New Braunfels City Council Special Meeting – June 9, 2026

The New Braunfels City Council held a special meeting on June 9, 2026, beginning at 5:01 p.m. (reconvening after a regular meeting at 8:16 p.m.) to interview and appoint three members to the Planning Commission and to approve multiple board and commission appointments from the consent agenda. All items were ultimately approved unanimously. Public comment focused on concerns about transparency, the timing of appointments before a mayoral runoff election, and the legality of using a special meeting for routine appointments.

Consent Calendar

• Item A: Appointments to the Airport Advisory Board (Wesley Stamps and Kyle Kimmell) – approved unanimously after public comment.
• Item B: Appointments to the Arts Commission (Amy Payne and Linda Gabbard) – approved unanimously without public comment.
• Item C: Appointments to the Board of Adjustment (Brandon Mund, Steve Quidley, Andrea Ranft, Adam Schneider, Brad Porter) – approved unanimously after public comment.
• Item D: Appointments to the Heritage Commission (Tammy Walden and Seth Meier) – approved unanimously after public comment.
• Item E: Appointment to the Historic Landmark Commission (Jonathon Frazier) – approved unanimously without public comment.
• Item F: Appointments to the Regional Workforce Education Alliance (Bret Bradberry, Tera Thompson, Eric Kennedy) – approved unanimously without public comment.
• Item G: Appointments to the Watershed Advisory Committee (Craig Wilson, Alexander Morvant, Gian Carlo Villarreal) – approved unanimously, with the mayoral appointment removed due to a misstatement.
• Item H: Appointments to the Downtown Board (Gary Seals, David Kneuper, Cheryl Fisher, Sarah Harper) – approved unanimously after public comment.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Angela Keller (ETJ resident) expressed concern about lack of transparency in the appointment process, noting that board vacancies were not advertised on the city's Facebook page (cited 12 posts for Sager Fest but zero for board openings). She questioned whether relationships influenced selections and urged a delay until after the election.
• Marty Hiles (resident) argued the special meeting was unnecessary and violated Texas Government Code because board appointments are not emergencies. He claimed the notice was posted six days in advance, inconsistent with genuine emergency requirements.
• Michael French (resident) formally objected to the use of a special called meeting for routine appointments, stating a regular meeting was available one hour later. He requested a motion to table all appointments.
• Christina French (District 3 resident) noted the Board of Adjustment appointments should follow state statutes and questioned whether other qualified residents had a fair opportunity to apply.
• Rita McNeal Owens (District 3 resident) expressed dismay over the city's rapid growth and asked for a delay in appointments until after the runoff election. She also raised concern about term limits for board members.
• Julie King (resident) argued that the questions asked of Planning Commission candidates implied a pledge to the comprehensive plan, which includes policies like workforce housing incentives that some citizens may oppose.
• Joyce Compton (resident) noted that city social media posts about board applications appeared only four times between February and March.
• Amy Payne (resident) supported the current appointment system, stating that those who truly want to serve will seek out opportunities.
• Randy Klausen (resident) urged a delay for smoother transition after the election and to demonstrate the council listens to citizens.
• Steven Brockman (ETJ resident) praised the five Planning Commission applicants for their courage and supported the process.
• Angela Allen (resident) requested a one-time delay of all appointments out of respect for incoming elected officials and suggested amending city ordinances to allow holdover seats until after elections.
• Thomas Campbell (resident) briefly mentioned a charter review petition but was redirected to the item.
• Lynn Thompson (resident, cemetery committee chair) highlighted the hard work of volunteers on boards and stressed the importance of qualified, committed members.
• Timothy Davis (District 5 resident) asked for clarification on the meeting procedure, noting the special meeting was recessed without a specific reconvene time and a separate regular meeting was conducted in between.

Discussion Items

• Interviews for Planning Commission: Five applicants (Chad Nolte, Jessica Schaefer, Jerry Sonier, John Mathis, Kevin Fain) were interviewed. Council members asked about community sustainability, conflicts of interest, and the role of the comprehensive plan.
• Legality of Special Meeting: City staff and the interim city attorney clarified that this was a properly noticed special meeting, not an emergency meeting. The council regularly holds special workshop meetings between regular meetings to handle business. The ad hoc committee process has been used since 2021.
• Delay Request: Several citizens requested postponing all appointments until after the June 13 mayoral runoff election. Councilmember Labowski noted the appointments were part of a routine, published process and that postponing would be unfair to applicants who applied on time. The council decided to proceed with Planning Commission appointments first and then address the rest after the regular meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Planning Commission Appointments: Chad Nolte, Jerry Sonier, and John Mathis were appointed to three at-large seats (terms ending May 31, 2029) via a unanimous vote (6-0).
• All Consent Agenda Items (A-H): Approved unanimously after being considered individually following the regular meeting. The mayoral appointment for the Watershed Advisory Committee was removed from Item G due to a misstatement and will be addressed later.
• No Action on Executive Session: None was conducted.
• Meeting Adjourned: The special meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.