[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6318273,"mediaKeyId","2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476","parentId",2367694,"title","Votes at a glance: Alpine Council approves consent agenda, two resolutions and a CAD nomination","audioSeconds",5461,"startMs",299000,"endMs",5760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476&start=299&end=5760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476/thumbnail_299000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6318273/Alpine/Brewster-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Alpine-Council-approves-consent-agenda-two-resolutions-and-a-CAD-nomination","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318273-a80a7de5d6afa0c5cec5652cf1f70456/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193064&Signature=UA4rLvO~8AYa8YWPJ3RiOCuXh6q7SeHm0oi7Bk~5BBE9Ji039WvG~bq-XL3LZcpb50DVOIYnh3py0O3HXgiF6hN2HeYLzVif~nKtm38MTSJ~sAZetIwifCvoiKSax2~rZVEqY7nVYARXnfrfHm0WYBgVjga7g9yszNHxtg64h30RE6gmOmWrO3V1hzDx-LwYMxMnhDm042u2Bk5DPqoauh61RLsgcg37OwXUwcjY4Xg3KIr-H9hITXY9sVU2nhw2NObRa6Tw8APT8VvoXDXSS7V~X9bm1i-TNFjK6pCn--msLfoMbr9tGmNhDm7fKU3~3KyEnF~3dc7fRXj9pSNyTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Alpine, Texas","date","2025-02-19T14:27:45Z","article","At its Feb. 17 meeting the Alpine City Council took several unanimous formal actions; Council Member Evan Martinez was absent due to illness.

Key votes

- Consent agenda (minutes of Feb. 4, 2025; city secretary report; payment of monthly billing summary for workers law firm services; letter of support for the Keep Texas Beautiful affiliate recognition): Approved unanimously. City Secretary recorded all council members voting in favor; Council Member Martinez absent due to illness.

- Resolution 2025-02-17: Authorize the City Animal Control Department to participate in the KONG Grant Program (application to receive enrichment items for shelter animals). Motion passed unanimously. Staff said there was no cost to the city and that the shelter would complete any reporting requirements associated with the grant.

- Resolution 2025-02-18: Support Brewster County’s application for a U.S. Forest Service / USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant. Motion passed unanimously; Council’s resolution expresses support only and does not commit city funds.

- Nomination to Brewster County Appraisal District Board: Council moved and seconded a motion to nominate Betty Jo Rooney to the CAD board to fill a vacancy through December 2025; the nomination was unanimously approved and will be submitted to the Brewster County Appraisal District for selection.

Other procedural action

- Council combined agenda items 10A and 10B earlier in the meeting by motion and unanimous vote.

No dissenting votes were recorded on these items in the public meeting transcript; the minutes record that all votes were unanimous and note Council Member Evan Martinez as absent.

Recorded motions and outcomes are summarized above. For full vote language, tally details and minutes, see the City Secretary’s official record of the Feb. 17 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 18, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 17 meeting the Alpine City Council took several unanimous formal actions; Council Member Evan Martinez was absent due to illness.","taxTitle","Alpine , Brewster County, Texas","taxId",55416,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318284,"Council debates easing formalities for boards and commissions; legal limits cited for P&Z and building standards",595,4161000,4756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476&start=4161&end=4756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476/thumbnail_4161000.jpg","/articles/6318284/Alpine/Brewster-County/Texas/Council-debates-easing-formalities-for-boards-and-commissions-legal-limits-cited-for-PZ-and-building-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318284-d9278edffe6b195cc31f4d8da3d2636d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193064&Signature=FVJHfpL1k963O0H7GlkFJ3493nFi1QHa64TJdmLd5AwYzVgKmeNs8Lc8gzElzS-qqrNgeCwl54RmCC72AH4mmQAW4tu5ovqgQu9pv5VIvLZmGrOh4vGdICCCjwnZeVY5F9GhnxZaw7pKIHdBeWf9BsVPW98ImtyB7L-zvjNBbHYL3f6SMr-zhK2n7xeVppnY0MX9k2WwS1XLQC8u9MpSrjGqDRUPQA~7rG6P3o~Ccd5e3NdT~iakxPk6WfMjP7V8uy5fviET6xPRRzGEnYxrdvD5EEZiHH7Y4M4u1LKRxVwwPIXKaXYQDshvjU97jHVTBTzK9HkIrOfBvJdEobzFXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council Member Stevens asked the City Council Feb. 17 to consider changing city ordinances so that volunteer boards and commissions could continue workshop business and make recommendations to council even when a quorum is not present.

