Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting – December 8, 2025
Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting – December 8, 2025
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The agenda included special recognitions, a consent agenda, two ordinances, and a resolution on debt management policy. The meeting featured public comments on the debt policy, approval of routine purchases, and deferral of the debt management policy to a future meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Item 8A – Agreement for telecommunication services with Comcast for approximately $135,000.
- Item 8C – Purchase of mobile data terminals for public safety from Bright for $84,000.
- Item 8D – Purchase of police vehicle equipment from Motorola for $137,000.
- Item 8E – Resolution 25R10 to amend the cash balance pension discount rate from 5% to 6%.
- Item 8B (purchase of ammunition) was deferred to a future meeting (on or before January 26, 2026) by the administration; the consent agenda was approved as modified without objection.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heather Fisher (private citizen, Germantown Municipal School District administrator and Germantown Education Commission chair) spoke in support of Resolution 25R09 (Debt Management Policy), stating that additional funding is needed to support the Houston High School Master Plan and that passing the resolution is a needed step.
- Susan Burnett (resident of 2223 Alderburn Lane) expressed concerns about the debt management policy changes. She noted that the proposed increase in direct debt per capita from $2,000 to $2,500 represents a 25% increase in potential need for higher tax rates. She argued that the policy had not been widely publicized and that voting after only a single reading bypasses public input. She requested the board table the vote, consider more moderate revisions, and hold a public comment period.
Special Recognition
- November 2025 Teacher of the Month: Latarsha Tate, AP African American history and economics teacher at Germantown High School, recognized for her dedication and community involvement.
- December 2025 Teacher of the Month: Cassie Ring, learning specialist at Evangelical Christian School, recognized for innovative teaching and leadership.
- December 2025 Youth Excellence Award: Jack Chow (James), Houston High School senior, recognized for academic excellence, leadership, and service.
- LEAD Program Graduation: 25 employees from various city departments completed the six-month Leaders of Excellence and Ambassador Development (LEAD) program. Awards included the Coin Chaser Award (Peggy Davis) and the Team Challenge Award (Blue Team); Mitchell Cross (Fire Department) received the Leadership Award.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance 2025-9 (Construction Permit Fee) – Third and final reading. Director Allen presented an amendment to Chapter 19, Article III, Section 19-121 that eliminates the 1% construction cost-based fee in favor of a fee set by resolution to resolve a conflict in city code. The board approved the ordinance unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025-10 (Alcoholic Beverages Amendments) – Second reading and public hearing. City Attorney Goodman outlined amendments to align city code with state law, including removal of newspaper publication requirement, background check adjustments for publicly traded companies, lease requirement for applicants, temporary beer permits on public property with indemnity, Sunday sale start time moved from noon to 10 a.m., and removal of a U.S. citizenship requirement (per Attorney General opinion). The public hearing had no speakers. Alderman Sanders moved to amend Section 3-81(4) to strike language and replace with 'reserved' on advice of the city attorney. The board approved the amended motion to move to third reading.
- Resolution 25R09 (Debt Management Policy) – Finance Director Adrian Royals presented the proposed updates, which were developed over several months with PFM, the Financial Advisory Commission (FAC), and joint work sessions with the school board. Key changes include removing the net debt to governmental fund expenditures metric and replacing with debt service to general fund expenditures (kept at 12%), moving to net debt measures to accommodate self-sustaining debt, increasing direct debt per capita from $2,000 to $2,500, and removing outdated metrics. The estimated debt capacity would move from $82.6 million to $100 million. Alderman Ullicky (BMA liaison to FAC) proposed tabling the resolution until the January 26, 2026 meeting (or before) to allow additional review of technical redlines. The board agreed without objection.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved as modified (Item 8B deferred).
- Ordinance 2025-9 approved on third and final reading (unanimous).
- Ordinance 2025-10 approved on second reading with an amendment to Section 3-81(4) (unanimous); moved to third reading.
- Resolution 25R09 (Debt Management Policy) deferred to January 26, 2026 meeting without objection; administration will accommodate a work session if needed.
- Note: Minutes from November 24, 2025 meeting were approved with Alderman Sanders abstaining.
Meeting Transcript
All right, folks, welcome to the Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, the regularly scheduled meeting for Monday, December the 8th. We welcome all those that are in attendance this evening. We have many people that are watching at home and uh on the internet as well. A few highlights about our meeting this evening. Uh we do have the pleasure of having uh many of our employees here tonight. We do have uh the graduation of the lead class this evening, so we're looking forward to commencement ceremonies here in a little bit. Also, we always have an item on the agenda, it's item six known as citizens to be heard. If you'd like to speak to the community and to your neighbor to the board, uh you can do so at that time. There are sheets out in People Street, that's the area outside the council chambers or table is there. If you fill that sheet out and bring it to one of the officers, they'll bring that forward and we'll recognize you as item six. We have uh two submissions to date, but you have plenty of time, and I'll make a final call uh when we get to item six on the agenda. We have several education awards this evening as well. Uh also on the agenda, we do have a public hearing, and at that time I'll declare a public hearing, and anyone who'd like to come forward and speak on the Muni Code changes for the alcoholic beverage ordinance can do so at that time. And we have a short regular agenda as well. Tonight uh we're very much honored to have uh the scouts from Troop 368 representing Farmington Presbyterian Church. They will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and present the colors this evening. Before that, though, our invocation will be led by Vice Mayor Mary Ann Gibson. Please rise. Let's pray together. Gracious and loving God, we come before you tonight with full and grateful hearts. Thank you for the gift of community for neighbors who care for one another, and for the men and women who serve Germantown with dedication, compassion, and a deep commitment to the well-being of all who call this place home. As we enter this joyful season, we lift up those who carry heavy burdens. For those who face illness, the loss of loved ones, anxiousness, or any silent struggle. Lord, surround them with your comfort, strengthen their spirit, and grant them peace that eases their load. Your peace that passes all understanding. Father, grant us wisdom and discernment in our decisions tonight. Help us speak with clarity, listen with respect, and act with integrity in all things, both here and beyond these walls. Thank you for your unending love and presence among us. We offer this prayer in your holy name. Amen. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. Very special thanks to Vice Mayor Mary Ann Gibson for leading us in invocation this evening. And thank you to the scouts of Troop 368, Farmington Presbyterian, for presenting the colors and leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. At this time, we are now moving toward item four on the agenda. Setting the agenda. The agenda is uh sent to the board and the community generally on Wednesday ahead of a Monday Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting. At this time, administration would respectfully ask the board that uh we that you would consider that we remove item eight B, that's for purchase for ammunition from the police department. If we could remove that from the consent agenda due to it needs to come back and be updated. So without objection, the administration will ask the board to support amending the agenda to state that consent item 8B be deferred till a future date specific. And generally, I'll go ahead and say that that needs to be on or before January 26 if that's possible. But we can readdress that at the appropriate time. Is there is are there any other adjustments that need to be made to the agenda? Is there a motion to adopt the agenda as modified? Move to approve as modified. A motion made by the vice mayor. Is there a second? Second. Second by Alderman Sanders.
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