City Council

Council Minutes August 12, 2025 STATE OF TEXAS § COUNTY OF TARRANT § CITY OF BEDFORD § The City Council of the City of Bedford, Texas, met in Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 2000 Forest Ridge Drive, on the 12th day of August, 2025 with the following members present: Dan Cogan Mayor Nichelle D. Dawkins Mayor Pro Tem Joy Donovan Brandon Councilmembers Steve Farco Rob Gagliardi Amy Sabol Rich Steves constituting a quorum. Staff present included: Andrea Roy City Manager Caryn Riggs Assistant City Manager Bryn Meredith City Attorney Michael Wells City Secretary Bobby LaPenna Police Chief Brady Olsen Finance Director REGULAR SESSION The Regular Session began at 6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER/GENERAL COMMENTS Mayor Cogan called the meeting to order. INVOCATION Virgil Kinkaid with Pentecostal Church of God gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledges of Allegiance to the flags of the United States and Texas were given. COUNCIL RECOGNITION • Recognition of residential and commercial properties who received Beautification Awards. 7178  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 Beautification Advisory Board Chairperson Andrew Woolen presented information regarding the awards, which will be presented on August 16, 2025. PUBLIC COMMENTS Rich Wiltshire, 308 Lark Lane, Euless - Mr. Wiltshire signed up to speak on ONSTAGE and the HEB American Legion 379- He stated that he is the president of ONSTAGE in Bedford and noted that in its 40 years, the organization has always operated in a City building, first at the Boys Ranch and now at the Old Bedford School (OBS). He explained that, unlike other theaters, they do not face the same financial pressures because of the City’s support. He described the significant time and effort required to produce a full season of theater and emphasized that ONSTAGE has always been willing to share the space with others. Mr. Wiltshire expressed concern that if they lose performance time or the number of shows, it may jeopardize the sustainability of ONSTAGE. Mr. Wilshire ran out of time to speak on his other subject. Hannah Gribblebell - Ms. Gribbelbell signed up to speak about ONSTAGE. She requested that ONSTAGE be given the opportunity to continue serving as stewards of the OBS. She stated that with Council’s vision for revitalizing the building, ONSTAGE is uniquely positioned to both honor its history and create a vibrant, inclusive future for the space. She highlighted their youth theater programs, partnerships with local organizations to provide educational and cultural opportunities for all ages, and their role in bringing culture and tourism to Bedford. She also spoke about preserving the historic integrity of OBS, including collaborating with preservation experts, and transforming it into a multifaceted cultural venue. Ms. Gribbelbell stated that a partnership with ONSTAGE would not only safeguard the building’s historical value but also provide long-term economic and social benefits to the City. She thanked the City for supporting ONSTAGE in a City facility and expressed hope that they can continue their stewardship through the proposed renovations. PRESENTATIONS • Third Quarter Financial and Investment Report. Finance Director Brady Olsen presented the third-quarter financial report. He provided an overview of revenues and expenditures across all funds, noting that most funds had revenues exceeding expenditures. He also reviewed historical sales tax collections and rolling monthly averages, noting a general upward trend that has recently begun to level off. Council discussed local economic conditions affecting sales tax revenues in many cities. Mr. Olsen reported on water and sewer charges, explaining that residents are using more water and that rate increases from the Trinity River Authority are being passed on to them. He also noted that Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues have leveled off but are expected to strengthen once a hotel property resumes operations. Finally, he reported on General Fund expenditures, which showed departments operating within their budgets. Mr. Olsen presented the third-quarter investment report. He stated that the total portfolio is approximately $124 million and noted that the City has increased its investment in federal agency coupons. Interest earnings for the quarter were about $1.5 million, with year-end earnings projected at nearly $6 million. Mr. Olsen reported that investment revenues are expected to decline next year. He presented a comparison showing the City’s yield of 4.6 percent, which is above benchmark levels, and provided an overview of the Treasury yield curve and the current interest rate environment. He also discussed potential future interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, inflation being lower than anticipated, and the City’s strategy of laddering its portfolio. 7179  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ITEMS BY CONSENT City Manager Andrea Roy presented an overview of items on the Consent Agenda. There was discussion on the reasoning for Item #7. Motioned by Councilmember Farco, seconded by Councilmember Gagliardi, to approve the following items by consent: 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Motion approved 7-0-0. Mayor Cogan declared the motion carried. 1. Consider approval of the following City Council minutes: a) July 22, 2025 regular meeting This item was approved by consent. 