\"I've not done a lot of work to look and say how we would change the ordinance because it would require a number of ordinance changes,\" Stevens said, adding that the change would not alter membership but would allow boards that lack a quorum to proceed with their work and still forward recommendations to council.

City Attorney Cynthia (last name not stated) told council the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Building and Standards Commission are governed by the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) and Local Government Code provisions and must meet TOMA requirements. She also advised that changes by ordinance are possible but that staff should include public hearing(s) before adopting changes to avoid the appearance of reduced transparency.

Cynthia and other staff suggested practical alternatives council could consider, including appointing alternate members to fill in when regular members are absent and reducing the overall size of some boards to make quorums easier to achieve. Staff said the city’s existing board sizes are relatively large for Alpine’s population and that alternates or a smaller membership could improve reliability.

“Frequently…there's actions that they would need to take before it comes to us. But if a board or commission doesn't have a quorum, they can't take action and they cannot make a recommendation to us,” Stevens said. Staff agreed to return with ordinance options for council consideration, public‑hearing steps and proposed language.

Council did not take immediate action; staff said they would return with a set of options, including ordinance language and outreach steps.","Council Member Stevens asked the City Council Feb. 17 to consider changing city rules so volunteer boards could continue workshop business and forward recommendations to council even when they lack a quorum.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318286,"Alpine Fire Chief details new equipment, training and calls; burn ban remains in effect",788,351000,1139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476&start=351&end=1139","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476/thumbnail_351000.jpg","/articles/6318286/Alpine/Brewster-County/Texas/Alpine-Fire-Chief-details-new-equipment-training-and-calls-burn-ban-remains-in-effect","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318286-e98f1e2e6db2b89acf63436ff8c5d7da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193064&Signature=RmnbkOuUySgLWDvsKXUtR4yh1PS-0jROIL9DZH6TuBUe3uxLaAI8SmHvEVTL9GaPFDmYjds-~Lh~e~lDbSo4ABjDOFU6ziYdQ3JbANL2LMpx8npeC-y7rvWYx78QEOYMCCf-9-EFt4VxO~XVWLwOMID6SVqUbh0It652zVIPfsXwGVdBMtl9nvXlI9IPQAvTv2S3qq1mU5iHRNd4cH41kzqYVAF-exbTZ~2-EkIRUy-oYdx2Qx3PNRo2ibKJRHe27Ya95Wz2dADK5DIRATQmXhAcB1PxI7tvtrlG0PZeB-afeRwlLGiWitrkYu1kzMMbZn8ecEVSSyr0EaPCpJMptg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief James Etcheson told the City Council Feb. 17 that the Alpine Volunteer Fire Department has acquired new protective equipment and received several grants aimed at firefighter safety and communications.

Etcheson showed the council new Nomex hoods, MSA NFPA‑approved helmets (red for Tech 1 graduates, black for Tech 2), and 13 new self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) packs that include integrated PASS alarms and location “pack trackers.” He said the trackers can reduce search time inside dark structures by “at least 5 minutes” when an alarm indicates an incapacitated firefighter.

“We had some new SCBA packs…there’s also something called the pack tracker. If in case an individual goes down, the alarm goes off, we have a remote that’ll ping us to where that individual’s at,” Etcheson said.

Etcheson said the department received a grant through the Rio Grande Council of Governments to purchase 18 new radios and that a separate grant will fund a washer to decontaminate turnout gear and remove carcinogens. He also said six people recently completed Tech 2 training and that six more are expected to complete Firefighter 1 certification by mid‑March, which will bring the number of certified firefighters to about 10.

The chief reported operational details and call counts covering late 2024 and early 2025: structure fires, wildland fires, vehicle fires, other fires (dumpsters, barbecue pits), false alarms, EMS or lift assists, controlled burns, search and rescue, extrications and hazmat spills. He listed those counts during the presentation and said the department had installed approximately 200 smoke detectors across the community.

