First Term Actions

Extracts from Council Minutes that summarize my first term in office

Under the current Council format, Council Announcements are the only time Council members may introduce an item to be placed on a future agenda. Please review the UC Agenda website for complete minutes. https://universalcitytx.portal.civicclerk.com/

[Additional comments/notes are formatted within brackets like this]

03 September 2024

"Councilmember Rubal requested Council to remember that they are stewards of the citizens when considering the motion."

Resolution 909-D-2024: A resolution by the City Council of the City of Universal City, Texas ratifying the property tax increase reflected in the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve Resolution 909-D-2024. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Ordinance 656-E-2024: An ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for 2024 at $0.514382 per $100 of Appraised Value; and appointing a Tax Assessor/Collector (1st Reading). Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve Ordinance 646-E-2024 and to approve a 2024 Maintenance & Operations tax rate of 0.436882 and a Debt Service or I&S tax rate of $0.077500 for a total 2024 Ad Valorem “Goolsby/Vaughan” Tax Rate of $0.514382 per $100 of appraised property value. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

17 September 2024

Councilmember Rubal presented statistics that highlighted speeding on W. Byrd Blvd. After reminding Council of an item previously presented to them regarding traffic abatement using radar signs, he asked for consideration to place a discussion item at a future Council meeting for the consideration of placement of electronic traffic abatement signage on W. Byrd due to demonstrated need.

Councilmember Rubal continued his presentation to bring attention to alleyway maintenance in the City. He compared before and after images of alleyways in the City. He inquired about funding in the FY 2025 budget for alleyway maintenance. He asserted that it was the City’s responsibility to maintain the alleys he presented. He asked to place on a future agenda an item for discussion of the City’s scheduled alleyway maintenance program and requested that Staff present City standards for maintaining rights-of-way. He explained that he wanted to place this item on the agenda for process improvements to understand schedules and potential costs for improving alleys and rights-of-way.

Councilmember Rubal continued his presentation and addressed the golf course and venue tax. He asked to place on the agenda and a Staff Report with a clear definition of a Municipal Enterprise Fund and accepted operational goals for Enterprise Funds. He felt this was important before moving 4 forward with a business plan for the golf course.

Councilmember Rubal moved on to request that moving the Venue Tax to the General Fund be considered on a future agenda item. Councilmember Rubal further requested to place on the agenda a request for Staff to report the history of the $80,000 per year billboard revenue and why the billboard revenue does not go to the General Fund, and whether there is an appropriate path for this to be accomplished

Ordinance 656-E-2024: An ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for 2024 at $0.514382 per $100 of Appraised Value; and appointing a Tax Assessor/Collector (2nd Reading). Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve Ordinance 646-E-2024 on second reading. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

18 February 2025

Concerns for School Closure: Councilmember Rubal shared that he moved to Universal City and specifically to Coronado because of the proximity to Coronado Village ES. He felt that the proposed action by Judson was counter to the safety and health of the Coronado neighborhood. He expressed his support for the citizen petition and his intent to attend the Judson ISD meetings.

Fence Ordinance Presentation Mr. Cassata gave a one-year review of the fence ordinance. This included reviewing the updates to the ordinance made in October 2023, lost revenue due to the ordinance, and the code compliance and variance cases since the new ordinance.

Councilmember Rubal moved to amend Ordinance 581-Y-2025 to preserve the concerns of the former Councils and simplify the definition of allowable fence repair to be "in-kind" repair and replacement. He stated that he felt there were arbitrary rules regarding the number of pickets allowed for repairs. The amendment would also reduce permit fees and remove some of the time burden for inspections for which the City contracts services. Councilmember Bulman seconded the motion.

04 March 2025

5-Year Budget Outlook Presentation Ms. Green explained that the change to the way the proposed budget would be presented. The change is intended to offer a forward-thinking perspective. She displayed an example of how the new budget would look, including new columns for 5 years of projected budgets. This would allow for better tracking of financial targets and clearer expectations. She shared next steps, including preparation of the budget calendar for the next budget cycle and scheduling meetings with all Councilmembers in May and June with the goal of having two meetings with each member.

Mayor Maxwell appreciated the forecast of future projects and that they would allow tracking in future years.

Ms. Green said this would allow for future planning, especially for capital items. The Finance Department was trying to follow Councilmember [Rubal’s] suggestions, such as changing the way capital items are budgeted.

Councilmember Rubal appreciated this very much. [This progress and promise of forward-thinking in budgeting were abandoned by staff.]

Councilmember Rubal asked about firebreaks given the recent red flag days and fire warnings. He felt this was pertinent given UC abuts a dry forested area. He asked for an update on the CPS program that was proposed regarding maintaining treelines and powerlines. [I considered it necessary to wind harden our infrastructure.]

He discussed the P&Z and City Council Vision 35 joint workshop. He felt it was not really a workshop and more of a survey. However, he took statistics provided from the meeting regarding where citizens go outside of the city and there were not very many places. He noted high-traffic areas in the City such as Walmart, HEB, and CVS and proposed consideration of developing a "downtown" around high-traffic areas rather than the Aviation District. This could also be around Northeast Lakeview College. He also expressed surprise that infrastructure, waste management, and alleyways were not discussed during this workshop.

Consider Renaming Cimmaron Park: Mrs. Turner reminded the Council that Councilmember Rubal recommended this renaming. The proposed action was presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission who moved it forward. She noted that two members of the PARC were present to answer questions. The proposed action was a recommendation to rename Cimarron Park and the Cimarron Park Clubhouse to Neville Park and Neville Clubhouse.

18 March 2025

National Golf Foundation's Operations and Capital Assessment Report for Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center - Watch the Presentation

Richard Singer, Director of Consulting for the National Golf Foundation (NGF),said this job was refreshing compared to other consulting jobs, especially with municipal golf courses, because the Olympia Hills Golf Course gave positive results.

He shared 5-year projections of growth and revenues.

[Careful questioning by Council members revealed that Consultant projections required millions of dollars in current and future non-earned revenue to sustain operations. The consultant recommended $3.2-4.2M in expenditures, but stated not all were essential. He considered high-priority items = $1.66-2.03M. page 27 report.]

Councilmember Vaughan was told that to fully understand the place of the golf course in the local economy, an economic impact study should be conducted. He also confirmed that the golf course could cover its operating costs but not the recommended capital expenditures.

Councilmember Bulman felt disappointed that the report did not include recommendations to make the golf course more self-sustaining. She received clarifications that two-thirds of golf courses that are not fully financially self-sustaining receive some sort of outside funding with most having some level of tax-payer support.

Councilmember Putt asked for Mr. Singer's thoughts on the economic impact on the City if the golf course were to close. Mr. Singer responded that it depends on whether the City has a plan for the property. He noted examples of cities which closed their golf courses in lieu of using the property for another public amenity.

Councilmember Rubal received the definition of operational profit - "total revenues generated...minus direct cost of goods, labor, materials, supplies, and expenses required onsite." Generally, operational profit is profit after day-to-day operational expenses. Councilmember Rubal noted a discrepancy he viewed in revenue projections and worried about the improbability of the projections.

Mr. Singer addressed Councilmember Rubal's concerns. He reviewed the history of losses at the golf course between 2017 and 2019. After 2020, the golf course began to turn around their financials. He noted that the golf course had the venue tax as a funding mechanism to recover losses. Through discussion with Councilmember Rubal, he [Mr. Singer] realized the deficit was in not including other revenue "below the line" which included the venue tax, interest income, and billboard revenue.

[I cited report pages 70 and 71 that the actual projected deficit for the City, including what consultant described as other expenses and loss in City revenue by including non-earned income (venue, billboard, etc. ) equates to a deficit of -$11,964,400 which does not include the recommended $4.2M recommended upgrades or purchase of golf carts]

Councilmember Rubal confirmed that Mr. Singer had concluded that the venue tax was necessary to fund the golf course. He worried that the profitability of the golf course would continue to be defined in the context of being funded by the venue tax unless there was a management change. Mr. Singer clarified that he was not sure a management change would change the requirement for outside funding for the golf course. He reviewed where the golf course was self-sustaining with day-to-day operations and needed outside funding for below-the-line items such as depreciation, a non-cash item. He did not agree with the deficits Councilmember Rubal was finding.

