City Council

MINUTES REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING RONALD C. BOWMAN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 447 North Main Street Boerne, TX 78006 MARCH 25, 2025 – 6:00 PM Minutes of the Regular Called City Council Meeting of March 25, 2025. Present: 6- Mayor Frank Ritchie, Mayor Pro Tem Ty Wolosin, Council Member Sharon D. Wright, Council Member Quinten Scott, Council Member Bret A. Bunker, and Council Member Joseph Macaluso Staff Present: Ben Thatcher, Sarah Buckelew, Jeff Carroll, Lori Carroll, Jennifer Castillo, Nathan Crane, Bria Jackson, Lissette Jimenez, Claudia Lemon, Mike Mann, Mick McKamie, Steve Perez, Mike Raute, Barbara Rodriguez, Chris Shadrock, Kristy Stark, Chastity Valdes, and Danny Zincke. Recognized / Registered Guests: Flint Lemon and Joe Bateman 1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 PM Mayor Ritchie called the City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No conflicts were declared. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: No comments were received. 4. CONSENT AGENDA: City of Boerne Page 1 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACALUSO, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: Yeah: 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Wolosin, Council Member Wright, Council Member Scott, Council Member Bunker, and Council Member Macaluso A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 11, 2025. THE MINTUES WERE APPROVED. B. CONSIDER ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE NO. 2025-03; AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BOERNE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 2. ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE IV RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, ADDING SECTIONS 2-104 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS; ADOPTING HOUSE BILL 3033 (2023) VEXATIOUS REQUESTORS PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. THE ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED. C. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R15; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOERNE, TEXAS RATIFYING AN EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE BY CITY STAFF AND AUTHORIZING A PAYMENT TO CNG DELIVERY, LLC FOR NATURAL GAS TRAILER REFILLS AND RENTAL TERM EXTENSION FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $24,980.00. (Three emergency refills and two additional weeks of rental.) THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED. D. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R16; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOERNE, TEXAS, AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR 2022 BOND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE TO WATERMAN CONSTRUCTION, LLC, A BUYBOARD APPROVED VENDOR, FOR SPORTS FIELD IMPROVEMENTS AT NORTHRUP PARK FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,106.00 THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED. City of Boerne Page 2 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 E. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R17; A RESOLUTION TO RATIFY THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOERNE AND ON DUTY HEALTH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY HEALTH SCREENING IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $57,026.00. THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED. F. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R18; A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AND MANAGE AN AMENDED SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR FUNDING OF PUBLIC PURPOSE BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOERNE AND HILL COUNTRY FAMILY SERVICES. THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED. REGULAR AGENDA: 5. PRESENTATIONS, PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND ORDINANCES: A. PRESENTATION BY JUDGE ED PHILLIPS REGARDING THE YOUTH DIVERSION PROGRAM AND COURT OPERATIONS AND RECOGNIZING CLAUDIA LEMON FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE IN MUNICIPAL COURT. Mayor Ritchie invited Sarah Buckelew, Finance Director, to speak. Director Buckelew recognized Claudia Lemon for her more than 21 years of dedicated service to the Municipal Court Department and honored Judge Phillips for his 30 years of service with the city. Following the recognition, Director Buckelew introduced Judge Phillips, who provided an overview of court caseload statistics and discussed the Youth Diversion Program. He explained that the program offers education and community service opportunities for individuals aged 10 to 16, allowing them to enter into an agreement rather than undergoing criminal prosecution. Participation in the Youth Diversion Program is mandatory for eligible individuals, provided both the child and their parent agree to the program's terms. He clarified that the program does not apply to traffic violations. A discussion followed regarding the consequences for individuals who do not complete the diversion process. City of Boerne Page 3 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 6. RESOLUTIONS: A. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R19; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOERNE ADOPTING A PROCUREMENT POLICY TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. Mayor Ritchie called on Sarah Buckelew, Finance Director, to present on two related policies: procurement and purchasing cards. Director Buckelew explained that these policies are designed to empower departments to make smaller-dollar purchases while ensuring compliance with legal and financial guidelines. She noted that purchases under $50,000 have fewer legal requirements and procedural guidelines, allowing for greater flexibility. For purchases over $3,000, departments must obtain three quotes, and a HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) search on the Comptroller's website is required for purchases exceeding $3,000. The policies also define approval levels by department and provide the option to prioritize local vendor purchases. Regarding purchasing cards, the revised policy decentralizes purchases under $3,000, giving departments more autonomy while maintaining oversight. To align with these updates, a Financial Management Policy will be presented to the Council on April 8 for consideration. