Index of My Killeen City Council Meeting Notes

1. The effective property tax rate will stay the same as last year. (This doesn't mean your property taxes will stay the same: only that the city rate applied to your valuation will.)
2. Your gas bill will go up slightly due to a deal negotiated with Atmos to allow them to pass on some costs of maintaining their outside plant.
3. There's one more budget hearing: next council meeting, August 23. If you care, be there.

I'm going to extend this index by providing links (and server space, if necessary) to any other notes about council meeting or other meetings such as Planning and Zoning. I also plan to add links to Killeen Daily Herald articles that discuss city business.

1. The city has little control over the location and operation of liquor stores, except by exercising the same zoning powers it has over all businesses.
2. Staff has presented three redistricting plans, none of which seem to have much backing.
3. The budget hearing is August 9 at the council meeting.

1. The Employee Insurance Committee recommends that Scott and White Health Plan be the city's new health insurance carriers. Both the city and employees will see about 14% premium increase beginning in September.
2. There is a lot of interest on the council about the number of package liquor stores and the process for approving them. Some warm words were spoken. One zoning change was disapproved.
3. The proposed 2011-12 budget is 'balanced': $68M revenue, $68.5M expenses.
4. Budget books are avaailable for public viewing at the library and online begining July 27. Public hearings will be held August 9 and August 23.

1. The youth curfew ordinance was renewed.
2. A new erosion control ordinance was passed. It applies to sites of 1 acre or more. Some developers probably will not be happy with it.
3. You now need a city permit to sell animals from your home.

1. The fire at the sanitation transfer station on June 27 caused more that $600,000 damage. Insurance will probably cover all but the $10,000 deductible.
2. The proposed Rudy's Barbeque will require a zoning change to sell beer. They are building on land zoned as industrial.
3. To conform with state law, the city must renew the youth curfew ordinance.

1. The process of interviewing candidates for the District 4 council seat, and the selection of an appointee, were done in closed session during the afternoon Workshop.
2. Mike Lower was appointed to serve the remaining term of Ernest Wilkerson as District 4 council member.
3. The city maintains its AA bond rating from Fitch and from Standard & Poors.

1. Council went into executive session to discuss the suit filed by Okray et al.
2. Kenny Wells doesn't think the public has anything to contribute with regard to the selection of a city manager.
3. The process to select a city manager probably will have citizen input to the requirements and the final selection.

1. 2011-12 will be a very lean budget year.
2. The General Fund will run a $3M+ deficit for 2010-2011.
3. Health care costs will sky-rocket. Kenny Wells says the city can't afford "cadillac health care" any more.
4. Fleet replacement and fuel costs are going to be very high.

1. The biggest impact of the shortfall in federal block grant falls on Bell County Human Services, TX-4C and Families in Crisis.
2. Ernest Wilkerson's resignation was accepted.
3. The mayor had to break a tie in favor of two duplex zoning change requests.
4. After a very contentious and irregular discussion, the recall election was set for November 8. Some of the members seem to think they'll get out of it, though.

• The council selected a head-hunter firm to find us a new City Manager.
• There was no discussion of the recall, but several references to it.
• The council continues to pay more attention to business than they did before the recall.

• In district 3, 570 votes were cast:
  • Mrs Purser 138
  • Mr Burkart 128
  • Mr Terry Clark 306
• Transfer of $45K in funds from confiscated property account for purchase of new police vehicles was approved.

• Council members acknowledged the recall several times. Cosper thinks the recall will prevent the city from attracting good City Manager candidates.
• Council members and the mayor are trying harder: they're paying attention and asking questions
• The mayor said "I'm recalled because I am doing my job."
• There may be some back-room dealing going on with respect to land use around the new TAMU-CT campus.

• Recall petitions are not verified yet. The city secretary looks stressed and had little idea what she was doing at the workshop or the city council meeting.
• The mayor was not there. Scott Cosper sat in as mayor pro tem.
• The current city council are trying very hard to look like they are on top of business and are looking out for the public weal.
• There's no evidence of wrong-doing in any of the questions posed by Larry Cole last week. It doesn't look like a whitewash, either: it appears that there's no smoke, no fire.

• None, really, The mayor was absent. Only Dan Corben presented anything in any of the public hearings.

• I asked the City Manager when the recall signatures will be validated. He said their goal is COB Monday, May 9.
• There isn't going to be any investigation.
• The mayor thinks the council is disfunctional. The council disagrees.
• The mayor is a member of "C12" but doesn't know the names of any other members.
• Oh, and some work got done, but not much.