Killeen City Council Meeting Summary – July 21, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Killeen City Council Meeting – July 21, 2026
The Killeen City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 3:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers, 101 N. College Street. The agenda included a work session, citizen comments, a regular session, and an executive session. All council members were present for roll call. The council approved the consent agenda, discussed the FY2027 budget, marijuana enforcement, zoning, legislative priorities, and took multiple formal actions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the meeting agenda (7-0).
- Approved the consent agenda (7-0), which included: minutes of June 2, 2026; adoption of the ADA Transition Plan; a lease termination agreement with Killeen Sister Cities (Osan); authorization to apply for the Texas Parks & Wildlife non-urban outdoor grant; procurement of an electric belt loader and electric aircraft tug for Killeen Regional Airport; award of Bid 26-28 to Trevino Group for Terminal Rehabilitation Phase I; Work Order No. 4 with Garver LLC; adoption of 2027-2028 State Legislative Priorities; readoption of Governing Standards with amendments; and a mutual aid MOU with Texas A&M University-Central Texas Police Department.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Anka Yagu (phonetic spelling) spoke about non-agenda items, expressed concern about citizens' rights to speak, and criticized the city manager for twice removing her speaker registration form. She stated that no council member stood up for her.
- Dr. Stu Crowe applauded the council's recent 5-2 vote keeping non-agenda items out of the city charter. He recommended that public comments be addressed through the mayor, and that the presiding officer be given written authority to pause the timer, issue warnings for personal attacks, and cut the microphone. He also urged that chambers be treated as a limited forum, with security clearing the floor after adjournment, citing past disruption and noise.
Discussion Items
- Work Session Presentations (Items 3–12): Staff presented agenda items, with a failed motion to forego presentations. Key points included:
- ADA Transition Plan: Identified 31,000 facility deficiencies across 51 facilities and 31 parks/trails, plus over 30,000 public right-of-way touch points. Estimated implementation costs are $6.42 million over 20 years for facilities and approximately $267 million over 30 years for public right-of-way.
- Killeen Sister Cities (Osan) Lease Termination: The city will accept $20,000 from Sister Cities to terminate the lease for the Korean Pagoda, which has deteriorated. Funds will be used for Korean War Memorial area enhancements.
- Goodnight Ranch Community Park Grant: The city proposed applying for a $750,000 TPWD grant with a $750,000 city match, using $1.862 million in previously allocated COBund funding, for a total project cost up to $2.612 million.
- Airport Equipment Purchases: Approval sought for an electric belt loader ($110,305) and electric aircraft tug ($168,646.80), totaling $278,951.80. TCEQ grant reimbursement of up to $90,000 per unit would reduce the net aviation fund cost to $98,951.80.
- Terminal Rehabilitation Phase I: Award of bid to Trevino Group for $3,068,784 (95% FAA grant-funded, 5% PFC-funded) and Garver Work Order No. 4 for $544,000 (95% grant, 5% PFC).
- State Legislative Priorities: Discussion included the proposed 2027-2028 priorities, with emphasis on seeking full reimbursement for state-granted veterans exemptions. Councilmember Brown's motion to add state support for galvanized water line replacement passed 7-0.
- Marijuana Enforcement Annual Report (DS-26-063): Police Chief presented 2024–2025 data on marijuana suspects, arrests, charges by weight, and releases. Most charges were for under two ounces. Councilmember Bass praised the ordinance, citing 69% voter approval and stating it prevents ruined lives for minor violations and lets police focus on serious crime. Councilmember Kendrick expressed concern about marijuana-related traffic incidents.
- FY2027 Budget (DS-26-064): Councilmember Bass declared he would not vote to raise property taxes and urged staff to find $2 million in efficiencies in the $137 million general fund. Councilmember Brown moved to fund community partners (Families in Crisis at $63,908, Children's Advocacy Center at $58,100, and Innovation Black Chamber at $50,000); the motion failed for lack of a second. Staff agreed to run numbers on cutting vacant positions and funding partners at current levels.
- Zoning for 195 Used Auto Parts (DS-26-065): Staff recommended rezoning the property at 12077 S Fort Hood Street from A/B3 to B4 with a conditional use permit. Councilmember Brown moved for a city-initiated rezoning; the motion passed 5-1. The CUP would require any expansion to conform to landscaping, parking, screening, and all-weather service standards.
- Planning & Zoning Commission Bylaws (DS-26-066): The council reviewed P&Z commission composition, ethics rules, training, and removal authority. Councilmember Mayor Pro Tem moved to draft an onboarding procedure for board members; the motion passed 6-0.
- Quarterly Joint Meetings (DS-26-067): The council passed a motion 6-0 to hold the first quarterly joint meeting with the Planning & Zoning Commission in October 2026, and quarterly thereafter.
Key Outcomes
- Failed motion to forego staff presentations on consent items RS-26-108, 109, 110, 111, 112, and 114; an amendment to preserve presentations on RS-26-108, 109, and 114 also failed.
- Passed 7-0: Motion to add state support for replacing galvanized water lines as a legislative guiding principle.
- Passed 4-2: Motion to hold a special council meeting with the Schluter Group to turn legislative priorities into bills.
