Sep 03, 2026 City Council

STILL.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WILMER CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 7:00 PM.

ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

YOUR PRESENCE REFLECTS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO CIVIL ENGAGEMENT, AND WE TRULY VALUE YOUR INTEREST IN THE WORK AND THE PROGRESS OF OUR CITY.

UH, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE PASTOR HARRIS TO PROVIDE AT THE INVOCATION.

WE ASK THAT EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE.

PASTOR, PASTOR FERRIS FAVORS IS HERE.

OH, OKAY.

LET'S GO TO THE FATHER IN PRAYER.

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME AND GATHERING TOGETHER.

WE INVITE YOU INTO THIS PLACE, AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD TAKE OVER THE MEETING, THAT YOU WOULD GRANT OUR LEADERS WISDOM AS THEY'RE GUIDED THROUGH, UH, THE AGENDA ON TODAY.

AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE GLORIFIED IN THE WORK OF THIS.

DEAR CITY, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING YOUR HAND UPON THE CITY OF WILMER.

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT STRONG.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING IT TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE MIDST OF TRANSITION.

AND WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT THE BEST DAYS ARE YET TO COME.

SO HAVE YOUR WAY TONIGHT AND IN, IN THE REST OF OUR LIVES, HERE IN THE CITY OF WILMER.

IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.

AMEN.

COUNT FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH TO STAND.

ONE NATION AND UNDER GOD INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[1. Conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed revenue increase from levying ad valorem taxes for fiscal year 2026/2027 at $0.424488 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation of all taxable property within the corporate limits to provide revenues for current maintenance and operation expenses and interest and sinking fund requirements; providing due and delinquent dates; penalties and interest; providing a homestead exemption and disability exemption.]

ASSESSED VALUATION OF ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CORPORATE CORPORATE LIMITS TO PROVIDE REVENUES FOR CURRENT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION EXPENSES AND INTEREST IN SINKING FUND REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDING DUE AND DELINQUENT DATES, PENALTIES AND INTEREST, PROVIDING A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND DISABILITY EXEMPTION.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE? IT'S THE FINANCE DIRECTOR HERE TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, UH, THE LEVYING VALOR, TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 AT 0.4 2 4 4 8 8.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? OKAY.

WE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:03 PM AND WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:03 PM THE NEXT

[2. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed FY 2026/2027 budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 ending September 30, 2027 for all City funds; providing that the budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of $660,514, which is a 5.16 percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $772,360.]

WE'RE OPENING IT AT 7:03 PM THIS IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027 FOR ALL CITY FUNDS, PROVIDING THAT THE BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY AN AMOUNT OF 660,514, WHICH IS A 5.16% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR IS 772,360.

ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST? UH, MA'AM.

YES.

UH, SO WE'RE ASKING, THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL TAXES.

IS THIS WHAT THIS IS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLARIFY MS. ALB? SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO FOR THERE, INCREASING THE TAXES, THE CITY TAXES ON THE RESIDENTS.

NO, THE TAXES ARE BEING LOWERED.

THE ASSESSED VALUE FROM THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT CAME IN AND IT'S HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S APPRAISALS.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS WORDING HERE THAT THE, UM, REVENUE IS INCREASING, NOT THE TAXES.

SO JUST THE COUNTY,

[00:05:01]

THE CASH THAT THE CITY WILL RECEIVE THIS YEAR COMING UP WILL BE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS YEAR.

SO THIS IS A LEGAL NOTE THAT THE CITY HAS TO PUT, UH, AND SAY AT A PUBLIC HEARING, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE CITY IS RAISING TAXES.

THE CITY IS LOWERING THE TAX RATE.

YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE KNOW THAT, UH, THE TAX RATE BEFORE THE 0.42.

I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TAX RATE WAS BEFORE THE 0.42? THE CURRENT TAX RIGHT NOW IS 0.47 CENTS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY.

WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:06 PM WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO CITIZEN'S COMMENTS.

CITY SECRETARY, UH, MS. MILES, DO WE HAVE ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? NO, WE DO NOT.

MOVING ON TO COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

THERE ARE NO COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.

THERE IS ALSO, UH, NO PRESENTATIONS AT THIS TIME.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

AGENDA ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND ARE GENERALLY ENACTED IN ONE MOTION.

THE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IS THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER MAY REQUEST ONE OR MORE ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND ACTION, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 20TH, 2026 BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 20TH, 2026 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

PLEASE VOTE YES.

YES.

YES, YES.

YES.

OKAY.

MOTION HAS PASSED.

[5. Discuss and consider approving Ordinance No. O2026-0903A adopting a budget for the City of Wilmer for the fiscal year October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 and providing that expenditures for said fiscal year shall be made in accordance with said budget.]

OKAY.

OUR FIRST ITEM, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVING ORDINANCE NUMBER 0 2 0 2 6 0 9 0 3 A.

ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF WILMER FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027.

AND PROVIDING THAT EXPENDITURES FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID BUDGET.

MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST TIME AND THIS TIME AS WELL, AND I PRESENTED TO YOU THE SNAPSHOTS OF ALL OF THOSE BUDGETS.

