City of Canyon Commission Meetings

City Commission Meeting August 28, 2023 The City Commission of the City of Canyon met at 4:30 pm in the City Commission Chambers of the Civic Complex. Mayor Gary Hinders presided over the meeting with the following Commissioners in attendance, Mayor Pro-Tem Cody Jones, Robyn Cranmer Paul Lyons and Commissioner Danny Potter. Also present were the following City Staff: City Manager Joe Price, Assistant City Manager Jon Behrens, City Secretary Gretchen Mercer, HR Director Hector Mendoza, Director of Public Works Dan Reese, Assistant Director of Public Works Chris Enriquez, Assistant Planning and Development Director Craig Brown, Economic Development Director Stephanie Tucker, Finance Director Joel Wright, Purchasing Manager Beau Boyer, Chief of Police Steven Brush, Police Captain Matt Coggins, Fire Chief Dennis Gwyn, Assistant Fire Chief Vince Whitfill, Parks Director Brian Noel, Library Director Carlene Harguess, Water Superintendent Eric Whitten, and City Attorney Chuck Hester. Item 1. Call to Order. Mayor Hinders called the meeting to order at 4:33 pm. Item 2. Invocation. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones gave the invocation. Item 3. Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Lyons. Item 4. Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of August 14, 2023. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Cranmer to approve the minutes of August 14, 2023 as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Item 5. Public Comment – Comments from Interested Citizens. No comments were made. Item 6. Presentation of Proclamation Declaring September 2023 as National Library Card Signup Month. Mayor Hinders presented a Proclamation declaring the month of September 2023 as National Library Card Signup Month. Library Director Carlene Harguess stated at this time they had 9,379 Library Card members and had set a goal to have 10,000 by the end of the year. Ms. Harguess highlight a few ways they were going to encourage people to sign up for a Library Card. Item 7. Consider and Take Appropriate Action on Request from Aurelio Rivas for the Continued Donation of Water for the Canyon Community Garden Located Between 1st and 2nd Avenue and 18th and 19 Street. City Commission Meeting August 28, 2023 Page 2 of 4 City Secretary Gretchen Mercer introduced Aurelio Rivas to request the continue donation of water for the Community Garden. Mr. Rivas spoke of the success of the garden. Mayor Hinders commended Mr. Rivas on how great the garden looked. Mr. Rivas stated he uses a drip system to conserve water and that helps prevent weeds. Commissioner Lyons asked how people accessed the garden to gather produce. Mr. Rivas said it’s open to the public, and he encourages all that enter to allow him to train them how to pick produce to alleviated damage or complete destruction of plants as appropriate. Mr. Rivas said there are at least 50 people that have attended training and pick from the garden. After discussion, Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Cranmer to approve the request from Aurelio Rivas for the continued donation of water for the Canyon Community Garden located between 1st and 2nd Avenue and 18th and 19th Street, Canyon, Texas as long as the purpose of the garden meets the criteria as set out in Resolution No. 10-2017 and request an update every odd year. Motion carried unanimously. Item 8. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider and Take Appropriate Action on Ordinance No. 1185, An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Canyon, Texas, Fixing the Ad Valorem Tax Rate and Providing for the Levying of Ad Valorem Taxes for the Use and Support of the Municipal Government of the City of Canyon, Texas for the Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2023 and Ending September 30, 2024 at the Rate of $0.392860 Per One Hundred ($100.00), and for Directing the Assessment Thereof; Providing for a Date on Which Such Taxes Become Due and Delinquent Together With Penalties and Interest Thereon; Providing for Repealing, Savings and Severability Clause; Providing for an Effective Date of the Ordinance; and Providing for the Publication of the Caption Hereof. Purchasing Manager Beau Boyer presented Ordinance No. 1185 for consideration. Mayor Hinders opened the public hearing. There being no comments, Mayor Hinders closed the public hearing. After discussion, Commissioner Cranmer moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Potter to adopt Ordinance No. 1185 which states that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of 0.39286 per $100 valuation, which is effectively a seven (7) percent increase in the tax rate. This tax rate includes an M&O rate of $0.37907 and an I&S rate of $0.01379. Motion carried with Commission Lyons voting against. Mayor Hinders aye Mayor Pro-Tem Jones aye Commissioner Lyons nay Commissioner Cranmer aye Commissioner Potter aye Item 9. Consider and Take Appropriate Action on Changing the Name of 4th Avenue to University Avenue or Memorializing 4th Avenue to University Avenue. City Commission Meeting August 28, 2023 Page 3 of 4 City Manager Joe Price presented a request by WTAMU to change the name of 4th Avenue to University Avenue. Mr. Price stated he felt there needed to be a lot of thought put into doing this as if the name were to be permanently changed it would come at a price to those living and doing business along 4th Avenue. Mr. Price said if 4th Avenue were to be memorialized as University Avenue then a sign would be placed on the current 4th Avenue signs that said University Avenue and homeowners and business would not have any changes to make. Mayor Pro-Tem asked Fire Chief Dennis Gwynn and Police Chief Steven Brush if they wanted to weigh in on the possible changes. Both said they had no concerns. Commissioner Lyons said he wanted the name permanently changed to University Avenue effective from Brown Road to the I-27 overpass. Commissioner Cranmer and Commissioner Potter said they were concerned of the cost and prospect of all having to rebrand and change addresses to businesses and property owners. City Manager Joe Price stated he would direct staff to get comments from all that live or do business on 4th Avenue and bring back the results at a later meeting for further consideration. Item 10. Consider and Take Appropriate Action on a Development Agreement for Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Development Between the City of Canyon and Property Owner, Diamond R. Real Estate, Known as Rocky Ridge. City Manager Joe Price presented a Developers Agreement for Rocky Ridge located in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Canyon as requested by property owner Diamond R. Real Estate. Mr. Price said they did not intend to annex the property and is located west of Canyon on US 60, on the north side of the highway. After discussion, Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Cranmer to approve the ETJ Development Agreement for Rocky Ridge Subdivision as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Item 11. Consider and Take Appropriate Action on a Development Agreement for Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Development Between the City of Canyon and Property Owner, High Plains Developers, LLC, Known as Eagles Landing. City Manager Joe presented a developers agreement for Eagles Landing development located in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction of the City of Canyon as requested by property owners High Plains Developers, LLC. Mr. Price said the property is located to the north on Pondaseta on the east side of the highway and there were no plans to annex. After discussion, Commissioner Cranmer moved, duly seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Jones to approve the ETJ Development agreement for Eagles Landing Subdivision as presented. Motion carried unanimously. City Commission Meeting August 28, 2023 Page 4 of 4 Item 12. Executive Session Pursuant to §551.071 Consultation with Attorney, §551.074 Personnel Matters (City Attorney Annual Evaluation) and §551.074 Board Appointments (TIRZ Board, Canyon Economic Development Corporation Board). Mayor Hinders indicated the City Commission would adjourn into Executive Session at 5:10 pm. Item 13. Consider and Take Appropriate Action on Items Discussed in Executive Session. Upon Returning from Executive Session at 6:09 pm, the following action was taken. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Potter to appoint Thompson Mayberry to vacated seat of Jim Bryan on the Canyon Economic Development Corporation Board. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved, duly seconded by Commissioner Cranmer to reappoint City Attorney Chuck Hester as the City Attorney and to provide Mr. Hester with a 3% merit raise. Motion carried unanimously. Item 14. Adjourn. There being no further business, Mayor Pro-Tem Jones moved this meeting be adjourned at 6:11 pm. ______________________________ Gary Hinders, Mayor ATTEST: ________________________________ Gretchen Mercer, City Secretary