Killeen City Council Workshop and Regular Meeting – December 10, 2024
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Killeen City Council Workshop and Regular Meeting – December 10, 2024
The Killeen City Council convened on December 10, 2024, at 3:00 PM for a combined workshop and regular meeting. Notable achievements included a 99.11% customer satisfaction rating for the Texas State Veterans Cemetery and allocation of over $258,000 in child safety and hotel-motel tax funds. The council received the quarterly financial report, approved consent agenda items, held two public hearings on rezoning, and conducted the city manager’s annual evaluation, resulting in a 4% COLA pay increase.
Presentations
- PR-24-031: Bell County Child Safety Check – Bell County Tax Assessor-Collector Shay Ludicky presented two checks: $171,771.68 for child safety fees (from $462,124.50 collected countywide in FY2024) and $86,819.24 from the hotel-motel tax. Since 2001, Bell County has distributed $9,184,741.98 in $1.50 registration fees; Killeen’s cumulative share is $3,273,963.73.
- PR-24-032: Veterans Cemetery Customer Satisfaction Score – Dr. John Kelly, Director of the Texas State Veterans Cemetery Program, recognized the City of Killeen for achieving a 99.11% customer satisfaction rating in 2024, up from 99.03% in 2023. The score is based on VA surveys of next-of-kin and funeral directors.
Discussion Items
- DS-24-074: Quarterly Financial Report – Finance Director Ms. Tangalen presented the final quarter of FY2024. Key indicators: 92% police and 100% fire safety fill rates; 599 single-family residential permits in FY2024 (up from 420 in FY2023); sales tax revenue of $35.6 million (increase of ~$100,000 over FY2023). General fund revenue at 100% of budget ($123M), expenses at 95%, ending fund balance $31.05M. Water/sewer, solid waste, drainage, aviation, hotel occupancy, and street maintenance fund performances were reviewed. ARPA funding update: $29.1M allocated, $18.6M spent, $112,694.58 remaining. Council directed reallocation of these funds to the police range/training facility and Emergency Operations Center to meet the December 31, 2024 obligation deadline. Councilmember Adams motioned, seconded by Councilmember Boyd, passed 5-0.
Consent Calendar
All items approved without objection (motion by Councilmember Solomon, second by Councilmember Alvarez; vote 5-0):
- MN-24-029: Approval of November 19, 2024 regular meeting minutes.
- RS-24-221: Approval of investment report for quarter ending September 30, 2024. Portfolio update: Federal Reserve rate cuts in September and November; weighted average yield increased; year-to-date interest earned over $11.7M.
- RS-24-222: Three-year agreement with Vermont Systems for recreation management software ($93,139). Replaces ActiveNet; 34 Texas cities use the software.
- RS-24-223: Agreement with Pondor Company Inc. for replacement of Rosa Hereford Community Center gym floor ($98,404). Vinyl laminate product with 25-year warranty.
- RS-24-224: Purchase of library books from Ingram Library Services via TXSMARTBUY co-op ($146,000 for FY2025). Highest discounts: 41–47% on trade books.
- RS-24-225: Agreement with Killeen Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) for economic development services ($885,000 for two-year term).
Public Hearings
- PH-24-051: City-initiated rezoning (Case Z24-26) of 35 properties from B-5 (Business) to R-1, R-2, and R-3F residential districts near Shawn Drive, Courtney Lane, and Honeysuckle Circle. Public hearing opened and closed with no opposition; staff received one written response in favor. Consistent with Killeen 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Councilmember Adams motioned, seconded by Councilmember Boyd; passed 5-0.
- PH-24-052: Applicant John Helen Purser 1999 Trust and Gary W. Purser Jr. (Case Z24-31) rezoning of ~10.56 acres from A (Agricultural) to R-1 (Single-Family Residential) northwest of Wells Fargo Drive. Applicant originally sought R-2 (duplex) but staff recommended R-1 due to surrounding rural/large-lot character. Applicant expressed frustration but chose not to pull the item. Public testimony included support from Michael Fernino and detailed objections from Mr. Purser. Council debated options; staff clarified that R-2 could be pursued in a new application. The item passed 5-0 (motion by Councilmember Adams, second by Councilmember Boyd).
