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Record of Proceedings

Watauga City Council Workshop on Proposed 5-Year Capital Plans - June 8, 2026

City Council — Monday, June 8, 2026
BodyWatauga, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 44:56

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

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Council chambers at 546 p.m.

Unassigned speaker

0:13

First

Speaker 1

0:13

item is roll call, place one.

Speaker 2

0:19

Excuse me.

0:19

At Shellboard present.

Speaker 1

0:21

Place two.

Speaker 3

0:23

Chris Blackburn present.

Speaker 1

0:25

Place three.

Speaker 4

0:26

Lovey Downey present.

Speaker 1

0:28

Place four.

Unassigned speaker

0:29

Okay.

Speaker 1

0:30

And Janille.

0:32

Place five.

Speaker 3

0:34

Stephen Wilkes present.

Speaker 1

0:35

Place six is admin with notice place seven.

0:39

Jan Hill present.

0:41

And Merrill Art Minor present.

0:46

Any requests for public comment, Ms.

0:48

Rossi?

Unassigned speaker

0:49

No, sir.

Unassigned speaker

0:51

All

Speaker 1

0:51

right, moving right along.

0:52

Item number one presentation of the proposed five-year capital outlay plan.

0:57

Ms.

0:57

Calvert.

0:59

Oh.

Speaker 5

1:18

Good evening, council members, mayor, and city manager.

1:22

It is a pleasure and honor to stand before you and discuss the Capital Outlay Plan, also known as COP and the Capital Improvement Plan, also known as the CIP for 2027.

1:37

I usually begin a present presentation with a joke as an icebreaker, but tonight I'd like to do something different.

1:45

It's to discuss my plan for this presentation.

1:49

My last presentation before you was quite painful.

1:53

And I realized that it must have been deadly for you all.

1:58

And my apologies to all parties, including myself.

2:02

But I have learned that evening always to plan and stick to things that may fall apart.

2:09

Now I've given it some thought about my approach tonight.

2:15

And with everything they taught me in college about public speaking and communications and all the do's and all the don'ts, but of course there's always more don'ts and do's.

4:40

Um into the general fund.

4:42

So of those 27 items in the general fund, six of those items comprised of the C C P D for a total cost of 280,000.

5:00

Now as you can see from the table, there's no plan for debt this year.

5:04

The two be determined is typically held by the repla equipment replacement fund, also known as uh ERF.

5:14

Finance is still working on those balances, and we don't have them final to present here tonight to you this evening.

5:21

And of those TBD n um they entail nine items at 719,000.

5:30

Lastly, it's the general funding, which include 22 items at 629,000.

5:37

These items primarily consist of an IT equipment, rec gym equipment, a mower, and the C C P D vehicles.

5:52

The pie chart is fairly simple with just two funding sources.

6:00

As we move into capital outline by funding department, I won't read you every item uh line item for you, but general fund totals 988,000.

6:12

Water and sewer, 280.

6:17

And storm drain 80.

6:20

The combined department totals equal 1.348 million.

6:25

Department heads are here today if you have any specific questions on items.

6:30

For the second year or fiscal year 2028, funding requests are 1.7 million dollars higher than fiscal year 2027.

6:43

As previously stated, some of these requests will most likely have to be pushed out.

6:49

In 2028, the current general fund totals 1.416 million, and CCD may have to remove uh have may have to move their totals.

7:07

Oops.

Unassigned speaker

7:09

Let

Speaker 5

7:09

me see here.

7:11

May have to move their totals of 847,000, followed by storm dream of 70,000 and water sewer at 165.

7:20

And that concludes COP.

7:22

Do you have any questions for myself or any department heads?

Speaker 1

7:32

Councilman Hill.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████████████████38%
Budget Management███████████████████19%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████9%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Capital Planning██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Economic Development█████5%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Public Safety████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Watauga City Council Workshop Meeting - June 8, 2026

The Watauga City Council held a workshop meeting on Monday, June 8, 2026, at City Hall to discuss the proposed five-year Capital Outlay Plan (COP) and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for fiscal years 2027-2031. Finance Director Jennifer Calvert, Parks and Community Services Director Timothy Fun, and Public Works Director Paul Hackman delivered presentations. No public comments were made, and no formal votes were taken. The meeting began at 5:46 PM and adjourned at 6:31 PM.