Council members asked about hazmat response capacity. Etcheson said most hazmat incidents have been small gasoline spills and that the department treats larger incidents (about 20 gallons or more) by requesting specialist response. He described use of an encapsulating agent, F-500 foam, on spills and a past mutual‑aid response to a train fire in Marathon that was extinguished quickly after his crew applied that foam.

Council members also asked about fire planes mentioned by staff; Etcheson said aircraft and a tanker were staged locally for a period and that he expected periodic deployments during the high‑risk season.

Etcheson reiterated the burn ban remains in effect, citing persistent dry fuels and a recent incident where a trailer with damaged rims ignited tire debris along Highway 118. The chief said safety of personnel is his “utmost importance” and that the department is focused on training and equipment to reduce risk to firefighters.

No formal council action was taken on the chief’s report; council members thanked Etcheson for the presentation and asked staff to keep council informed about equipment grants and the department’s certification timeline.","Chief James Etcheson briefed council on new protective gear, 13 SCBA packs with tracking and alarms, radio and washing equipment grants, firefighter certifications and recent call activity; council discussed hazmat response and aircraft operations; the fire chief said the city’s burn ban remains in effect.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318292,"Alpine staff recommend switching utility billing software to CUSI, council told",2816,1009000,3825000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476&start=1009&end=3825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476/thumbnail_1009000.jpg","/articles/6318292/Alpine/Brewster-County/Texas/Alpine-staff-recommend-switching-utility-billing-software-to-CUSI-council-told","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318292-6f6afceda25c9fa9b535bbc317a4b025/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193064&Signature=iHMuSW4yQICROLymVWNGdVOBZNegxFRozTZjd1cByirT6YQ4G3LRg96iY9O1m3B6XufLFCFQwvOpc2y13B7b8mI4rbwulG9k-0k3u-I7v1oZ06YVB2EYpg~WU4yrJbg6vQF4pX7RBe79ryfvNHJCfs02EE6eGyGPOaT~NnWRvUpYK~9gCEkVd-yhHl4dt4qECKY2mNBX9jyI8g8gjgCNAXTQJthzne5s3imy9eH3RYIslqkLW304YzlcqyutzVHv7DjqwQ3p4xe06~z40IhDQH4MO6uFDUZr39afdkz6n5CRwR~nPd7Rjxo6z3pcTUCKA~bAwJGdAGgc6GGf1Hdk-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff recommended that Alpine replace its current utility billing system with software from CUSI after a year-and-a-half review, saying the vendor offers features the city’s current platform does not and would improve customer service and internal operations.

Staff presented the recommendation during the City Council meeting Feb. 17, saying CUSI demonstrated support for smart meters, online and phone payments, recurring ACH drafts with no customer fees and mass notifications by phone, text and email. Carmen Rodriguez, the city’s customer clerk supervisor, told council the current portal regularly locks users out, double-posts payments and produces inconsistent bill-credit information.

“The system we have is no longer sufficing,” Rodriguez said. “We urgently need something that works better.”

Rodriguez said the top benefits offered by CUSI include: smart-meter compatibility; an online customer portal with 12-month usage graphs and year-over-year comparisons; recurring ACH drafting with no fees; optional card readers for in-office payments; a mass-notification tool that can send geo-targeted messages and report delivery status; and document scanning linked to customer accounts.

Rodriguez and other staff discussed price and implementation during the meeting. She reported an estimated CUSI onboarding cost of $32,950 and an annual maintenance fee of about $34,824, numbers she described as higher than the city’s current annual spend of roughly $19,000–$20,000. Council members asked how much of the city’s existing data would be migrated and how to avoid importing corrupted records.

“We would have to pull over some of the data,” Rodriguez said, noting Alpine has about 4,000 water and gas accounts and manual reentry would not be feasible. Staff recommended migrating a limited set of historical records (for example, account status and recent meter reads) and running a multi‑month mirror period before going fully live.

