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Record of Proceedings

Kerrville City Council Special-Called Meeting – May 12, 2026: Transition and Oath of Office Ceremony

City Council & associated boards — Tuesday, May 12, 2026
BodyKerrville, Texas
SessionCity Council & associated boards
DateTuesday, May 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
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Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

1:34

Y'all ready?

1:35

You all ready?

1:37

Brenda, the last time.

1:38

You ready?

1:39

I'm ready.

1:40

Thank you, staff ready.

1:41

Good.

Unassigned speaker

1:41

We're

Speaker 1

1:42

gonna go ahead and call to order this special call to the council meeting for May 12th, 2026.

1:49

You know it's not on here, but let's start with a prayer.

1:52

And the pledge.

Unassigned speaker

1:54

Uh

Speaker 1

1:54

right.

1:55

Stand with me while you we say a prayer and we uh say the pledge.

2:00

Lord, thank you for this day.

2:02

Thank you for this community where you let us live.

2:05

Thank you for the family members of those who serve, not only the city council, but city staff.

2:14

We um we serve our community, sometimes expensive time with our family.

2:20

So thank you for our families.

2:22

Thank you for this beautiful weather.

2:24

Thank you for the rain.

2:25

Thank you for blessing us with a wonderful place to live, watch over our first responders who who work day and night to keep us safe.

2:34

All these things ask in your name.

2:36

Amen.

Unassigned speaker

2:38

I

Speaker 2

2:38

pledge America.

Speaker 1

2:57

We're gonna start with a statement by our outgoing council member.

3:02

Mayor Pro Tim, Brenda Hughes.

Unassigned speaker

3:06

That

Speaker 1

3:06

was quick.

Speaker 3

3:19

And the truth is I just can't.

3:21

So Shelley, please don't buzz me.

3:28

This job was never about just meetings or motions or votes or potholes.

3:37

It was about people.

3:39

It was about small business owners wanting guidance, wanting a chance.

3:44

It was about families, wanting safe streets and safe water.

Unassigned speaker

3:51

And

Speaker 3

3:51

it was about our first responders who show up every day, no matter what, to take care of the rest of us.

Unassigned speaker

4:07

And

Speaker 3

4:08

I've also had a front row seat to approximately 500 agenda items, countless executive sessions, and enough emails to last me the rest of my natural life.

4:19

Yes, we've made big decisions.

4:21

We've invested in public safety, improved infrastructure, and worked to guide growth in a way that protects what makes Kerrville so special.

4:34

These six years have been marked by moments none of us could have been fully prepared for.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

We welcomed the world during the eclipse when Kerville once again showed its hospitality, pride, and the ability to navigate the unknown.

Speaker 3

5:12

And through each of those moments, this community showed

Unassigned speaker

5:16

up.

Speaker 3

5:17

I've seen people step up when it mattered most.

5:21

I've seen neighbors reaching out to take care of their neighbors.

5:25

And I've seen this council lead through the most difficult time our community has ever faced.

5:34

During the flood, when everything felt uncertain, this council didn't hesitate.

5:40

We came together, we leaned on each other, and under the steady leadership of our mayor, we stayed focused on what mattered most, and that's our people.

5:54

And now having been recognized by the state association of city managers as the best city council in the state.

6:08

That honor reflects exactly who this group has been.

6:13

Steady, collaborative, and committed to serving well, and I'll always be proud of how we showed up in those moments.

6:22

I want to thank not only our mayor, but the two prior mayors, Judy, Bill Blackburn, and our three city managers, Mark McDaniel, EA Hoppe, Dalton Rice.

6:45

Each of you brought a different leadership style, different strengths, and a shared commitment to this city.

6:55

Kerrville is better because of your service, and I'm humbled to have worked beside each of

Unassigned speaker

7:02

you.