[See my table below. Using NGF numbers, pages 70 and 71 and identifying non-earned revenue as an expense against which sales tax is use is channeled (which Mr. Singer refers to as the below-the-line numbers ), there is a cumulative deficit of projections from 2025-2029 of over $11M! This did not include golf cart purchases or $4.2M in projected improvement.]

YearGross MarginExpensesDifferenceOther ExpensesNet ExpenseNonearned RevenueTotal Loss
202527949002830100-35200536200-571400-1637000
20263002600293600066600821000-754400-1668100
202732189003044600174300835800-661500-1699900
202833069003154300152600877400-724800-1732300
202934232003268800154400904100-749700-1765300
-$3,461,800-$8,502,600-$11,964,400

Councilmember Rubal and Mr. Singer discussed improvements to the golf course that could help reduce the operational costs of the facility. They discussed golf trends moving away from a traditional 18-hole golf course. The consideration of a 9-hole golf course was discussed. Furthermore, investment in golf in a non-traditional setting such as practice amenities and simulators could be investments that are more convenient to provide. Other investments reviewed included food and beverage outlets and nighttime lighting.

Old Public Works Storage Yard Presentation Mrs. Turner said that this presentation was at the request of Councilmember Rubal to give further context of a budget line item.

Councilmember Rubal asked whether this $6 million investment would be a voter-approved bond. Mr. Luensmann and Mrs. Turner explained that it is a utilities revenue bond which is tied to utilities rates, not taxes. This means it would not be a voter-approved bond.

Councilmember Rubal asked how this project would increase or better resident services. He noted that $6 million could go a long way for infrastructure projects.

Mr. Luensmann indicated that the new facility helped with expanding the Public Works department to keep up with the growth of the City - office spaces are maxed out at the current Public Works building. Furthermore, the expansion would help by saving equipment from depreciation and replacement costs through providing more storage spaces indoors.

[There IS a need for improvements in the public works yard; however, $6M is a big gulp, particularly with our infrastructure deficits and water supply issues.]

01 April 2025

Cibolo Creek Fire Break Presentation

[Concerns for Fire protection for residents who border Cibolo Creek]

Mrs. Turner explained that the presentation was requested by Councilmember Rubal due to the increased interest after local wildfires, since the Cibolo Creek area is the most densely vegetated area in the City.

Chief Perna explained the UCFD's response plan in the case of a wildfire. This response plan was phased - he reviewed each phase of response with increasing mitigation measures. He noted the multi-departmental responses with the help of regional departments. Chief Perna reviewed the training his staff are required to take to achieve an "all-hazards approach" to readiness. This would total over 6,000 plus hours of training. He shared photos of Cibolo Creek and where fire breaks were present. He reported that while the Bexar County fires were grass fires, the trees in the creek actually help slow down and break up the fire since they do not burn as quickly. The trails in Cibolo Creek also assist in providing fire breaks. Councilmember Rubal and Chief Perna discussed the ability of the hose lines to reach the fire if needed for structure protection. [adjacent to the creek]

Councilmember Rubal congratulated Chief Perna and the Fire Department on their recent Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, which placed the department in the upper 10% of departments nationwide. He confirmed that the traffic light system former Councilmember Neville pushed for would help with getting a better ISO rating. Mrs. Turner reviewed other factors that contribute to the ISO rating.

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal did not feel that the NGF report provided a business plan for the golf course for sustained profitability. He noted that the consultant did not rule out a change in the golf course to an executive 9-hole course to cut costs. He asked Council to be open to alternative uses at the golf course to make it more profitable. He emphasized that he did not intend to close the golf course but make it more sustainable.

Councilmember Rubal asked residents to keep in mind that sometimes Council does not receive all information that consultants are given and must ask questions. He hoped in an upcoming meeting with the Mayor that they could figure out a better process for this.

[Unrecognized and under-supported economic node in our City.]

On another note, he felt inspired by a comment by Mr. Cassata, Development Services and Economic Development Director, regarding "economic nodes." While he was unsure if he was using the term correctly, he felt there was an economic node in the Super 8 on Palisades. He reported that the manager of the hotel confirmed that they received between 35,000-45,000 room bookings a year. He felt the City should support the hotel and the surrounding area [to include the Triangle Shopping Center and Pat Booker/1604 business] to use this as an economic development opportunity. He noted that the hotel is within walking distance of 17 restaurants, but do not have a sidewalk between the hotel and Pat Booker Road. Street lights could also be improved in the area.

Xenforo Council Message Board Renewal Councilmember Bulman moved to approve the renewal of a one-year contract with XenForo for a City Council Message Board, with another review of the contract in one year. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

16 April 2025

National Golf Foundation Economic Impact Analysis Proposal

Councilmember Rubal inquired on Placer.ai and its use. He was unclear on item two of the proposal - Indirect and Secondary Contributions - given that it seemed the City had this date with Placer.ai.

Mrs. Turner clarified that the City did not have this date because this item would cover the financial impact. While Placer.ai could assist in counting the number of trips to the golf course, it did not account for money spent.

Councilmember Rubal took this to mean the money spent at the golf course. He opined that the City had this data through tracking sales at the golf course. Furthermore, he felt the proposal was missing the true economic impact of people coming into the City to the golf course. He discussed his view that the proposal did not adequately include a discussion on property values as well.

Councilmember Vaughan questioned whether the report would change any of the decision making process. He agreed with some of the proposal scope. However, he wished for more detail to ensure final reports include data the way Council wants it. He also wanted to see if there could be an opportunity cost factored into the report to calculate whether the golf course was worth continuing to run. He assured the public that his intention is not to close the golf course. He concluded that his main goals were to know where golf course attendees were coming from and going, and how much they are spending the in the community. He opined that the latter would be hard for anyone to know and that the consultants may also be unsure. He did not support spending on the analysis. However, if the majority of Council wished to spend on the report, he would be okay with it.

Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve the NGF Economic Impact Analysis Proposal. Councilmember Fitzpatrick seconded the motion.

06 May 2025

Resignation of Councilmember Bulman

Councilmember Rubal voiced his regret regarding Councilmember Bulman's departure. He felt she was a good representative for the City, especially for those who have felt unheard. Councilmember Rubal requested the consensus for posting all Council expenses on the City website for transparency purposes. He did not receive a consensus. He then requested that Staff provide a report on Placer.ai, what the software has yielded in data, and he requested that some sort of notice be given to the community about the tracking of data. He did not receive response from Council for this. He moved on to discuss vacant properties in the City. Councilmember Rubal moved to request a report of vacant properties from Staff. He did not receive a second. Councilmember Rubal moved to request monthly reports as well as a report for the last year in crime statistics from the Police Department. He did not receive a second. Councilmember Rubal spoke on corruption, not as it would be presented in the Code of Conduct, but rather corruption of ideas and ideals as they relate to the further development of the City.

Contract for Olympia Hills Master Plan & Renovation Design Service

Councilmember Rubal shared a quote indicating the initial intent of the golf course as a facility to bring in revenue. He spoke on the corruption he saw of this idea and the amount of taxpayer money that would be committed to the golf course with renovations in the next few years. He advocated for Council to put the venue tax to a vote so that residents could consider if they were comfortable with the magnitude of use of their sales tax money.

Councilmember Goolsby received permission from the Mayor to have open deliberation among Council so that he could discuss with Councilmember Rubal. He asked for clarification on Councilmember Rubal's stance on the proposal tonight.

Councilmember Rubal clarified that he would prefer to wait on the proposal until the conclusion of the economic impact study. Councilmember Goolsby was told by Staff after inquiry that the study would be done in approximately three months.

Councilmember Vaughan asked Staff if the report would still be helpful if it was done but renovations were not done for a few years.

Councilmember Putt moved to approve the contract as presented. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Award Safe Streets 4 All Contract

Mr. Luensmann explained that the City was awarded a $160,000 grant with a $40,000 match by the City for the SS4A program.

Councilmember Rubal asked if the program would have neighborhood representation for street safety issues. Mr. Luensmann clarified that in this phase they would work with Staff.