Presentation of Proposed 5-Year Capital Outlay Plan (COP)

  • Finance Director Jennifer Calvert presented the COP for FY2027, which includes 70 items totaling $1,348,000. General fund items account for $988,000, water and sewer $280,000, and storm drain $80,000. Items include IT equipment, recreation gym equipment, a mower, and CCPD vehicles. Six CCPD items total $280,000. No debt is planned for FY2027; equipment replacement fund balances are still being finalized. For FY2028, funding requests increase by $1.7 million, with some items likely to be deferred.
  • Councilman Hill asked about an "emergency car for the courts" (the Marshal's Crown Vic), noting it is a keeper and may be pushed a year. Councilman Neil questioned the purchase of IT servers versus leasing; Director Calvert explained that purchases are funded through the Equipment Replacement Fund, but leasing could spread costs over the amortized life of the hardware. Councilman Neil acknowledged that the fund functions like an internal lease.

Presentation of Proposed 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

  • Finance Director Calvert introduced the CIP for FY2027-2031, comprising 150.5 million dollars in combined projects. Street projects are 72%, water/sewer 13%, and other projects 15%. Funding sources include future debt issuance (41%), debt proceeds (23%), to-be-determined (19%), and other sources (17%). No new upgrades are included for the animal shelter, police department, or library (except for a circulation desk within building improvements). For FY2027 specifically, drainage is 47%, water/sewer 24%, streets 26%, and other projects 4%; funding comes from storm drain revenue (45%), debt proceeds (24%), fund revenues (20%), and grants (11%).
  • Parks Director Timothy Fun detailed parks projects:
    • Park Vista Park (Phase 1): Redesigned to meet vision and budget. Trails and landscaping bids received; playground equipment ordered. Construction expected July–November 2026. Irrigation will be temporary; gazebo and basketball court are not funded. Funding from 2018 CO and revenues.
    • Parks Master Plan Update: A shift of revenue funds to update the 10-year-old master plan, including Foster Village Park, at an estimated $120,000–$125,000. The floodplain study for Foster Village will inform future options.
    • Economic Development Comfort Station and Food Truck Park: 50% plans under review; target operational for May 2027 (Watauga Fest). Funded by the EDC.
  • Public Works Director Paul Hackman presented infrastructure projects:
    • Fire Department upgrades: Multiple ongoing items to be completed by end of budget year.
    • Public Works Parking Lot CIP: Design near completion; construction set for October 2026, pending electrical conduit sizing.
    • Bunker Hill Storm System: A sinkhole on Constitution has been temporarily mitigated. Three options were evaluated; staff recommends option C (best value, $1.5 million) to address the conflict with sanitary sewer and focus on Bennington and Yorkston. A future wastewater/drainage project is considered.
    • Quail Meadow Drive: Partnering with the developer of Chapman Road property (horse farm) to extend drainage easement and refine floodplain mapping. Engineering awarded at $825,000 plus $400,000 TBD. Floodplain redefinition may affect property designations and insurance rates.
    • Whitley Road 5: Under construction; delayed by Atmos Energy conflicts. Completion now expected April 2027. Received a $3.197 million Tarrant County grant.
    • High Tower Drive: Split into two phases. Phase 1 (Whitley to Glendale) is 90% designed; construction in October 2026. Phase 2 requires right-of-way acquisition and Atmos Energy coordination; cost and date TBD.
    • Watauga Road: Coordination with North Richland Hills on a 24-inch water main; decisions needed on whether to construct road now or wait for water main replacement to avoid cutting new pavement.
    • Watauga Road Bridge Rehabilitation: TxDOT-required minor maintenance; in-house estimate $65,000, contracted $140,000. Must be done before Phase 1 roadway improvements.
    • CDBG Water Project on Jackie Terrace: Awarded $166,000 grant; total project $366,000. Engineering selection pending; construction likely late spring 2027.
    • Water and Wastewater Group 2 CIP: Work on Echo Hill, Quail Run, Oak Hill, and Hickory Hill ongoing. Roads will be repaired after Atmos Energy completes conflicting work. Oak Hill/Hickory Hill construction scheduled to finish before school starts in August 2026, as coordinated with the school district.
    • Water Meter Program: Near completion.
    • New Water and Wastewater Projects (High Tower Drive, Mooring, Barry, MacNeil): Aimed at addressing repeated main breaks; High Tower water line replacement must precede street overlay and striping. Council safety concerns on High Tower (raised February–May 2025) will be addressed after water line work.
    • Street Overlay Program: Emily Drive, Leslie Drive, and Alig (Saramac to Ship) are scheduled; curbs, gutters, and sidewalks are mostly done. One street was cut to stay within budget.
    • Green Ribbon Project (Phase 4): Grant for beautification of Denton Highway; $486,000 grant with city paying $49,000 design. Construction expected September 2026. TxDOT is not accepting grant applications next year.
    • Union Pacific Quiet Zone Upgrade: TxDOT requires median curtain replacement to meet quiet zone standards; cost $488,000 (FY27). TxDOT will administer and fund the project. Agreements will be brought to council for approval.
  • Council Discussion and Questions:
    • Councilwoman Blackburn asked whether quiet zone horns would reoccur if median curbs are not raised; Director Hackman confirmed compliance with federal regulations is necessary and that overlays have reduced curb height, exempting the work from city control.
    • Councilwoman Downey inquired about sinkhole remediation engineering, specifically aggregate base injection. Director Hackman responded that investigations are ongoing and will be included in the project contract. She requested a follow-up email.
    • Councilman Neil complimented the improved presentation style. Councilman Hill asked a clarifying question about Park Vista Park renderings; Director Fun confirmed the rendering matches the bid but does not show trees.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal action or vote was taken; the workshop was for information and discussion only.
  • Staff will proceed with projects as presented, subject to future council approval and budget prioritization.
  • Coordination with Tarrant County, TxDOT, Atmos Energy, and North Richland Hills will continue.
  • Specific project actions (e.g., Park Vista Park bid award, Union Pacific quiet zone agreements, engineering contracts) will be brought to upcoming regular council meetings.