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Lawls (four minutes) – Criticized the city manager’s salary as 350% higher than average resident, cited police shortages, unemployment nearly double national average, and uncollected city debts. Urged council not to raise fees.
- Second speaker (name unclear from transcript) – Raised concerns about traffic leaving Killeen, questioned KEDC funding, claimed city manager’s past tenure in Duncanville and Leander was problematic, and argued against his continued employment.
- Melissa Brown – Alleged constitutional rights violations, double standards in council treatment of citizens vs. special interests, and described being insulted during previous meetings.
Key Outcomes
- Allocation of remaining ARPA funds: $112,694.58 redirected to police range/training facility and Emergency Operations Center (passed 5-0).
- Approval of four consent agenda items and two zoning ordinances (all passed 5-0).
- City Manager Annual Evaluation: Council held closed session (DS-24-073) under Texas Government Code §551.074. After reconvening, Resolution RS-24-226 was approved confirming a 4% COLA pay increase (motion by Councilmember Solomon; second by Councilmember Alvarez; passed 5-0).
- Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:38 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you all for coming out this afternoon to our workshopslash council meeting. I will call the meeting to order. Let the record shows that Mayor Pro Tim, Councilmember Cigarro, and Councilmember Avarez is not present. Councilmember Solomon, would you be so kind to do the pledge of allegiance for Councilman Sigar? Yes. All right. Would you all please stand? Most gracious father, we thank you once again for your many blessings that you have bestowed upon the city of Kaleen. We thank you for our staff. We thank you for our residents. We thank you for our counsel. God bless our men and women that protect and serve this great nation and their family members and those individuals in our community that will be along or will lack in the counter resources to enjoy the holidays. Let us have an open heart, open mind, show kindness, show love to one another, continue to watch over us, guide us, protect us, our first responders and all of our staff and employees in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Councilmember Solomon. Can I please get a motion to approve the agenda? Madam Mayor make a motion that we approve the agenda. Can I get a second? Second. All in favor, yes, all opposed, no. This is not working. Motion carries four to zero. PR 24031. Presentation of Bell County Child Safety Check. Thank you. Is it represented Mr. Shea? Hey, sir, how are you? Pretty good. How are you, Mayor? I'm doing fine, are you? Pretty good. Well, Mayor, Council, thank you for having me this afternoon. I am Shay Ludicky. I'm your tax assessor collector for Bell County, and I'm here to give you not only one check, but two checks. Um the commissioners and the county judge could not be here with me today to present the hotel motel tax uh check to you guys, so they allowed me to do that. They are in closed session at the courthouse in Belton. So I'll start with the child safety check first. So our registration fees were down just a little bit last year, but we did still collect 462,124.50 cents for child safety fees to be spread out across all municipalities in Bell County. Uh since the program started in 2001, uh the Bell County has collected and distributed nine million one hundred eighty-four thousand seven hundred and forty-one dollars and ninety-eight cents in these dollar fifty fees. That's a lot of dollar fifty fees that we've collected and distributed. Um in total to the city of Kaleen, we allocated and distributed three million two hundred and seventy-three thousand nine hundred and sixty-three dollars and seventy-three cents just to Kaleen. Now I'm going to read a little paragraph from my little letter here telling you how the fees are supposed to be used in the state of Texas. As outlined in the Transportation Code, Chapter 502.403, the county tax assessory collector has the authority with the approval from the commissioner's court to levy an additional dollar fifty per vehicle registration, excluding those exempted by code. These funds are earmarked for existing crossing guard programs. In cases where a school district lacks a crossing guard program, the money may be allocated to initiatives promoting child safety, health, or nutrition. This includes support for child abuse prevention intervention as well as drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Alternatively, the funds can be directed towards programs enhancing public safety and security, as per Article 102.014G of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The check for this year's allocation for Colleen is 171,771 dollars and sixty-eight cents.
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