THE BUDGETS DO NOT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF COST OF LIVING INCREASE.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S APPLES TO APPLES.

I WANTED YOU ALL TO JUST HAVE IT SIMPLE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND.

NO SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS ARE INCLUDED.

NO EXTRA PERSONNEL IS INCLUDED.

JUST AS YOU SEE IT.

THE SAME THING FROM THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR IS PRESENTED TO YOU.

AND, UM, IT, IT'S AS, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER THEM.

BUT, UM, THIS IS THE, UM, ACTION ITEM TO APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A, ANY DISCUSSION OR DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

AND SECOND, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND OR I MAKE A MOTION? THANK YOU.

PLEASE VOTE YES.

YES, YES, YES.

MOTION HAS PASSED.

I.

OKAY.

NEXT

[6. Consider approval of an Ordinance No. O2026-0903B, regarding levying the ad valorem taxes for the Fiscal Year 2027 at a rate of $0.424488 per one hundred dollars ($100.00) assessed valuation on all taxable property within the corporate limits of the City as of January 1, 2026; to provide revenues for current expenses and interest and sinking fund requirements; and providing for due and delinquent dates together with penalties and interest; providing a homestead exemption and disability exemption.]

ASSESSED VALUATION ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2026, TO PROVIDE REVENUES FOR CURRENT

[00:10:01]

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND IT PLEASE VOTE YES.

YES, YES, YES.

YES.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

[7. Consider Resolution No. R2026-0903A, approving a resolution ratifying the budget for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for City of Wilmer from the same properties in both the 2025 tax year and the 2026 tax year.]

THAT WILL RAISE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR CITY OF WILMER FROM THE SAME PROPERTIES IN BOTH THE 2025 TAX YEAR AND THE 2026 TAX YEAR.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL SECOND THAT.

CAN I HAVE A VOTE? YES.

YES.

YES, YES.

YES.

MOTION PASSES FIVE TO ZERO.

[8. Consider Ordinance No. O2026-0903C, approving a negotiated settlement between the Atmos Cities Steering Committee (ACSC) and Atmos Energy Corp., Mid-Tex Division regarding the company’s 2026 rate review mechanism filing; declaring existing rates to be unreasonable; adopting tariffs that reflect rate adjustments consistent with the negotiated settlement; finding the rates to be set by the attached settlement tariffs to be just and reasonable and in the public interest; approving an attachment establishing a benchmark for pensions and retiree medical benefits; requiring the company to reimburse ACSC’s reasonable ratemaking expenses.]

REASONABLE RATE MARK MAKING EXPENSES.

WE'LL HAVE KIMBERLY SMITH, UH, REPRESENTING ATMOS TO COME TO THE PODIUM.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PROAM COUNSEL, UH, KIMBERLY SMITH WITH, AND HERE TO ASSIST WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

YES, MA'AM.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? A MOTION TO SECOND THAT PLEASE VOTE YES.

YES.

YES, YES.

YES.

MOTION PASSES.

FIVE ZERO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. SMITH.

[9. Consider Resolution No. R2026-0903B, to approve the City of Wilmer entering into a twelve (12) month contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) for employee medical and dental insurance; and to approve associated ancillary benefits (vision, life/AD&D, disability, and voluntary benefits).]

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BROUGHT TO YOU EVERY YEAR.

UH, THESE ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES, WHICH WERE ALREADY DISCUSSED DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND HOW, UM, UM, DEAN, WHO WAS HERE TO, UH, DO A PRESENTATION.

HE'S THE BENEFITS CONTRACTOR AND CONSULTANT FOR THE CITY.

AND,

[00:15:01]

UH, WE ARE ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT WITH THEM, BUT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO DO THIS.

AND SO THE RATES THIS, UH, PAST YEAR, AS I UM, ALLUDED TO LAST TIME, WERE ASTRONOMICAL, YOU KNOW, OVER 39% INCREASE IN COSTS.

AND SO MR. DEAN, HE, UM, IS HERE TODAY TO, UM, TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT HIS COMPANY WENT THROUGH TO GET THE CITY A BETTER RATE.

AND ALL THE CITIES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS RIGHT NOW.

WELL, EVERYONE ACTUALLY, UH, EVEN IN THE CORPORATE SECTOR, MY HUSBAND'S COMPANY ALSO VERY HIGH.

SO, UM, DEAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP HERE? GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.

OF COURSE.

MY NAME IS, UH, DEAN CASEY.

I'M THE CURRENT, UH, SERVICING BROKER CONSULTANT, UH, WITH ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER.

UH, JUST A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF, YOU KNOW, RATES IN ITSELF, JUST NEW BUSINESS RATES IN GENERAL, UH, FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT HAVE GONE UP 20, 25% ACROSS THE BOARD.

UH, OUR ORIGINAL RATE INCREASE WAS 39%, ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THAT DOWN.

WE DID GO TO MARKET TO ALL THE CARRIERS.

