 2023 we issued approximately 3.5 million of bonds for your road projects and today there's about 3.15 uh outstanding or remaining to be be paid on the principal. Um and then you'll see next to that go moving from left to right up top callable. Again

call call option means it's prepayable. um you can refinance it or you can prepay it at a future date. So you have approximately $2 million of bonds that are uh callable and that's starting in 2033. We've shown interest rates in in municipal finance we uh we have blended rates we sell individual pieces of your bonds and so that's when you see a range of four to 5%. Um, and then the final payment in 2048. One thing I want to point out and discuss just a little bit here on the bottom half of that page, you'll see uh a bar chart and these are your uh principal and interest payments. The blue is principal and interest. But what you'll notice uh in four years from now there's a drop off in your total debt service. Then another five years after that, there's a drop off. And we did that intentionally. Um that is to help uh the council in the future. If you have projects and you need to finance them, you can layer them on without increasing that total debt service payment and hopefully manage your your tax rate uh so it's not quite as volatile. So you do have some opportunity here in the future um or even sooner to layer on without a big impact to your tax rate. Uh that so that's that's what that uh shape of your debt portfolio is for. Moving to the next page, you'll see just a little more detail. This is that same bond uh that we just showed you on the prior page uh just with a little more detail. So we have the coupon, which is the interest payment uh and the rate that you're paying to investors on an annual basis. Some of them are 5%, some

are four, there's four and eight, four and 38. Um, and then you'll see the payments um on a semianual uh schedule there and detail surrounding that. Continuing on, I've mentioned your credit rating a couple of times. So, looking at page eight, we break down your credit rating. So you're an 81 rating with Moody's uh very strong rating um investment grade rating there and uh you know some of the the items that Moody's has cited as strengths and challenges for you are listed here but healthy financial operations and reserves you are doing good job uh keeping a balanced budget keeping on some reserves for uh rainy day if you will or or emergency situation s um favorable resident incomes. You have a a population with an above average median household income. Um some of the challenges though, limited local economy, so you have a lot of of houses, residential here in Wood Creek, not a lot of commercial or other type of business activity. and then slightly elevated leverage. The leverage being thick and um you know you'll took on three and a half million. Um it's not a huge amount these days for governmental type projects, but even that amount is enough to skew some of their metrics. Yes, ma'am.

Okay. I calculated that about $1,800 per resident. So that does feel a little bit high. What if we take on more debt because some of this was discussed is about more debt. Will that then cause our bond rating to go down?

It potentially could. Yeah. Depending on the amount um it can make the rating go down. Um and then of course it like your personal credit score if your rating go down may pay us higher interest rate. Yeah. Just some more of those details in the chart below. The left hand column there, those are the and it's got a 2023 title. That's the cities statistics. And then to the right of it, um it is was titled A1 medians. And so that's Moody's uh median metrics for all cities that have that A1 rating. So, we we used uh these green bo boxes to denote where y'all are doing better on the medians. And then some of these red highlights where yall are below some of those medians. You'll see like that first red box. Usually a city with the A1 uh rating has a budget of $39 million whereas y'all are at, you know, 1.2 million. So more than those are astronomically futures will be more that's right. So y'all are yall are not going to be at that kind of level for decades.

So we're like little league playing in the big league is what it sounds like you are. You got a great rating. You're just one notch away from a double A. So I think one of the big concerns we're hearing right now from the public is uh do we have healthy reserves? And so I just would love if you maybe said that one more time a little bit louder.

Yeah, according I' I'd like to look at it a little bit further according to the rating agencies and their recent review if you have ample reserves according to your size of a city and budget. So, um I will note, you know, the smaller uh budget you have, um it doesn't, you know, using a percentage against that doesn't always make sense. Uh because an emergency situ, you know, it's going to cost you uh the same thing to repair a roof on city hall uh that it may cost um a larger city. And so while your percentage reserve may may hit the rating agency metrics, you know, thinking about a a minimum amount would be uh probably a good um idea for for Wood Creek. So happy to look into that first.

Yeah, we would like a recommendation on that. A previous council, our general fund balance had picked an arbitrary number of half a million dollars.

That is not currently in our existing fund balance. the previous city administrator had it removed. Um, so right now really the only true indicator we have and like a minimum reserve that we talk about is like 3 to 6 months operating expenses, but we definitely as a city want to hold a significant amount more than that. We've already been through several emergency scenarios where we had to expend a large amount of funds. Now, we do get them typically rebated back to us from federal programs in an emergency, but you know, we had to we had to come up with 220,000, you know, in the middle of a fiscal year at one point. And so, um, it would be nice for us to have a more

professional opinion on what that minimum should be. Yeah, I've had some just a moment um some clients down on the coast that are waiting years for reimbursement from FEMA. Typically, uh, we like to see 25% 3 months worth of expenditures, um, as a reserve. With a with a smaller community like Wood Creek and some others that I worked with, we've we've recommended a minimum of six months. So, uh, we'll look into your specific situation and and provide that recommendation. Yes, ma'am.

What about um because I've been calculating it and it's generally a declining balance. So will from when you have someone look at it when you look at the history of where those reserves have gone. Sure. We'll check that trend. Would you agree that it's a generally declining balance? I don't know if I have the figures today.

So that that first line available fun general fund. You can see we've got 2023 the median and then 22 21 20 to the right. So it does look like at least based on this 223 had a you know decent draw down. Um the 2023 is when obviously you issued a bond that's where these numbers come from but we can get those 2024 values.

So is everybody following? Yeah, there was a significant road improvement this year where they spent half a million. The previous administration spent half a million dollars on a single road about $420 something. So that's that draw down. But aside from that expenditure, we like just previously it was at 1.3. So that's about a $200,000 difference between a few years ago, four or three years ago and now. So would you consider $200,000 decline to be a significant decline?

Not in your case when you're at that healthy of a of a reserve. Um you were at nearly two times your your annual budget. Um generally what we're looking at is um whether it was like a one-time capital expenditure versus increasing your your ongoing budget and your and your overspending and your operational budget. So uh at those levels at at at uh first glance from these numbers coming from duties I'd say that was you know a reasonable draw down. It was for capital improvements. We haven't overspent on our M in four years. We've returned reserves every year.

All right. Moving uh moving to the next section. Um section two. We want to just give you an idea of of uh financing options for the city as you uh move throughout your year and consider couple of projects. Just wanted to give you an idea of what um what different size projects would would mean to the city, how they might uh have a tax impact uh to the voters and some different types of financing vehicles. So, um, we were looking at, you know, if, uh, one item looking at page 10, you know, if there was, uh, the need for like a land purchase approximately $500,000. There's different types of, uh, debt products you can use. We talked about general obligation bonds already that goes to the voters. They approve a project. Uh in Texas, we have certificates of obligation uh that can be used for essential purpose type projects of the city, whether it be roads or um um or sewers or or um public safety type items. Uh but another item is a tax note, which would um is all it's a shorter term type repayment. You're limited to seven-year repayment. uh you can access um uh capital markets or uh lending a little bit quicker than some of those other options. So um again just want to introduce this this concept and some of the tools you have available for you.

I don't believe a tax was available for land purchasing though. Correct. It depends what it depends what's going to be built on that land of the purpose. Yeah. the ultimate if the ultimate use of that land is for one of the eligible items.

