[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6157207,"mediaKeyId","5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc","parentId",5465898,"title","Innovation Black Chamber asks council for update on grocery-store recruitment and proposed professional-services agreement","audioSeconds",443,"startMs",1729000,"endMs",2172000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc&start=1729&end=2172","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc/thumbnail_1729000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6157207/Killeen/Bell-County/Texas/Innovation-Black-Chamber-asks-council-for-update-on-grocery-store-recruitment-and-proposed-professional-services-agreement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157207-5e90a285cf186f31b96a17fe84b3a86e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776014746&Signature=Ww9IdSVpXEgI4oVcX6OmSeeIli1TKk32e-BhsoZ2rZxMBao1stHlITerjC8m~sWIB7-O1IkGKiIOm1fruPcz6308okI2K6iLdZmPFSPeNdzm66uPrFsvJeBxObRNrh19SbSYPuyUvIbfNqI83pWThFvG27Wab7XiF7wOmyzdkYqKWwdN4dbaiCU1GpXjUYGjliK6JbgJMm7joE0VmcOj264UtMDc4w4OhHzLGN5RLYgEQOBWUDDloSy3UhsQnGthjYRfjCO4yrXwkZwEG-eqKbxw0ELOOzbLz3p5T9FAGgHelieTLlKHV0ePzTbuhlq3KEItwv50fkieZ9lJLjLHGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Killeen, TX","date","2025-07-24T20:10:53.463Z","article","Ronnie Russell, speaking for the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce (IBCC), told the council the organization is working to recruit and support a grocery store to address a local food-access gap and asked for follow-up on a prior council motion of direction related to the effort.

Russell told the council IBCC has worked to support business openings and events in Killeen, saying the chamber helped produce 26 grand openings across several districts in fiscal year 2025 and contributed to the creation of more than 80 jobs. He said the area still lacks a full-service grocery store in parts of the city and described IBCC’s proposed role in market analysis, targeted attraction and recruitment.

Council members asked staff for the status of a previously directed action. City Manager Cagle said staff and Russell had been discussing a professional-services agreement and that he had a follow-up meeting scheduled to finalize an approach and bring a proposed agreement to council. “As soon as we have a final, we will bring it forward to the council for consideration, and I’ll work with Mr. Russell,” Cagle said.

Russell said he expected the matter to return to council and urged that the agreement — and any associated funding — appear on an upcoming agenda. Staff confirmed the city is preparing a professional-services scope for council consideration but said no final agreement had yet been submitted for a vote.

No formal appropriation or contract was approved at the meeting; council members asked staff to prepare an agreement and to return to council with a proposed professional-services contract and any funding recommendations for council consideration at a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special City Council Meeting - July 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment Ronnie Russell of the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce described steps to recruit a grocery store for Killeen, urged council to follow up on a prior motion of direction, and staff said a professional-services agreement is being prepared for future council consideration.","taxTitle","Killeen, Bell County, Texas","taxId",2769,"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},6157212,"Killeen holds FY2026 budget public hearing; council sets adoption date and directs staff to model tax-rate options",1881,474000,2355000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc&start=474&end=2355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc/thumbnail_474000.jpg","/articles/6157212/Killeen/Bell-County/Texas/Killeen-holds-FY2026-budget-public-hearing-council-sets-adoption-date-and-directs-staff-to-model-tax-rate-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157212-017ea7427acd88cfba7f8150c9304500/orig.mp4?Expires=1776014746&Signature=mh0OqxoMXaHIM2xz4pxMlHWvBlJl2BOJQ~mpL5ElzdMwV1i5Il4u1Y4m-Jb6~hsHmB8dTRFRb3aTfdY0plYzn5CfSWFA0zZe-cEreB2vL-TBJ6xG-C18~6YazBqL0zWmdjYSetw498-cGID7cM~aIJKMiicS9n32oc8X309PasL2lDz9xmlh-PNgNkBBZjcW78iV8Gfd1NBDVqtm0A7cKfaXjVrqGOqetvtypPwceOQDasupj1VxfF9Y4m-jCtZSqtxH9J1Qfnl8QphNvCpiWqmIKIWZ2WbAaC~3nt6WGalkObYjBM~3EzTo3KgDiGHkrxFic7lGK6U0hPrYOlHOew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Killeen City Council opened a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, heard staff presentations and public comment, set the date to consider adoption for Sept. 2, 2025 at 3 p.m., and approved motions of direction on several budget issues.

Budget presenter Ms. Tanglein summarized the budget calendar and preliminary figures, noting estimates remain subject to change when the appraisal roll is certified. She told council the city’s adjusted taxable value and proposed levy figures were included in the packet and said staff estimated a 2026 revenue loss of $15,800,000 with an expected state reimbursement of about $900,000. \"The revenue loss estimated to be in 2026 is 15,800,000.0 and we estimated to get 900,000 reimbursement from the state,\" she said during the presentation.

Council and staff discussed the preliminary tax-rate picture. Staff noted the exact no-new-revenue and voter-approval rates will be determined when the certified appraisal roll is received. Staff also advised council of an illustrative rule of thumb used in the presentation: each additional penny (0.01 in the tax rate) would generate about $1,000,000 in revenue for the city.

