Public Meetings - Van, Texas

The Van City Council convened for a regular meeting at 7:00 PM on November 12, 2026, at Van City Hall. All council members were present. The meeting covered routine approvals, a detailed city manager report, and discussion on several action items including property identification, vaping regulations, and a major overhaul of the subdivision ordinance. No public comments were made during the open forum. Consent Calendar - Meeting Minutes: Approved the minutes from the October 8, 2026, regular meeting. - Financial Report: Approved without separate discussion. Public Comments & Testimony - No members of the public spoke during the open forum. City Manager Monthly Report City Manager Jeff Hudgens provided a comprehensive report covering several topics: - Sales Tax: November sales tax disbursement had not yet been received; last November's figure was $11,304. - Fishing Day: The recent fishing day was a success with good turnout. Texas Parks and Wildlife is interested in designating the city lake as a community fishing lake, which would ease restrictions and help maintain stocking. Several families have been seen fishing at the lake since the event. - Water Well: A test pump was lowered but could not pump enough water because the well output exceeded the test pump's capacity. A higher-capacity test pump will be installed. Bids for site work and electrical are scheduled to open November 19. The project remains on schedule for a February 2027 completion. The city borrowed $3 million (voter-approved $3.5 million bond) and expects to finish under budget, potentially returning funds to the bond and saving interest. Interest earned (over $100,000) from the TexPool account provides a buffer. - Fire Department Automatic Aid Agreement: The county fire association is pushing a five-year automatic aid agreement that would dispatch the three closest fire departments to every reported structure fire. The city manager expressed concern that this could double or triple the cost of fuel, maintenance, and vehicle replacement. He noted a funding disparity: the city provides significantly more funding for fire protection than the county, even though county calls outnumber city calls (illustrated with orange and blue circles on a chart). He also stated that the city and fire department cannot campaign for an Emergency Services District (ESD) election because it would be using taxpayer resources to influence an election. The agreement is on the next agenda for council decision. - Police Equipment: Police Chief Squat requested funding for helmets for officers (approximately $200 each) due to safety concerns inside armored vehicles. Council expressed support. - Tragedy Response: The city manager noted that the city stands with the families affected by recent events in the county and emphasized learning from tragedies to prevent recurrence. Discussion Items - Identification of City Property (Action Item A): The council discussed a request to name a structure on city property in honor of a family that was instrumental in the city's development. The property originally came with an oil company's involvement. The motion to approve the naming passed unanimously without naming the family or structure publicly, as it is intended to be a surprise. - Regulations of Smoking and Vape Shops (Action Item B): The item was presented by the county juvenile diversion coordinator. The city manager noted that other cities have complex solutions (zoning, distance requirements, etc.), but Van is small and moving a vape shop a block away may not be effective. Only three citations for underage vaping have been issued. No complaints from parents have been received. Council agreed to take no action at this time, but will revisit if needed after the next legislative session. - Streamlining the City Subdivision Ordinance (Action Item C): City Manager Hudgens presented a major rewrite of the existing 102-page, 50,000-word ordinance. The new version retains all substantive requirements but cuts redundant and contradictory language (reducing to 28,000 words and 60 pages). Key discussion points: - Aerobic Sewer Systems: Currently allowed under state rules (minimum 1 acre). The council considered whether to prohibit them within city limits or require 2 acres. No decision was made; the city manager will leave it in the draft and council can decide before final approval. - Lot Mergers: The proposed ordinance includes an automatic lot merger when a building is constructed across lot lines owned by the same owner. This would prevent future subdivision of lots that become too small after a structure is destroyed. Council members agreed this should apply only to future construction, not existing buildings. The city manager will include the provision in the draft. - Parkland Dedication: The existing requirement (for developments with more than 50 dwelling units to dedicate parkland or pay a fee) will be retained. - Next Steps: The revised ordinance will be presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission for review and public hearings, likely starting in January 2027. Two public hearings are required before final council adoption. - Approval of Kim Tunnell to Library Advisory Board (Action Item D): Moved forward on the agenda. Council approved her appointment unanimously. Additionally, council discussed whether the library board's meeting requirements (Open Meetings Act) could be relaxed; the city attorney indicated it might be possible given the advisory nature of the board. The matter will be explored. Key Outcomes - Consent Agenda: Approved. - City Property Naming: Approved unanimously. - Vape Shop Regulations: No action taken; item tabled for potential future reconsideration. - Subdivision Ordinance: Discussion only; no vote. Staff will refine draft based on council input and present to P&Z in coming weeks. - Kim Tunnell Appointment: Approved unanimously. - Fire Automatic Aid Agreement: Will be placed on the next meeting agenda for council decision. - Police Helmets: Heads of agreement to fund helmets; staff to proceed with procurement. - Next Meeting: Items requested for the next agenda include the fire aid agreement and ongoing subdivision ordinance work.