Mayor Pro Tem Fitzpatrick and Mr. Luensmann discussed sidewalk projects. Mr. Luensmann confirmed that this project would not include sidewalks. However, another ADA grant would include addressing existing sidewalks. They discussed the complexities of installing new sidewalks.

Mrs. Turner noted that the Comprehensive Plan would address new sidewalks.

Councilmember Rubal received clarification that this item would approve a contract to identify street safety issues, to then be funded by other grants or taxpayer dollars.

Award Contract for Olympia Hills Parking Lot

Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve the low base bid in the amount of $427,954.48 and Additive Alternate Bid of $151,267.76 for a total bid of $579,222.24 to D&D Contractors for the Olympia Hills Golf Course Parking Lot, Sewer, & ADA Upgrade Improvements. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Resolution 943-F-2025: Senate Bill 224 Catalytic Converter Theft PD Grant 2026 [Flock Safety]

Mrs. Turner explained that the resolution authorized the Police Department to apply for a grant.

Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve Resolution 943-G-2025. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

20 May 2025

Councilmember Announcements

[In the video but not in the minutes, was the report of the results of a meeting between myself, the City Manager, and the Finance Director, in which the City Manager confirmed that millions of dollars from the venue tax were used to support golf course operations in addition to paying the bond debt between 2002 - 2024.]

[Discussion begins at 24:20 (min:sec) in this video.]

[Included in the minutes was the following:]

Councilmember Rubal moved for council to consider billboard fees to be moved to the General Fund for purposes of the betterment of the city as a whole. Mayor Maxwell suggested delaying the item for the budget season.

Councilmember Goolsby seconded Councilmember Rubal's motion to discuss the topic.

29 May 2025

Appoint to Fill the Council Vacancy for an Unexpired 2025-2027 City Council Term.

Councilmember Vaughan moved to appoint Patrick Day by passing Resolution 983-2025, which will appoint and list Patrick Day accordingly to fill the Council vacancy for an unexpired 2025-2027 City Council Term.

Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Councilmember Vaughan noted that Mr. Day received 36% of the vote of people who voted. He felt this should be taken into consideration.

Councilmember Putt commented that he lost the election which was why he was not immediately moved into the position. She also noted that Mr. Day did not meet most residents who wanted to get to know him. She encouraged Mr. Day to become more active over the next year.

Mayor Pro Tem Fitzpatrick felt that after reviewing all other nominations, she found other candidates to be more qualified. For this reason she would be voting no.

Councilmember Rubal moved to appoint Ken Mitts by passing Resolution 983-2025, which will appoint and list Ken Mitts accordingly to fill the Council vacancy for an unexpired 2025-2027 City Council Term.

Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

Councilmember Goolsby moved to appoint William Shelby by passing Resolution 983-2025, which will appoint and list William Shelby accordingly to fill the Council vacancy for an unexpired 2025-2027 City . Council Term. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

17 June 2025

Olympia Hills Economic Impact Study - Watch the Presentation

Olympia Hills Economic Impact Study Richard Singer, Senior Director of Consulting Services of the National Golf Foundation (NGF), presented the economic impact study of Olympia Hills Golf and Events Center (OHGEC). He introduced Dr. Terry Clower of George Mason University, who was an economic impact specialist. Ed Getherall, Director of Consulting Services at NGF, was also present. He reviewed the direct economic impact of OHGEC, including 1) the revenue generated from golf operations - $2.9 million - and the 35 jobs it brings to the City; 2) capital investments which added $552,000 in direct spending and 3 jobs to Universal City; 3) $720,000 in non-resident spending in 2024 - non-resident spending made up 89% of all activity at OHGEC; and 4) an added $1.17 million in additional taxes collected by the City which could be linked to Olympia Hills branding of surrounding neighborhoods. Overall output from OHGEC included $5.33 million in total direct golf economy impact and approximately $8 million in total economic output when aggregating the additional money spent in the City. The golf course supports 51 jobs and contributes $480,900 in tax revenues, and an additional $499,000 in net gain on property tax. Mr. Singer asserted that the value of properties not directly adjoining the golf course or branded "Olympia Hills" were positively affected by an additionnal value of $676,000+ in Cibolo Crossing alone. He moved on to discuss the non-economic and other indirect benefits of OHGEC, including the advancement of healthy lifestyles, additional public recreation, social benefits of accessibility and inclusiveness, facility programming, providing an ideal venue for charity events, and contributions to the Universal City brand. In conclusion, he felt the presence of OHGEC was positive for Universal City by being an attraction to non-residents, impacting real estate values positively, and enhancing the quality of life in the City.

[At 27:20 (min:sec) in the video I question how the model used in the study has actual value for assessing the economic impact of our Golf Course for our City. ]

[Before this presentation, NGF was given the opportunity to provide validation evidence for the model they used for determining the economic impact of municipal courses. NONE was provided either before OR after their presentation! In this video, it is pointed out that the NGF entire presentation consisted of estimates for which there were NO ACTUAL data for Universal City. This includes actual job created, wages and benefits, non-resident spending, and housing valuation throughout our City. Personnel communications with Dr. Glower (the economic consultant to NGF) revealed that he had never done an economic analysis for a municipal golf course, but several years before did an economic impact analysis for the Byron Nelson golf classic. Consider the magnitude of the differences for a world-class golf event and daily play at our municipal course.]

Councilmember Rubal made a visual presentation to note the number of times "actual" versus "estimated" was used in the NGF report. He also compared the NGF economic impact study to the General Services Administration (GSA) scale, which is meant to show economic impact and cost associated with travel to Universal City. He noted that NGF used multipliers, and he questioned whether they were appropriate to use for Universal City. He wished to know the accuracy, precision, and confidence limit of the estimated values presented by NGF. He had hoped the economic impact study would show actual impact instead of estimated impact. [Please Review this video.]

After Councilmember Rubal asserted that the model was not based upon the region, Mr. Clower negated the assertion [However, Dr. Clower failed to provide an example of its validation.]. Councilmember Rubal and Mr. Singer argued the tax implications of the golf course and the method of reaching the estimate. [Subsequent review between myself, Mayor, City Manager, and Chief Financial Officer with the state submitted sales tax data revealed that my comments were justified!]

Councilmember Rubal implied that the data from Placer.ai may have been misinterpreted given that it seemed less than 8% of visits to the golf course resulted in visits to other Universal City businesses. He felt for the economic impact to be proven, it had to be precise and have a confidence interval.

Councilmember Vaughan understood the concept that someone who visits the golf course may spend money elsewhere in the City, which would create a multiplier effect. He struggled to see how the report addressed the question of continuing to subsidize the golf course. He wondered about the opportunity cost of reallocating the Venue Tax. After discussing this briefly with Mr. Clower, Councilmember Vaughan said he was focused on the more tangible benefits rather than the multiplier effect. This included the sales tax directly produced by the golf course and the sales tax the City would receive if golfers spent money elsewhere in the City. He asked for clarification regarding the additional taxable value on properties due to the golf course when some neighborhoods counted were not in proximity to the golf course.

Mr. Singer noted that there were three levels of added value in relation to OHGEC and reviewed these levels and qualifications. The variance in golf premiums to appraisal value were 15%, 10%, and 5%.

Councilmember Vaughan implied the golf premiums in relation to appraisal values was a squishy estimate given that other factors could make this volatile.

ETJ Report

Mrs. Turner explained that there are several properties in the ETJ off of FM 1518 with non-annexation agreements that will expire in January. At that time, Council will need to make some decisions. This presentation was meant to get them thinking about it. Mr. Cassata presented the boundaries of the ETJ and said there were approximately 142 acres remaining in the ETJ. Six of those properties are in the floodplain.

Councilmember Rubal discussed the complications regarding weighing costs [to our City] and benefits [to our City], including the cost of increased utilities and emergency services compared to the increased tax revenue from developed properties. Furthermore, he opined that another complication comes from the City's increased water needs should the City annex the ETJ. He felt it was important for the City to know when to grow and when to focus on developing existing territory.

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal reported his experience going to the Northeast Partnership luncheon and said he was impressed with the potential collaboration between Universal City and other northeast communities.

