OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/New Braunfels, Texas/City Council & Boards
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

New Braunfels City Council Budget Workshop: FY 2026 Budget and Tax Rate First Reading – September 4, 2025

City Council & Boards — Thursday, September 4, 2025
BodyNew Braunfels, Texas
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateThursday, September 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 27:02

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:01

Good evening.

0:02

We're gonna call this uh executive session of the City Council of New Bromfels to order on uh Thursday September 4th.

0:13

No yes, September 4th, 2025 at 5 p.m.

0:19

Mrs.

0:19

Wilkinson, will you please call roll?

Speaker 2

0:21

Councilmember Carter.

0:24

Here, Councilmember Capisi.

0:26

Councilmember Edwards.

0:28

Here

Unassigned speaker

0:28

can

Speaker 2

0:29

Mayor Pro Chem Sbradley

Speaker 3

0:30

here.

Speaker 2

0:31

Councilmember Lebowski.

0:32

Here.

0:33

Council Member Ryan.

0:34

And Mayor Leonard.

Speaker 1

0:36

Here we have a quorum.

0:37

In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.071.

0:43

The City Council may convene in a closed session to discuss any of the items listed on this agenda.

0:49

Any final action or vote on any executive session item will be taking an open session.

0:53

We anticipate adjourning directly from closed session.

0:57

And if so, we will do so in executive in closed session.

Speaker 2

1:03

Excuse me, it's we don't have an executive session.

Speaker 1

1:06

Do we not?

1:07

There was something posted.

Unassigned speaker

1:11

Oh,

Speaker 1

1:12

was I looking at the wrong date?

Speaker 2

1:14

You should have the mayor's notes in front of

Unassigned speaker

1:17

you

Speaker 2

1:17

for tonight.

Speaker 1

1:19

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

1:22

I

Speaker 1

1:22

guess I was looking at the wrong agenda before I came in

Unassigned speaker

1:24

here.

Speaker 1

1:25

So tonight, this is not executive session.

1:27

This is a budget workshop budget workshop.

1:31

And our first, I'm sorry.

1:34

Our uh invocation will be led by council member Edwards, followed by the pledges.

Speaker 4

1:44

Dear Heavenly Father, as we begin deliberations this evening on the future of Nebrahmfuls, my God got our hands and our minds.

1:53

May we have the foresight to know where we are going and the insight to know when we're going too far.

1:59

May we provide for the needs of the many citizens, but be sparing with the many want and desires, use the money wisely, prudently, and with purpose.

2:09

And these things we pray.

2:10

Amen.

Speaker 1

2:20

And to the Republic for which it's thanks one nation under liberty

Speaker 5

2:27

and justice

Speaker 1

2:27

for all.

2:42

Okay, our first item is a public hearing on the fiscal year 2026 operating budget and plan of municipal services.

2:49

Mr.

2:49

Ordner.

Speaker 6

2:50

Thank you, Mayor Leonards, members of council.

2:52

I have a brief presentation on all that we've covered over the last month, just for those that are in attendance this evening or those that may be watching at home.

3:00

As a reminder, all of the materials that were presented during the budget process, the entire budget document itself is as well as in a wealth of additional information on the fiscal year 26 budget is posted on our website, accessible directly from the home page.

3:15

As I suggested again, we're kind of coming down towards the end of our annual budget and tax rate approval journey.

3:22

Um but just to illustrate kind of how we got here, you can see that we started this at the beginning of the month, beginning of August with a budget presentation, followed by three budget workshops where we dove into the tax rate, we discussed the general fund, the debt service fund, our capital investments for next year.

3:39

Uh the next time we met, we discussed the city's enterprise funds, the hotel occupancy tax funds, uh, the convention and visitors bureau, and then had a new enhancement to our process where every single department head came up and spoke to you briefly about their departmental budget goals for fiscal year 26.

3:54

And on the 21st, we had um presented any follow-up information that had come out of the first workshops as well as proposed fee modifications for fiscal year 26 as well.

4:06

Again, pleased to present that the fiscal year 26 budget meets the eight budget goals that we identified collaboratively uh at the summer budget workshop at the end of June this year.

4:20

Again, I'll go through briefly just prioritizing initi initiatives that support the strategic plan.

4:25

Uh we have we are pleased to report that we have the full implementation of the 2025 market compensation study.

4:32

We were able to identify critical one-time funding for public safety upgrades.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Procedural███████████████18%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████████15%
Public Safety███████████13%
Summary of Proceedings

New Braunfels City Council Budget Workshop: FY 2026 Budget and Tax Rate First Reading – September 4, 2025

The New Braunfels City Council met on Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 5:02 p.m. to 5:29 p.m. in a special/regular meeting to hold public hearings on the FY 2026 Operating Budget and the proposed 2025 tax rate, and to consider first readings of the budget and tax rate ordinances. No members of the public provided testimony. Council unanimously approved both first readings, with final adoption scheduled for September 8, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at 550 Landa Street.