On council spending, several members said they were concerned about a proposed increase to the council’s training and travel budget. One councilmember proposed reverting council training and travel allocations to 2023 levels (approximately $6,000 per council member and $9,000 for the mayor); the council approved that direction 7-0.

On compensation and public safety funding, Council member Solomon moved — and Councilwoman Gonzales seconded — a motion of direction asking staff to return with options showing what could be accomplished if the city set a tax rate at 0.72 and prioritized the additional revenue first for employee compensation and then for unfunded public-safety supplements. The council approved that direction 7-0. City Manager Cagle and staff said the figures provided during the hearing were estimates and that final rates depend on the certified tax roll.

During the public hearing, multiple citizens commented. Alyssa Brown criticized a lack of public discussion about the capital improvement program and questioned where newly freed-up funds would be directed after the council voted to reduce its travel budget. She also raised concerns about proposed additional funding for the Killeen Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) and asked whether community partners had received follow-up funding. Ronnie Russell of the Innovation Black Chamber of Commerce urged the council to move forward on a grocery-store recruitment effort and asked staff to bring a professional-services agreement back to council for consideration.

The council took one formal procedural vote at the meeting: a motion to set Sept. 2, 2025, at 3 p.m. as the date to consider budget adoption passed 7-0. Several motions of direction (nonbinding requests that staff return with information or revised proposals) also passed unanimously. Staff said they will return with more precise revenue-rate calculations once the appraisal roll is certified and will present the scenarios requested by council before the Aug. 5 deadline for any proposed changes to the tax rate.","At a special meeting the council held a public hearing on the proposed FY2026 budget, set Sept. 2, 2025 as the date to consider adoption, approved a direction to revert council travel budgets and instructed staff to model a 0.72 tax-rate scenario prioritizing employee compensation and public safety.",{"_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},6157217,"Killeen council recognizes IAFF Local 2505 as exclusive bargaining agent for firefighters",253,208000,461000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc&start=208&end=461","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5465898-f751bb44c62c428ae398ae33f2a0cecc/thumbnail_208000.jpg","/articles/6157217/Killeen/Bell-County/Texas/Killeen-council-recognizes-IAFF-Local-2505-as-exclusive-bargaining-agent-for-firefighters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157217-fe94579c667e75dcde96df24634b2c0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776014746&Signature=jJ87Yr~S2SEwYNzm~-2xfMK7phdvMgk8sKa8jVgS~YGpwVySmWFWyEVez8dxftK9Qeydl-YhengbpW7G~Jx67YL3vJVlpfvl66r9fHWQ38pz~z00-DRpcWtA-s6liFGtAyN8DEO~CIwNMj1-hqgbTj3B4PnkgAcl9xW6DuyViS2DnSBw4qGWav11gcXTa~fcLuhJqAzNccnIZ7a2LjuQv2ZPv7TL-rbzsla3AZseycVsGC8~rpYREwgQGThTDJuKwFr0h2lO2VZ86owTFBEDSnR14LgDT30pn1JdtEtpiWTBEuxO8j3YwB4Unnu5au6T5TX4KXL222PyvkSdQGLP~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Killeen City Council voted 7-0 to recognize the Killeen Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 2505, as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for the city’s firefighters and authorized the city to begin meet-and-confer negotiations. The vote approved resolution RS25-122, following staff recommendation.

City Attorney Clemens summarized the state law that frames the action: “Chapter 142 of the Texas Local Government Code allows [a] firefighters association to file a petition with the governing body requesting that the association be recognized as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent for all firefighters in the city.” She told the council the petition must be signed by a majority of firefighters and that negotiations may cover wages, hours and other terms of employment. Clemens said the city received a petition on July 3 from IAFF Local 2505 and that city staff verified signatures.

According to staff, the department has 265 employed firefighters (not including the chief and assistant chiefs appointed by the chief), the majority threshold for the petition was 133, 155 signatures were submitted and 145 signatures were verified — making the petition valid. Staff recommended recognition of IAFF Local 2505 and opposed holding a voter election or a separate firefighter certification election before recognition.

During public comment, Melissa Brown spoke in favor of meet-and-confer for firefighters, saying the members of that profession “know the needs of the individuals within that profession.” Captain Jensen of the firefighters association was present but did not offer a formal statement to the council during the item. The council did not amend the staff recommendation.

The council approved the resolution by voice vote; the mayor announced “Motion carries 7 to 0.” The approval authorizes city staff to meet and confer with IAFF Local 2505; any written agreement reached under the Chapter 142 process must be approved by the council and by a majority of the firefighters, as Clemens noted.

No further actions or specific contract terms were adopted at the meeting; the recognition simply authorizes the city to begin the statutorily permitted meet-and-confer process.","The council voted 7-0 to recognize the Killeen Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 2505, as the sole bargaining agent and authorized the city to begin meet-and-confer negotiations under Chapter 142 of the Texas Local Government Code.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Innovation Black Chamber asks council for update on grocery-store recruitment and proposed professional-services agreement

Killeen holds FY2026 budget public hearing; council sets adoption date and directs staff to model tax-rate options

Killeen council recognizes IAFF Local 2505 as exclusive bargaining agent for firefighters