He commended Staff and especially Ms. Green for achieving a 5-year projection in the budget. [This was subsequently not supported by staff.]

He asked Council to consider and support a townhall on July 1st which would dismiss the three-minute speaking time limit for residents and would address the following topics: a pro- and con discussion regarding directing the Venue Tax to the General Fund, term limits and district representation, and funding needs across the City. He also asked John Heberling to consider being the host/MC for this townhall meeting.

Mayor Maxwell noted that he perceived a consensus among Council to deny holding a townhall meeting. He felt Council had received consistent feedback from residents throughout the year which directed prioritization of the budget.

Councilmember Rubal moved to have a July 1st townhall with as many councilmembers as possible regarding the topics listed above. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Vaughan.

Councilmember Goolsby asked for clarification on the topics of discussion, considering Councilmember Rubal's post on the Council Message Board laid out a narrower scope. Councilmember Rubal explained that while the budget would be a part of the discussion, he felt it was necessary to address the Venue Tax in relation to funding infrastructure needs. He clarified that this would not exclude the golf course. He reiterated his also want to discuss the pros and cons of term limits and district representation.

Ms. Garcia clarified that the motion which would be voted on included the original scope of the townhall: a townhall on July 1st which would dismiss the three-minute speaking time limit for residents and would address the following topics: a pro- and con discussion regarding directing the Venue Tax to the General Fund, term limits and district representation, and funding needs across the City. Councilmember Rubal made the motion and Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

15 July 2025

Resolution 987-2025: Establish Eligibility to Participate in Tax Abatement and Adopt Guidelines and Criteria for Governing Tax Abatement Agreements.

Councilmember Rubal said that in discussion with Staff, he realized that this abatement originates from an agreement for a project which included abatement. He realized there were pros and cons for abatement programs, including loss of revenue to the City which would be providing services to a developer. Another problem is that there can be unfairness with other businesses which do not receive abatement but are doing similar developments. He noted that the State provides flexibility. He felt that, considering this was brought up because of the Reunion project, it was important to consider the amount that the UCEDC had already invested. Furthermore, he wished to consider the impact on ad valorem taxes. He noted that many of these businesses represent outside interests and do not have the interest of UC in mind.

Ordinance 657-A-2025: Rules of Decorum

05 August 2025

Golf Architect Report - Golf Architect Nathan Crace

After discussing funding sources with Ms. Green, including the option for using existing unused Venue Tax in the FY 2025 budget, Councilmember Vaughan moved to amend the motion to approve as long as no additional venue tax above what has already been budgeted for the golf course is necessary to fund the project. Councilmember Rubal seconded the motion.

Councilmember Putt moved to approve the contract to Mr. Crase in an amount not to exceed $105,000. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

5-Year Crime Trends Presentation

Asst. Chief Mihalski reviewed crime trends in "Group A" offenses which include crimes against persons, crimes against society, and property crimes. Trends show crime has declined. He reviewed crimes against persons and noted that violent crime in UC was relatively low, and numbers were relatively flat. He explained the crimes that fell in these categories. He reviewed crimes against property, which he reported were the bulk of UC crimes. They are mainly from shoplifting and can result from economic conditions, officer shortages, and a change in reporting rates. He reviewed crimes against society. He noted that this was an area where crime rate numbers increasing were not necessarily a negative since these are crimes caught with more police enforcement. Asst. Chief Mihalski reviewed calls for service received by UCPD; the majority were traffic calls. Overall, total crimes spiked in 2023 during the pandemic. He reported that the UCPD monitors crime trends by area and patrols more in areas seeing crime spikes. Furthermore, UC crime trends are consistent with those of the surrounding area.

Councilmember Goolsby confirmed that mental health call times, especially those that result in detainment, have trended down and are no longer keeping officers for a full day.

Councilmember Rubal asked how the crime trends compare to national averages. He commented that Universal City has a "D" rating on several real estate sites for crime and safety. Staff discussed the real estate sites that reported a "D" rating for Universal City; these sites often use algorithms that are inconsistent with the reality of crime in the City and more consistent with reporting trends. They may take several posts that report the same incident and count each report as a separate incident, therefore skewing the rating. Staff noted that the City completes all mandated crime reporting.

Councilmember Rubal opined it would be worth comparing UC's crime rates to the national average. Furthermore, he wished for reporting by neighborhood. He wished to gain a deeper understanding of residents' perception of increased crime. Asst. Chief Mihalski noted that the UCPD does policing by breaking UC into districts. They also keep track of hot zones of crime to provide more police support in these areas. When it comes to comparing UC crime to national trends, he felt it was more important to compare to local crime trends - New York crime trends will be different the Universal City's.

Councilmember Rubal requested the UCPD monthly reports by divided by neighborhood. After clarification from Staff on the amount of time this would take, he said dividing the report by district would be sufficient.

2025 Tax Rate Presentation

Councilmember Shelby moved to direct Staff to move forward with the proposed tax rate of $0.530000 comprised of $0.442000 for M&O and $0.088000 for I&S. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Councilmember Rubal asked for consideration to the billboard revenue funds that are going to the golf course rather than the General Fund. He commented that a penny increase in the tax rate is $200,000 that is coming out of residents' pockets.

Councilmember Rubal and Ms. Green discussed the $200,000 loss of revenue to the City which Ms. Green clarified would be a $200,000 loss of services provided to residents. They discussed the individual impact versus aggregate impact to residents.

Councilmember Rubal posited consideration [to control] of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

Councilmember Rubal moved to direct Staff to provide a second tax rate option of $0.514382, the same tax rate as was adopted for 2024. The motion failed for lack of a second.

Councilmember Shelby moved to direct Staff to move forward with the proposed tax rate of $0.530000 comprised of $0.442000 for M&O and $0.088000 for I&S. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Ordinance 670-2025: Designation of Reunion District Reinvestment Zone No. 1

Mrs. Turner explained that, following the Public Hearing, this ordinance would approve the establishment of Reunion District Reinvestment Zone No. 1.

Councilmember Rubal suggested a session of City Council to address the definition of abatement and inform the public.

Mrs. Turner clarified that abatement and the establishment of abatement specifics would not occur until Council receives an application. At that point, Council would determine the terms of abatement. Furthermore, specific to the Reunion District, the property is under a PUD. She noted that businesses outside the scope of the PUD would not be eligible to apply due to zoning restrictions. After applications are received, Council would negotiate with each business for abatement terms.

Councilmember Rubal received clarification that tax abatement agreements only apply to property under direct ownership of the applicant. With the Reunion District, if the Reunion Developers decide to sell property, their abatement agreement would not transfer to the new owner.

Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve Ordinance 670-2025. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

Ordinance 671-2025: Designation of Aviation District Reinvestment Zone No. 1

Councilmember Rubal opined that this zone was more difficult to argue for as it was not a centralized development with one owner.

Councilmember Rubal agreed with Councilmember Goolsby that the tax abatement tool allows the City flexibility and options to support businesses. However, he asserted that granting tax abatement would put more tax burden on residents by decreasing ad valorem tax revenue.

19 August 2025

Public Hearing for the Proposed FY 2025-2026 Budget

Mayor Maxwell opened the public hearing at 6:39 p.m.

Ms. Green gave a reiteration of the presentation she gave at the August 5th meeting. The only changes to the presentation included the General Fund Debt Service anticipated Revenues:

[Reduce Council Spending]

Councilmember Rubal wondered if the Council budget could be reduced by eliminating gala sponsorship fees and the Council Message Board. He followed up on his inquiry regarding moving the billboard marketing revenues to the General Fund.

Mrs. Turner reminded Councilmember Rubal that his intention to move billboard revenues to the General Fund was not given a consensus by Council. Given there was no Council direction to move the money to the General Fund, Staff left the budget as presented. She reported that there was no need for legal review to move the funds as it was up to City Council.

While Councilmember Rubal explained his reasoning for moving the billboard revenue from the Golf Fund to the General Fund, Mayor Pro Tem Fitzpatrick called for a point of order, noting that this was a public hearing and not meant for Council deliberation.

Mayor Maxwell and Councilmember Rubal debated the appropriate time to discuss Councilmember Rubal's concerns. Mayor Maxwell urged Councilmember Rubal to use this time to ask Staff questions.