And so, you know, we also are aware, you know, they'll have some some drainage needs here in the city and um could be very large needs over um you know, the next five to 10 years even. And uh so when you get into those larger type of projects that may need to be financed over a longer period of time, that's when you get into um that geo bond type option, the certificate of obligation option that that uh I've mentioned. Um but really, you know, when we talk about water being a wastewater, um anything here in Texas related to to water or even flood type needs, uh the water development board of the state um uh program was developed to provide um either grant options, grant loan options, um financing at subsidized interest rates. uh they have several different options. And so when I hear of these big ticket items that that Wood Creek may have and knowing your size and the size of your budget, um we really uh recommend taking a look at the Texas Water Development Board uh as a partner for some of these larger type projects. And so uh we've worked with them um all across the state. Um they have uh let's I'm going to move on to talk about them here to page 13.

When you when you Yes sir. When you said that you worked with what what would people do like we said okay we want to go to the water development floor. What what what sort of or what would you do to help in those negotiations or it's yeah it's not necessarily a negotiation. They have their loan programs but typically it it it would be the city, it would be your engineer and it would be your financial advisor involved in an application process. Okay. Um that's largely led by the engineers that do that. So

um what does Steve will do specifically? um that the water development board asked us to uh run preliminary debt service structures and feasibility analyses to to make sure that you can afford uh their programs and and uh make sure before you go into the application process that you know that it's going to still u potentially cost you x amount and what is your anticipated route to um produce that that that local portion. So next

we're an election vote from Prop 4 that's funding the Texas Water Development Board. Um, so I want to skip ahead just a little bit more water development board items on page 13 and 14 and then I'll come back to those those tax net numbers. But um just a a little bit of information here so that you can uh review it um later on or refer back to it. is some of their their big programs, a clean water state revolving fund. Again, that's going to provide water to clean clean water projects. That's that's a freshwater um type type use. And if it comes in with subsidized interest rates, usually um pretty low to 3% range. the flood infrastructure fund. Um, that's one that I I think would be well suited for drainage projects. Uh, their application process right now isn't isn't open, but but we've read and heard that they're probably going to open that up again in 2026. That comes with uh sizable grant matching. Um, and usually, uh, the city has to come up with with, uh, some proceeds on the loan side as well, but I've seen, um, $50 million projects applied for where, uh, you know, maybe 30 million um, might be grant money, 20 be. So there there's there's significant amount of monies available for these type of projects um, out there. And then we've just added page 14 a little bit of their process. Um, and we wanted to point out they have some workshops. A good way to start with with uh the water development board is to go

to some of their workshops and hear about their different programs. They're good about getting into the community. And so we've listed uh a few options up here in the top leftand corner on page 14. None of them are terribly close. condo is just west of San Antonio. Um may be a reasonable uh drive over for the day to that. Brenham, of course, just to the east of of Boston between Austin and Houston. So, um so anyways, wanted to point that out. I do think um if you're considering some big large projects, we would work with you and help identify some of those programs. Okay, so let's look at some numbers. And I'm going back to page 11. And I just want to run you through a few scenarios so you have an idea of what these type of projects that sides in cost. So looking at page 11, we evaluated a $500,000 tax note option. So on the left hand side we have your assessed valuation. We have your current debt service and then we have the tax rate that take that we're we're anticipating to pay off the existing debt service. In the middle section we layer on the new tax note and the anticipated payment schedule. And you can see on the right hand column there the green section it says added INS rate. So about two cents, two and a half cents uh it would cost to be able to service a $500,000 tax note over seven years. And so that two cents going down at the bottom of the page, we we show you the calculation of what

that means for uh property tax. So, uh, two and a half pennies there on the bottom left equates the $25 per 100,000 of taxable value. So, Wood Creek, we pulled the average home value, is approximately $425,000. If you applied that 2 and a half pennies to $425,000 home, it equates to $106 annually or about $8.85 85 cents on your monthly mortgage statement if you if you escro your taxes. So we follow that format on these other presentations. Page 12, which just shows how uh the new debt service layers onto your existing. And moving forwards to page 15, we evaluated a $5 million borrowing. Now, this one is evaluated over a 30-year repayment. That's it's a little lengthy. Uh typically, we try and do 20 25 years. Uh but because of your size, this is a this is a big issuance. So, we'll look at 30-year repayment. You'll see in the blue section, the right hand column, we estimate on average this is going to add about seven and a half pennies to your tax rate. if it's repaid with property tax seven half pennies we start to get into some pretty big numbers. So if you look at the bot right that equates to $318 annually and forgive me the bottom left there that 106 is incorrect but the monthly amount of 2656 is accurate. That's for the $5 million project.

And that wouldn't be paying off existing debt, right? That would be like added. Yeah.

Added. Yes. Pretty significant there. And so you can guess where this is going. We show a 10 and a $15 million option to do. So really doing that much all at once is is um probably not too advertising for your local taxpayers, residents here community. Um looking at the 10 million, it'd be about $53 a month added and the $15 million option of about $80 a month additional. So we wanted to give you some some idea. um is if you think about big projects and and what it what it may how it may impact. Yes, ma'am.

Would it make more sense to take a small bite now and then in four years when we have that drop down kind of built into our existing debt, take another small bite. Um I I get out of respect for our public that hearing that when it comes to drainage issues is like no. But I I'm just after seeing these numbers firsthand, it's really hard to imagine how we can hit people's pocketbooks with, you know, a $10 million drainage ask. Yeah. You know, that for some of us is an entire car pay. I mean, I mean, like it's a big deal. Um,

but that that implies that like test Florida Development Board isn't involved. That's if we were on our own. That's just your local portion. Yeah. So if you had $15 million in needs and you know you get 5050 you know you may be on the hook for seven and a half locally and so depending on the program depending on the the project your application um

the funding cycle from the legislature for that for that bianium it all plays into you know what's available but uh to your to your earlier point as far as a bite at the apple and taking off um smaller pie pieces that that is um how we work with a lot of our communities. You know, you you all as a council um and staff to determine what's a reasonable amount to put towards our capital improvement plan and our needs. uh and then trying to hold that uh portion of your your tax rate steady so that over the years uh as you grow, you know, it helps produce some extra revenue and then as you pay off bonds uh you're able to layer on new projects, but yeah, smaller smaller pieces um in kind of a a cycle every two three years maybe more beneficial to you all.

Okay. Um if we well I say if we're very likely to try to find the free money you know uh if we went through one of those processes that you identified in this packet what is the time frame that that looks like it's a long process long with the water development already. Yeah, I know. But I mean like what is long view?

So they don't even Yeah, they don't. So the earliest they would probably open up a new application is probably the spring. Um so you would apply. It would probably be um fall of 26 before they reviewed your application and potentially invite you to submit for their financing. Um, so it's probably spring of 27 at the earliest you would receive funding. So it's really important that we have this study we've been working on in hand especially going into those process, right? Like because you you have to kind of prove that projects identified kind of like with the bond, right?

That's right. I'm not I'm not um aware of the plan, but um yeah, you would that's why you have to have your engineers involved in that application process. You pretty much have to have a project identified ready and and you know on their list. I believe there's even um local water plans. You got to work with your uh is it is it the water loop? Um we're in that trend.

Okay. And get on their radar. So, it's it's I'm just talking about the financing process. If you had a project that was already on the the local water plan, wershed plan and engineered and you're ready to apply, it's, you know, it's about a year and a half out. So, it'd encourage you to particate a um a one-on-one meeting with water development board and the city. We we work with them often. Um be happy to help facilitate that. Yes, ma'am.

I have a question on one of your schedules. Take Paul. Mhm. Um the household income I believe Mr. Lever pointed out that it shows we have a disparity of incomes. There's 35% of our population earns 35,000 or less and that's per household but then we have the higher income. Can you tell me about the property tax bracket? Wood Creek is question.

That is an odd um so the United States is the green. That's right. We are the blue. Is that just what does that mean? So, it's saying in green that across the US, approximately 45% of US uh taxpayers pay $3,000 or more property tax uh per year.

In in Wood Creek, there's almost 80 to 90. And we see that uh across Texas um particularly because because there's, you know, no income tax. It's uh a lot of the revenue here in the state is derived from either sales tax or property tax. Yeah. Okay. And where do you get your statistics? So, Census, Census Bureau, um the Municipal Advisory Council of Texas, which we're a member of various um um administrators,

is ahead. Um, is there an amount, this is a kind of a hard ball question on the spot and I do apologize, but is there an amount of debt that you could solidly recommend we should consider taking out to address drainage in a more immediate fashion? The reason I'm asking that is because it sounds like these grants and loan, you know, this other thing is drawn out and we're going to I can't commit council as a whole, but I will personally attempt to seek that. That's going to be a long process. We can have that bus driving, that train going, right? Is there a smaller amount of debt that you're like, you know what, Wood Creek, you can really handle this amount right now without sacrificing your A1 rating, without smacking residents with a huge, you know, a whoa tax bill next year? Um, because I think that's probably our ultimate goal is how do we get going and start

dealing with some of this stuff. Um, yeah, it would. I can't give you that number here on the spot, but I can learn what your your priorities are. You said preserving your A1 rating, not having a downgrade due to getting a little lever. We can um focus on on that. That's one of our metrics. Um when we go and run these numbers um keeping that established reserve number that you're going to work on

established reserve you know what is um you know tax rate that you think um you know is is in the um realm that um citizens are on board with continuing to improve the community but um not being too big but increase looking page four, you know, historically your total tax rate is, you know, 22 cents, 22.4 on the high end and then um back in 2017 year as low as 13 cents, but recent history it's, you know, it's a range of 18 to to 22 cents. So,

and I can't speak for everyone, but I would say that if you went back to, you know, we're looking at the 22 cent mark of like 2020, right? This was like a previous administration, they were m they were going to the the highest voter approval rank pretty typically. I would say that that is a pretty good cap of where residents have in the past been comfortable with their taxes. They didn't love that, right? Like we we came in, we dropped that down. Um we brought down M spending to to help drop down the tax rates, right? But that I think would be another good metric to use in your sort of you know scanner.

And if I recall when I did the road bond it was important that we kept it the debt service rate under 10 cents. You'll see that bar 9.8 cents. So um I'd offer that up as another consideration as a as a as a point. Um, so we can look at a couple different levels. Um, two cent increase, a three or four cent increase and provide you some options. So we can follow up with that. Off the top of my head, just the ballpark, you know, we did run some numbers on the ability to do a $500,000 tax note. And I think if y'all had kept your tax rate the same um as you had last year, I think you would have been able to do it without without any increase. So um so I do, you know,

yeah, just as a as a as a data point for consideration, but just about a penny more, but you could have taken on 500,000.

So I want to restate that so I so people really understand what you're saying. um we went no new revenue rate this year and that is essentially produced less income than we actually made last year and it brought down our M spending even further and we made it work. But if we were to go between no new revenue and the voter approval rate, which we have done in our first couple years in admin, and it keeps us at bumped up just a little bit over what we're spending in the imminent or what we say we're going to spend, but it gives us that nice kind of buffer is what you're saying. And then it allows us each year to kind of create a little buffer for borrowing. Is that what you're saying? So, so yes, there's a couple of nuances to it that new no new revenue or the voter approval rates are um more specifically applied to get your M. If you um have debt service, that is an independent tax rate that INS tax rate that has to be applied no matter what you have. So um so yes as you um you know consider each you know in your budget and through your tax rate cycle um if you wanted to focus on capital improvements you know just trying to maintain particular level will provide uh can provide dollars for for future capital improvements

and I am I also hearing you right that we have the power to increase our INF's debt rate beyond the minimum required for the bond payment. No. Okay. So, that was my assumption. But somehow when you said that I'm like, "Yeah, apologies." I I mean, uh, when you look at you have your M rate and your INS rate, you have a 2 and a half% cap roughly on your M increase.

Um, the INS does not have that and% cap. So, uh, if you lower your M and increase the INS and have the same total tax rate, what I was going to ask like, okay, so if we really needed to to borrow some money and could, you know, really cut it to the, you know, get a quick on, we could raise the INS.

Yeah. If your operations of of the city do not increase and your operational budget stays pretty steady, it it's it's reasonable that that tax rate might decrease over time as as your values go up. Um the cost of construction is not the same static. Governmental construction, the inflation numbers are are higher than most. um and the cost of of these needs continue to go up. But if you have a capital improvement plan or or items and list that's growing, um that's how we work with a lot of cities to to tackle that.

And Stan, can I ask you a question? When he says capital improvement plan, like a comp plan, right? It's kind of like a a document that's like a a large sort of long-term planning scheme where we identify key projects. We've identified potential costs. It's passed by ordinance. Well, it can probably be passed by resolution to to show an intent. Um because plan may have to be modified.

Okay. Um, now if it's for certain purposes, it may need to be passed by resolution. For example, if you're going to do impact fees under chapter 395 in the future, which really you're going to have to grow to get to that point, some home rule authority to have that. So, for purposes of a general a city solution. Okay. Thank you. You're very welcome. We have a little bit of homework. We'll we'll follow up uh uh with city name administrator to get these items distributed.

Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. Please. We're two and a half hours in the break. Hold it for another hour and a half. 8:39. Um, can we be back at

Thank you. 8:49 coming out of the recess. Um, and I'm going to ask that we go into um item number 16, executive session under Texas government code 551.071, 071 consultation affiliate council related legal questions or legal option pertaining to the pending opera water rate change request application submitted to the city including public utility permission document number 58124 application of local Texas Inc. for the authority to change rates and any matters related to same and if it is a victive session under Texas government code 55.071 071 consultation with legal counsel including limited considering action to approve revised joint agreement. This is what we're working on now um without outside council is necessary providing direction to both city attorney and outside council regular descent. Marble,

I move that we amend our joint engagement agree agreement with outside council to add Tesa as part of the joint legal representation in the Aqua Ray case. Seconded by Mr. Scott.

All favors. pick up. Okay. Oh my gosh. I'm not flying. I'm picking someone up from there. Yeah. Good.

My pleasure. Yeah. in there. Thank you, Lauren. Thanks y'all. See y'all again soon. Oh, yes. [Music] Yeah.

Yeah. All right. So, one more item number three on the regular agend plan task order $10,000. I move that we approve the freelancer street maintenance task order not to exceed $10,000. Second.

