Agenda

**Executive Summary: City of Belton City Council Meeting – August 12, 2025**

The Belton City Council convened on August 12, 2025, at the Wright Room in the Harris Community Center for a meeting focused primarily on routine city business and critical budgetary planning for Fiscal Year 2026. Following the Call to Order and Public Comments, the Council moved through a Consent Agenda, which typically facilitates the swift approval of several administrative items. These included the consideration of minutes from the July 22, 2025, meeting, various appointments and reappointments to the Library Board of Directors and Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the authorization for the City Manager to execute an Interlocal Agreement with Bell County for records storage. Additionally, the Council considered extending professional audit services with Jaynes, Reitmeyer, Boyd & Therrell, P.C., and executing a contract for services with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Central Texas (CACCT).

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to preliminary discussions concerning the FY2026 Budget. Key items included a presentation and discussion on proposed amendments to the FY2026 City of Belton Fee and Rate Schedule, which outlines various charges for city services. The Council also received a presentation on Belton’s Strategic Plan for FY 2026-2030, an important framework guiding the city's future development and priorities. Further, Councilmembers engaged in a discussion regarding a proposed property tax rate for the 2025 tax year, directly impacting the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026.

While no specific controversial votes were recorded from this agenda, the property tax rate discussion represents a significant financial decision that often draws considerable public interest and potential debate. The meeting provided an initial opportunity for citizens to address the Council during Public Comments, ensuring community input on any matter. Items under the Consent Agenda could have been pulled for individual discussion and voting at the request of any Councilmember, though no such actions were indicated in the provided agenda.

Looking ahead, the Council outlined clear next steps for community engagement on critical strategic and financial matters. Public input on Belton’s Strategic Plan for FY 2026-2030 was explicitly invited for the upcoming City Council meeting scheduled for August 26, 2025. Furthermore, the agenda indicated a call for a public hearing, likely pertaining to the proposed property tax rate, although the specific details were not fully listed. These upcoming sessions will provide further opportunities for public participation and final deliberation on the city's budgetary and strategic directions.