Watauga City Council Regular Meeting - September 14, 2026

The Watauga City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026. The session included presentations recognizing a heroic off-duty police officer, the Employee of the Month, and a proclamation for National Senior Center Month. The council approved a substantial consent agenda covering a wide range of administrative, financial, and policy items. A public hearing was held for a requested zoning change, which was later approved. Council members discussed the formation of a new Citizen Engagement Committee aimed at educating the public on state legislative issues.

Presentations

• K9 Officer Jordan Cooper Medal of Valor: Chief of Police James Lewis formally recognized Officer Jordan Cooper for his heroism while off duty on July 25, 2026. According to a letter from Sergeant Griffin read by Chief Lewis, Officer Cooper, while dressed in civilian clothes, saw a house on fire, climbed a fence, entered the burning residence, and rescued an elderly man and an elderly woman. He then re-entered the home to rescue two dogs and recovered car keys to move vehicles away from the spreading fire. Officer Cooper was awarded the department's Medal of Valor.
• Employee of the Month (September): Brandon Love, a mechanic for the city, was recognized for his outstanding dedication, hard work, and commitment to maintaining city vehicles.
• Proclamation – National Senior Center Month: Mayor Arthur Miner read a proclamation designating September 2026 as National Senior Center Month in Watauga, highlighting the programs and services of the Watauga Active Adult Center. Staff and volunteers at the center were thanked for their contributions.
• Announcements: Council members thanked the Police and Fire Departments for the 9/11 memorial ceremony. The Public Safety Academy was announced to begin September 24th, with the fire department portion first, followed by the police department portion in the spring.

Consent Calendar

• The Council voted unanimously (7-0) to approve the consent agenda. Item 6, pertaining to revisions to several personnel policies, was pulled by the Mayor for separate discussion.
• Items Approved: The approved consent agenda included 18 items: an ordinance for the Atmos Cities Steering Committee rate settlement; resolutions amending the Comprehensive Financial Management Policy, adopting a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, adopting Written Investment Policies, adding a Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence, and revising policies on ADA, Performance Evaluations, Workers' Compensation, and Employee Safety; designation of the Commercial Recorder as the official newspaper; adoption of the 2026-2031 Strategic Plan; approval of a Professional Services Agreement for Wastewater Upsizing; additional funding for the Traffic Signal Preemption Project; the August 2026 Surplus List; the Monthly Financial Report; an update to the Library Material Selection Policy; meeting minutes; and appointments to the Parks Advisory Board and Library Board.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak during the general public comment period or during the public hearing for the zoning change.

Public Hearing and Action Item: Zoning Change (Z.26-02)

• Proposal: The Council held a public hearing for a request by Pat Land LLC to rezone 1.455 acres at 5900–5901 Ridgecrest Drive from Single-family (SF6) to Planned Development (PD) to allow for the construction of six single-family homes.
• Details: Planner Jeannette Garcia presented the proposal. The development involves a minimum lot width of 50 feet, a minimum living area of 1,800 square feet per home, and a private access drive parallel to Whitley Road maintained by a Homeowners Association. The homes will front Whitley Road. The estimated sale price for the homes is $499,000 to $549,000.
• Discussion: Fire Chief Randy Barkley clarified the fire department would stage apparatus on Whitley Road rather than using the private drive for emergency access. Director of Public Works Paul Hackleman and Garcia addressed questions regarding sidewalks, drainage, fencing, and trash pickup. The staff reported two written responses of support and strong verbal support from the surrounding community.
• Outcome: Councilmember Neal recused himself from the discussion and vote. The council voted 6-0-1 to approve the zoning change and final report.

Discussion Item: Citizen Engagement Committee

• Concept: Mayor Miner proposed forming a Citizen Engagement Committee, modeled on a Georgetown initiative, to engage and educate the public on state legislative issues affecting cities.
• Discussion: Councilmember Downey clarified her volunteer role for what was originally described as a 'legislative committee.' Councilmembers discussed the goal of educating the public on state-level decisions (such as property tax reform and zoning authority) and mobilizing citizens to contact their state representatives. Councilmember Blackburn emphasized that elected officials, not citizens, should be the ones fielding questions on the frontline of these issues. The Mayor suggested an open-forum model rather than appointed citizens to encourage broad participation.
• Outcome: The council agreed to move forward with the concept. A formal placeholder will be placed on a future agenda to finalize the structure and guidelines.

Action Item: Personnel Policy Revisions

• Item: The Council considered the resolution pulled from the consent agenda, which revised policies on Classification and Compensation, Vacation Leave, Sick Leave, and Inclement Weather.
• Amendment: Human Resources Director Juliet Rodriguez requested that Policy 4.03 (Travel and Reimbursement) be excluded from the approval as it was erroneously included in the published packet.
• Outcome: Councilmember Neal made a motion to approve the item with the exclusion of Policy 4.03. Councilmember Wilch seconded. The motion passed unanimously (7-0). Councilmember Taylor requested a follow-up review of the new leave accrual policies in six months to a year to assess their effectiveness, which the HR Director agreed to.

Executive Session

• The scheduled executive session to consult with the City Attorney regarding correspondence from the US Department of Labor was canceled.

Key Outcomes

• Approved (7-0): Consent Agenda (18 items).
• Approved (6-0-1): Zoning Change (Z.26-02) for 5900–5901 Ridgecrest Drive (Councilmember Neal recused).
• Approved (7-0): Personnel Policy Revisions (excluding Policy 4.03 Travel and Reimbursement).
• Discussed / Directed: Formation of a Citizen Engagement Committee. A placeholder will be added to a future agenda.
• Canceled: Executive Session regarding US Department of Labor correspondence.
• **The meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM.