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Aug 4, 20238 min read

08 August 2023 Council Meeting.

Updated: Aug 19, 2023

Agenda items: Parker County Transportation Bond presentation; approving a proposed ad valorem tax rate for 2023-2024; set date for tax rate and budget public hearing; redirecting ARPA funding between Wastewater Projects; Haney, Aledo to WP ETJ boundary change and annexation; Kings Gate Park from Wilks Development; Executive Session, Halff & Associates litigation

• Location and Time: El Chico City Hall, 120 El Chico Trail, Suite A, Willow Park, TX 76087, 6PM

• Meeting Page (agenda packet, [in .pdf] minutes, video) / Facebook Video starts 3:40

• Latest Update: Saturday, 19 August, 2023 minutes; Wednesday, 16 August, 2023, video; Friday, 11 August, 2023 The Community News, Public Notices, WPC Blog; Saturday, 05 August, 2023

• Residents get look at much lower tax rate, The Community News, 11 August 2023, Residents get look at much lower tax rate, County presents transportation bond information, Land Annexation, Kings Gate Park, ARPA funds redirected.


 

Public Comments


Agenda Items

1. Presentation from Parker County - Transportation Bond

• [No Background or Exhibits in agenda packet.]

• [Video. Transportation Bond presentation 5:00 and runs to 21:10]

• 02 August 2023, City of Willow Park Facebook Representatives from Parker County will be on hand at our August 8 City Council meeting to discuss the Parker County Transportation Improvement Program. > Parker County Relations Officer August 2 at 11:33 AM, Join us at Willow Park City Hall on August 8th 2023 6:00 pm for Parker County Transportation Improvement Program

• The Community News (See link above.)

• Willow Park Civics Research

• Commissioner Jacob Holt Parker County Commissioner 2, Facebook, 3 August 2023 Parker County held elections for transportation bonds in 2008 and 2016. Given the recent growth, the County will hold another transportation bond election this November... The bond will have Partnership Projects and Precinct Projects as well as Discretionary funds. The bond is anticipated to be ~$130M in total. This is roughly in line with the 2008 and 2016 bond amounts when considering inflation and construction rate increases.

Partnership Projects: these involve TxDOT roads (think FM roads and the interstate) in which the county takes lead on engineering & ROW work in order to 1) move the projects up several years in the queue and 2) take advantage of available funds from TxDOT and NTCOG.

By taking lead, we get projects done years faster than waiting on TxDOT and we can take advantage of state funds at the same time. The best example of this is continuous frontage roads for those sections of I-20 such as at Dennis Road and RWMH. These frontage roads are a critical component of this bond and must be completed before TxDOT can expand I-20 and relieve the constant congestion.

We are waiting on final property tax numbers which we need before we can determine what the actual cost to each tax payer will be per year. That information should become available in the next few weeks.

I want to highlight one key item again: a significant portion of this bond will pay to construct the missing frontage/service roads along I-20. Without those roads, TxDOT will not start working on expanding the interstate… The frontage work will be at areas like the RWMH connection to I20 on the west side where there are not currently frontage roads that connect.

[More on projects in Precinct 2]


3. Discussion/Action: to consider and act on approving a proposed ad valorem tax rate for the period beginning October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. #Finance


• [Video.presentation tax 21:10]

• Background: State statute requires that Council take a roll call vote on the proposed tax rate for the upcoming budget for FY 23 - 24. This is part of the rate setting process. As we have discussed at previous workshops the tax rate for your consideration is as follows:

Maintenance and Operations (M/O): $0.208872

Interest and Sinking (I/S): $0.188725

Total Tax Rate: $0.397597

Current Tax Rate: $0.538450

No New Revenue Rate: $0.444640

Voter Approved Rate: $0.430651


For your review, please find the tax rate calculations from the Parker County Appraisal District and the staff worksheet that has been previously discussed.

• Exhibits: • PCAD 2022 Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet • Final 2023 - 2024 Budget


4. Discussion/Action: to consider and act on setting the date, time and place for a public hearing on a proposed ad valorem tax rate and budget for the period beginning October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. #Finance

• Background: State statute requires that Council set the date, time, and location for the single Public Hearing to discuss the budget for FY 23 - 24, beginning on October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2024. Upon the passage of this motion, staff will place an ad with The Community News per state statute. Proposed August 22, 2022 at 6:00 PM

• Exhibits:

• Notice of Meeting to Vote on Tax Rate "A tax rate of $0.397597 per $100 valuation has been proposed by the governing body of CITY OF WILLOW PARK.

• Notice Of Public Hearing On Proposed 2023-2024 Fiscal Year Budget For The City Of Willow Park "This budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $167,369 or 11.08% and of that amount $167,369 is tax revenue from new property added to the tax roll this year."






5. Discussion/Action: to consider redirecting the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP Act) funding administered by the U. S. Department of the Treasury, other Federal or State Agency from the new sanitary sewer line along Bankhead Highway to the Wastewater Effluent Line Project. #ARPA #WastewaterTreatmentPlant

• Background: At the April 11, 2023 city council meeting, the City Council approved the ARPA funding to construct a new sanitary sewer line along Bankhead Highway from Ranch House Road to the east city limits. Staff is requesting to redirect the ARPA funds to the Wastewater Effluent Line Project.

