City of Murphy Regular City Council Meeting - September 15, 2026

The City of Murphy City Council met on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included public hearings on the proposed FY2027 budget and tax rate, consideration of a budget amendment for railroad quiet zone repairs, and other routine items. Extensive public comment was heard regarding spending, tax rates, city manager residency, infrastructure concerns, and council accountability. The council voted 5-2 to adopt the FY2027 budget, approved a proposed tax rate increase over a no-new-revenue alternative (5-2), and ratified the property tax revenue increase unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Items 7A and 7C were approved unanimously: routine approvals and actions. (No specific details provided.)
• Item 7B (budget amendment for railroad quiet zone repair) was pulled from the consent agenda and considered separately.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-agenda public comments:
  • Mike Badia (323 Apache Trail) read a passage from the city charter (Chapter 4, Section 1) requiring the city manager to reside in the city within a reasonable time after appointment.
  • Megan Vecchio (Willow Point and Rolling Ridge) expressed disappointment with development impacts on traffic; criticized city spending on Teslas, $60,000 for retreats, and $250,000 on litigation over a development outside city boundaries; noted that two current council members were not involved in those decisions (Debbie Ison and Kevin Kelly). She also raised concerns about unfixed sidewalks in Rolling Ridge due to erosion, which children use to get to school, and said she had not seen progress after walking with a city employee over a year ago.
• Public hearing on FY2027 budget (8A):
  • Mary White (121 Ridge View Drive, 29-year resident) questioned the $67 million budget for a city of 22,000 people and asked for justification of new staffing and programs before raising taxes.
  • Michael Pavia (323 Apache Trail) asked council to vote no on the budget, citing potential cost savings by reducing overtime ($414,000 in fire/police), noting administrative department increase of 36%, IT up 18%, police up 9%, fire up 11%, and suggested comparison with cities of similar size (20-30k population).
  • Murray Saunders (415 Rocky Glenn Circle) emphasized the need for more infrastructure spending on sidewalks and roads, noting that $300,000 annually is insufficient given weather damage and aging developments.
  • Megan Vecchio (again) clarified her earlier sidewalk comments referred to muddy, unusable sidewalks near an elementary school, not cracked sidewalks; noted the area was designated as a hike/bike trail under parks and rec. She also reiterated the city charter requirement for the city manager to live in the city.
  • Darger Tye (Lindridge Estates) urged council to consider residents who can't afford taxes or medication, noting fixed-income seniors and health insurance costs, and asked for proof of homes selling at $500K.
• Public hearing on tax rate (8B):
  • Maynard Little (1004 St. Mark Drive) criticized the budget increase from $33 million (2017) to $67.4 million (proposed FY27), a 106% increase versus 34% CPI, while population grew less than 2%. He called the mayor's refusal to support a senior/disabled tax freeze or exemption increase a shift of tax burden to seniors. He urged adoption of the no-new-revenue tax rate.
  • Abby Little (705 Pink Creek Road) called for accountability: questioned why the city manager does not reside in Murphy despite the charter requirement (appointed February 2024, still not living in city as of September 2026). She criticized the mayor’s recent behavior on social media as unprofessional and damaging trust. She asked for a public explanation of charter non-enforcement and for the city to demonstrate spending efficiency before raising taxes.
  • Michael Pavia (again) asked council to vote no on the proposed tax rate and move to adopt the no-new-revenue rate of 0.343487 per $100 valuation.
  • Scott Gregg, Collin County Tax Assessor-Collector, clarified that his office does not set property values (the appraisal district does) and he only collects taxes as set by entities.

Discussion Items

• MS4 Stormwater Management Program Presentation (Item 6A): Staff presented the required stormwater management program under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The city is in its third year of a five-year permit. Four dedicated staff work on the program. Annual reports are submitted. The state conducted an inspection the past year, which was successful. Brief public comment was opened and closed with no speakers.
• Budget Amendment for Railroad Quiet Zone (Item 7B): Staff explained a $25,000–$30,000 budget amendment to repair a broken underground cable for a signal 150 yards west of the Murphy Road crossing. The train has been sounding its horn because the signal (an LED X) is not functioning, preventing engineers from verifying the crossing status around a blind curve. Previous repairs to the crossing itself had been done, but this is a separate cable. Council approved the amendment (unanimous).
• FY2027 Budget Adoption (Item 8C): Finance Director Berna presented the revised budget following council work sessions (the last on September 9). The revised general fund budget had reductions of $176,960 in recurring costs and $25,000 in non-recurring costs, reflecting council decisions. The overall citywide budget decreased by $201,961 from the proposed version. Public safety makes up 53% of the general fund. The approved budget includes a 5% increase over FY26 adopted. Council voted 5-2 to adopt the budget (Mayor Bradley, Mayor Pro Tem Altman, Councilmembers Abraham, Ison, Butler in favor; Councilmembers Smith and Kelly opposed).
• Tax Rate Adoption (Item 8D): The proposed tax rate was 0.361832 per $100 of assessed value (combined M&O and debt service). A motion to adopt the no-new-revenue rate (0.343487) failed 1-6 (only Kelly in favor). A motion to adopt the proposed rate of 0.361832 passed 5-2 (Bradley, Altman, Abraham, Ison, Butler in favor; Smith and Kelly opposed). The mayor noted the rate represents a 3.9% increase.
• Ratification of Property Tax Revenue Increase (Item 8E): Council voted unanimously to ratify the revenue increase reflected in the FY27 budget.
• Appointment of Boards and Commissions Interview Committee (Item 8F): Council appointed Kevin Kelly, Janae Butler, and Elizabeth Abraham to conduct interviews with applicants. Approved unanimously.
• Executive Session: Council recessed at 7:30 PM for executive session under Texas Government Code Chapter 551 to discuss litigation, personnel matters (city secretary and other employees), and a potential work session for a public-private partnership between the chamber and the city. Adjourned at 10:36 PM.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda items 7A and 7C unanimously.
• Approved budget amendment for railroad quiet zone repair (Item 7B) unanimously.
• Adopted the FY2027 general fund budget (Item 8C) by a record vote of 5-2.
• Rejected a motion for the no-new-revenue tax rate (Item 8D, first motion) 1-6; adopted the proposed tax rate of 0.361832 per $100 valuation (Item 8D, second motion) 5-2.
• Ratified the property tax revenue increase (Item 8E) unanimously.
• Appointed boards and commissions interview committee (Item 8F) unanimously.