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACALUSO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WRIGHT, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R19; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOERNE ADOPTING A PROCUREMENT POLICY TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: Yeah: 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Wolosin, Council Member Wright, Council Member Scott, Council Member Bunker, and Council Member Macaluso B. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R20; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOERNE, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE PURCHASE CARD (P-CARD) POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL TO City of Boerne Page 4 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 ENHANCE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, EFFICIENCY, AND FRAUD PREVENTION. Director Buckelew addressed this agenda item, which was referenced in the preceding discussion. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WRIGHT, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R20; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOERNE, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE PURCHASE CARD (P-CARD) POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL TO ENHANCE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, EFFICIENCY, AND FRAUD PREVENTION. THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: Yeah: 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Wolosin, Council Member Wright, Council Member Scott, Council Member Bunker, and Council Member Macaluso 7. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT UPDATE: INTRODUCTION OF BRIA JACKSON, MULTI-MEDIA SPECIALIST AND GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT. Mayor Ritchie called on City Manager Thatcher, who then asked Communications Director Chris Shadrock to provide an update on the Communications Department. Chris highlighted the success of My Boerne News and CitiBot, emphasizing their role in keeping residents informed. He also discussed a new notification platform launched last fall, which alerts area residents to incidents via text and email, sharing insights into its effectiveness. Additionally, Chris presented an example of the proposed City of Boerne flag. He introduced Bria Jackson, the department’s newest employee, who will oversee daily social media activities. Ben expressed appreciation to Chris and Robert for their responsiveness and commitment to timely communication. B. UPDATE ON THE 89th LEGISLATIVE SESSION. City Manager Thatcher asked Assistant City Manager Stark to provide an update on the 89th Legislative Session and review city-related bills. Stark noted that the deadline for bill filings is March 14, with the session set to conclude on June 2. The Governor will have until June 22 to sign or veto bills. She also City of Boerne Page 5 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 addressed the Governor's emergency items and provided a legislative timeline, highlighting key deadlines: May 15 for the completion of the second reading of House bills, May 27 for the completion of the second reading of Senate bills, and June 2 for the end of the regular session. C. MONTHLY PROJECTS REPORT. City Manager Thatcher reviewed the status of various city related projects. Jeff Carroll, Engineering and Mobility Director updated the City Council on the Adler Road project and spoke on the inspections at the city's two dams. 8. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL – No discussion or action may take place. Mayor Pro Tem Wolosin stated that he attended the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) meeting yesterday. The main topic of discussion was the announcement of the Transportation Improvement Projects (TIP) proposals. This funding is a primary source of transportation dollars that the city pursues. He highlighted the competitive nature of the process, as there are $1 billion in project proposals from municipalities, while only approximately $225 million in funding is available. This underscores the challenges in securing transportation funding. 9. EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE: Mayor Ritchie convened the City Council into Executive Session at 7:04 p.m. A. SECTION 551.071 - CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY; POTENTIAL EMINENT DOMAIN DISCUSSION. City of Boerne Page 6 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 No action was taken. B. SECTION 551.072 - DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY: DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY. (Ammann Road) No action was taken. 10. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AND TAKE ANY NECESSARY ACTION RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. Mayor Ritchie reconvened the City Council into Open Session at 7:42 p.m. A. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R21; A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AND MANAGE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOERNE AND __________ FOR THE SALE OF 2.923 ACRE TRACT OUT OF THE WILLIAM D. LUSK SURVEY NO. 211, ABSTRACT NO. 306, KENDALL COUNTY. A MOTION WAS MADE BY MAYOR PRO TEM WOLOSIN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUNKER TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-21 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AND MANAGE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF BOERNE AND CITY OF FAIR OAKS RANCH FOR THE SALE OF 2.923 ACRE TRACT OUT OF THE WILLIAM D. LUSK SURVEY NO. 211, ABSTRACT NO. 306, KENDALL COUNTY. THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: Yeah: 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Wolosin, Council Member Wright, Council Member Scott, Council Member Bunker, and Council Member Macaluso 11. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Ritchie adjourned the City Council Meeting at 7:43 p.m. City of Boerne Page 7 City Council Official Meeting Minutes March 25, 2025 Approved: ____________________________ Mayor Attest: _______________________________ City Secretary City of Boerne Page 8