- Passed 4-3: Motion to bring back a procedure for council investigations no later than December 2026.
- Passed 7-0: Consent agenda approved.
- Passed 5-1: City-initiated rezoning of 195 Used Auto Parts to B4 with a conditional use permit.
- Passed 6-0: Draft onboarding procedure for board/commission members.
- Passed 6-0: First quarterly joint council/P&Z meeting in October 2026.
- Failed: Councilmember Brown's motion to add community partner funding to the FY2027 budget (no second).
- Executive Session: Convened at 7:02 PM and reconvened at 8:47 PM. No action was taken on DS-26-058 (Rosa Hereford Community Center construction) or DS-26-068 (pending litigation).
Meeting Transcript
It is three PM on July the twenty-fourth, twenty-second, twenty-first, twenty twenty-six. I called the city council meeting to order. Let the record indicate that all council members are present. The invocation will be led by council member Kimball and the a pledge of leads by council member Nash King. I'll ask each of you to uh pray in your faith as I pray in my Heavenly Father. We thank you for this absolutely beautiful warm day that you have given us today. Heavenly Father, we ask you to look over these proceedings. We ask you to give this council wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in your most precious name, I pray. Amen. Thank you. Councilmember Kimball and Councilmember Nash King. Council, I need a motion to approve the agenda. Move to your proof of the agenda. Second by Council Member Kimball to approve the agenda. All in favor of Signify by saying yes. All opposed, no motion approved is approved. Motion carries seven to zero. Can I make a proposal? Mayor, my proposal is that we forego the staff presentations for the following items on our agenda. R S two six one RS two six one and R S two six one four city attorney. Is it appropriate to make that motion now? I think you can make it at any time. Is that a motion? Is that a motion? It's not a motion, it's a proposal for consensus. 14 city attorney is it appropriate to make that motion now I think you can make it at any time is that a motion is that a motion it's not a motion it's a proposal for consensus that is now even a process so it is in order um I'm gonna ask the council I'm gonna ask the council to please uh let me speak back and forth with the attorney please the presentations are a function of your governing standards that included and so if you get a consensus among all council members that a consensus among all council members or motion would also be in order either way okay so we can do a consensus uh at this time uh is there a consensus to yes okay that's one two three no consensus okay so let's shoot S4 could you raise your hands again so we can clearly see so if it's if it's not unanimous as a consensus then a motion would be in order if you wanted to do it by uh majority vote okay there's no consensus if everyone doesn't agree council member bass would you want to make that uh mayor I would like to make a motion to forego the staff presentations on the following agenda items RS 26108 RS 26109 RS 2610 RS 261 RS 2612 and RS2614 okay it was a motion by council member bass to forego RS 26108 R S 109 RS 110 RS 111 R S 112 RS 114 is there a second council member Nash King second by council member Nash King is there any discussion there is no discussion all in favor signify discussions council member brown respectfully as stated our governing standards currently call for having discussions on all of the items it's only fair to the people who are here to hear them and we have people from outside of the city here to present that they should have the opportunity to present um although based on the non-consensus I can see I'm probably not going to get for to vote to continue on and have the respect for the citizens to actually discuss these items so I would like to make a motion to amend to include discussion and presentation on items number five and six which is RS 26108 and RS 26109 Councilmember Brown would you repeat that again please the um the motion to amend to include in presentation and discussion items uh five and six which is RS 26108 RS 26109 okay there was a motion to amend is there a second is there a second there's no second you second second by mayor pro tem is there any discussion on the amendment yes I do sir council um mayor pro tem my recommendation would be to add in as well RS 26-114 as it is in the best interest of the community to hear that presentation as it relates to those particular topics thank you so we have a motion on the floor and a motion to amend with a second and now we've got an additional I I'll re send my amendment and rephrase if you'll reason your second resend that second so uh motion to amend to include in discussion RS 26108 RS 26109 and RS26114 okay the the amendment was rescinded and reinstated to add again Mrs Councilmember Brown two RS 26108 RS 26109 and RS 26114 okay is there um a second I do have a second on that sir I say council member bass mayor um is there a second uh there was already a second with uh mayor pro tem mayor pro tem second okay council member bass Okay, is there um a second? I do have a second on that, sir. I see council member Bess. Mayor. Um is there a second question? There was already a second with uh Mayor Pro Tim. Mayor Pro Tim second, okay. Councilmember Bass. Discussion. Uh Mayor, our uh city manager um in a previous meeting laid out for us the exact definition of a consent agenda. If it is my contention that if we the city council members have done our homework, and if interested parties have looked at the presentations which are posted online, then we do not need to spend an hour or two hours or three hours having these staff presentations and long discussions about these items. So in the interest of time, in the interest of efficiency, and in the entrance interest of professionalism, I propose that we forego the presentations on these items. Thank you. Councilmember uh Kimball. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um there is in my opinion, there is I think Councilmember Bass brought up some great points, but I think there needs to be a a better process in doing this just to uh when we already have published this agenda. If we're gonna move to a true consent agenda, it needs to be done before we get to this meeting. So we have people here that are here here to hear to hear these items. We should do that. If we want to move into a true consent agenda, we need to do it not when we're sitting at the diet, sir. Thank you.
openpublica.com