2. Receive the certified anticipated collection rate from the Tarrant County Tax Assessor Collector for the City of Bedford, Texas. No action was taken on this item. 3. Receive the 2025 Ad Valorem Tax Roll from the Tarrant Appraisal District as certified by the Chief Appraiser Joe Don Bobbitt. No action was taken on this item. 4. Consider a resolution approving a site plan for Lot 2RA Block 10 of Oak Ridge Estates (Bedford), being 2.31 acres generally located west of State Highway 121 and north of Susan Drive, commonly known as 3000 Crystal Springs Street. (SITE-25-2) This item was approved by consent. 5. Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to execute an amendment to the Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA) Interlocal Agreement with the cities of Colleyville, Euless, Haltom City, Hurst, Keller, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Roanoke, Southlake, Trophy Club, Watauga, Westlake, and the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board. This item was approved by consent. 6. Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to purchase additional lockers for the Police Department locker room remodel through Southwest Solutions Group in an estimated amount of $5,894 and associated electrical work through Ed’s Electric Service in an estimated amount of $1,500. This item was approved by consent. 7. Consider a resolution ratifying the City’s lawsuit entitled City of Bedford, Texas v. Ken Paxton, Attorney General pursuant to Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. This item was approved by consent. 7180  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 NEW BUSINESS 8. Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to enter into an agreement with Cigna for the City’s employee medical and dental insurance benefits effective October 1, 2025. Andrew Weegar with HUB International presented information on the 2025-26 benefit recommendations. He stated the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) the previous year for both medical and dental insurance, resulting in a switch from Aetna to Cigna. This resulted in a 3.8 percent decrease in medical premiums and included a 12 percent cap on a future rate increase. Mr. Weegar recommended that staff budget for a 12 percent increase in the upcoming fiscal year, citing the City’s current loss ratio of 92 percent, compared to the typical insurance target of 80 to 85 percent. He presented information on the City’s claims versus premiums. He stated that if the rate increase cap was not in place, the City would have seen an approximate 30 percent increase in premiums. Mr. Weegar presented an overview of current versus renewal benefits and stated there are no recommended changes except for the deductibles for the High Deductible Health Plan due to IRS regulations. He presented an overview of premium rates for the medical renewal, showing an increase of 11.8 percent. He did not recommend issuing an RFP as it would have negated the rate increase cap. Mr. Weegar stated Cigna again offered a wellness fund of $25,000 and a communication fund of $10,000. He presented an overview of current and proposed medical contributions showing a portion of the premium increase being passed onto the employees, which has not been done in seven years. Mr. Weegar recommended renewing with Cigna for medical insurance, with an overall premium increase to the City of $413,000. He discussed other parts of Cigna’s offer, including the wellness and communication funds, a patient advocacy service, and an employee assistance program. He presented an overview of other renewing policies, including dental, vision, life, and disability insurances. He discussed a new patient advocacy hotline called the HUB Call Center to assist employees with benefit related questions at a cost of $1.00 per employee per month, to be paid from the wellness funds. He stated they will evaluate doing RFP for the 2026-27 plan year. There was discussion regarding the switch from Aetna to Cigna; the possibility of issuing an RFP for the following year’s renewal; the wellness fund, including the fact that it does not roll over year to year and is used for health fairs and biometric screenings; the use of the communication fund to send postcards to employees’ homes; and the HUB Call Center, which incurs charges whether utilized or not. Motioned by Councilmember Gagliardi, seconded by Councilmember Sabol, to approve a resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to enter into an agreement with Cigna for the City’s employee medical and dental insurance benefits effective October 1, 2025. Motion approved 7-0-0. Mayor Cogan declared the motion carried. 9. Call a public hearing on the proposed FY 2025-2026 budget to be held on September 9, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Motioned by Councilmember Farco, seconded by Councilmember Dawkins, to call a public hearing on the proposed FY 2025-2026 budget to be held on September 9, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. 7181  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 Motion approved 7-0-0. Mayor Cogan declared the motion carried. 