Councilmember Rubal inquired about the possible applications of the Hotel Occupancy Tax, commonly referenced as the HOT tax, for uses other than marketing at the golf course. Ms. Green explained the nuances behind using the HOT tax - it must be used for expenditures that the Texas Comptroller's office deems would bring "heads to beds." [A meeting with Ms. Green suggests that there were other approved uses. But there was no inclination to do this.]

Councilmember Rubal questioned reducing the administrative transfer [This is revenue to the General Fund – no discussion in Council, would have reduced the need to increase property taxes.] from the Golf Fund to the General Fund. Mrs. Turner reminded Councilmember Rubal that the administrative transfer was reduced following the golf course assessment conducted by the National Golf Foundation. At their recommendation and Council's, Staff researched how much administrative services would cost on the open market and reduced the Golf Fund transfer accordingly. [This action alone would have help prevent property tax increases. I am not aware of a decision by Council that established the administrative overhead charges during this fiscal year.]

Councilmember Rubal received clarification regarding the approximately $800,000 left in the Venue Tax Fund. Ms. Green clarified that these funds were awaiting Council approval for golf course capital projects. [Council is given a Catch 22 in that the decision to use these funds was originally to offset general fund costs for Parks, thus effectively reducing the need for ad valorem taxes.] Councilmember Rubal suggested using more Venue Tax revenues toward linear parks to allow reallocation of General Fund revenues, she cautioned him that the Parks budget cannot be exceeded once it is passed, which may occur if grants are procured.

Councilmember Rubal noted that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was below 3%. He also noted that some City salaries exceeded $250,000 while the median individual incomes of Universal City were between $38,000-42,000. He felt Council should protect residents' funds.

Councilmember Vaughan felt it was difficult to pass a higher tax rate if there was an alternative, especially since he felt the tax rate was already high. Considering the City had cut the tax rate in the past without losing revenue, either due to new properties or increased appraisal values, he hoped to do the same this year without losing the quality of services

Councilmember Rubal moved for an agenda item for discussion of the reduction of the Venue Tax rate from 1/2% to 1/4%, and the adoption of a local sales and use tax at the rate of 3/8% to provide revenue for the maintenance and repair of municipal streets. This would allow the City to move money to the general fund, provide for the needs of the City, and protect the golf course. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

Record Vote on the 2025 Tax Rate and schedule Public Hearings

Councilmember Goolsby moved to approve a Maintenance & Operation (M&O) Rate of $0.442000 and a Debt Service rate of $0.088000 for a $0.530000 ad valorem tax rate. Councilmember Shelby seconded the motion.

Councilmember Vaughan moved to amend the motion to amend the M&O Rate to $0.434500 for a $0.522500 ad valorem tax rate. Councilmember Rubal seconded the motion.

The Council voted on the original motion, seeing as the amendment failed.

Resolution 966-2025-3: EDC Storefront Improvement Program for Synergy Refrigeration 848 W. Byrd Blvd

Mr. Cassata said the expanded fire line would cover the third future building as well. Councilmember Rubal expressed his support for the project given the job growth for the City.

[I took the time to talk with both the local manager and the president of this company. Not only do they create good technical jobs, but they also export their products to other states and countries, and the UC location is also a training site. I do agree with Councilmember Vaughan that return on investment will take a long time. That said, I would rather have the EDC support a high-tech business with a tech product made in America (and made in Texas), which is an exported product, than paving parking lots for bars.]

Councilmember Vaughan felt he could not support the approval of this grant given the disproportionate return on investment. It would take approximately 30+ years to see a return on investment.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve Resolution 966-2025-3. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

02 September 2025

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal shared an article from 1986 boasting of the City's lowest tax rate in the region. He thanked PD for their reports on crime in the City. He said that on the Council Message Board, he showed a comparison of crime in UC to the national average. He found that real estate reporting agencies he had previously mentioned were correct and used the national average.

Resolution 909-G-2025 (FY 26 Budget Adoption): A resolution of the City Council of Universal City, Texas, adopting the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget; providing authorization to execute the budget; and providing an effective date.

Councilmember Vaughan commended Ms. Green on her work on the budget. However, due to the budget increasing the tax rate, he would be voting no.

Ordinance 656-F-2025: An ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for 2025 at $0.530000 per $100 of the Appraised Value; and appointing a Tax Assessor/Collector (1st Reading).

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve the following tax rate: a Maintenance & Operations Rate of $0.442000 per $100 of appraised value and a Debt Service rate of $0.088000 per $100 of appraised value for a total ad valorem tax rate of $0.530000 per $100 of appraised value. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Bid Award of the 2025 Alley Rehabilitation Projects.

Councilmember Rubal received confirmation that the C5 Aviation portion of the project would be funded through the General Fund and not by the EDC.

Councilmember Shelby moved to award the bid to the lowest responsive bid in the amount of $236,598.95 to VK Knowlton Construction & Utilities Inc. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Councilmember Rubal moved to divide. He clarified that he wished to divide the proposal into two segments, one of which being the C5 portion. He felt this portion should not be funded with Ad Valorem funding in the General Fund. He opined it should be funded by the EDC.

Mrs. Turner stated that while she understood the philosophical stance of the EDC funding this portion of the project, this was not in their current budget and the RFP was for both projects.

Mr. Luensmann reminded Council that they had approved this project in the FY 2025 budget. The project went out to bid as it was approved.

Councilmember Rubal's motion failed due to lack of a second.

[Alleyways in a residential area, which require rear access, are in very poor condition throughout the City. During the budget process, I pointed out that the C5 project was in the Aviation District and had never been paved. The proposition for these funds specifically identifies that they would be applied to "existing Commercial and Residential Paved alleys".]

Councilmember Shelby moved to award the bid to the lowest responsive bid in the amount of $236,598.95 to VK Knowlton Construction & Utilities Inc. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

16 September 2025

Ordinance 656-F-2025: An ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for 2025 at $0.530000 per $100 of the Appraised Value; and appointing a Tax Assessor/Collector (2nd Reading).

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve the following tax rate: a Maintenance & Operations Rate of $0.442000 per $100 of appraised value and a Debt Service rate of $0.088000 per $100 of appraised value for a total ad valorem tax rate of $0.530000 per $100 of appraised value. Councilmember Goolsby, seconded the motion.

07 October 2025

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal thanked Council and Staff for placing his request for a Venue Tax discussion on a future agenda.

He asked for consensus for a review of the funding mechanisms for the City's PEG channel, UC TV. Council reached a consensus to publish an article in a future Gateway Magazine regarding funding sources for UC TV. [Published in Jan 26 edition, but did not include funding details, and an error was published in the funding of ONLY existing personnel.]

Councilmember Rubal proposed an Aviation Art and Culture Center funded by Hotel Occupancy Taxes. He felt this would meet the "heads-in-beds" requirement for using this funding mechanism. Mayor Maxwell noted that the upcoming UC Vision 35 Comprehensive Plan should address Councilmember Rubal's proposal for an arts and culture center. [HOT are now exclusively used for promotion of the GC to greater than 200K. I pointed out to Council that there are more widely accepted uses of HOT that would enhance our community.]

Ordinance No. 639-C-2025 re FM 1518 ETJ Annexation

Councilmember Goolsby amended his motion to table the item until the December 16th meeting pending Staff exploration of a five-year extension of the non-annexation agreements to all thirteen agreements. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

18 November 2025

Fence Update

Mr. Cassata gave the fence update from the policy change the last year. He reviewed the changes from the prior year including cost changes and requirements for permits. He presented the change in revenue for FY 2025 compared to FY 2024. The revenue decreased due to the decrease in permit fees. The amount of permits issued and code compliance cases also decreased due to permit requirement changes. Fence variance requests increased in FY 2025.

Councilmember Rubal received confirmation from Mr. Cassata that the $25 permit fee for in-kind fence repair is causing the City to lose money.

Councilmember Rubal asked Mr. Cassata to consider taking a stance on removing the permit requirement for in-kind fence repair in light of the costs to the City in time and money. It was clarified for Councilmember Rubal that, should he wish to have this change, it would need to be at the will of the Council.

