[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,75,86],{"_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",6225187,"mediaKeyId","3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b","parentId",3540149,"title","Council discusses bringing Huey helicopter to Veterans Park; donations to be accepted, no city funding approved","audioSeconds",722,"startMs",1924000,"endMs",2646000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b&start=1924&end=2646","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b/thumbnail_1924000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6225187/Palestine/Anderson-County/Texas/Council-discusses-bringing-Huey-helicopter-to-Veterans-Park-donations-to-be-accepted-no-city-funding-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6225187-e69fd095fb4becab6077705f8774c9a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776054354&Signature=HtCIilw-g-qDVZpJeuv8IillP1tMTOyQZ-Bh3egfAMGTQQitmcFeiQ~AiXfwWv836DeQ04a5-L9eovLPLWM0vd10NpmqPJmGOi1TJkuQsGXrZd9BX4cWJEfsFGcYg6UiBdBXCLxc7EzCe4CAkIg5DSbXQQdEbVq3jzzuEQ7LMn4lxdGdCRYoK7JenvzdZDZaeTjzdoWu6Lr6LDyz6fIQq9YoxJQwtowwIcwOX77QA~0cjwp3an-z0bZypu~mVugtRJq1IyGGa0T9IAWDbYZA~dYLA34tzwqRKAPMzWDGrhanNETk1kOpumMdBSGzfQiS3TIq8tlcmGLzno9893szMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Palestine, Texas","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","Palestine City Council on May 27 discussed plans to acquire and display a restored UH‑1 “Huey” helicopter at Veterans Park, instructed staff to pursue grant funding and opened a city donation account to accept public contributions; the council did not approve any city funding at the meeting.

Council heard that community volunteers and local organizers, led by Mr. Killian and others, located a Huey in Tennessee that could be refurbished and placed at the Veterans Park memorial. The presenter said the group hopes to have the helicopter in place before Veterans Day and that the aircraft would be displayed with its original paint and components.

City staff told council a donation account specifically earmarked for the Huey project has been established at customer service so members of the public can contribute. Staff also asked the tourism advisory board to review a funding proposal and report back within about two weeks; if grant funding is not secured, council was told organizers will return with a specific request for city funds.

Councilors expressed support for honoring veterans but some members urged caution about committing taxpayer dollars without a formal vote; one council member noted that if the city were to contribute, the amount discussed informally should not exceed $20,000. The council took no formal appropriation or binding vote on city funding on May 27 and directed staff to continue pursuing grants and public donations and to return to council if requests for municipal funds are required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Palestine, Texas City Council Regular Meeting - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Palestine City Council discussed a project to display a restored Huey (UH‑1) helicopter at Veterans Park, set up a donation account and asked the tourism advisory board to review the proposal; council did not approve a city appropriation but members discussed a potential contribution if grants fall short.","taxTitle","Palestine, Anderson County, Texas","taxId",69395,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":44,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6225192,"Palestine renames athletic complex for Curtis Wayne Fitzgerald, council to add commemorative plaque",763,1161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b&start=1161&end=1924","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b/thumbnail_1161000.jpg","/articles/6225192/Palestine/Anderson-County/Texas/Palestine-renames-athletic-complex-for-Curtis-Wayne-Fitzgerald-council-to-add-commemorative-plaque","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6225192-a104310e0a698ed4d0fe535d3edd2c86/orig.mp4?Expires=1776054354&Signature=JGio8pxLvlOaFV3LqydbYKkt3MYPjKeHswsMmmsZIb4MLU7BDV~9RCrrsXe2puGRKcmzPHTU7~-18sg6dJM9N16-l5PfljiVxAgmyE8c2QJp6tUwK0KLRkK8Fy1hqjpuYH-qdVb2bp~frGYAEYXfHbhpQiuinFhJGSxNlkDHEiHMZ~Y-podaRAbJTZ6OUcmXT4FalLrFFktD5WZFuMAMkZs4tEEzyYeEjoSqR44oTd6pbq9bGIzvBlFLatIrp4G1nL-9n33KWseo44-geMSaKjsaV6u3~FTOJ9Q5~n172ykrhtCOKyDoTRg07F8gmTlghG0Pt2XcrnbKk5kRLnqn2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Palestine City Council on May 27 voted to rename the city's athletic complex the Curtis Fitzgerald Athletic Complex and asked staff to prepare a commemorative plaque recording his military service and community work.