Speaker 3

7:03

This role has challenged

Unassigned speaker

7:05

me,

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Community Engagement███████████████████████████32%
Public Safety██████7%
Fiscal Sustainability██████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Kerrville City Council Special-Called Meeting – May 12, 2026

The City Council held a special-called meeting on May 12, 2026, at 5:00 PM at City Hall, 701 Main Street, Kerrville, Texas. The meeting was primarily ceremonial, featuring the farewell remarks of outgoing Councilmember Brenda Hughes, the swearing-in of newly elected and re-elected officials, and brief statements from the new council members and the mayor. One citizen spoke during public comments.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kim Clarkson expressed gratitude and trust in the outgoing and returning council members, praising Brenda Hughes's positive focus on Kerrville's future. She offered flowers to both Hughes and incoming Councilmember Crystal Smith.

Oaths of Office

  • Judge Patrick Maguire, Presiding Judge of the 198th District Court, administered the oaths of office to the following individuals:
    • Joe Herring Jr. – sworn in as Mayor of the Kerrville City Council (third time taking the oath as mayor).
    • Kent McKinney – sworn in as Councilmember for Place 3.
    • Crystal Smith – sworn in as Councilmember for Place 4.
    • William Totch – sworn in as City Attorney.

Statements by Councilmembers

  • Outgoing Councilmember Brenda Hughes gave an emotional farewell, highlighting her six years of service, the community's response to the eclipse and the flood, and the City Council being recognized as the best in the state by the Texas Municipal League. She thanked city staff, past and present council members, her family, and the community. A commemorative plaque and a bench dedication (to be placed near the river or the public safety facility) were presented to her.
  • Councilmember Crystal Smith thanked her family and friends and expressed enthusiasm for serving alongside the council and staff.
  • Councilmember Kent McKinney thanked voters and noted the upcoming budget challenges, including state restrictions on local spending.
  • Mayor Joe Herring Jr. thanked his family, colleagues, city staff, and citizens. He pledged to do what he believes is right and to listen more than he speaks.
  • City Attorney William Totch declined to make a statement.

Key Outcomes

  • The meeting concluded with the successful swearing-in of all elected and appointed officials. The outgoing councilmember received a resolution of commendation and a bench dedication. The mayor adjourned the meeting at 5:52 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Y'all ready? You all ready? Brenda, the last time. You ready? I'm ready. Thank you, staff ready. Good. We're gonna go ahead and call to order this special call to the council meeting for May 12th, 2026. You know it's not on here, but let's start with a prayer. And the pledge. Uh right. Stand with me while you we say a prayer and we uh say the pledge. Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for this community where you let us live. Thank you for the family members of those who serve, not only the city council, but city staff. We um we serve our community, sometimes expensive time with our family. So thank you for our families. Thank you for this beautiful weather. Thank you for the rain. Thank you for blessing us with a wonderful place to live, watch over our first responders who who work day and night to keep us safe. All these things ask in your name. Amen. I pledge America. We're gonna start with a statement by our outgoing council member. Mayor Pro Tim, Brenda Hughes. That was quick. And the truth is I just can't. So Shelley, please don't buzz me. This job was never about just meetings or motions or votes or potholes. It was about people. It was about small business owners wanting guidance, wanting a chance. It was about families, wanting safe streets and safe water. And it was about our first responders who show up every day, no matter what, to take care of the rest of us. And I've also had a front row seat to approximately 500 agenda items, countless executive sessions, and enough emails to last me the rest of my natural life. Yes, we've made big decisions. We've invested in public safety, improved infrastructure, and worked to guide growth in a way that protects what makes Kerrville so special. These six years have been marked by moments none of us could have been fully prepared for. We welcomed the world during the eclipse when Kerville once again showed its hospitality, pride, and the ability to navigate the unknown. And through each of those moments, this community showed up. I've seen people step up when it mattered most. I've seen neighbors reaching out to take care of their neighbors. And I've seen this council lead through the most difficult time our community has ever faced. During the flood, when everything felt uncertain, this council didn't hesitate.

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