Council members emphasized the importance of integration between utility billing and the city’s financial software to reduce manual CSV imports and reconciliation errors. Rodriguez said CUSI supports CSV and API exports and that the vendor has worked with other local governments on financial integrations. Megan (staff) confirmed finance staff would prefer an API-based integration to avoid daily manual imports.

City Manager (unnamed) told council that the city has budgeted $50,000 in the current fiscal year to begin the transition and that staff plan to return with a formal recommendation for council action.

Council did not vote on procurement at the Feb. 17 meeting. Staff said the next step is a council authorization to proceed with the recommended vendor and to begin contract and implementation planning.","City staff recommended CUSI as a replacement for Alpine's utility billing software, citing reliability, smart-meter compatibility, mass-notification capacity and recurring payment options; council discussion centered on cost, data migration and financial-software integration.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318279,"Council nominates Betty Jo Rooney to Brewster County Appraisal District board amid wider CAD concerns",1073,4702000,5775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476&start=4702&end=5775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2367694-ddc96f152f5286c360f5c931d4af1476/thumbnail_4702000.jpg","/articles/6318279/Alpine/Brewster-County/Texas/Council-nominates-Betty-Jo-Rooney-to-Brewster-County-Appraisal-District-board-amid-wider-CAD-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318279-3417fff3df2308e9c627ff7996b73c1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193064&Signature=A7CFq~bQ--1T~CQlXJicCFfZLO~4kC6O1PuErM4Nto~DfAK73GS7sCAC1mUpWEh8V2QWGeSvRpMv0Eu2jYvbAlQ5zV6h6wEmnaUKsTIV1qNg-aFwhpagX287uOf0uhLi2G16WRcRubyniYcV7VBbwd2T~1VrQjU-ploXCEAK0-E-6iV7nCSqmgavG3jwPJMLJ~TlDI2wvJisYiaBWxtA9EGp0ups4PzTp1kDe~xb2ge84Y3tDpuqU89KihLnDZkWWhL3KptHzk4PuCD9lvJekR6I4QOKKRjvu3r8LfetTu6FTvxkE1ZFMbqwHoMj90SXNln1IZia7Lfv06DJWrXu8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council on Feb. 17 discussed vacancies and recent operational issues at the Brewster County Appraisal District (CAD) and unanimously nominated Betty Jo Rooney to fill a board seat until December 2025.

City Manager (unnamed) opened the discussion after the CAD asked local taxing entities to nominate members to fill two recent vacancies. Council Member Darren Nance, the city’s CAD representative, summarized the district’s priorities: raising appraisal ratios to the level required by state property-value studies and addressing internal staffing shortages.

“We came in at, I think, 93 and a half percent…when we don't hit that number, then they are—they could say that the values are artificially deflated,” Nance said, describing the state’s property value study target and the fiscal consequences of undervalued appraisals.

Council and staff discussed the kinds of nominees the CAD needs: individuals familiar with appraisal processes or with the capacity to support governance and operational changes. Staff and council members praised Rooney’s background; no council member objected when Council moved and seconded a motion nominating her.

Nance and other speakers noted CAD staffing issues, including a reduction in appraisers and an increase in reserves reported in the CAD budget. Council members said improving CAD staffing and procedures is important to ensure property values are reported at market value. Several council members indicated interest in preparing a city resolution to identify CAD funding and staffing issues and to urge state‑level attention for rural appraisal districts.

The council’s nomination of Betty Jo Rooney was recorded as unanimously approved; council noted Brewster County Appraisal District’s board will select one of the nominees to fill the vacancy. Staff said the nominated member serves through 2025 and that future reappointment or election would follow the CAD’s timetable.","After a prolonged discussion about the Brewster County Appraisal District’s staffing, valuation performance and state-level reviews, the Alpine City Council nominated Betty Jo Rooney to fill a vacant seat on the CAD board and approved the nomination unanimously.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Alpine Council approves consent agenda, two resolutions and a CAD nomination

Council debates easing formalities for boards and commissions; legal limits cited for P&Z and building standards

Alpine Fire Chief details new equipment, training and calls; burn ban remains in effect

Alpine staff recommend switching utility billing software to CUSI, council told

Council nominates Betty Jo Rooney to Brewster County Appraisal District board amid wider CAD concerns