Weatherford City Council Regular Session - March 24, 2026

The Weatherford City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Weatherford City Hall, 303 Palo Pinto Street. Mayor Paul Paschall presided and all council members were present: Zack Smith, Heidi Wilder, Matt Ticzkus, and Luke Williams. The meeting opened at 6:01 p.m., recessed for executive session at 6:36 p.m., reconvened at 6:58 p.m., and adjourned at 7:10 p.m. The council approved the consent agenda, accepted the FY 2025 audit, denied a conditional use permit for a large liquor store, authorized a public safety radio purchase, and heard citizen comments about the unsolved 1983 murders of two Weatherford teens.

Presentations, Proclamations & Community Interest

• David Slider of Grace First Presbyterian Church gave the invocation, and Councilmember Matt Ticzkus led pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags.
• Aaron Spicer announced community items: Councilmember Zack Smith received a regional leadership and service award at the ARA Show in Florida; the Weatherford College International Piano Competition (April 10-11) drew more than 170 entries from 21 countries, with 13 finalists; a benefit will be held May 28 for Assistant Chief James Pittman, who was diagnosed with cancer; and April events include a kids fishing derby (April 4), Keep Weatherford Beautiful Trash Off (April 11), and Food Park Lounge Night (April 14).
• The council recognized Calissa Marbett, a Millsap ISD student and daughter of Assistant City Manager Chad Marbut, for becoming the first student in Millsap ISD to make the Texas All-State Band three times and for placing fourth in the state on clarinet.
• Mayor Pro Tem Zack Smith presented a proclamation declaring April 25, 2026, as Lemonade Day in Weatherford. Chamber of Commerce and Weatherford Young Business Leaders representatives thanked sponsors and noted the program is free for children across Parker County.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the March 10, 2026, council meeting were approved on a motion by Luke Williams, seconded by Zack Smith.
• The council approved consent agenda items 7A-7C on a motion by Zack Smith, seconded by Matt Ticzkus. Items included:
  • Resolution R2026-04 approving release of an approximate 1.15-acre ingress/egress easement on Lot 1, Block A, Huggins Addition, P.B. Pipkin Survey, Abstract No. 1073, recorded in Book 1660, Pages 323-328.
  • A General Services contract with Reeder Industries Inc. (Reeder Landscapes), Bid #2026-009, for mowing and landscaping City properties in the amount of $191,568.
  • Authorization for the City Manager to enter into Interlocal Cooperation Contracts with Weatherford ISD for the School Resource Officer Program and the Guardian Program.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jamie Snow read a statement on behalf of Raymond T. Arena, who said he is the brother of Vincent Arena Sr. and uncle of Vincent Arena Jr. The statement said Vincent Jr. was 16 when he and his girlfriend were killed, that the teens were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that drug dealing was occurring in the area but Vincent Jr. did not do drugs, and that the Weatherford Police Department gave the family a runaround and met with them only once. He said the family has waited 43 years for justice.
• Lori Cates said it has been 43 years since Shelley and Vincent were found murdered on March 25, 1983, at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Tentop Road; Shelley was 14 and Vincent was 16. She said open records requests have been denied under an active investigation exception, and she called the investigation fundamentally flawed, citing discarded evidence, an unprotected crime scene, and a blue wall of silence. She asked the council to direct the city manager and city attorney to prioritize release of the autopsy and police reports to the families and to authorize a third-party independent audit by the state of Texas or the FBI.
• Janetta Smith, Shelley's mother, said she has received only 'We're working on it' responses for 43 years, that she has been told different versions of what happened, and that she needs fresh eyes on the case. She asked the council to put the case on the next agenda for a vote.
• The council did not take action on these comments during the meeting.

Discussion Items

Annual Audit and Single Audit - FY Ended September 30, 2025

• Assistant City Manager/CFO Dawn Brooks presented the annual comprehensive financial report, single audit report, required communication with governance, and popular annual report. She said the requested action was acceptance, not approval, and that the reports would be posted on the city website the following morning.
• Clayton Rogers of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P., reported that the city received two clean, unmodified opinions: one on the financial statements and one on federal compliance under the Single Audit Act for Texas Water Development Board funds. He reported no findings and no significant internal control issues, and he noted the city is one of about a dozen of roughly 250 Texas governments audited by his firm that prepares its own financial statements in full.
• The council accepted the audit reports on a motion by Heidi Wilder, seconded by Luke Williams.

Conditional Use Permit CUP-26-0002 - 1015 North Main Street

• Development Services Director Scott McDonald presented the request for a conditional use permit for a liquor store greater than 5,000 sq. ft. on an approximate 0.309-acre tract. Staff recommended approval subject to conditions: no temporary signs; a maximum of three permanent wall signs; no trim lights around windows; no window signs except 'Open' and 'Hours of Operation' signs; and no security bars on windows or doors. The Planning and Zoning Commission had voted 6-0 on March 11, 2026, to recommend approval.
• The applicant's design engineer, Proven Casey, expressed support for the proposed redevelopment, stating the existing building would be demolished and replaced with a new, code-compliant building about 30 feet tall, with an estimated $1 million building cost and about $400,000 in inventory. The proposed building is about 5,020 sq. ft.
• The public hearing was opened and closed with no public speakers.
• During discussion, councilmembers raised concerns about a two-story liquor store on Main Street, its proximity to residential neighborhoods, the condition of the existing property, and whether the use was the highest and best use for the property. Staff confirmed the current business is legal non-conforming; if denied, it could continue while operating, but the non-conforming status would lapse if the business ceased operations for six months. A councilmember suggested a potential added condition to prohibit electronic nicotine delivery system products/vape sales, citing concerns about THC legalization.
• Councilmember Matt Ticzkus moved to deny the conditional use permit, seconded by Heidi Wilder. The motion carried, denying CUP-26-0002.

Executive Session and Action

• The council recessed at 6:36 p.m. for an executive session under Texas Government Code Section 551.089 to discuss radio communication equipment, then reconvened at 6:58 p.m.
• Following executive session, the council approved a motion by Heidi Wilder, seconded by Matt Ticzkus, authorizing the City Manager or designee to purchase system hardware, equipment, and system integration services for public safety dispatch radio consoles with Motorola, not to exceed $479,000, through an interlocal agreement with Parker County Emergency Services District No. 1.

Future Agenda Items

• A councilmember requested that the next meeting, described as a retreat, review restaurant grants, facade grants, and 380 grants to consider structuring them as a self-funding account based on capital outlay and rate of return. The mayor responded that the item was already on the retreat agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the March 10, 2026, minutes and the entire consent agenda.
• Accepted the annual and single audit reports for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025.
• Denied Conditional Use Permit CUP-26-0002 for a liquor store greater than 5,000 sq. ft. at 1015 North Main Street.
• Authorized up to $479,000 for Motorola public safety dispatch radio console equipment and integration services through an interlocal agreement with Parker County Emergency Services District No. 1.
• Noted a future-agenda request to review restaurant, facade, and 380 grants for possible self-funding structure.
• Heard citizen requests related to the 1983 murders and took no action during the meeting.
• The available transcript states vote outcomes but does not include numerical vote tallies.