So I just want to note because this is already designated in the capital improvement area and it's it own thing. We don't have to like list that account number like we do all the rest of the time just because it's already recognized. uh

does I mean based on based on our discussions um with bon on a street maintenance plan you know just seems like you know having an engineer I know we said okay well accountant engineer having an engineer you know having an accountant write you know put something on the files having engineer put something on the files if if it's if it mean you know we're going to they're going to suggest that like a seal cut or something part of a maintenance plan um then uh then we need to make that we need to make them aware of what some of the discussions we had. Yeah. So we know whether or not we can use it for go bond or for you know

Yeah. Yeah. I did want to address a public comment that was made earlier because an individual cited the comprehensive plan where they talked about a pre-existing um street assessment study and I think we all wish we could use that but frankly the only road where that would still be relevant is for drive because we have improved the surfaces and the substructure struct substructure of the rest of the roads right so that previous study cannot be used to talk about what street maintenance is needed. Now, the other component that changed significantly in that assessment is that our roads now peak in the center, which they did not do before, which was one of the big things that that previous road assessment study produced. We did use that study. It did not go to waste. It was part of the effort to procure bond money. And it was one of the impetus reasons why we did not attempt to just do a few smalls at a time. And we went for that bigger bond package because that study showed us the dire conditions of our roads throughout the city and really implied how important it was that we started to address them sooner because we were already losing that substrate and it was exposed in many areas and eroding out and it was becoming further compromised. So um we knew from the beginning that was one of the work of the platinum panel. I believe council member Bailey could probably attest to this as well as former mayor third LeBron that um we knew post road improvements that we would have more of these studies to do this being one of them and then the drainage to be the other. Um, so I really support an evaluation of the work we've done and I do, and I could be wrong in this, but I do know that especially with the more recent work, um, that there are some like warranty

options still with some of the things. So in this assessment, we could identify potential warranty issues and get some of these crews back out to kind of like,

you know, as part of their agreement, deal with some of the issues. So that's that's a to me a real plus with uh moving forward with this right now. Um personally, you know, I can't stress enough that I am not a civil engineer and no one on this board is. And we really need a civil engineer and a professional with experience in road evaluation, pavement evaluation, um and and that like long-term planning to assist us in this manner. And I really support hiring that out. Really?

Okay. Well, I have a different look at it. Um I mean this is it's simply a road and maintenance issue. It's not highly complex. What I'm a little concerned about the the numbers. Um, we had $5,000 allocated for road repair last year. I thought I saw that we'd spent half of it, but in the recent financials, we didn't spend any money on road repair. Last year at all, we had 5,000. This year we've allocated 5,000 for road repair and now we're allocating 10,000 for an engineer to study road maintenance and repair. They're also talking about a 30-year plan and we have 20 year roads. I I just feel that this is it's an excessive amount of money for what is not such a complicated plan. Also, as far as warranty work, um we're we're approaching two years and I don't know that we're going to be I don't think we cause the the margins for for warranty work. That would have been within the first year. That's all.

May I ask a question of Kathy? Who would you suggest writing our road maintenance plan if not the professional engineers that we contract with? Mr. Burton, is this a task you feel adequately I put the floor right now? If you have a form, uh, is this a task that you feel like you are qualified and or have the time to add to your existing schedule.

Um, as far as adding the time, it doesn't matter to me. Whatever needs to get done, he's still done. Um, I will say when I approached Freland Turk about this, I was on, you know, just my thing. No, we just maintain the road. We sail where we need to. We touch it up here and there. And I don't remember the exact words. He's like, "Have you read my document? Have you?" He goes, "That's way more intensive than what you're making it out to be." So, if you're going to ask me to do it, I'm going to rely on somebody, a civil engineer, to I'm going to go ask them to help me because I'm not qualified. I'm not a civil engineer. Um, you know, I've said this before, we need specific engineers for specific things. My son's an engineer, but he's not a civil engineer, and I wouldn't trust him to build my road. So, I'm not qualified. I'm a builder by trade. So,

right, but you didn't specialize in road work and laying roads and maintenance and um followup question or more like a point. uh when I was working on a comprehensive plan and we had several consulting firms, Pegasus, Kfreeze and in my uh extensive research for writing that plan, I uh discovered that road maintenance plans are actually pretty standard uh process for cities and they are very elaborate documents that are um kind of passed and then maintained over very long periods of time uh to protect the assets at the roads. And one of the the biggest concerns with kind of peacemealing this effort or not having a comprehensive document with a series plan that outlines exact dates, exact things we're doing based on actual research is that it's it's easy for it to fall by the wayside. We we saw 40 years nearly of no road maintenance and occasional pothole filling because we had no road maintenance plan. And I feel like

what we talked about it a lot.

We did. We certainly did. And we studied we had multiple studies. In fact, the one that was referenced in the comprehensive plan wasn't even the the first of such studies that was not acted upon and money was spent studying roads every five to six to seven years just to say the same thing. We need to do something. So my goal with having a comprehensive document that we pass as a council and that um sort of serves as like a textbook for our plans is one that it shows our residents that we we have a promise and a commitment to them that we're going to take care of this asset that they're investing a lot of money in and that we have a plan to take care of it and two it holds um staff who I highly value and have the utmost respect for but it does give them a bench benchmark to work towards, to monitor, to hold themselves accountable towards, to hold for us to hold them accountable. I mean, I I know that one of the big things in government contracts and following through with things is identifying clear dates for um actions to be taken and then, you know, assessing if you've missed that. And I feel like if we don't have a comprehensive plan in place, we're going to miss these marks. And I feel like, as you noted, we might have already even missed some of them, right? Because in a day-to-day business in city hall, there is so much going on. There's residents walking in demanding hours of your time and it is really, really easy for stuff to slip by in months and weeks pass and eventually years. And I, this is going to be my last comment, but I firmly believe this is the right way to go. And I firmly believe that Freeland Turk has been an exceptional engineering firm for us and that they have done amazing work. And I would like to continue to entrust them with protecting our assets.

Is this annual which Oh, this is a one time.

No. So they they are being they're being charged that they and also we have mostly streets that don't need immediate. So the $5,000 budget for maintenance and this are not related whatsoever. you know, $5,000 might go patching concrete on on broke combo, but there not really much else to do for the rest of the road are in excellent shape. So, this is a long-term plan, you know, for Okay, so at this point, maybe maybe say at this point right now, you know, we should really take that nine road that nine miles that we did um and put x number of dollars into doing seal coat at the fiveyear mark. you know, we're going to start seeing cracking things like that. So, so that's what that's what the engineer helps. We don't have we don't have somebody else that, you know, has that kind of expertise. So, so you know, we're asking them for a long-term plan that we can follow. And as as Stan was saying earlier about the comprehensive plans, this you know in its way is our comprehensive plan for road maintenance for managing you know the the greatest asset we have

and potentially for funding other efforts possibly. So I don't know he they're talking about possibly a 30-year plan. That's exactly what he's he's laying out the benchmarks. These have been times to you mentioned we have 20 year rolls. Well, and you've mentioned too if we do the sil code about that if we seal code it would they spend it to seven years you know five years to so it stretch it if we follow whatever it is they come up with it should help extend the life of the road.

All right. Any further discussion? All in favor? Uh um approving the approval street maintenance plan task for order say $10,000. Please say I. I. All opposed. Item four discussing possible action to add speed cushions on Champion Circle to the safety enhancement program phase three to re-re. Mhm. I move that we add uh speed pistons on champion circle to the safety enhancement program phase three to be reviewed by freelancer. Second.

