City Council meets to talk about eclipse event and HOT application

The Bandera City Council convened on Tuesday, Feb. 27, for their regularly scheduled second meeting of the month.

All members, with the exception of Councilman Jeff Flowers, were in attendance. Also present were the City Administrator, City Treasurer, City Marshal, and a representative from the City Attorney’s office.

City Administrator Stan Farmer initiated the meeting with an overview of the upcoming eclipse event hosted by the city at City Park on April 8, 2024.

Farmer reported substantial progress since the last meeting, thanks to a collaborative effort with City Treasurer Allyson Wright and City Public Works Director Terry Wells.

He highlighted the creation of commemorative t-shirts priced at $25.00, acknowledging Wright’s commendable efforts in completing this task.

City Park is set to be open from 8 a.m until 8 a.m. on the day of the event, with city workers trained to assist and available throughout the summer.

Admission for carloads of visitors to the park will be $50, with parking spaces measuring 17 feet by 21 feet.

Walk-in visitors will be charged $10, and all paying attendees will receive wristbands.

The city plans to sell reasonably priced bottles of water and protective eclipse glasses during the event.

Farmer discussed collaboration with James Hernandez from the Chamber regarding the event’s flyer, which will be promoted on social media. While vendor advertising was not extensively pursued due to time constraints, efforts were made to attract potential vendors.

City Treasurer Allyson Wright presented another feature of the event — the creation of large (6 feet by 4 feet) glasses to be used as photo props.

These glasses, constructed and painted by Director Terry Wells, will have appropriately dark lenses for viewing the eclipse. After the event, the glasses can be repainted for regular use in the park.

The Council approved the Consent Agenda, and no citizens signed up to speak.

City Administrator Farmer explained the purpose of applying for the Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program from the US Department of Transportation.

Councilwoman Lynn Palmer made a motion, seconded by Council member Tony Battle, to submit the application, which was approved.

The appointment of members to a temporary ad-hoc Events Committee was tabled for the next meeting, with Council member Debbie Breen reporting a slow progress in the process.

The Council moved to an Executive session to discuss violations of the City Ordinance related to allowable uses, including recreational vehicle connections on Cypress Street.

Discussion on the proposed updated Hotel Occupancy Tax application policy ensued. Councilwoman Breen provided sample policies from other cities, emphasizing the need for clarity on funding years for the grants.

Mayor Rebecca Gibson suggested further discussion aligning with the city budget year.

The final topic was an amendment to the Drought Contingency Plan Ordinance. Councilman Tony Battle presented changes in Section 3, aligning stage triggers with BCRAGD guidance. The motion to approve the changes was made by Councilwoman Lynn Palmer and seconded by Councilwoman Debbie Breen, passing unanimously.

The Council entered closed session at 6:36 p.m., with the next meeting scheduled for March 12 at Bandera City Hall, located at 511 Main Sts in Bandera.

Bandera City Council meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m.