Council considered several naming options after earlier community feedback showed renaming a street would impose address change burdens on residents. Councilors debated formal naming conventions: some members urged using Fitzgerald’s full name as the official facility name and reserving the informal nickname “Fitz” for the plaque, while others noted that the existing wayfinding signage and the facility’s current branding as an “athletic complex” argued for keeping the “complex” designation.

Speakers discussed scope and future naming possibilities: councilors said the facility will host baseball, softball and T‑ball and that individual fields or elements could later carry other honorary names. Several members emphasized that the plaque should include Fitzgerald’s military rank and a summary of accomplishments; staff said the plaque would draw from obituary and family‑provided material.

A motion to name the facility the Curtis Fitzgerald Athletic Complex was made, seconded and carried on a voice vote. Council directed staff to return with the ordinance text and implementation details, including signage and plaque language; members asked staff to consider wayfinding costs because recent sign work had been expensive.","Palestine City Council voted May 27 to rename the city's athletic complex the Curtis Fitzgerald Athletic Complex and directed staff to prepare signage and a plaque that will detail Fitzgerald's military service and community contributions; council debated use of his nickname and signage costs but took no action on funding.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6225197,"Palestine council authorizes notice to issue up to $20 million for athletic complex, downtown and lift‑station projects",502,514000,1016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b&start=514&end=1016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3540149-80fd748fabc729b6c1ce50467eb5864b/thumbnail_514000.jpg","/articles/6225197/Palestine/Anderson-County/Texas/Palestine-council-authorizes-notice-to-issue-up-to-20-million-for-athletic-complex-downtown-and-liftstation-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6225197-db99494225cd860e7e60eb71d92a2a6e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776054354&Signature=koMc0FNFMG5bIp7hvR~G0tS188Yl4LzyEuvu1tSOdDzmyiWpHURHUd6fOe1bVd0lhrfwczu8iJJiwvMr2CdP77cOSx6M9A9GwSk-SUxBsSIgW6vcDglYkqJfCcz4SI2-UnELXcydGtxe-EdA3WvCF~tWwr6Yaub6pRaeeB5~bSlpNXdYsoXssrpxBJO3he~gbq55f6Wl7cJD9XRAd-10uszLpiTJbYC~FYXqXMBrl6zi9DvqDEA41bxvREaUN0sBsBKpfZmM0sCfKRpy2feznrwAFGVbQ9nRP-mdnn4c9sfMvDNH0T3x7UBru-CDtJgBNrTjzlW-PdCW4BpYwaXf8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Palestine City Council on May 27 authorized publication of a notice of intent to issue up to $20,000,000 in debt to finance an athletic complex, a downtown revitalization project and improvements to the Southview Lift Station.

Hilltop Securities portfolio manager Farje Delgado presented a financing plan that would use certificates of obligation similar to the city’s 2022 issuance. Delgado said the lift‑station portion would be repaid from net water and sewer revenues while the downtown and athletic complex pieces would be repaid through the tax‑rate debt‑service portion. Under conservative growth assumptions presented to council, Delgado said the initial scenario would add roughly 1.8 cents to the city’s tax rate; adding each additional $1 million to the projects would increase that impact by about one‑quarter of a penny, and a larger $12 million scenario would approach a 2.3‑cent impact.

The presentation noted timing and legislative risks: Delgado told council the Texas Legislature was scheduled to adjourn June 2 and last‑minute changes could affect municipal borrowing rules, so staff recommended noticing the maximum amount and scaling back if needed. Council was told staff would need a final authorization by mid‑July to proceed with a July 28 bond issuance timeline that would include credit ratings and final interest rates.

Council discussion covered repayment sources and whether unspent proceeds from 2022 authorizations could be reallocated; Delgado said staff would review prior proceeds and report back. A motion to proceed with the notice as presented was made by Councilor Gills and seconded by Councilor Connor and carried on a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the minutes.

No final bond sale or tax‑rate change was approved on May 27. City staff will return with a final amount for council consideration in mid‑July and will present final interest rates and terms if the council directs issuance.","Palestine City Council on May 27 approved publishing a notice of intent to issue up to $20 million in certificates of obligation to fund an athletic complex, downtown revitalization and Southview Lift Station improvements; council was told debt would be repaid from utility revenues and the tax rate and must decide a final amount by mid‑July.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council discusses bringing Huey helicopter to Veterans Park; donations to be accepted, no city funding approved

Palestine renames athletic complex for Curtis Wayne Fitzgerald, council to add commemorative plaque

Palestine council authorizes notice to issue up to $20 million for athletic complex, downtown and lift‑station projects