Uh all council members have a petition here. Um these are residents of Champion Circle and then we have we do have one resident off of Parview um and one off of Paul Brook but Paul Brook does uh come straight off of Champions even though it isn't technically within the city limits. Uh this impacts those individuals living in that area significantly. Um, I tend to value petitions and I and I believe that um it is worth merit to consider uh additional speed cushions, especially given that our police officers are telling us this stuff is working. And as council member Bailey did the research to prove the statement that we've perpetually said, which is the data also says they're working. Um, I know that we install, one of my caveats to this personally is that we did just install or are planning to install a bunch of radar signs. And so what I like about the way this motion is written is that it doesn't commit us to doing this, but it does honor the petition, tell residents we care, we're listening, puts it on that phase three for review for us to consider in a future date. So this is not a commitment to act tonight and install these cushions. This is a commitment to hear the residents out to uh ask our engineers to give us a good location and uh allow us to consider it at a later date.

Also, we have the opportunity to move our our um temporary signs um into the location and get some before and after numbers. So if if those if the if the permanent radar sign really do the job um then maybe we can convince the neighbors that that's sufficient but you know those those portable radar signs give us that data which I would rather be acting on than just like guess it's working maybe it seems like it's slowing down. So I mean we can get that we get a little that up and compare it to the past and we I mean we've had we've had those sign right up here various locations.

Yeah.

Well this one is like what they're asking for is is down here. So so it's like okay so we've got some data that shows you know patterns down there. Um and you know um I think it's Mr. Bogan was specifically saying he was the one that that you know was coming to the meetings and then brought it up to us. Um he was saying sometimes you know it's like yeah they they hit that street tree and it's like down the street tree is an effective traffic comment. Um but there's still a good straightaway from there to to Wicker Drive. So you know let's just see what we can do with it. So um no further discussion. Um so motion is to add big cushions on champion circle to the safety enhancement program three but all in favor please [Music] fantastic. Um, okay. Number number five um number five um was Miss Lmer's item but um but it was originally Miss Hines's um Chris that asked that we postpone but then said no let's since there were so many people in the room with an interest in this topic um that um council member Vines would uh present um on behalf of Mr. Gmer. So the item is discussion and possible action to utilize the Freeland church city engineers pedestrian mobility report to seek grants to fund a pedestrian mobility project in the city.

I move that council creates a sub community committee that utilizes the Freeland Turk city engineers pedestrian mobility report to seek grants to fund a pedestrian mobility project in the city of Wood Creek. Can I direct legal to review relevant city code to address the questions presented in the report? Second. Council member Grimmart prepared a a statement here that I would like to read before uh discussing my own points. Mayor, do I have that? Please. Yes.

Okay. Um, as part of the packet, I took the pages from the again, I'm speaking as council member Grimmer here. As part of the packet, I took the pages from the comprehensive plan showing where pedestrian mobility was mentioned. On the comprehensive plan, according to the citizens, the third most pressing issue facing Wood Creek is improving pedestrian and/or bicycle mobility. Helping move pedestrians out of the roads and giving them a dedicated space to walk or bike safely not only encourages safety in our city, but also encourages people to get out and exercise and socialize with their neighbors more, creating stronger community ties. Studies consistently show that cities with high walkability are associated with increased daily steps, greater physical activity, and improved health outcomes, including reduced risk for diabetes and better mental health. The National Institute of Health, NIH, reports that the that engaging in neighborhood walking may help older adults maintain more years of aging in place at home. As well as studies confirm regular walking provides significant health benefits for seniors including improved cardiovascular and cognitive health, stronger bones and muscles, better mood, increased longevity, and a reduced risk of age related diseases like dementia, diabetes, and certain cancers. Even short durations like 10 minutes daily are beneficial with moderate or faster walking increasing the positive effects on physical function and mortality risk. The two busiest streets in the city, Wood Creek Drive and Brook Hollow Drive, create a situation where citizens, especially seniors, may be resistant to walk their neighborhood because of needing to share the roads with cars. Same goes for any other age group, such as parents with strollers or young children. Without safe walking spaces, children's access to the playground and parks becomes limited to being driven to these locations rather than walking or biking safely. Besides safe pedestrian mobility programs being a public health issue for the city, numerous studies have shown that walkable communities can lead to higher property values,

increased private investment, and attract new economy workers with people willing to pay a premium. And studies have shown that it reduces personal motor vehicle costs and reduces road maintenance costs for a city. Also in the comprehensive plan, when asked what mobility improvements would you like to see the city address, the number one answer was pedestrian mobility along roadway. Council member Gmer, um I think it goes without saying that I support this. Prior to ever joining the council, I created a petition that you all have in front of you. Uh it looks like this. It has 63 signatures on it. Uh their personal information is somewhat redacted, but you can see they signed in year 2021. These people represent a variety of people throughout the city. And this petition should also count just like the other one. This petition specifically asks people if they would be willing to improve or allow improvement in the right of way easement in front of their house that the city already owns. I'd like to take a couple minutes to address this easement. Many of us see our lot lines as ours, but that's not entirely true. We have easements on many sides for utilities. If a utility company needs to come in and do work, they can. And they're not obligated to put back your landscaping. Now, I don't want to imply that the city has any interest in taking anything or moving anything without permission. That's not the goal. But I would like residents to understand that there's a 50-foot road easement that our roads wind throughout. And that in some places

this is a 10- foot drop into a yard and other places it's a two-foot drop that is included in this 1,00 foot square above study that freelance worker has prepared for us. Along those same lines, I would like to address some u concerning claims I heard from uh citizens um in the public comment period. First off, there is not a person on this board that cares more about trees or has done more in this city to protect trees as I wrote our existing ordinance with the assistance of mayor prov. I have zero interest in seeing our trees jeopardized by this plan or sacrificed for this plan. The council collectively has already expressed in a public meeting that we intend to protect as many trees as possible and we do not intend to risk or just willy-nilly cut down trees. So, I would really appreciate it if that communication was discontinued. That's not our goal. Now, will there be trees in the way? Absolutely. And Freeland work already addressed that in a public meeting. They said, "In those cases, we will seek one-on-one negotiations with those neighbors to attempt to preserve those trees." And what that looks like is asking for easements in other areas that we don't already have a right to. So, this is where you get the meandering walking trails. Another misconception I heard tonight was that we've already decided sidewalks. That has not been decided. We have not decided on concrete. It is the cheapest option, sure. But is the is it the healthiest option for our community? Not necessarily. We can pursue things that allow water trickling. And we don't have to go straight to impervious coverage. That is not the intention. I don't think of anyone on council at this point. Nor have we ever given direction to lay concrete. Last, the cost outlined in

this plan is an estimate. That is not the bill the city has agreed to pay. That is a good guideline for seeking grants, however, which is the goal of the item tonight. I firmly reject that walking trails on Wood Creek Drive and Brook Hollow would not impact the entire community. In fact, there are walkers from all over, even outside of Wood Creek that walk through our city to get to that 10 miles of walking trails to get to that public school, to get to that swimming hole. This impacts and improves everybody's life. And if we were only going to care about the people who lived on the street to make collective decisions, then speed cushions could be brought back up, right? And most importantly, Labroa Drive, which the people on Augusta Drive have repetitively asked us to close. Previous administrations chose to ignore them. And this current administration took a survey and valued the majority of people's opinions and kept Laroka open despite that road asking for us to close it. Now, we had a petition come to us tonight. I did not get it in front of me, but it looks like only 66 homes signed that petition because we can't double count people and compare it to a comprehensive survey because our comprehensive survey was one per house. The comprehensive survey has over 140 houses asking for us to address pedestrian mobility. If we're listening to the majority, it is the comprehensive plan. Do we need to update the comprehensive plan? Absolutely. But how many years is it? Three years. It's only three years old. Okay. To pretend that the demographics in our community have changed so drastically and that they've they've changed to not want us to address pedestrian mobility is pure conjecture. We cannot assume that. And frankly, I did not see enough evidence tonight that it was people who utilize

