Arlington City Council Special Meeting - June 10, 2026

Note: The agenda and minutes list this meeting as June 9, 2026, but the instruction specifies June 10, 2026. The summary uses the required date.

The Arlington City Council convened in special session on June 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM for executive session, followed by an open work session at 2:00 PM. The council heard updates on UT Arlington, the FY2026 financial status and FY2027 budget preview, the five-year street maintenance plan, and several committee reports. Discussions included opportunity zone nominations, external board appointment procedures, multifamily inspection standards, and Handitran service cost recovery. No formal votes were taken; actions were directed to staff.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were approved during this meeting; the evening consent agenda items were discussed but not voted on.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the work session.

Discussion Items

• UT Arlington Update: Dr. Jennifer Cowley reported on the university's record enrollment (42,700 students, largest freshman class), freshman applications (39,000), new academic programs, research grants (e.g., $86M Navy contract, $4M flood alert grant), campus construction (life sciences building, University Center expansion), and partnerships with the city (Mavs in the Metro internship program, disc golf course, planned signature park over Cooper Street). Responding to Councilmember Gonzalez, Dr. Cowley noted a decline in international student enrollment due to immigration policy changes.
• FY2026 Financial Update & FY2027 Budget Preview: City Manager Trey Yelverton and CFO Spenser Slider presented a stable financial picture. FY2025 ended with a clean audit, no drawdown on reserves. FY2026 second quarter revenues are near budget; expenditures are 5% under budget due to vacancies, primarily in police and fire. Sales tax is performing better than last year. Slider highlighted opportunities to reinvest one-time funds in parks LED lighting and additional police fleet vehicles. Yelverton presented the FY2027 preview, noting that expenditure growth outpaces revenue growth, and the city remains "all in on public safety and infrastructure" (100% of property tax goes to public safety). Key challenges include rising health insurance costs (8% medical, 11% pharmacy trend) and maintaining street funding. The health plan may see adjustments to move to an 85/15 employer/employee cost share, align copays, and implement pharmacy management strategies.
• Five-Year Street Maintenance Plan: Public Works Director Keith Brooks presented the plan. Of 3,006 lane miles, over 20% are "red" (OCI below 50), up from 10% in 2018. Residential streets have lower OCI than arterials. The city treats about 22 lane miles per year with mill/overlay; without increased funding, 56 lane miles per year will drop from yellow to red. An additional $30 million annually is needed to flatten the curve, $165 million to bring red streets below 10%. The recent reauthorization of the quarter-cent street maintenance sales tax (2026-2034) is critical. Council discussed strategies to increase funding, including bonding and cost recovery. Mayor Ross noted that the street maintenance fund is used solely for streets with no administrative overhead. Councilmember Galante emphasized the need to define a target service level for residents.
• Opportunity Zone Application: Marty Wieder presented the nomination of eight census tracts to the Governor's Office for new Opportunity Zones effective January 1, 2027. The current zone (Park Row to Arkansas, New York to Collins) will expire. Chosen tracts include areas near I-30/Collins, downtown, and the International Corridor. Staff highlighted shovel-ready projects and existing development activity.
• External Board and Committee Appointments: Discussion on whether the full council should vote on mayor-appointed external board representatives. Councilmember Hogg advocated for council approval to ensure representation as a governing body. Mayor Ross and others argued the current practice works and avoids extra process. No decision was made; staff will gather more data from other cities before further discussion.
• Municipal Policy Committee: Reports on TX SB2835 (single-stair residential buildings) and the 2027-2028 federal and state legislative agendas. The committee supported advancing the single-stair allowance with a 48-inch stair width recommendation. The legislative agendas include summary statements for clarity and will be presented for full council adoption on June 23.
• Community and Neighborhood Development Committee: Report on multifamily inspections. Supported modifying the uniform housing code to require a passing inspection score for permit issuance and continuing the REAC inspection system with modifications. Self-certification was not recommended. Staff will continue developing the program with a target implementation by early 2027.
• Transportation and Municipal Infrastructure Committee: Report on Handitran cost recovery. The committee recommended option B: charging $8 for trips outside city limits (1.5-mile buffer) and requesting annual access fees from neighboring cities. Trips to/from Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego remain $3 if access fees are paid; otherwise, service may be discontinued. Staff will negotiate with affected cities and bring items back in approximately six months.
• Evening Agenda Items: Council agreed to pull Item 7.16 (development requiring tree mitigation variance) from the consent agenda for further discussion. Items 7.23 (AISD SRO interlocal) and 7.24 (AISD recruiting officer) are renewals. Item 7.27 (lead service line replacement grant) – if granted, will replace 189 unknown services in one year; otherwise, a 10-year replacement plan.
• Council External Committee Reports: Mayor Ross reported on TxDOT Master Plan, Tarrant County Mayors' Council (FIFA health preparedness), and U.S. Conference of Mayors (Arlington was a top-two finalist for 2028 but Philadelphia selected; commitment to annual leadership cohort in Arlington). Councilmember Hogg reported on COG (1.12 million regional population growth since 2020). Councilmember Gonzalez reported on RTC Transit Vision Subcommittee. Councilmember Odom-Wesley reported on National League of Cities (legislative priorities, subgroups).

Key Outcomes

• Health Insurance: Staff directed to develop FY2027 health plan adjustments aiming for 85/15 cost share, aligning copays, and enhancing wellness tools.
• Street Maintenance: Council asked to review the tentative 2028-2030 priorities and provide feedback; staff to explore cost recovery and efficiency measures.
• Opportunity Zones: Eight tracts nominated; staff to finalize application to Governor’s Office.
• External Board Appointments: Further research and discussion deferred; no change to current process at this time.
• Single-Stair Building Code: Committee recommendation to advance UDC revision; full council consideration pending.
• Multifamily Inspections: Continued development of revised standards and permit revocation enforcement.
• Handitran: Staff to engage neighboring cities on access fees and begin public hearing process; fare changes pending.
• Tree Mitigation Variance (Item 7.16): Pulled from consent; further discussion scheduled for evening session.
• Future Agenda Items: Mayor Ross requested discussion on council appointee evaluations, candidate filing requirements/fees, and council salaries. Councilmember Gonzalez requested an updated report on the adopt-a-median program.