• The Community News (See link above.) "The council approved the redirecting of $665,153 from the American Rescue Plan Act funds at the request of Assistant City Manager Bill Funderburk. Originally meant for the sanitary sewer line along Bankhead Highway, they will now be diverted to the wastewater effluent line project that ties into Squaw Creek Golf Course."

• Willow Park Research

• 11 April 2023 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 13. Discussion/Action: to consider the use of the funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to construct a new sanitary sewer line along Bankhead Highway from Ranch House Road to the east city limits. Background: The project consists of approximately 5,500 linear feet of an 8” gravity sewer along Bankhead Highway from Ranch House to the east city limits. This project will allow service to the currently unserved areas east of Ranch House and south of Interstate 20. Exhibits: • Sanitary Sewer Line Map • Preliminary Estimate - Project Total $1,152,768

• Willow Park Civics > City > City Services > Wastewater including Willow Park Civic Blogs.

• Willow Park Civics Blog > Wastewater Project: Effluent Line, 17 May 2023

• Willow Park Civics > Issues > American Recuse Plan Act (ARPA) Funds


6. Discussion/Action: to approve a joint ordinance and extraterritorial jurisdiction (“ETJ’) boundary agreement with the City of Aledo to release and transfer a 31.247 acre tract of property to the City of Willow Park’s ETJ. #DevelopmentSouth

• Background: At their last City Council Meeting, the City of Aledo agreed to release from their extraterritorial jurisdiction by Joint Ordinance and Boundary Agreement the four tracts of land totaling 31.247 acres, situated in the Eliza Oxer Survey, Abstract 1031 (see Exhibit “A”), and owned by Dustin K. and Jayme L. Haney, Co-Trustees of the Haney Revocable Trust.


• Exhibits: • Joint Ordinance and Boundary Agreement • Exhibit “A” – Metes & Bounds Survey • Willow Park ETJ Map – expanded area with new proposed boundary


• The Community News (See link above.) "Land Annexation... The land is owned by Dustin and Jayme Haney, co-trustees of the Haney Revocable Trust. It is located near the site of a new gym and Stillwater Meadow wedding venue on Bankhead Highway. Willow Park City Attorney Pat Chesser noted that some additional nearby property, about three acres, also has to be annexed to fulfill the agreement."


7. Discussion/Action: to consider a developer’s agreement with Haney Revocable Trust, Dustin Kyle and Jayme Lynne Haney, Co-Trustees, for the annexation and development of 31.247 acres of property to be located in the City of Willow Park Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. #DevelopmentSouth


• Background: Four tracts of land totaling 31.247 acres, situated in the Eliza Oxer Survey, Abstract 1031 (see Exhibit “A”), and owned by Dustin K. and Jayme L. Haney, Co-Trustees of the Haney Revocable Trust are proposed for commercial development.

Property owners have requested water and sewer service, which the City of Willow Park can provide once the properties are within its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). A Joint Ordinance and Boundary Agreement between the City of Aledo and the City of Willow Park, currently in progress, will release the properties from Aledo’s ETJ and incorporate them into Willow Park’s ETJ. The Developer’s Agreement provides terms for these services and includes the properties’ immediate annexation into the City of Willow Park following incorporation into its ETJ.

• EXHIBITS:• Developer’s Agreement • Exhibit “A” – Metes & Bounds Survey

• Exhibit “A-1” – Topography • Exhibit “B” – Petition Requesting Annexation by Area Landowners • Exhibit “C” – Annexation Services Agreement Willow Park ETJ Map with revised ETJ boundaries

• Developer’s Agreement. "WHEREAS, the Property will be developed into a commercial development, with the first building being built as a fitness facility"


8. Discussion/Action: consideration and acceptance for the dedication of Kings Gate Park from Wilks Development to the City of Willow Park, and request payment for replat. #Parks

• Background and Exhibits at 01 August 2023 Parks Board Meeting, Agenda Item 2

• The Community News (See link above.)


Executive Session 9. Section 551.071 - Consultation with Attorney; Halff & Associates Litigation. #FortWorthWater

• No action taken.

Informational

• Mayor and Council Comments

Mayor Moss thanked the City Council for their time, service, and everything they have helped with the city. He also wished an honorable happy birthday to Councilman Eric Contreras.

Mayor Pro Tem Young requested an update on the proposed wastewater treatment plant. She also requested an update and a staff recommendation on the city’s noise ordinance.

Councilman Gilliland congratulated Officer Russell Sanchez on his retirement after 23 years of service with the City of Willow Park. He worked under 6 different Police Chiefs.


• City Manager Comments

City Manger Bryan Grimes stated at the next city council meeting staff will be giving department reports. He thanked Candy Scott, CFO/HR for assistance in preparing the budget and the tax rate. She has sat in on all the budget and tax rate meetings with department heads. He stated the tax rate was a very contentious subject a year ago and thanked the city council for approving the proposed lower tax rate. It is probably one of the largest tax rate deductions in Texas. He also congratulated Communications and Marketing Director Rose Hoffman on her certification and the completion of the Certified Public Communicators Program.



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