UM, WITH THE COUPLE OF CARRIERS THAT DID, UH, RELEASE A QUOTE TO US, THEY WERE NOT AS COMPETITIVE AS WHERE WE WERE AT WITH BLUE CROSS OR AS GOOD AS BENEFITS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

UM, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF REARRANGING, WE DID GO TO SOME ALTERNATE PLANS WITH BLUE CROSS TO GET THAT INTO A POSITION TO WHERE WE STARTED OFF AT 50.

UH, WE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO 39%.

AND WITH THE FOUR PLANS THAT I GAVE TO YOU THAT ARE ON THE ACTUAL SECOND, UH, THIRD PAGE IN, UH, THOSE ARE THE NEW BENEFIT PLANS.

NOT GIVING UP, UH, TOO MUCH OR MAKING THE, THE EMPLOYEES SUFFER OR TO GIVE UP, UH, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.

UH, BUT WE GOT IT DOWN TO WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ABOUT 16 TO 18%, AND THAT'S COMING OFF FROM 50, UH, WHICH IN MY BOOK IS ALMOST, UH, A MIRACLE, UH, IN TODAY'S TIMES OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, IN THE INDUSTRY.

SO, UH, WITH THE BENEFIT COMMITTEE AND, UH, THE FOLKS AROUND FRANK TANISHA, AND OF COURSE, UH, PATRICIA, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WORKED ON TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATE PLANS AND WE STILL CAME UP WITH BLUE CROSS AS BEING THE BEST CHOICE, UH, FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF, OF THE CITY OF WILMER.

ALSO, ONE OTHER THING TO YEAH, GO RIGHT.

I, SORRY, I WAS, I WAS GONNA ASK, WE'RE THAT'S, UH, THAT'S COSTING US THE RENT, UH, THE CITY RESIDENT $61,000 A MONTH.

IS THAT CORRECT FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES? UH, THE CURRENT MONTHLY PREMIUM, UM, IT'S PROBABLY THOUSAND ON THERE.

THE, THE, I MEAN THE ACTUAL, YEAH, THE ACTUAL PREMIUMS MONTHLY.

UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT, WE'RE ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT FROM A MONTHLY BASIS.

WHAT WE WORK CURRENTLY, UM, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO SAY THAT WE'RE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE CURRENT MONTHLY PREMIUM? A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UM, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GO TO ONE 15 TO 1, 1 20, DEPENDING UPON WHAT PLANS THAT THE EMPLOYEES CHOOSE.

SO BASICALLY THE LAST YEAR'S WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND NOW WE'RE GOING UP TO 1,520.

YES.

IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? YES.

ABOUT A 16% INCREASE.

THESE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.

I JUST WANTED TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE TO OFFSET.

I KNOW THAT, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT, IF EVERYBODY WANTED A 3% RAISE PLUS WE WENT UP 16%, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN AT 19% ON A PAY INCREASE.

SO, OKAY.

THAT'S IT.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

QUESTION.

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM .

OKAY.

UH, ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. CASEY? UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS OR DISAPPROVE? MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE IT.

AND A SECOND.

THESE ARE EMPLOYEES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE FIGURED THAT OUT.

OKAY.

[00:20:01]

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.

AS IS FIVE TO ZERO.

THANK YOU, MR. CASEY.

THANK YOU MS. AL.

THANK YOU.

THANK.

[10. Discuss the appointment of Darlene Tryon to the Community Development Corporation (Type B) board.]

NEXT ITEM, DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT OF DARLENE TRYON TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, TYPE B BOARD.

MS. TRYON IS HERE.

MS. TRYON, IF YOU CAN APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

AND THEN IF YOU CAN JUST TELL US BRIEFLY WHY YOU ARE, UH, INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS BOARD.

.

UH, MY NAME IS DARLENE.

UH, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS DARLENE TRYON.

I'M AT 1601 MILLERS FERRY, WILMER, TEXAS, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OH, 15 OR SO YEARS.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, SOME HELP OR SOME SERVICE TO THE CDC AND WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE, I'M WILLING TO BE A PART OF THAT.

COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. TRYON? UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

UM, I, I, WE, WE DO NEED MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERING TO BE ON OUR BOARDS, UH, ALL OF THEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR TURNING THIS IN.

OH, THANK YOU.

IT WAS A PRIVILEGE.

Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF NO, I'M NOT.

OKAY.

UM, I GUESS WE'LL, UM, YOU'RE WANTING TO BE ON THE, UH, THE B BOARD? THE C, D, C? YES.

TYPE B MM-HMM.

TYPE BI CALL HIM A BOARD OR B BOARD.

YEAH.

OKAY.

OKAY.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS? NO, WE JUST APPOINT HER.

OH, WE JUST, SOMEBODY HAS TO APPOINT HER.

THAT'S JUST AN APPOINTMENT.

YEAH.

OKAY.

MS. TURNER CAN APPOINT HER MAKE A MOTION TO DARLENE TRILON.

TRYON.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S IT.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

VOTE.

WE STILL NEED TO VOTE.

YES.

WE NEED TO HAVE A YES.

YES, YES AND YES.

YES.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. TRYON.

THANK YOU.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.

IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 7:23 PM IS IT? WE'VE DONE YET.