Meeting Transcript

Council chambers at 546 p.m. First item is roll call, place one. Excuse me. At Shellboard present. Place two. Chris Blackburn present. Place three. Lovey Downey present. Place four. Okay. And Janille. Place five. Stephen Wilkes present. Place six is admin with notice place seven. Jan Hill present. And Merrill Art Minor present. Any requests for public comment, Ms. Rossi? No, sir. All right, moving right along. Item number one presentation of the proposed five-year capital outlay plan. Ms. Calvert. Oh. Good evening, council members, mayor, and city manager. It is a pleasure and honor to stand before you and discuss the Capital Outlay Plan, also known as COP and the Capital Improvement Plan, also known as the CIP for 2027. I usually begin a present presentation with a joke as an icebreaker, but tonight I'd like to do something different. It's to discuss my plan for this presentation. My last presentation before you was quite painful. And I realized that it must have been deadly for you all. And my apologies to all parties, including myself. But I have learned that evening always to plan and stick to things that may fall apart. Now I've given it some thought about my approach tonight. And with everything they taught me in college about public speaking and communications and all the do's and all the don'ts, but of course there's always more don'ts and do's. Um into the general fund. So of those 27 items in the general fund, six of those items comprised of the C C P D for a total cost of 280,000. Now as you can see from the table, there's no plan for debt this year. The two be determined is typically held by the repla equipment replacement fund, also known as uh ERF. Finance is still working on those balances, and we don't have them final to present here tonight to you this evening. And of those TBD n um they entail nine items at 719,000. Lastly, it's the general funding, which include 22 items at 629,000. These items primarily consist of an IT equipment, rec gym equipment, a mower, and the C C P D vehicles. The pie chart is fairly simple with just two funding sources. As we move into capital outline by funding department, I won't read you every item uh line item for you, but general fund totals 988,000. Water and sewer, 280. And storm drain 80. The combined department totals equal 1.348 million. Department heads are here today if you have any specific questions on items.

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