Kerrville City Council Meeting – October 28, 2025

The Kerrville City Council met at City Hall, 701 Main Street, Kerrville, Texas, on October 28, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The Mayor closed an earlier workshop with no action to report from executive session, and the regular meeting then opened with announcements, recognitions, and a proclamation. Council approved the consent agenda with one item pulled for separate discussion, unanimously approved two second-reading ordinances and a grant application, heard public comment, received a financial and flood-recovery update, and adjourned at 7:24 PM without entering executive session.

Announcements & Recognitions

• Mayor Joe Herring Jr. promoted upcoming events: Family Fright Night at Louise Hays Park this Friday; the Cruise-In Car Show on November 15, 10 AM to 2 PM; the Holiday Lighted Parade on November 22 at 6 PM with 96 floats; and the holiday 5K on December 6 at 3 PM. He also noted the Parks and Recreation public survey, which has 16 questions and ends November 10, and the Kerrville River Trail Cleanup on November 15, 8 AM to noon, seeking more than 200 volunteers.
• The Mayor acknowledged Stuart Cunyus’s retirement at his last council meeting and thanked him for his service.
• Council recognized Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #1 Board members Fred Gamble and Katharine Howard for service beginning August 2020; both spoke about the value of serving. Bruce Stracke was also listed on the agenda.
• Fire Chief E. Maloney recognized Paramedic Michelle Prescott for receiving the 2025-26 Spurs Leaders and Legacy Award, citing her more than 15 years in EMS and her work coordinating family reunifications during the July flood.
• Council proclaimed November 3-7, 2025 as Municipal Court Week. Municipal Court Judge Lucy Pearson and court staff spoke about helping defendants and the upcoming court inside the new public safety facility.
• Early voting was underway through Friday, with 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot; Election Day is November 4.

Consent Calendar

• By unanimous vote, Council approved Consent Agenda items 4A, 4B, 4D, 4E, and 4F. These were: Ordinance No. 2025-24 on second reading, which adds Recovery House to the types of registered group homes, clarifies fees, and reduces distance requirements between boarding home facilities; Resolution No. 33-2025, moving the first November 2025 council meeting to November 18 and canceling the November 25 and December 23 meetings; the Economic Development Grant Agreement with the Economic Improvement Corporation and Kerr Economic Development Corporation; and the October 14, 2025 workshop and regular meeting minutes.
• Item 4C, the TIRZ #1 Exterior Enhancement Grant Program, was pulled for separate discussion and later approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Roger Mead presented a painting to the Mayor and council, noting it was by a local Kerrville artist and was intended as a thank-you after the July flood.
• U.S. Small Business Administration representatives Gabriel Paralis and Tana Moorehead described SBA disaster loan programs for homeowners, renters, and small businesses. Loan limits are $500,000 for homes, $100,000 for personal property, and $2 million for businesses and nonprofits, with zero interest and zero payment for the first year. SBA disaster deadlines were discussed, with November 14 and November 27 both mentioned.
• Lewis Umstoy praised Stuart Cunyus for representing the city and working with the media, calling his retirement a big loss.
• Jenny Staten, a mental health professional and resident with an autism spectrum diagnosis, said she appreciated sensory-friendly and accessible design in the park restoration plan. She asked Council to prioritize restoring dense vegetation because it buffers city noise and supports sensory accessibility, and she expressed concern that the new dog park not be smaller than the previous one.
• George Bruy opposed the TIRZ #3 ordinance; his testimony is summarized in the ordinance section below.

Discussion Items

Exterior Enhancement Grant Program (Item 4C)

• Staff recommended a $50,000 TIRZ #1-funded exterior enhancement grant program. The TIRZ #1 fund has a little over $1 million, leaving about $900,000 after existing commitments. The program would provide matching reimbursement grants up to $5,000 per applicant for exterior improvements such as facades, signage, landscaping, parking lots, and dumpster enclosures. Projects must start within 90 days and be completed within one year; work already begun or under a current permit is ineligible. Short-term rentals were excluded because they are treated as residential.
• Council discussion included interest in future residential programs and in possibly including short-term rentals. Staff noted a TIRZ #1 board workshop was planned for December 2 to discuss funding priorities, and Council asked for updates on applications and distributions. The program was approved unanimously as presented. Applications are expected to open in early November, with a January 16 deadline and notification in early-to-mid February.