Councilmember Rubal moved to allow relief of the in-kind fence repair fee, given the costs to the City in money and time and that the action is consistent with the goodwill of residents. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

Consideration of the Universal City Vision 35! Comprehensive Plan Update

Celeste Boccieri-Werner, Project Director for the UC Vision 35 Comprehensive Plan, hereafter the "Plan", presented an overview of the Plan. She defined a comprehensive plan as general, overarching, and citizen-driven policy for a long-range vision.

Ed Boic, Project Manager, emphasized that everything in the Plan was the community's voice.

[See Council Message Board: I show statistically there is only a 1 in 1000 chance that the convenience survey method used in the Comprehensive Plans reflects the true adult population of UC.]

Council would then prioritize the plan in the short-, mid-, and long-term. This session should provide unified direction to Staff for the implementation of the Plan. The work session may also identify partnerships, funding, and metrics for measurement.

Councilmember Rubal moved to have the consulting question be a separate agenda item on the next agenda. He did not receive a second.

Regarding how the EDC would consider the Plan, Mayor Pro Tem Fitzpatrick said they could either have a separate discussion for the economic development goals in the plan, or they could be part of the initial prioritization workshop.

Councilmember Rubal commented that the Planning & Zoning Commission could also be involved, to which Staff clarified that this Commission had already fulfilled their role with the Plan by being the sound board throughout the creation process.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve Ordinance 672-A-2025, adopting the UC Vision 35!

Councilmember Rubal moved to table the facilitation and strategic planning topic to the following agenda as he had Texas Open Meetings Act concerns.

Councilmember Vaughan asked whether approving this Plan would imply that he would need to approve everything in line with the Plan.

Ms. Boccieri-Werner cited her presentation and stated that the document is a policy document and not regulatory. Furthermore, each zoning application would still need to be considered individually.

Councilmember Vaughan confirmed that the prioritization meeting would be public. .

Councilmember Rubal moved to amend the motion to include the words "nonregulatory policy." He did not receive a second.

Ordinance 672-A-2025,adopting the UC Vision 35! Comprehensive Plan and direct Staff to procure a third-party facilitator. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

[NOTE that the Comprehensive Plan is a NONREGULATORY Policy.]

Venue Tax Discussion

A Combined Municipal Sales Tax Ballot Proposition for "the reduction of the Venue Sales Tax rate authorized by the City of Universal City from the rate of one-half of one percent to the rate of one-eighth of one percent; and the adoption of a local sales and use tax in the City of Universal City at the rate of three-eighths of one percent to provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets." (From Councilmember Rubal)

Councilmember Rubal said that the essence of the item was to put the item before the City for a vote [ballot vote by residents] . He reviewed the history of a streets assessment conducted in 2009 and ratings of streets that were made as a result. Many streets needed repair and the bond that was then passed only included around 25% off the streets identified in the 2009 streets assessment. Based on the pattern of repair, it would take around 80 years to conduct all repairs. Most cities identify streets for repair every 7 years. He noted that interest accrued on bonds are funds that could not be applied to streets maintenance. The proposed motion would allow approximately $1 million in sales tax revenue to be applied to streets repairs and could replenish funds lost to accrued interest. The proposal would also reduce the need for future bond issuance and furthermore lower resident property taxes. He also felt this would eliminate the need to use what he opined as convoluted funding mechanisms for parks. He moved to put this agenda item on a ballot.

Councilmember Rubal said the proposed motion preserves approximately $500,000 for the Venue Tax, which was the highest payment toward the last bond [Golf Course Bond]. He emphasized the need for street repair. He reiterated that this (comment: proposed proposition) preserves money for the golf course and also addresses the need for critical infrastructure. He noted that enough money was in the golf course reserves to pay for renovation projects and that infrastructure goals were in the plan.

Councilmember Rubal moved to place an action item for a ballot proposition with the same language as the agenda item on a future agenda. Councilmember Vaughan seconded the motion.

02 December 2025

Ordinance 672-A-2025: Universal City Vision 35! Comprehensive Plan Update (2nd Reading)

Mayor Maxwell explained that he pulled the item because, though the item passed by unanimous vote on first reading, he felt that some members were not fully on board and wanted to give anyone the opportunity to vote against the item.

16 December 2025

Resolution 827-A-2025: First Amendment to the 2016 Non-Annexation Development Agreements

Mrs. Turner explained that all property owners with non-annexation agreements had signed their respective five-year extensions.

Municipal Solid Waste Contract: Donation Provision

Councilmember Rubal reviewed the legal definition of a donation. He felt that several deserving non-profits in the City do not receive donations and it was strange to contractually require a donation to specific non-profits. He clarified that the request was not to prohibit donation but for it not to be included contractually.

Mrs. Turner reported that, after discussion with the RFP consultant and with the current contractor, Waste Management, they both assured her that all trash companies make donations and every contract that they hold has a "float" or donation fund that is not worked into the price of services. This amount is based on service volume. At the end of the year, the company writes off the donation amount in their taxes.

Councilmember Vaughan assured the non-profits of the City that this consideration was not an affront to them or their work. He explained that it felt inappropriate to contractually obligate a donation, especially to specific non-profits. He felt the question of why the enumerated non-profits were chosen may come up. He indicated he would be amenable to including a float amount in the contract without the enumeration of non-profits, giving the company the flexibility to choose where to donate in the City. He proposed two options: 1) to have Staff recommend a general float amount to include in the contract without obligating amounts to specific non-profits, or 2) to not include a float amount and instead solicit the company directly for donations for specific events or non-profits. This could allow for donation based on merit.

Councilmember Shelby moved to change the required donations from $7,000 to $14,000, breaking down to $2000 per non-profit and $4000 to Snowfest. Councilmember Putt seconded the motion.

Councilmember Vaughan moved to amend the motion to make the $14,000 a pot rather than enumerating the non-profit donation requirements. The motion to amend failed due to lack of a second.

For the original motion, the following vote was recorded.

[My Concerns posted on Council message board. Title: We have yet to get confirmation of "Common Practice".]

[It is beyond doubt that our City volunteers provide great value to our community. However, I remain concerned about the practice of requiring “voluntary contributions to specific organizations by contract.”]

Extract from Council Message Board post:

  • The "Gift Clause" Prohibition: The Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 52) generally prohibits cities from "granting public money" to private individuals or associations.

  • The "Public Purpose" Test: For any such arrangement to be legal, it must serve a clear public purpose and the city must maintain sufficient control  over how the funds are used to ensure that purpose is met. Outright "donations" without specific services rendered to the city are often viewed skeptically by the Texas Attorney General.

  • Procurement Integrity: Texas courts and the Attorney General have historically held that bid specifications must be related to the actual work being performed. A requirement to donate to "City Charity X" may be seen as an "arbitrary and capricious" requirement that doesn't actually help pick the best trash collector, potentially opening the contract to a legal challenge from a losing bidder.

[Update 7 March 2026 email, the City manager responded that the RFP consultant was not contacted. She obtained her information only from Waste Management staff.]

Resolution No. 966 2025-10: Authorizing EDC SIP Project re 1201 Pat Booker Rd.

Mr. Cassata explained that this item had been approved by Council before. This item was an adjustment to an existing EDC agreement. The EDC's original reimbursement commitment was $50,000 so long as the property owner spent $125,000. Unfortunately, once improvements commenced, they found that the property had many other issues.

Councilmember Rubal wondered why the property became so dilapidated, especially with ADA compliance. Mr. Cassata explained that the property was owned by the same owner for about 25-30 years. ADA compliance standards had changed since then. After inquiry regarding inspections, Mr. Cassata clarified that inspections were up to both property owner and prospective buyer. The City offers voluntary inspections and third-party inspections were also available, but they did not opt for these.

06 January 2026

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal wished to follow-up on the UC TV funding report that was to be published in the Gateway Magazine. This report will review funding mechanisms for UC TV including staffing. It will also review viewership. He wished for more transparency in the Council budget and wanted a quarterly breakdown. He talked about private swimming pool regulations; he worried about health hazards with poorly maintained pools.

Resolution 909-G-1-2026: Golf Course Budget Amendment

Councilmember Rubal asked how the golf carts were incorporated into the golf course operational costs.

