Round Rock City Council Meeting – July 23, 2026

The City Council met on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included a staff presentation from the Communication & Marketing Department, approval of a consent agenda, unanimous passage of ten resolutions and one ordinance, and citizen comments. The meeting adjourned at 7:00 PM.

Consent Calendar

• F.1: Approved minutes from the July 9, 2026, City Council meeting.
• F.2: Authorized an agreement with Siddons Martin Emergency Group, LLC for public safety firehouse equipment and supplies.
• F.3: Authorized an agreement with Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists, Inc. for public safety firehouse equipment and supplies.
• All consent items were approved unanimously by a single motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Richard Parson (resident, 2301 Windreth Way) spoke about his participation in an international delegation to Malaga, Spain, as a board member of the Picasso Initiative. He expressed pride in representing Round Rock and praised the mayor’s video message that was shown during the trip. He noted that Malaga’s officials were very excited about the partnership and described the experience as “magical.” No other citizens spoke.

Discussion Items

• E.1 – Communication & Marketing Department Update: Sarah (department director) presented a year-in-review, highlighting the work of her team. Key points included:

  • Social media over the past year: more than 100 videos posted, generating nearly 6 million views and 250,000 engagements; overall 42 million impressions and 2.4 million engagements.
  • First place in the state for vertical video strategy (awarded at the TAMEO conference).
  • During Winter Storm Fern (January 2026), posts generated 8.4 million views and 481,000 engagements.
  • Website: 1.8 million active users, 3.3 million sessions, over 10 million page views. Most visited pages included parks and recreation (Rock and River Water Park, rec center).
  • The City Arts Center opened its Chihuly exhibit on July 15, 2026, welcoming 1,300 visitors in the first week despite rain, and a total of 6,851 visitors so far in 2026.
  • Upcoming Summer Arts Fest (August 6–9, 2026) along Main Street, featuring 100+ art vendor booths, 30 bands, glass blowing demonstrations, and a sculpture village.
  • Councilmembers praised the department’s professionalism, creativity, and responsiveness. Mayor noted that other cities are now emulating Round Rock’s social media approach.

• G.1 – Five-Year Funds Allocation Plan (FY 2027–2031): The Round Rock Transportation and Economic Development Corporation (Type B) approved a $349.4 million plan, including $328.7 million for transportation, $14.6 million for economic development, and $6.2 million for parks. Council approved the resolution unanimously.

• G.2 – Change Order No. 2 for Griffith Remodel and Paseo Project: A deductive change order of $59,852.22 to close out the contract with Braun and Butler Construction Inc. Approved unanimously.

• G.3 – Supplemental Agreement No. 2 for Heritage Trail East Project: $522,133 to Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, Inc. (formerly SRA) for updated design services, supported by a $6.3 million TxDOT grant. Approved unanimously.

• G.4 – Professional Services Agreement for Turtle Creek Village Roadway Rehabilitation: $158,000 contract with WSP USA Inc. for engineering study (geotechnical borings, full-depth repair recommendations) on four streets with subgrade clay issues. Approved unanimously.

• G.5, G.6, G.7 – Water/Wastewater Service Agreements:

  • G.5: Pass-through water and wastewater service with Vista Oaks MUD to serve the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park (52 LUEs at $3.75/LUE/year = ~$2,340 paid by county).
  • G.6: Pass-through wastewater service with Vista Oaks MUD for Gardens at Mayfield Ranch subdivision (135 LUEs, city pays $6,075 annually for 25 years).
  • G.7: 20-year water and wastewater service contract with Williamson County for the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, charging retail rates. All approved unanimously.

• G.8, G.9, G.10 – Transit-Related Items:

  • G.8: Authorized grant application for FY 2026 Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 funds for public transit services.
  • G.9: Approved a two-year Fourth Amendment to the interlocal agreement with Capital Metro for fixed-route transit services (cost $175 per operational hour in 2026).
  • G.10: Approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Capital Metro for direct receipt of FTA Section 5307 and 5339(a) program funds for FY 2027–2028.
  • Staff presented an overview of transit services: Round Rock Rides on-demand service (4.8/5 rating, 800+ virtual stops covering 92% of city), fixed-route service (55,000 annual riders, ~240 per service day), and upcoming transit master plan update (budgeted for next year). Councilmember Flores asked about cost comparisons and potential service duplication; staff noted that the two services complement each other and that the master plan will evaluate efficiency.

• H.1 – Ordinance Designating All-Way Stop at East New Hope Drive and Mayfield Ranch Boulevard: First reading. Traffic studies met warrants for a four-way stop. Councilmember Fleming noted there are sidewalks on both sides of Mayfield and on the south side of New Hope. Approved unanimously (first reading; second reading may be dispensed with per charter).

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items, resolutions, and the ordinance were approved by unanimous votes (7-0).
• The Communication & Marketing Department received commendations from the entire council.
• The transit master plan update will be initiated in the coming year, with results expected before the Round Rock Rides contract (with ZTrip) ends in two years.
• The intersection of East New Hope Drive and Mayfield Ranch Boulevard will be converted to an all-way stop following final approval.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:00 PM.