The Van City Council met in regular session on October 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM at Van City Hall. Mayor Ernie Burns called the meeting to order with all council members present. The agenda included a consent agenda with routine approvals, a city manager's report, and three action items: a request to remove stop signs, a request to reduce a speed limit, and the selection of an official city newspaper. No public comments were received during the Open Forum. Consent Calendar - The council approved the meeting minutes from the budget hearing and regular meeting on September 10, 2026, and the called meeting on September 24, 2026. - The financial report was approved. - Ordinance 09-14-2023-4, related to limitations on public information requests, was repealed. Councilmember Mark Thompson requested discussion on this item. Staff clarified that the ordinance created an administrative burden by requiring the city to track time spent on requests minute-by-minute without effectively limiting requests, and that repealing it would streamline operations. The consent agenda was approved unanimously with this item included. City Manager Report - City Manager Jeff Hudgens reported that the October sales tax disbursement was $117,000, a 14.9% increase compared to $102,000 for the same period last year. - The water well project is progressing smoothly; the hole and screens are complete, and well development is underway. The final completion date remains on schedule for February or March of the following year. Discussion Items - Item A: Removal of Stop Signs at West Kansas and Cherry Street. The council considered a citizen request to remove stop signs from the intersection. Staff reported that a traffic engineering study could not be completed with available equipment. The pneumatic counters used provided daily averages (Eastbound: 268, Westbound: 417, Cherry Street: 462) but could not determine directional volumes or peak hourly counts required by standard engineering criteria. Staff stated the available data strongly suggested the intersection did not meet the minimum thresholds (300 units per hour on the major street for eight hours) needed to recommend an all-way stop. Some council members expressed reluctance to remove the signs without a formal petition, while others noted resident safety concerns. A motion to remove the signs failed for lack of a second. The council agreed to wait for a formal citizen petition before revisiting the issue. - Item B: Reducing the Speed Limit on W. Florida Street. The council discussed a proposal to lower the speed limit. A two-week speed study conducted after road cleanup showed 85th percentile speeds of 18 mph eastbound and 25 mph westbound, with a combined average speed of 14 mph. The Police Chief noted limited enforcement resources and commented that the data indicated most drivers were already traveling well below the 30 mph limit, with only a few outliers (e.g., a single 46 mph reading). Council members concluded that the data did not justify a reduction. No motion was made, and discussion of further action was effectively concluded without a change. Key Outcomes - Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously, including the repeal of Ordinance 09-14-2023-4. - Stop Signs (Item A): Motion to remove failed for lack of a second. Further action deferred pending a citizen petition or new request. - Speed Limit (Item B): No action taken. The council declined to lower the speed limit based on traffic study data. - Official Newspaper (Item C): Resolution 10-08-2026 selecting The Van States News as the official newspaper for the city was approved unanimously. - Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by unanimous vote.

The Van City Council held a called meeting on September 24, 2026, at 6:00 PM at Van City Hall. No members of the public spoke during the public comment period. The council conducted a public hearing on the proposed tax rate and took action on the FY2026 budget, the FY2026 tax rate, and the FY2027 rate revenue. Mayor Ernie Burns presided. Council Member Mark Thompson was absent. Public Hearing – Tax Rate - City Manager Jeff Hudgens presented the FY2026 tax rate proposal. The proposed rate is 0.7358, which is the same as the previous year’s rate. He explained that three cents of the rate was shifted from debt service to maintenance and operations, allowing more taxpayer dollars to fund services and repairs thanks to sufficient sales tax revenue for debt coverage. Due to lower property appraisals, the unchanged rate will result in a $9,806 decrease in the tax levy according to state worksheets. Hudgens noted that state-mandated language in the adoption motion would technically declare a 1.02% effective increase, but the overall tax rate is not being raised. No members of the public offered testimony. Discussion and Action Items FY2026 Budget (Ordinance 09-24-2026-1) The council voted to adopt the appropriation ordinance for the FY2026 budget. The motion passed unanimously. FY2026 Tax Rate (Ordinance 09-24-2026-2) Council Member Mark Heatwole made a motion to adopt the property tax rate, reading the required state-mandated statement: “I move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of 0.735800, which is effectively a 1.02% increase in the tax rate.” The council then voted on a separate motion to set the breakdown of the rate, approving a maintenance and operations (M&O) rate of 0.43 and a debt service (I&S) rate of 0.3058. The ordinance was passed with a vote of 4 in favor and 1 against, with Council Member Mark Thompson voting nay. FY2027 Rate Revenue Ratification (Ordinance 09-24-2026-3) The council voted unanimously to ratify the rate revenue for FY2027. Key Outcomes - FY2026 Budget adopted (Unanimous). - FY2026 Property Tax Rate set at 0.735800 (4-1 vote, Thompson dissenting). - Tax rate breakdown established: 0.43 for M&O, 0.3058 for I&S. - FY2027 Rate Revenue ratified (Unanimous). - Meeting adjourned.