Mrs. Green explained that the carts are capital items which are capitalized at the end of the year. The golf carts are in the budget under Capital Items.

Councilmember Rubal received clarification that the City is not getting a loan. He gained clarification from Mrs. Turner and Ms. Green regarding golf course fees covering golf cart expenditures. A specific amount is not set aside, but the cost to operate the cart is worked into the fee.

[It was not presented how it is incorporated into fee structure but appears to be included as a “capital expense”. This is carried as an operational expense. Resulting overestimate of revenue over expenses. This is NOT a trivial expense.]

Award Construction Contract for Olympia Hills Golf Course Renovations

Councilmember Rubal expressed his unease with the project considering that it would be about $2 million without voter approval for an enterprise operation. He read an excerpt: "with the assurance of the Mayor and others, the golf course was the last best chance for the City to move into the 21st century with a bonafide vehicle to provide a source of revenue for years. The residents approved building the golf course convention center that year by a 1706 to 829 vote." He felt an enterprise should minimally be self-sustaining. He said there was division on Council regarding whether the golf course was an amenity to the people of Universal City considering most patrons are from outside the city. He opined that this was a prolongation of the debt process for the golf course.

Councilmember Vaughan explained that he would vote "no" because of the relationship of raising property taxes for this project. He felt this was not an essential project to fund, though he would be in favor of funding the project out of golf course fund balance and not touching the Venue Tax.

Proposal for Council Comprehensive Plan Workshop

Mayor Maxwell introduced the item and explained that, with the UC Vision 35 Comp Plan being completed, it was time to prioritize the goals in the plan. With all the moving parts, he requested a collaborative workshop to help Council with goal prioritization.

Councilmember Rubal asked where the statement of work provided by HR Green originated from. He felt Council had not determined priorities and now an outside agency was presenting them with a statement of work. He asked that Council gather in a workshop to discuss the city's priorities before considering the options provided by the outside agency. He felt the statement of work was not created by Universal City and for the City. He reviewed elements that were not identified in the comprehensive plan, such as the diverse housing options provided by Universal City. Tenancy was also not provided in the report. He felt they were being driven by outsiders and commented that he had yet to receive the data that supported the Comp Plan.

Councilmember Rubal made a point of order to say that he was not provided with the raw data that went into the Comp Plan. He asserted that the meetings he attended where 35 people voted on a bulletin board were not statistically valid.

Councilmember Goolsby acknowledged Councilmember Rubal's points but felt that asking HR Green, who creates comprehensive plans, to come up with a proposal for workshop was favorable. He liked that they had already identified the biggest impact segments to discuss immediately and given them four options to choose from.

Councilmember Vaughan feared that Council may be hiring a consultant for something that could be simple. He feared they would create something indirect which would lead to hiring the consultant again for another policy development. Councilmember Shelby moved to approve and authorize execution of a professional services contract with HR Green for the recommended package in the amount of $31,050 which includes Option B and C of the decision exhibit options. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Ordinance 593-D-2026: Impact Fee Advisory Committee

Councilmember Goolsby questioned the necessity of the committee. It was clarified for him that the State mandated this advisory committee.

Mrs. Turner informed Council that appointments would be approved by Council, but the State required specific qualifications for this committee. After inquiry from Councilmember Rubal, it was clarified that impact fees are for water and wastewater only; they are one-time fees upon new construction when they connect to the City's water system. The connection fee is an impact fee as it is based on covering the cost of the impact to the water system. The fees go to a Special Revenue Fund which are utilized for added capacity projects.

Councilmember Rubal confirmed that losing the impact fee may lead to a detriment on improving capacity in the future.

Resolution 930-A-2026: Mobile Food Park Agreement at 1980 Universal City Blvd

Councilmember Rubal asked why there was a need for generators as opposed to stationary power provided by the park.

Staff answered that it was common practice to have generators as the businesses are mobile.

20 January 2026

Development Update

Mr. Cassata gave a presentation that reviewed the past five years of development.

Councilmember Rubal gained clarification regarding EDC bond allocations to the Reunion Development and Kitty Hawk improvements near Chick-Fil-A and Walmart. He also wished to discuss offline the incentive in the new Comprehensive Plan to include the changes in tax base employment and resource requirements with each economic development project.

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal commended the Mayor's facilitation of the Volunteer Appreciation Event. He felt the event went smoothly and he shared his appreciation of the City's volunteers. He discussed Texas HB 3697 in relation to use of water resources and the City's increased use in the past year. He noted the increase due to irrigation of parks with potable water and wondered if Council could receive a Staff update on a project to irrigate the parks with non-potable water.

He moved on to speak about the economic impact analysis of the golf coursing from the June 17th, 2025 meeting. He noted that the model of analysis provided estimated values without being able to cite the accuracy, precision or confidence intervals. He shared that prior to the meeting [17 June] , he had an exchange with the consultant in which he admitted to having no experience with model development for a municipal golf course. He noted this in relation to how appropriate the analysis model was for Universal City. He cautioned Council in their faith in the model and its findings, asserting that the golf course is continuing to use resources that take away from critical infrastructure needs.

03 February 2026

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal appreciated the EDC's elevator pitch and wished to reciprocate by presenting to the EDC as a member of Council, explaining the finite resources the City has in addressing multiple issues. He suggested a future item for discussion regarding term restrictions on the EDC for Councilmembers. [Specifically requested was a rotation schedule for City Council representation on the EDC.]

Ordinance 308-E-2026 Stop Intersections and No Parking Zones (2nd Reading)

At the request of Councilmember Rubal, Item F of the Consent Agenda was pulled for discussion.

Councilmember Rubal referenced an email from a resident stating concerns regarding compliance of signage for night visibility and the definition of commercial parking. He wondered if these concerns had been addressed or what the rationale was behind using non-standard signage.

Staff and the Mayor reported they did not receive this email. After Councilmember Rubal noted the email was addressed to all of Council, Mayor Maxwell clarified he may not have seen the email.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve Item F of the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Contract Award for Olympia Hills Drain Repair

Mrs. Turner explained that this project would be for drainage on holes 8 and 9. She reminded Council of the rain in July 2025 which took out the bridge and severely damaged embankments.

Mr. Luensmann reported that repairs would reinforce the retaining walls and remove some rails from the bridge, seeing as the railing caused debris to gather during the July 2025 flood. Six bidders responded to the request with the low bid at $437,538.22 for D&D Contractors.

Councilmember Vaughan asked how this project would be funded considering he was under the impression that the golf course fund balance was drained with prior projects.

Ms. Green reviewed funding sources, including:

This takes into account the 6-month reserve requirement per the Fund Balance Policy. Should revenues fail to reach the projected $800,000, Staff would return to Council with a proposal to recover fund balance between the 4 and 6-month reserve requirements.

Councilmember Rubal received clarification that repairs done after a historic flood in 2005 were elevating the greens of holes 8 and 9. He wished to review the total amount of investment toward repairs of this area of the golf course. He felt it was concerning that Council recently elected to do cosmetic repairs, considering the need for repairs in this area, and that they did not use the golf course consultant to find a permanent solution for the area. He asserted that there was consistent "patchwork" revisited in this area. [Note that this area is in the flood plain.]

Councilmember Shelby seconded the motion.

Resolution 943-H-2026: Criminal Justice Grant for Dispatch Radio Console

Mrs. Turner explained that this would approve a grant application to fund an additional dispatch console, raising the number to three. Currently, there are two dispatchers working at once with a third coming in for emergencies. This would provide the third dispatcher with their own station.

Councilmember Rubal asked whether further consideration had been given to consolidating dispatch services with surrounding areas. Mrs. Turner explained that every police chief in the area would disagree to it because it significantly affects call-times.

Councilmember Shelby confirmed that this project would be 100% grant funded.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve Resolution 943-H-2026. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

17 February 2026

Councilmember Announcements

Councilmember Rubal wished Judson ISD's board the best in solving their problems. Regarding an article in the Express New referencing Flock cameras, he noted that the City had 12 Flock cameras but felt it was time to review whether all 12 were needed. He did not believe they impacted local crime rates, which he stated were still above the national average.