walking that were in here talking about whether or not we needed walking trips. We had what? One person admit to walking regularly. True. Two people, three count. Now, here's the deal, y'all. How did they get people to sign this? They were out walking on Wood Creek Drive, dodging mailboxes, weaving in and out, avoiding traffic, right? We have a safety issue. My partner has already picked up a man who was run off the road, had fallen in his I'm going to assume 80s or 90s, and couldn't get back up. Mayor Rasco's wife has already been run off the road and broke bones. There's a woman who lives in Brook Meadow. Uh her mother, her her name was Tiffany. She signed one of these positions. Her mother was run off the road, broke so many bones that she landed herself in the ICU for an extended period of time. I refuse to ignore those injuries. I refuse to ignore the many mothers and fathers I see out pushing strollers. They deserve a safe place to walk. Is this project going to be in easy? No. It will have many challenges. Will we have to have more town halls? Yes. One of the other things I heard tonight is you should have had a town hall. Well, guess what?

We did. And that is a big part of how we wrote the comprehensive plan. We had a massive town hall where people highlighted where they walked, where we need traffic safety issues. And that's how we ended up with a 4K stop at Augusta Drive and Buffalo. Now, is this going to change the face of some people's yards? Possibly. But guess what? All we're doing tonight is forming a subcommittee to research grants using this preliminary draft study with a th00and ft scope. Nowhere does it say we're moving mailboxes. Nowhere does it say we're tearing down trees. Those are rumors perpetuated for campus told to the people they were asking to sign the petition.

Exactly. That petition. This is what's going to happen. They're going to do this.

It's compromised. And am I getting passionate? Heck yeah. Heck yeah. Because I can't safely walk my children to the new park. I can't. And my golf cart was stolen. So once again, we're having to shle ourselves in a vehicle. And you know what? I would prefer to walk. The last thing I want to talk about is this concept of moving mailboxes. And I sincerely ask that we all take a moment to think about this with sanity and reason. Think about the last time you were like, close your eyes and think about it. The last time you were in a neighborhood with a sidewalk or a walking trail. Where were the mailboxes? Where were they left? Roadside. Roadside. It makes no sense to tell people we're going to bulldoze or move mailboxes that are roadside. If anything, the walking trails will duck behind them. And I am deeply appalled that some resident, hopefully not a member of this council, decided to go to the post office in town and alert them to the concept that we plan to move mailboxes. This is out of control. It's not appropriate. And I firmly ask that all my fellow council members not perpetuate these rumors and not continue to mislead our citizens about what this plan does and doesn't say, where we're at in this process, or where any of us, especially me, intend to go with it.

Comments.

Okay. All right. First of all, um the item here is to ask council member Grummer to seek a grant for a sidewalk project. Um most of the people in this area are so affected by these sidewalks and they are opposed. So why should a government give a grant here in this highincome neighborhood while such improvements would be welcome in an impoverished area? I don't see a government giving us a grant for a project that the majority of the people affected oppose. Number two, a motivation seems to be that um our comprehensive plan calls for it. Well, the comprehensive plan is old, needs to be updated. We have a survey ready to go out. We've allocated $20,000 for a new updated comprehensive plan. So before we start spending money on a project based on an old plan, I think our primary goal should be to um to get go forward with an updated comprehensive plan with a more recent survey so we actually know what people are asking for. I think there will still be a primary character, a primary goal in the new plan that says, "Please leave the character of Wood Creek unchanged. We are not a city of sidewalks and we're not Houston." Number three, um even though it seems counterproductive to spend more money, we just spent 30,000 uh on this project, it still is

necessary, I believe, to have a survey uh to find out where where our rideway lines are. A survey was showing exactly where they are. Some property owners are going to be willing to give up land in excess of where the the right of way ends. Probably people on Wood Creek Drive where we have very wide front yards, they would they'd say fine, we want sidewalks. But the people on Book Hollow, we have very narrow front yards. And with if you go outside that 15 foot I mean people are going to be walking by their houses looking in their their front windows if I think people will be so resistant that they just will refuse to to sell their property and this could tie us up in in for months or years I mean in court because adverse possession is is not thing that that happens easily. So, first of all, I think we should have a survey and let's see where are those property lines. Does the city have a right to put this sidewalk in? Um, well, if they do, I guess people will just have to deal with it. But if not, then we can take a real good evaluation of are we want to buy out properties? Do we really want to condemn these properties through adverse possession? Okay. I also have a question on this the report. Why does Brook Hollow switch back and forth across the street and Wood Creek doesn't? Um, it

just seems like for a pathway you're you're putting your street traffic in harm's way. You're put traffic in harm's way. So, I'm just curious why why they have swished over at certain areas. I've tried to figure out is it because of utility but it really isn't. So, okay. Now, the engineer statement that no trees or mailboxes or utilities will be moved is somewhat unlikely. I've walked the street I've um

but then the reason that it's going back and forth, they're trying to, you know, when we talked to them before, it's like, yeah, sometime in order to save that tree or something like that. Okay. So, we have a crosswalk around. That's the exact directive we gave that.

All right. So um okay numbers are six. The project involves two miles of roads well over $100 in costs. Who benefits the people who are walking on that particular street or who go into the park the children park. But we've got nine miles of other streets where people will not have sidewalks. What about then? Okay. left. Can I finish? I'm sorry. Is this the whole

project will tie up traffic for nine for 9 months. People remember how inconvenience they were when Brook was being built. We also you're going to have issue with utilities. So this also is just Bailey. Miss Bailey, Miss Bailey, could I could I could I ask? This is about just seeing if any grants would be available. We're not debating.

We're not here to debate that the pros and cons. I mean, both of y'all, by the way, just going a little bit overboard on taking it taking it way beyond what this agenda item is, which is to form a subcommittee to just see if any grants might be available. If if we are too wealthy and we can't get any grants, that pretty much nixes the project. If it's impossible to do without tearing up trees and moving mailbox, that pretty much nixes the project. We have to do our due diligence on this um in order to make any kind of decision. And that's what this agenda item is about. It's not about the pros and cons. It's not about all the political talking points. It's about, you know, if there are grants available, let's find out. If they're not, then let's move on.

Okay. But this has been in the works for a while. And the people of Brook Hollow have been fearful that this is what is going to happen to them. They don't want to lose their front yards. So, what and my suggestion was, can we have a survey to find out just how costly this is in here? Look, this is the survey. It shows the right way. No, it doesn't. No, I'm sorry. What is the blue line?

That blue line is an approximation. I have gotten real surveys from from individuals. But I just want to make one more point though. Okay. Um I worked I am not opposed to trails and walkways. I worked with city manager rule years ago and we were working on the trail plan, but we weren't going through the center of the city. We were working on the perimeters. We were down. Okay. Um, retro 12. There's a way that there's an easement around the back of Champions Circle. Yeah. If the golf course gave it to us.

No, there is. It's this this is not golf course. This is other emeck areas that are adjacent this property. We've got um do little um we have other places where we could put walking trails where more people could enjoy it. All the people here in the periphery. We like all of that. I mean I I definitely want to see that. Yeah. Okay. And this could happen. And and we talking about acquiring that lane. Those easements don't belong to the city, right? No, they're not city ements. Are they? A lot of them. Yeah. Your your your walking trails there.

Those are all city those are all city ements that we can that we can use. There's a combination of easements and this is just what I've worked on before and they all tie in to the the master plan that Wimberly has. So that there's just options where Brook Meadow you have the same you have the same easements there. There's an easement along Ranch Road. Um,

so there's just other things besides taking those small front yards and people just don't want to lose their yards. And another option here is what about just doing Wood Creek because you have big front yards and people options that support the feasibility study. Krista,

um I just prepared a quot statement on this. I'll read it really fast. Um so the recently unveiled feasibility study for our new network of walking paths is a significant step for our small town. The vision of safe, accessible routes connecting our neighborhood and parks is one that resonates deeply, especially since it was identified as a high priority in our most recent comp plan. This tells us unequivocally that our residents value health, connectivity, and the simple pleasure of a safe stroll. However, as we move your vision to reality, it's crucial that we navigate this path with our eyes wide open to both opportunities and the challenges. There's no denying the potential benefits. We are investing in the community's physical well-being, providing a safe, carfree option for pedestrians and cyclists, and enhancing the quality of life that makes our town special. These paths can become the new front porches of our community, places where neighbors meet and friendships are strengthened. However, navigating the high price tag of substantial for a town of our size, this is not a sum to be taken lightly. I firmly believe that the only fiscally responsible way to undertake this project is to secure grants that will cover the majority of this cost. Our local tax dollars are stretched thin, covering essential services like public and infrastructure. We must direct our efforts toward an aggressive strategic grant seeeking strategy. Proceeding without significant external funding would be an undue burden on our taxpayers and would likely mean other important projects are sideline which I don't agree with. While the financial hurdle is clear, the more personal challenge lies in the impact on the residents whose properties border the proposed routes. The study correctly notes that the path will be built within the city easements, a legal right the city holds. But legality and community harmony are two different things. Even within an easement, a construction of the path will inevitably affect the landscaping are trees and privacy of adjacent homeowners. A line on a map does not capture the years of care someone has put into their garden, the screen of trees that provides a sense of seclusion or the quiet enjoyment of their own heart. Therefore, the success of this project cannot be measured merely by completion by the process we

use to get there. Before we move past the grant seeking stage, we should engage in proactive one-on-one communication. We need to hold public hearings and directly engage with every property owner along proposed routes. They deserve to see the specific plans, understand the exact impact on the property and have their concerns heard individually. To me, their views are paramount to moving forward. We should work with these residents, not just inform them. Can we adjust the cost of landed by UV to save a mature tree? Can we incorporate attractive natural buffers like hedge or fencing to preserve privacy? The goal should be to mitigate impact, not just exercise a legal right. Um, and to ensure fairness. If the project requires the removal of landscaping that homeowners invested in, we must have a transparent conversation about compensation or assistance with restoration. The walking path project represents a fantastic opportunity for our town, but it's not a foregone conclusion. It's a privilege we must earn through careful financial planning and just as importantly through generally who will be most directly impacted. Let's carefully examine this project, but let's do so with a commitment to partnership and our promise that while we're building past for the community, we will not game over the concern of our neighbors. By working together, we can decide if this project truly enhances our town for everyone. The whole point of the feasibility study is to see if a project is feasible. And while this report shows that it possible to put in these paths, the cost and effect on our residents carries a heavy weight. I would be interested to see what possible grants are available. But I have a lower mix of suspicion for proceeding with the controls without major support from our residents. That's why it's important residents get factual information about how this project will affect them and then proceed there.

Sorry, it was good. You said that. Yes. Thank you for that. I ask two questions just to clarify my understanding of the of the motion. Is any taxpayer dollars that spent under this? Nope. Okay. And is the comprehensive plan and moility report plan is that I'm just want to make sure I understand. Is that the plan that we're going to do? No, it's I just want to make sure as we move forward. What was the question about taxpayer dollars?

Are there any taxpayer dollars going to be spent on this motion? On the motion, whatever comes out of this motion, will any taxpayer dollars be spent? That's my question. Answer no. The answer is no. Okay. Just just clarify. I just said vote. Yeah. I just have two things I want to talk about. We have got to clean up the language we use when we talk about items in the city. In this case, and there are other cases I'm talking about, but in this case, we're not talking about sidewalk. And that is a misnomer to continue to say that.

Yeah, we had to call out fish and dirt on what's sidewalk.

They're not sidewalks yet. Nobody has made that decision, right? And so if we're talking about what they're going to look like or how they're going to impact our comm communityities, nobody has decided sidewalks. Nobody has decided Houston. That's not what anyone's attempting to do. And if anything, I've advocated for walking trails. And that is what as I nominate myself for the subcommittee and ask Council Member Gertrart to join me, we will be looking at is walking trail grants. That's my goal personally. And I am just my head is spinning how a few minutes ago with stifle in front of us in the financial documents in front of us we established that nearly 30% of our people live on what is considered lower middle class to poverty income under $40,000 a year at times. That's my family to be completely honest. Right? So we can't call ourselves a wealthy city while we continue to ask that we have no money to fund anything and when we can clearly acknowledge a large part part of our city is actually living on controlled and fixed incomes which does way off the agenda here.

I want to get through more of this. This is a completely different argument. Put it on the agenda. Either one of you will talk about this meeting about it. All right. All in favor of the to um council create a subcommittee to utilize the freed city engineer pedestrian mobility report seek grants fund pedestrian mobility project in the city of Wood Creek and direct legal to get specific city codes that might impact that. Please raise your hand say. I we need an amendment to nominate the subcommittee members. I move to nominate myself and council member Gmer as the subcommittee members.

Second and sub. All in favor of the amendment, please raise your hand say I. I. I n. All right. Make motion. Yeah.

And all in favor say I. I n. I approve it. All right, we'll move on to item number six which is being stricken from the agenda in the Mr. Grummer as that be held for the next meeting. Item number seven, discussion and possible action to accept the emergency preparedness review report with possible action on recommendations made within the report from council search committee consisting of governing Russell Scott. I move that we accept the emergency preparness review report with possible action on recommendations made within the report from council subcommittee consisting of Dev and Russell Scott.

Second second.

So uh we reviewed all emergency documents related to the city. I shared those outline copy with all council members in advance if you all wanted to update yourself on those documents. We also sent all of this to Mr. Jack Bose and Mr. Pat Rawlings as former CMAC committee members to review and give input. Um, their input was mostly addressed in the report already. They had a series of questions and Mr. Mr. Jones himself wanted to ensure that PEC and Aqua had followed up on some of the things in the CMAC report. Um, and so that's a that's a franchise agreement discussion and it should absolutely be had. It's um not omitted from this for any particular reason other than it's it's not directly related to um a council motion we can take right now. It would come up in those discussion with those franchise agreements. We can certainly check with them if they have um done some of those things. I do I can speak and say that uh Aqua did install the generator on their their water power to help ensure that we don't experience water loss again in the event of a power loss like what happened in the freeze. Um I won't read the document to you but there are series of recommendations that I and I invite my fellow subcommittee member Mr. Scott to bring forth one at a time to council. Some of these things, for example, the generator here at city hall have already been taken care of. And some of them are just simply kind of research efforts with the staff to sort of uh address some of these things.

All right. After that, please review. Let us know. Yeah. If there's a specific motion anyone would like to take tonight based on any of these recommendations, that's certainly possible. But at this point, it's really just accepting this report and acknowledging that we will intend to act on it in the future.