Ordinance No. 2025-23 – TIRZ #3 / Whiskey Springs (Item 5A)

• Assistant City Manager M. Hornes presented the second reading of the ordinance creating Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #3 for the Whiskey Springs development at the corner of I-10 and Highway 16.
• George Bruy opposed the ordinance, arguing the development would proceed without a TIRZ, that no complete estimate of city service costs had been provided, and that the arrangement was a subsidy or giveaway to the developer.
• Hornes responded with estimates: the development area is about 5 percent of Kerrville’s land; full build-out could require about 9.5 additional public safety and public works employees; with equipment and benefits, that costs about $140,000 per employee. At 4 percent growth over 10 years, the cost would be about $1.9 million. Projected tax increments would generate about $4.2 million at 100 percent and about $3 million at 70 percent, roughly 150 percent of estimated service costs. He acknowledged the estimates should be added to the packet.
• Pablo Brinkman, a representative of the development team, supported the project, saying it will include commercial uses, hotels, and significant sales tax and hotel tax generation.
• Council unanimously approved Ordinance No. 2025-23 on second reading.

AACOG Grant Application (Item 6A)

• Utilities Director D. Barrera requested approval to apply to the Alamo Area Council of Governments for a $25,000 grant, with a $5,000 cash match, for a household hazardous waste collection event in fiscal year 2027. The grant is reimbursable, and the matching amount will be budgeted in the next budget cycle. Council unanimously authorized the application.

Cultural District Designation (Item 7A)

• Councilmember Delayne Sigerman reported that Kerrville was designated a Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts and is among 57 Texas locations. The approximately 60-page application was Kerrville’s first, and the designation was one of four new districts selected through peer review. The designation requires creation of a board with Main Street program representation and makes Kerrville eligible for grants, with an initial opportunity in June carrying a $5,000 minimum and later opportunities up to $250,000. She is exploring matching funds through the Community Foundation.

Financial Report and Flood Recovery (Item 8A)

• Finance Director J. Behrens reported the September 30, 2025 financial position. General fund revenues were about $469,000 below budget, mostly in recreation due to lost July, August, and September rental revenues at Kerrville-Schreiner Park and issued refunds. Year-to-date expenses were $1.4 million better than budget, but Behrens cautioned it was too early for year-end numbers. The water fund was nearly net zero, with revenues about $182,000 above budget.
• For flood recovery, FEMA has allocated projects and is awaiting cost estimates; temporary work must be completed by early January, and permanent work within 18 months of the disaster, with exceptions. FEMA is reviewing Category B protective-measure expenses from the first six weeks, and reimbursements will follow after allocations move through state emergency management. Staff meets with FEMA weekly.
• A council member requested that the financial report be placed earlier on future agendas so community members hear it sooner; the Mayor said the agenda could be revisited.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimously approved Consent Agenda items 4A, 4B, 4D, 4E, and 4F.
• Unanimously approved the TIRZ #1 Exterior Enhancement Grant Program as Item 4C.
• Unanimously approved Ordinance No. 2025-23 creating TIRZ #3 for Whiskey Springs on second reading.
• Unanimously authorized the AACOG grant application for a household hazardous waste collection event.
• Received the Cultural District designation update and the September financial and flood-recovery report; no formal action was taken on either informational item.
• Agreed to track the exterior enhancement grant program and to consider moving financial reports earlier in the agenda.
• For future agendas, Council will continue pursuing a Purple Heart designation for the city, noting Kerrville’s large veteran population.
• No executive session was held; the meeting adjourned at 7:24 PM.