New Braunfels City Council Regular Meeting – July 13, 2026

The New Braunfels City Council convened on July 13, 2026, for a regular meeting at City Hall. The meeting, which extended into the early hours of July 14, featured extensive discussions on the structural condition of the Police Department headquarters, the downtown paid parking program, and a contested vote to forgive a $644,770 airport loan balance. Several contracts and funding resolutions were approved for infrastructure projects, and the council took action regarding the interim city attorney position.

Consent Calendar

• The council unanimously approved items A (June meeting minutes), C (Freese and Nichols professional services for pedestrian improvements), E (vehicle purchases), H (FTE adjustment), and I (Fire Department live-fire training MOU with TPWD).
• Items pulled for individual consideration included B (intersection construction contracts), D (contract municipal prosecutors), F (City Attorney budget amendment), G (pavement marking contracts), J (airport loan forgiveness), and K (historic tax incentive ordinance).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Citizens Communications: Several residents addressed the council on topics not on the agenda. Julie King and Eva Pepitone criticized the public engagement process for the "Envision NB" strategic plan and the hiring of California-based consultant MIG. Elizabeth Cortes called for a standardized public hiring process for the City Manager and City Attorney positions. Angela Keller raised concerns about a lack of contract transparency and prolonged sewer issues in Champions Village. Lee Brown defended the strategic plan, citing the thousands of citizens who participated in its creation. Other speakers urged greater decorum and collaboration.
• Item-Specific Comments: During the Police Department presentation, numerous residents (Angela Keller, Tiffany Kelly, Joeylynn Mesaros, and others) called for an independent investigation and full public disclosure of all construction and warranty documents. During the downtown parking discussion, public testimony was sharply divided, with downtown business owners presenting survey data showing support for the program while others claimed it hurt their customer base.

Discussion Items

• Presentation on 2019 Bond Project – Police Department Headquarters: Jordan Matney presented an update on ongoing issues, including soil movement causing shifting pavers and concrete, roof leaks, sewer line breaks under the men’s locker room, and water in electrical conduits. A forensic assessment by a third-party firm is underway but not yet complete, with results expected in the fall. Councilmember Toni Carter presented a photo slideshow documenting over 300 identified defects, including significant humidity issues in the armory that could affect ammunition. Councilmember Edwards noted the movement appeared to be a significant engineering problem. Public speakers questioned the contractor’s role and the one-year warranty period. Councilmember Carter, supported by Councilmember Spradley, gave direction to conduct a full independent investigation of the building, hired by and reporting to the council, separate from the city’s internal assessment.
• Downtown Paid Parking Program Discussion: Mayor French presented two resident-friendly proposals: 1) three hours of free downtown parking for residents and the ETJ with higher tourist rates, and 2) completely free parking for residents with tourists paying a higher rate. Downtown business owners were divided; Clarissa DeSanto presented a Downtown Association survey showing 54% support keeping the program as-is and 84% supporting it in some form. Staff confirmed that a review of the first year of data will go through the Downtown Parking Standing Committee in August and return to Council in September. Councilmember Spradley directed staff to explore free parking for Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipients. No final action was taken.
• Consent Items Pulled for Individual Consideration:
  • F-1: A budget amendment for the City Attorney Department ($484,000 for severance and outside legal counsel) passed 4-3, with Councilmembers Carter, Shaw, and Mayor French opposed.
  • J-1: A resolution forgiving the remaining $644,770 loan balance for the New Braunfels National Airport passed 4-3, over concerns expressed by Councilmembers Carter, Shaw, and Mayor French regarding the lack of formal documentation for the loan, a point explicitly noted in the resolution. Councilmember Spradley advocated for loan restructuring rather than forgiveness.
  • K-1: The first reading of an ordinance for a 10-year historic rehabilitation tax incentive at 941 Lee Street was unanimously approved.
  • Other pulled items (B-1, D-1, G-1) were also approved.
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan: Christopher Greenwell presented the plan, which allocates funding for public services (e.g., Senior Citizens Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, San Antonio Food Bank) and housing/public facility improvements. Approved unanimously.
• Mayfair Master Framework Plan Amendments: Thad Rutherford of Southstar presented proposed amendments to increase land use flexibility and adjust commercial locations. The changes do not increase dwelling units or reduce park acreage. Approved unanimously.
• Castell Avenue Phase 1 – Coll Street Improvements: The council unanimously approved a $2.4 million EDC resolution for additional construction and financing costs and the joint-bid construction contract with Pesado Construction Company for the downtown drainage and streetscape project.
• Citywide Pedestrian Improvements Phase 1: The council unanimously approved a $700,000 EDC resolution and a contract amendment with Freese and Nichols for construction administration. The project leverages 80% federal funding from the Alamo Area MPO.
• Executive Session & Action on City Attorney: Council convened in closed session to discuss personnel matters regarding the City Attorney. Reconvening, Councilmember Carter motioned to remove the current assigned interim city attorney, default to Nathan Brown as acting city attorney, and retain outside counsel for assigned cases. The motion passed unanimously. A vote to formally appoint an interim city attorney is scheduled for the next regular council meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Police Department Headquarters: Council directed an independent structural investigation of the building, hired by and reporting to the council, to run concurrently with the city's own assessment. Staff was also directed to find temporary shower and locker room alternatives for officers.
• Downtown Paid Parking: No vote was taken on amending the program. Staff will present data and options to the Downtown Parking Standing Committee in August, with a report and potential recommendations returning to the City Council in September.
• City Attorney Budget Amendment (F-1): Passed 4-3.
• Airport Loan Forgiveness (J-1): Passed 4-3. The resolution and speaker testimony cited a lack of formal loan documentation as a key concern.
• Interim City Attorney: The current interim was removed. Nathan Brown will serve as acting city attorney. The council will vote on a permanent interim appointment at the next regular meeting.
• Infrastructure Contracts: Multiple contracts and funding resolutions for the Castell Avenue and Citywide Pedestrian Improvement projects were approved, utilizing EDC funds and federal/MPO grants without impacting the general fund.