Murphy City Council Regular Meeting - September 16, 2025

The Murphy City Council met in regular session on September 16, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included public comments, presentations on National Night Out and the Murphy Veterans Tribute, adoption of the FY26 budget and tax rate, and other routine items. The meeting adjourned at 8:43 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mirthy Desai (speaking as a citizen of Murphy City) invited the Mayor, Council, and residents to the Diwali Festival of Lights celebration on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Irving.
• Maynard Little (1004 St. Mark Drive) expressed concerns about lack of transparency in city government, water loss issues, and a 10% year-over-year budget increase. He criticized spending on "frivolous vanity projects" such as rocks for medians, tennis courts, and sidewalks, while the water distribution system was not maintained. He noted that a 2019 city ordinance requiring annual water loss of 12% or less had been ignored, leading to additional costs and the issuance of certificates of obligation.

Presentations

• National Night Out (October 7, 2025): Investigator Gilbert presented plans for community block parties across Murphy. The police department is updating HOA contacts and will have officers rotate among registered parties to maintain a presence. Road closures and fire department involvement are being coordinated.
• Murphy Veterans Tribute (MVT) Update: City Manager Aretha Adams reported that after the city rescinded the half-acre land dedication in Murphy Central Park (June 2025), the MVT board rejected the proposed fire station site citing parking, location, and safety concerns. MVT board chair Mary Pat Elliott requested collaboration and suggested a smaller boulevard east of the existing three flags as a preferred site. She noted that the MVT has approximately $50,000 on hand and a $109,000 matching grant from Collin County that could be lost if progress is not shown by the end of September. Council discussed conducting a feasibility study (estimated $20,000) for preferred sites, with Councilmember Scott Smith supporting assessment and potential city funding of a concrete pad. Mayor Bradley directed staff to assess the suggested site and report back at the next meeting.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved minus Item B (Atmos Energy rate case). The vote was unanimous.

Discussion Items

• Atmos Energy Rate Case (Item B): Eva Hummel with Atmos Energy presented the annual rate adjustment under the Rate Review Mechanism. The initial filing would have increased the average residential bill by $9.34/month, but negotiations with the ACS coalition (representing about 400 municipalities) resulted in a lower increase of $7.83/month. The commercial increase was reduced from $30.70 to $25.73/month. Council approved the item unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• FY26 Budget Adoption: After a public hearing and discussion, the council adopted the ordinance approving the assessment roll, making appropriations, and adopting the FY26 budget (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026). Record vote: 6-0 (Councilmember Janay Butler absent).
• Tax Rate Adoption: Council adopted the voter approval tax rate of 0.357514 per $100 valuation, which is approximately 4.08% higher than the no-new-revenue rate. The rate is about 1% lower than the current tax rate but results in higher taxes due to increased property values. Record vote: 6-0.
• Ratification of Property Tax Revenue Increase: Council ratified the property tax revenue increase reflected in the FY26 budget, as required because the adopted rate exceeds the no-new-revenue rate. Passed unanimously.
• Youth Advisory Committee Appointment: Matthew Curtin was appointed to Place 7 on the Youth Advisory Committee. Passed unanimously.
• Future Agenda: Staff will bring a legislative update and a trails update to the October 7, 2025 meeting.