Round Rock City Council Packet Briefing - September 8, 2026

The Round Rock City Council met at 7:30 AM on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in Council Chambers at 221 East Main St. for a packet briefing ahead of its September 10, 2026, regular meeting. Mayor Craig Morgan presided; all Councilmembers were present. No citizen communication was offered. Staff and Council discussed consent items, a fire/ESD interlocal agreement, sidewalk construction, a wastewater plant engineering contract, tax ratification, the Heritage Trail project and trail master plan, a zoning variance, and appointments.

Consent Calendar

• Consent agenda items mentioned included a proclamation for Amistad and a Parks and Recreation presentation. Councilmember Stevens asked about a fire department item on the city manager's authorized purchases list; staff clarified it was for repair/maintenance parts for existing air packs, not full replacement of air tanks.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during Citizen Communication.

Discussion Items

• Fire/ESD 9 interlocal agreement (ILA): The Fire Chief reported that Round Rock Fire had received property tax funding through ESD 9. After ESD 9 won a May 2025 election to collect up to 2% in sales tax, the proposed ILA keeps the minimum 90% of property tax and adds a minimum 90% share of ESD 9 sales tax to the City. The current-year projection was $4.8 million in property tax and an additional $3 million in sales tax; with an estimated 94% share, the Chief projected about $5.5 million in property tax and slightly more than $3 million in sales tax. The agreement renews automatically each year. The Chief also stated the revenue goes to the General Fund and would not cover even one-fifth of the fire department. Councilmember Flores asked about previous shares; the Chief said the City had received up to 90% for the last three years and had been covering the shortfall before the sales tax election.
• Sidewalk contract with Ratliff Hardscape LTD: Staff said the project would install 1,135 feet of new sidewalk on Parkside Circle using a $300,000 CDBG/HUD grant. There were eight bidders, and the low bid was $203,000; the remaining grant funds would go to the home repair program and must be spent this year. The engineering estimate was about $250,000, and completion was estimated at about six months. Staff confirmed that if the low bidder's costs exceed the bid without a scope or quantity change, the contractor bears the difference. Staff also said the City is compiling a GIS-based inventory of sidewalk gaps, prioritizing connections to trails and schools.
• Wastewater treatment plant supplemental engineering contract: Staff discussed a $149,000 supplemental contract with Plumber Associates for rehab work on the 40 MGD wastewater treatment plant project. Round Rock's share would be about 60% (approximately $90,000), with the remainder split among three partner cities. The work includes review of floodplain concerns raised by TCQ and improvements to the influent lift station to address clogging from rags.
• Property tax increase ratification: Staff said F4 is a state-law requirement to ratify the property tax increase reflected in the FY 2026-27 budget. The recommended order on Thursday is G2, then G3, then F4, because ratification must occur after adopting the budget and tax rate.
• G2/G3 budget items: Staff indicated there was nothing additional to present beyond the Thursday presentation, which would be walked through again at the September 10 meeting.
• Heritage Trail construction and master plan update: Staff announced that TxDOT authorization had been received to fill the trail gap between Mays and Georgetown. Patten Construction LLC (also rendered as Patton/Patent in the transcript) was the low bidder at $6.5 million; a TxDOT grant would provide $6.3 million. The project is expected to take about 18 months, with a possible start before the end of 2026. Staff met with the Henna family, and plans include fencing to protect the remaining property owner and water-gap fencing to maintain cattle creek access. Additional historical signage will tell the Henna family story along the trail.
• Trail master plan: Staff reported more than 600 people attended open houses and 3,300 comments were collected. The updated plan emphasizes trail-oriented design, an approach used by few cities of Round Rock's size. Tim Bargonier, vice president of RBI and a former Round Rock resident, will present the plan on Thursday.
• H1 item: Council was reminded that an email had been distributed regarding H1; the item could not be discussed in the briefing, and questions were referred to Tyler or Stephanie.
• Alcohol sales variance: Staff reviewed a variance under Chapter 4, Section 42 of the Code of Ordinances to allow alcohol sales near a school, similar to previous approvals for Luna Tacos and a restaurant near the high school. Councilmember Lee noted the property lines are within 300 feet, but the building is likely beyond 300 feet; staff confirmed state law governs the distance calculation. Nearby businesses already serving alcohol were noted.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken during the packet briefing; action is scheduled for the September 10, 2026 City Council meeting.
• Staff will bring presentation materials, maps, and project photos to the September 10 meeting.
• The Mayor will recommend Councilmember Flores as president, Jessica Mossman as vice president, and Michelle Sherwood as secretary for appointments scheduled Thursday.