10. Consider a proposed tax rate and set the public hearing on the proposed tax rate, if required. Finance Director Brady Olsen stated this item is to authorize the maximum tax rate to be considered at the meeting on September 9. He stated staff is proposing the Voter Approval Rate, which is the rate needed to fund the proposed budget. In response to questions from Council, Mr. Olsen presented an overview of the 30 percent Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) non-retroactive Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) under the proposed budget. He stated there is an option for a 50 percent TMRS COLA at a cost of an additional $263,000, for a total of approximately $760,000 annually. He stated that the $263,000 could be funded by using unspent bond proceeds to pay for the first year of the EMS Stryker stretcher lease, giving staff a year to find a permanent solution to pay for those costs, and possible reductions in Fire Department overtime. There was discussion raising the tax rate due to Tarrant Appraisal District’s finance plan freezing property values, as well as funding a three percent COLA for all employees and the public safety step plan; the proposed TMRS COLA adding another cent to the tax rate increase; concerns about committing to the $760,000 in perpetuity; using the $760,000 for other items such as sign- on bonuses and incentives, public safety pay increases, allocating more for Neighborhood Services and abatements, sidewalk repairs, lowering the YMCA rate for residents, a new ambulance, and/or cleaning up shopping centers; attracting and retaining employees; employee turnover; decisions made by previous Councils; the timing to adopt the non-retroactive TMRS COLA; the proposed tax rate adding $90 to the tax bill on the average home; possible tax increases in the future; articulating to the residents the benefits would get if there is a tax increase; the use of bond funds for capital projects; vacancies in the Police Department; future Council’s options to set the tax rate; the public hearing on the tax rate; the budget process; the lease agreement with Stryker; the TMRS COLA as part of an incentive package to attract and retain employees; and the City’s overall budget of approximately $104 million. Motioned by Councilmember Sabol, seconded by Councilmember Farco, to consider a tax rate of $0.526212 per $100 valuation to be voted on the September 9, 2025 agenda, and schedule a public hearing to discuss the tax rate on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Bedford City Hall. Motion approved 6-1-0. Mayor Cogan declared the motion carried. Voting in favor of the motion: Mayor Pro Tem Dawkins, Councilmember Donovan Brandon, Councilmember Sabol, Councilmember Steves, Councilmember Farco, and Councilmember Gagliardi. Voting in opposition to the motion: Mayor Cogan REPORTS 11. Mayor/Council Member Reports Councilmember Gagliardi reported that Councilmembers will greet students on the first day of school the following morning. 7182  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 Mayor Pro Tem Dawkins reported on attending the Tarrant County Mayors’ Council for Mayor Cogan in July. She stated the funds for the Community Development Block Program were restored in the federal budget for now so the Mayors’ Council should continue. They also voted on the 2026 budget for the County’s 911 services. They further voted on updates to their bylaws to codify what the Mayors’ Council does. Councilmember Donovan Brandon reported on the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District’s convocation, noting a focus on the music programs. She highlighted that the L.D. Bell Band will be the only band from Texas participating in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She also reported that Superintendent Dr. Joe Harrington was named Outstanding Superintendent of the Year by the state Parent Teacher Association. 12. Report on most recent meeting of the following Boards: • Animal Shelter Advisory Board Councilmember Farco reported that the Animal Shelter will hold a “Clear-the-Shelter” event on August 23, and that the adoption trailer will be present at the Police and Fire Department open houses later in the year. He noted that the Shelter has been recognized as a no-kill facility. Councilmember Farco reported that the Shelter has received 1,290 calls so far this year, compared to 350 last year, and invited the public to volunteer. He also discussed a holiday wish tree for items needed for the animals. • Beautification Advisory Board Mayor Pro Tem Dawkins reported on the schedule for Beautification Awards presentation on August 16. • Library Advisory Board Councilmember Donovan Brandon reported that the Board will meet the following week. • Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Councilmember Steves reported that the Board did not meet the previous week. • Senior Advisory Board Councilmember Gagliardi reported that Board Member Becky Farrell is developing a survey for seniors in the City about their needs. He further reported that Chairperson Gina Day discussed working with the Animal Shelter on a fostering program for seniors and older animals. 13. City Manager/Staff Reports EXECUTIVE SESSION a) § 551.071. Consultation with Attorney. The City Council may convene in executive session to con-duct a private consultation with its attorney on any legally posted agenda item, when the City Council seeks the advice of its attorney about pending or contemplated litigation, a settlement offer, or on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with the provisions of Chapter 551, including the following item: 7183  Council Minutes August 12, 2025 a. Personnel complaints Council convened into Executive Session pursuant to the above at 7:32 p.m. Council reconvened from Executive Session at 7:49 p.m. 14. Take any action necessary as a result of the Executive Session. No action was necessary as a result of the Executive Session. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Cogan adjourned the meeting at 7:49 p.m. ___________________________________ Daniel S. Cogan, Mayor ATTEST: _________________________________ Michael Wells, City Secretary 7184