On another note, he moved to put the following on a future agenda for discussion: a proposal for the City to cover the cost of rate adjustments[CPI index] to solid waste services rates with funding from the existing franchise fees. The motion failed due to lack of a second.

He moved to put the following discussion item on a future agenda: that Council publishes all expenses in a quarterly manner. The motion failed due to lack of a second. He moved to put the following discussion item on a future agenda: term limits for Council. The motion failed due to lack of a second.

Councilmember Rubal moved to put the following on a future agenda: that are no associated with ongoing bond-funded repairs. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion. After discussion, it was clarified that reports were to be given quarterly.

Resolution 989-2026: Post-Annexation Provision of Services Agreement for the 73.67-Acre Biegert Property in City's ETJ

Mr. Cassata explained that the item was related to post-annexation provisions for services agreements. The agreement would be one that the property owner and developer would enter into with the City regarding City public services such as police protection, Fire emergency services, emergency medical services, solid waste collection, maintenance of roads and streets, street lighting, and other public utilities and services.

Texas requires cities to enter into these agreements prior to annexation. The property would be annexed after working with Meritage Homes for another single-family subdivision like Orchard Park. Meritage has submitted an application for annexation with all require legal provisions to the Planning & Zoning Commission who would consider this on March 2nd. City Council would receive Planning & Zoning's recommendation at a future meeting.

03 March 2026

Fiscal Year 2025 Audit Report

Janet Pitman, CPA and auditor from ABIP, presented the audit report for FY 2025.

Councilmember Rubal inquired regarding streets infrastructure and how the City complies with GASB and Government Accounting Standards of depreciation.

Ms. Pitman explained that in 2005, the City implemented GASB 34 after which they conducted a study on all streets and infrastructure. Bonds are acquired over time to maintain these streets. New streets are put on the books annually. Repairs on streets are expensed.

Councilmember Rubal felt there was a paradox in this procedure because depreciating the value of the streets, in his opinion, would lead to a higher unseen cost for repair later. Ms. Pitman responded that repairs should be in the City's budget.

Mrs. Turner explained that streets are not depreciated until the City has issued a bond for it. She also explained that infrastructure is depreciated over a set amount of time, after which the infrastructure has zero value. However, this does not mean the infrastructure is at the end of its life; it continues to be used. The audited or 'book" value of the street does not influence the usability of the street.

After discussing the intricacies of auditing standards for streets infrastructure, Councilmember Rubal expressed his concern that he felt the City was deferring the cost of nearly $100 million in streets maintenance. He felt this needed to be weighed when considering UC Vision 35! Comp Plan projects.

Mrs. Turner responded that street repairs will never go away. While a total reconstruction should last much longer than a repair, there will always be repairs needed.

Councilmember Shelby gained clarification that while businesses depreciate assets to have less taxable value, cities depreciate to keep track of the value only. He noted that this is completely separate from the cost of maintaining the street. Regarding repairs, he deferred to City and engineer expertise for when to conduct repairs or reconstruction.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve the FY 2025 Audit as presented. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.

Universal City Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) Update - to include overview of work completed to date, ongoing analysis and engagement efforts, and upcoming milestones and next steps.

Dawniele Metsker-Galarza with Kimley Horn gave an overview on the UC Safety Action Plan. This program is part of the SS4A or Safe Streets for All federal grant to support the elimination of fatal and serious crashes through comprehensive safety action plans (CSAPs). The program emphasizes public engagement in its creation of CSAPs.

She said Kimley-Horn had reviewed the last five ye reviewed the last five years of crash data and identified UC's high-injury network - a set of streets and intersections where the most serious crashes occur. Ms. Metsker-Galarza went over the engagement and collaboration portion of the plan which included three safety task force meetings made up of members of staff, Council, and the Police and Fire Departments. It also included the community pop-up events mentioned earlier, a community survey, and the UC Safety Dashboard making crash data publicly available.

Crime Statistics Presentation

Asst. Chief Mihalski reported that the UCPD currently had 12 cameras and they focused placement on ingress/egress points of the City. He said that there are locations that are not covered by the Flock cameras and he would like to see more in the future.

Councilmember Rubal asked whether the cameras make an impact on the clearance rate of cases and why the statistics do not show an increase in case clearance after Flock camera installation.

Asst. Chief Mihalski clarified that detectives are still catching up on the case work from before Flock camera installation. He felt that Flock was having success in assisting with casework. Chief Siemens noted that the cameras had only been around for a relatively small period of time. He felt that there would be noticeable change in case clearance in the next year or so.

Councilmember Rubal asked Asst. Chief Mihalski to make a comparative statement regarding the crime statistics of the surrounding area, Texas and the national average. While he did not have the numbers in front of him, Asst. Chief Mihalski shared that Universal City faired either on average or better than the surrounding areas and national averages.

Councilmember Rubal commented that several websites state that Universal City has a higher crime rate that surrounding cities and the national average. Asst. Chief Mihalski explained that those websites use propriety software and algorithms which skew data to determine how "safe" an area is. He noted that Randolph AFB has the same crime rating that Universal City does.

Chief Siemens shared his experience that when a City partners with and pays to partner with these sites, their crime ratings suddenly improve.

Mayor Maxwell asked Councilmember Rubal whether he had verifiable information not from the internet that had been vetted by UC Police. Councilmember Rubal was instructed to ask a question to Staff.

Councilmember Rubal asked whether it was fair to use the National Incident-Based Reporting System that surrounding communities are using to compare UC to surrounding communities and if they would say it is an accurate resource.

Asst. Chief Mihalski stated it was an accurate source but opined the comparison would not be the same. After Councilmember Rubal asked how to compare to other cities, Asst. Chief Mihalski asked him if he felt unsafe and to reference how he feels in his community.

Councilmember Rubal shared anecdotes of UC residents and their experiences with crimes in the City. Asst. Chief Mihalski noted that with 20,000 residents, Universal City only had 66 burglaries last year. With Universal City located in a major corridor between I-35 and 1604, there will be outside people coming into the City and committing crimes.

After Councilmember Rubal confirmed that the statistical data reported by UCPD is comparable to other cities' data, the UCPD chiefs asserted that adding context to comparison was important. They used the example of the secluded location of Boerne compared to the corridor location of Universal City.

[ Council Message Board Post compares UC crime rates to surrounding cities. Crime rate appears to be is significantly higher when FBI stats are compared.]

Public Works Project Updates: Parks & Public Works Center

Mr. Luensmann gave the presentation on parks updates. He shared that each park is master planned before proceeding with the project.

Councilmember Rubal confirmed that the fish in Northlake are edible. [This is an incorrect statement I ask if the fish were edible.]

He [Mr. Luensmann] confirmed for Councilmember Rubal that the century oaks in many parks and along the trails are protected and inspected annually.

Mr. Luensmann moved on to present the future Public Works Center. He reported that the current Public Works building was built in 2005 and houses two functions: vehicle maintenance and administration. The "old yard" where the proposed Public Works Center, or annex building, will be, is currently being utilized primarily as storage. He reminded Council that the plan for the new Public Works building had been in the works for the past 15 years.

Councilmember Rubal questioned the magnitude of the space and used the proposed large conference room as an example. He felt Universal City may not need such a large space and should not be building to provide training to other agencies.

Mr. Luensmann responded that Public Works will need a room like this regardless for daily Staff briefings. The room could also be used in the case of emergencies as a command center for PD. In response to Councilmember Rubal's question about staffing levels at city build-out, Mr. Luensmann stated the proposed building was in preparation for build-out.

Staff and Councilmember Rubal discussed staffing increases for build-out.

Resolution 930-B-2026: Mobile Food Truck Park Agreement at 214 Rosewood Drive

Mr. Cassata presented a map to clarify the location of the proposed food truck park. The applicant had met all requirements of the City's Code. He presented a proposed site plan for the park.

Councilmember Rubal received confirmation that Mr. Cassata did not get buy-in from the adjoining residential properties since the subject property is commercially zoned. He expressed concern about this and competition with nearby businesses. He discussed trash pick-ups in the alley with Staff.

Councilmember Shelby moved to approve Resolution 930-B-2026. Councilmember Goolsby seconded the motion.