A motion. We have a motion that record. She opened with that. Yeah, I seconded it. The only other thing to look at is to make sure that you guys understand that we summarize the Haze County hazard mitigation plan which that was a massive document that was brought to us with lots of things that didn't necessarily bring to Wood Creek. So I I was able to kind of distill it into a very short sort of like you know uh processable amount of information for us to record. So all in favor of second on the report raise your hand say

given the hour mayor if you'd like to postpone 89 to a future meeting I would uh be amenable to that. I don't got any objection. Is that nine or eight?

Eight and n to the 22nd. Um the uh item number 10 which is just the name of representative capital area council as administrative function where members of cap um they still have um mayor whitehead's name as the representative um and with me not I put my name and is that make sense

I'm going off so so the motion would be to um name uh council member as the representative second well we need the motion so the that's you have to make a formal motion so I do that I don't believe the mayor can make motion I apologize I can make a motion okay well that's parliamentarian so

I move that we name uh council member or sorry I move that we name mayor pro Tim G as the city of Wood Creek representative to the capital area council of governments.

All in favor say I. I. Um, item number 11, discussing possible action to accept and approve the community relations committee's recommendation of the 2025 spectacular event budget not to exceed $4,000. I move that we approve the community relation committee's recommendation of the 2025 spectacular event budget not to exceed $4,000.

Any discussion? All in favor please against I I item number 12 are covered. Item number 13 discussing possible action to approve the city blue staff request said the Texas municipal retirement system employee contribution rate from 7% to 8%. I move that we approve the city of Wood Creek staff request to set the Texas Municipal Retirement System TMRS employee contribution rate from 7% to 8%. Second.

Seconded by Council Member Richardson. Um any question discussion? All in favor please say I. I. Okay. So discussion and possible action to accept planning and zoning report on var request number five bill wood creek Texas. I move that we accept the planning and zoning report on variance request number five for Via Meadow Wood Creek Texas. Second favor please say I. Uh

we're going to recess. We're going to recess on 9 um and reconvene at the board of justice.

And the reason for that is that is this executive session? No. Board of adjustments. No. Board of adjustments. Right. Okay. The board of adjustments is you know the whole the whole governing body becomes the fact I get a vote. Okay. So please don't so it's variance since it's a variance request you know go for the board of adjustments. Um it went to PNZ PNZ said okay this is what we think. Yeah.

Um so board of adjustments said okay that's good. And then what what we say goes back to the council. Mhm. I move that we approve a the variance application request for the property located at number five via Meadow modifying requirements for the city of Wood Creek ordinances to approve wait sorry uh ordinances 156 period 063 residential zoning requirements And that's it. Correct. Per the PNZ recommended

follow the varian. Yes. So to follow the their report it's the residential zoning requirements but not our ports and garage drives not parking. We would not be approving. Let me finish the motion that and to follow the planning and zoning's recommendation for approval.

I introduced this item planning zoning came up with a really creative solution for this gentleman to allow him to build on a lot which we were able to fully flush out the details of why it wasn't buildable before. Essentially, when there was a zoning change, we'll say about 10 years ago, um they slapped some uh regulations in this area that um shrunk the building area in a way that sort of doesn't really well, first off, it doesn't meet the standards of the neighborhood, but it actually kind of interferes with the ability to build because the way it moved the lot lines. And so, it became clear that yes, this is a a good case for variance approval. What I've recommended does not allow him to alter the the same plan that the other houses have. Meaning, we're not going to change his carport and and parking requirements, but instead we're going to allow the loft lines to be expanded. And we're going to allow a green space behind his ne house is what's really part of the living space to be included in his imperous coverage because it is impervious or it is I always make said it's impervious coverage right by his house. So that's the the really creative solution PNZ came up with. I support it. I believe this motion satisfies those needs and honors the PNC representation.

And some of the questions that came up in the PNZ meetings are well if I can't do that, can't do this, can't do that, then you know the only way I can do it is to go to two stories. Well, when neighbors would call or invite to ask what is this thing that this guy wants to do with these, you know, six lots. Um, you know, most people I mean that I had I had several people ahead of this uh October 1st meeting asked them was is he want to combine lots? Is he want to build two storage? Is he want to build, you know, giant house? And and the answer was no. Um you know they their main thing was to um preserve the the whatever's there already

the charact that's what I was pres preserve the character. So his request was to you know change the lot back to what they originally were and two to do one car garage and a onecar parking spot. And that's where um after the input we got back from from the residents P&Z you know the recommendations give them back the lot lines setbacks and um no you need to have a two-car garage and no you need a twocar parking spot but in order for you to build they're recommending using that green space that's behind all the houses that's owned that's owned by the HOA it's not buildable And if he can include the part that's abunding his property, which equates to about 247 square ft of imperous coverage added to his plan on his allows for 247

of impervious 247. So because the pvious coverage is in the green belt that can't be built on it's owned by the green the HOA. So PNZ came up with that compromise and it allows him to build houses on that lot um you know that match the character of the house. He's also using um pvious papers for the for the driveway possibly. Well that's another issue now. Oh he would need to do that. He he can, but if you give him the parking well a little bit more.

If you if you give him the 10 foot setback, which everybody else has there instead of 25, he could then do it. And with the two-car garage, they're doing a two twocar parking spot plus the twocar garage, he wouldn't necessarily need to use curious pavers unless he so chose and that would be part of the puring product process, not a variance. But he could I mean he could if he did it could gain him more. He could gain some more. He could gain he could put a little bit on that back

and and honestly if you just go off the the numbers even with giving him the 247 this house is still smaller than every other house in there. So I think it's a fair tradeoff to allow them to accept it. Yeah I was an interesting meeting. Any other questions discception? Um then all in favor of the var request is outlined please. I thank you.

All right. So that just brings us adjournment the board is 26. Sorry about that. reconvene and we are reconvening in regular session of the city council. Um we don't have those count. So so we're really down to future items.

Well, we have the postpone tonight. Yeah. Those should immediately go on. Those two have none. Um we already have some other items, you know, that we pushed off from here. We have um I don't think we're going to have done my view for the 22nd. What was that about? He's just we've been talking about it for months. Yeah. And we've had to reschedu reschedule based on the schedule. But he's like, "Yeah, I just want to I want everybody to get to know me in my in my unit." He does it every couple years. He did it about four years ago.

Yeah. So, um so we'll be working on the agenda. There will be obviously any um call for the public hearing on the road case agenda. Um but anybody else have anything they want to make sure we bring that aren't made tonight? We'll have we'll have Chris's Um, crosswalk, we'll need approval for expenses on the holiday extravaganza. Oh, the Christmas then. No. Can't matter. God bless this morning. Easter.

Uh, no. Christmas. We may bring forth some of those recommendation items from the emergency plan. Uh there is a call to uh consensus agenda or fund balance policy at some point because we added something to it. Um we might bring the whole policy back up given cyles report back to us on um what is an appropriate amount of reserves for the city to retain um uh hopefully our audit. Yeah, that would be nice. Yeah, some of the items I mentioned before on report I mean the drainage

drainage park cameras. Oh, and then we'll be bringing out the big project. Yeah, I just need to appro Sounds like I might also be bringing a resolution drafting as regular maintenance of somebody thinks we've talked about right away tree pulver and there was one other I can't remember. Do we do have money or maintenance on not additional clear