City Council: September 15, 2026

Call to Order

Mayor Tilbortion called the special meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and declared a quorum present.

Present: Mayor Gunther Tilbortion; Mayor Pro Tem Juanita Cardenas; Councilmembers Cletus Krenek, Peggy Sue Tatum, Hector Ybarra, Dwayne Lovelady and Francine Goodnight.

Absent: None.

Staff present: City Manager Michael Dim; City Secretary Margie Dubose, TRMC; City Attorney Kyle Bowden, Bowden & Bowden, PLLC; Finance Director Norma Fenley; Planning & Development Director Lupe Espinoza, AICP; Public Works Director Darrell Whitten.

Councilmember Ybarra gave the invocation. Mayor Pro Tem Cardenas led the pledges to the United States and Texas flags.

2. Water Tower Color

City Manager Dim reported that staff has determined that eggshell is a finish.

Councilmember Tatum, chair of the Water Tower Paint Ad Hoc Committee, reported that the three finalist samples on the west windowsill of Council Chambers have faded in the afternoon sun. Council cannot be confident that the samples still match the colors they were named for.

Motion by Councilmember Lovelady, second by Councilmember Krenek, to table the item until new samples can be obtained and stored away from the window. Motion carried 7–0.

City Secretary Dubose noted for the record that the item has now been tabled at 31 consecutive meetings.

3. Citizens to Be Heard

Pursuant to Tex. Gov’t Code §551.042, Council may not deliberate on items not posted on the agenda. Three speakers submitted cards.

Delbert Skaggs, 400 block of W Okra St, asked whether the City can turn the internet down after 10:00 p.m. Mayor Tilbortion thanked Mr. Skaggs and referred the request to Code Enforcement.

Merle Dunaway, 300 block of W 4th St, asked whether the courthouse clock running four minutes fast means he was late to his own wedding or early. Mayor Tilbortion stated that the courthouse is a Brisket County facility and referred Mr. Dunaway to the Brisket County Commissioners Court.

Loretta Weatherby, Fanny Pack Estates, asked whether the City can require the Fanny Pack Estates homeowners association to approve a fourth mailbox color, and whether the ducks at Queso Creek Park were consulted on the first three. Mayor Tilbortion stated that the homeowners association is a private entity and that Council could not deliberate on the matter.

4. Ordinance No. 2026-064, FY 2027 Budget

Finance Director Fenley stated that the budget presented for adoption is unchanged from the proposed budget except for a correction to the Municipal Court department summary to match Appendix F. The budget appropriates $21,600,000 across all funds, including a General Fund of $9,412,000. As required by Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code §102.007(d), the cover page of the adopted budget will show the record vote of each member, the tax rates for FY 2026 and FY 2027, and total municipal debt obligations of $14,385,000.

Councilmember Krenek stated that he would have preferred adopting the no-new-revenue rate. Councilmember Lovelady stated that he would have liked more options.

Motion by Councilmember Tatum, second by Councilmember Ybarra, to adopt Ordinance No. 2026-064 adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027.

Record vote:

Member	Vote
Mayor Gunther Tilbortion	Aye
Councilmember Cletus Krenek, Place 1	Nay
Councilmember Peggy Sue Tatum, Place 2	Aye
Councilmember Hector Ybarra, Place 3	Aye
Mayor Pro Tem Juanita Cardenas, Place 4	Aye
Councilmember Dwayne Lovelady, Place 5	Nay
Councilmember Francine Goodnight, Place 6	Aye

Motion carried 5–2. Nays: Councilmembers Krenek and Lovelady.

5. Ordinance No. 2026-065, 2026 Tax Rate

Ms. Fenley presented a tax rate of $0.696900 per $100 valuation: $0.512300 for maintenance and operations and $0.184600 for debt service. Because the rate exceeds the no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.671200, Tex. Tax Code §26.05 requires a record vote, a motion in the statutory form and the approval of at least 60 percent of the members of Council.

Mayor Pro Tem Cardenas made the following motion: “I move that property taxes be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $0.696900, which is effectively a 3.83 percent increase in the tax rate.” Second by Councilmember Goodnight.

City Attorney Bowden stated that the ordinance contains the statements required by Tex. Tax Code §26.05(b): “This tax rate will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year’s tax rate. The tax rate will effectively be raised by 1.98 percent and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $9.97.”

Record vote: Mayor Tilbortion, aye; Councilmember Krenek, nay; Councilmember Tatum, aye; Councilmember Ybarra, aye; Mayor Pro Tem Cardenas, aye; Councilmember Lovelady, nay; Councilmember Goodnight, aye.

Motion carried 5–2, with 71 percent of the members voting in favor. Nays: Councilmembers Krenek and Lovelady. Ordinance No. 2026-065 is adopted.

6. Ratification of Property Tax Revenue Increase

Ms. Fenley stated that the adopted budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than the previous year’s budget, by $187,640 or 4.95 percent. Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code §102.007(c) requires a separate vote to ratify that increase.

Motion by Councilmember Ybarra, second by Councilmember Goodnight, to ratify the property tax revenue increase reflected in the FY 2027 budget.

Record vote: Mayor Tilbortion, aye; Councilmember Krenek, nay; Councilmember Tatum, aye; Councilmember Ybarra, aye; Mayor Pro Tem Cardenas, aye; Councilmember Lovelady, nay; Councilmember Goodnight, aye.

Motion carried 5–2. Nays: Councilmembers Krenek and Lovelady.

7. Ordinance No. 2026-066, FY 2027 Utility Rates

Public Works Director Whitten presented the FY 2027 monthly rates, which apply to water used on or after October 1, 2026. All rates are unchanged from FY 2026. The Tower Maintenance Surcharge continues at $1.25, as recommended in Resolution No. R-2026-32.

Service	FY 2027 charge
Water base (includes 2,000 gal)	$24.69
Water, 2,001–10,000 gal	$5.10 per 1,000 gal
Water, over 10,000 gal	$6.40 per 1,000 gal
Sewer base	$21.00
Sewer volume (winter average)	$3.90 per 1,000 gal
Residential trash and recycling	$18.50
Tower Maintenance Surcharge	$1.25

Motion by Councilmember Goodnight, second by Councilmember Krenek, to adopt Ordinance No. 2026-066. Motion carried 7–0.

8. Ordinance No. 2026-067, FY 2027 Master Fee Schedule

City Secretary Dubose and Planning & Development Director Espinoza presented the Master Fee Schedule. Building permit fees are unchanged. The schedule adds a fee of $12.00 for a printed copy of the Official Zoning Map, 36 by 48 inches. The returned check fee remains $30.00. Copies of public information continue to be charged at the rates set by the Office of the Attorney General.

Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Cardenas, second by Councilmember Lovelady, to adopt Ordinance No. 2026-067. Motion carried 7–0.

Adjournment

Motion by Councilmember Lovelady, second by Councilmember Ybarra, to adjourn. Motion carried 7–0. Mayor Tilbortion adjourned the meeting at 6:52 p.m.

Approved by City Council on October 6, 2026.

Gunther Tilbortion, Mayor

Attest: Margie Dubose, TRMC, City Secretary.