Budget Presentation (Workshop Item A)

  • Jared Werner, city staff, presented an overview of the FY 2026 Proposed Budget and Plan of Municipal Services, summarizing the budget process from August workshops.
  • The proposed budget is structurally balanced, with approximately $276.1 million in total budgeted expenditures.
  • The proposed tax rate is $0.408936 per $100 valuation, flat compared to the prior year, and below the no-new-revenue rate of $0.409475—reportedly the first time in at least 15 years the city has considered a rate below no-new-revenue.
  • Staff shifted one penny from the debt service (interest and sinking) portion of the tax rate to the general fund, generating an additional $1.3 million in general fund revenue. Staff stated they remain confident in the capacity to issue remaining 2023 bonds despite lower property value growth.
  • Property value growth is at the lowest level since FY 2013. Overall taxable value growth was 3.8%, driven entirely by Comal County; Guadalupe County value declined 2.8% even with new value included.
  • The city’s proposed tax rate is approximately 9.1 cents (18.2%) lower than the average of benchmark cities (approximately 49.9 cents).
  • General fund expenditures: 57% public safety, 14% quality of life, 15% organizational support, and community development/infrastructure. Employee salaries and benefits account for about 74% of expenditures.
  • The budget includes approximately $7 million in initiatives tied to the City Council’s strategic plan and prioritizes recurring capacity for market compensation adjustments.
  • The budget adds five police department positions (two full-time, three part-time).
  • Staff referenced the taxpayer impact statement required by House Bill 1522 (effective September 1, 2025), showing median homestead property tax comparisons for Comal and Guadalupe counties.
  • Councilmember Edwards asked about the percentage breakdown for Comal ISD; staff said Comal ISD offers a 20% homestead exemption and would provide the information.
  • Councilmember Carter asked about delinquent tax collection rates; staff said the city budgets a 97.5% collection rate and accounts for penalties, interest, and delinquent taxes based on historical trends.

Public Hearings

  • Mayor Linnartz opened and closed public hearings on the FY 2026 Operating Budget and the proposed 2025 tax rate. No members of the public spoke.

First Reading: FY 2026 Operating Budget Ordinance (Item C)

  • Karrie Cook, budget manager, presented the budget order, listing additions to the proposed budget:
    • A crime analyst added through an expansion of the MCVA grant.
    • A shift in the employee compensation strategy, with COLA, step, and market adjustments starting in October rather than split between October and April.
    • Extended funding timelines for golf and airport projects (rolling funding from FY25 to FY26).
    • Increased contractual obligations for reimbursements in the Creekside Tours Fund (transparency only; no citywide budget impact).
    • A police department shooting range feasibility study, added based on budget workshop input.
  • Robert Camareno explained the shooting range feasibility study would identify needs, acreage, and cost estimates to prepare a potential future public safety bond proposition.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Spradley moved approval of the first reading, seconded by Councilmember Labowski. The motion passed unanimously.

First Reading: 2025 Ad Valorem Tax Rate Ordinance (Item D)

  • Karrie Cook noted the proposed tax rate is equal to the current rate, but because it is below the no-new-revenue rate, the motion language reflects an official decrease.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Spradley moved to adopt a tax rate of $0.408936 per $100 valuation—an effective 0.1% decrease—with $0.193888 for debt service and $0.215048 for operations and maintenance. Councilmember Labowski seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Council unanimously approved the first reading of the FY 2026 Operating Budget and Plan of Municipal Services, including the budget order.
  • Council unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance adopting the 2025 ad valorem tax rate of $0.408936 per $100 valuation.
  • Final adoption of the FY 2026 budget and 2025 tax rate is scheduled for September 8, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 550 Landa Street.
  • No executive session was held; the meeting adjourned at 5:29 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. We're gonna call this uh executive session of the City Council of New Bromfels to order on uh Thursday September 4th. No yes, September 4th, 2025 at 5 p.m. Mrs. Wilkinson, will you please call roll? Councilmember Carter. Here, Councilmember Capisi. Councilmember Edwards. Here can Mayor Pro Chem Sbradley here. Councilmember Lebowski. Here. Council Member Ryan. And Mayor Leonard. Here we have a quorum. In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.071. The City Council may convene in a closed session to discuss any of the items listed on this agenda. Any final action or vote on any executive session item will be taking an open session. We anticipate adjourning directly from closed session. And if so, we will do so in executive in closed session. Excuse me, it's we don't have an executive session. Do we not? There was something posted. Oh, was I looking at the wrong date? You should have the mayor's notes in front of you for tonight. Okay. I guess I was looking at the wrong agenda before I came in here. So tonight, this is not executive session. This is a budget workshop budget workshop. And our first, I'm sorry. Our uh invocation will be led by council member Edwards, followed by the pledges. Dear Heavenly Father, as we begin deliberations this evening on the future of Nebrahmfuls, my God got our hands and our minds. May we have the foresight to know where we are going and the insight to know when we're going too far. May we provide for the needs of the many citizens, but be sparing with the many want and desires, use the money wisely, prudently, and with purpose. And these things we pray. Amen. And to the Republic for which it's thanks one nation under liberty and justice for all. Okay, our first item is a public hearing on the fiscal year 2026 operating budget and plan of municipal services. Mr. Ordner. Thank you, Mayor Leonards, members of council.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com