[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6475503,"mediaKeyId","5733772-cc203b29e0cc8930631619a10c22cb3f","parentId",5733772,"title","City attorney reviews open-government rules, conflicts of interest for Cedar Park EDC board","audioSeconds",1057,"startMs",500000,"endMs",1557000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5733772-cc203b29e0cc8930631619a10c22cb3f&start=500&end=1557","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5733772-cc203b29e0cc8930631619a10c22cb3f/thumbnail_500000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475503/Cedar-Park/Williamson-County/Texas/City-attorney-reviews-open-government-rules-conflicts-of-interest-for-Cedar-Park-EDC-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475503-7ed6bd68cf73285cbb7bf7a9b9ffd4a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141118&Signature=jCKjbofdUQRXKl6WtaU8L9rHQGrL3DsQnpNU70qZ3zvYkkwu0eO39f2DXhQeqwknKVTWST7QwSABaOTZ-i6TaisO-V3ChoT1yMqhpxeSiofTcGXss9EE12VsOsJ7cNoQ~3hcJnd3LHH~-YqV6rgRCdSiIOpnnMaBPeWMpXqvRbde2bw3C6m1W9IjtAr-S-xxnwM8d32f~XzgSQ39sr-gAzJ-B2DvZvAJTwgbdLkPMYjKenZH2P6JhEYfDZCKPyDayIFdhMbh9ACAmCwofbblTi5Qrb1g1NLXi6kYGCZYmRDqLawEgiM9d23oiD0D1Ubnji7lK1VZZvjUunkxdFhpow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cedar Park","date","2025-09-08T00:00:00Z","article","Jill Hoffman, senior assistant city attorney, gave the Cedar Park Type A Economic Development Sales Tax Corporation its annual briefing on open-government obligations, records retention and conflict-of-interest rules at the Sept. 8, 2025 special-call meeting.

Hoffman reviewed state law and local rules that govern the corporation, including the Open Meetings Act, the Public Information Act, and referenced what the transcript called the “Texas Development Act of 1979” as the statutory basis for the nonprofit corporation that oversees the Type A sales-tax-funded economic development activities. She described how a 1999 local option election created the Type A and Type B boards, noted a 2006 change authorizing use of funds for the HEB Center, and said a 2018 voter action allocated one-eighth of a cent of Type A sales tax to the stormwater drainage fund.

On public records, Hoffman emphasized that government-held information is presumptively public and noted that records relating to EDC business are subject to the Public Information Act regardless of where they are stored, including on personal devices. She said the city has a records-retention schedule and offered to provide it to board members. “Public information, the default is in government in Texas, it everything should be transparent,” Hoffman said, explaining disclosure obligations and limited statutory exceptions for attorney-client privileged material and sensitive economic-development negotiations.

Hoffman also warned the board about walking quorums and off-agenda deliberations. She explained that a deliberation by a quorum concerning public business that is not on a posted agenda can violate the Open Meetings Act and gave examples of how serial one-on-one conversations can produce an effective quorum. She noted a recent change to agenda-posting requirements from a 72-hour rule to a three-business-day standard under state law, which affects scheduling and the city’s practice for posting Type A agendas.

On conflicts of interest Hoffman outlined relevant statutes and local rules discussed in the meeting transcript: penal code provisions prohibiting bribery and restrictions on gifts (including a cited $50 threshold for certain exceptions), Local Government Code chapter 171 requirements to recuse when a board member has a business or real-property interest, and City Charter provisions referenced as articles 11.08 and 11.09 that prohibit solicitation of political contributions from city employees and require officers to avoid conflicts between personal and city interests.

Hoffman also pointed to the board’s rules of procedure—specifically Rule 3.8—prohibiting board members from meeting with applicants outside a properly posted meeting, and she reminded members of an attendance rule that triggers automatic resignation after missing three consecutive meetings or more than 40% of meetings in a 12-month period. She encouraged members to contact the city attorney’s office or the city secretary for questions about disclosures, recusal and records retention.

The guidance was delivered as an annual refresher; no formal action was taken on these items at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cedar Park - Special Called 4A Economic Development Corporation Meeting (Type A Board)","oneSentenceSummary","Jill Hoffman, senior assistant city attorney, delivered the board's annual briefing on open meetings, public information, records retention and conflicts of interest, covering Texas statutes and local charter provisions and cautioning against walking quorums and off-agenda meetings with applicants.","taxTitle","Cedar Park, Williamson County, Texas","taxId",2824,"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},6475508,"Cedar Park Type A EDC adopts $9.7 million FY2026 budget, funds innovation grant and new staff post",405,74000,479000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5733772-cc203b29e0cc8930631619a10c22cb3f&start=74&end=479","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5733772-cc203b29e0cc8930631619a10c22cb3f/thumbnail_74000.jpg","/articles/6475508/Cedar-Park/Williamson-County/Texas/Cedar-Park-Type-A-EDC-adopts-97-million-FY2026-budget-funds-innovation-grant-and-new-staff-post","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475508-65bdc41065a769b1048d83f084d6bc3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141118&Signature=QrUIwRFbqkh5KirqPOeF2VWoGMeyIkEu-N2QAGHuvHZP1el8AxlZLLEBmSBAfxswqOXQnr-PGQqV5~vXZLiMyt4T79r9jpS65W7D~WmgMV8uwo~AT2MAwA-uY7kTPWglEr1b0LMfipp5k6ZVfneWPDYLjgk34BTfMdi~rPJlXavHXFlexgqkiLemRz41cf7n3VzpM7hT0RPi3Tr-EVNxlbSebirolPPp9UsFt2-CoHXNO-Q7giODqeQCpJYbSEonlxnXCP~T0Xt8myqLiQHa7aRcwnc~Ro7xLlpbQ45vtviFHytD~uaSBfhQzUQH5i9-0mvh0fQodmBm4XInyXLktQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a special-call meeting of the Cedar Park Type A Economic Development Sales Tax Corporation on Sept. 8, 2025, the board adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget that estimates $9.7 million in revenues and includes a $400,000 innovation grant and funding for a new administrative assistant position.

The budget approved by the board projects $9,700,000 in revenues—primarily sales tax—and budgets $8,500,000 in expenses for the Type A fund in fiscal 2026. Erica Solis, a finance department presenter, told the board the proposal assumes conservative growth and includes two notable enhancements: a $400,000 innovation grant intended to attract fast-scaling startups and a new full-time administrative assistant (FTE) to support economic development staff.

“The innovation grant is budgeted at $400,000. This incentive is designed to attract fast scaling startups to relocate and and grow their headquarters and operations in Cedar Park,” Erica Solis said. Solis also said salaries and computer equipment for the new FTE will be funded through a transfer to the general fund where Type A staff currently reside, and the Type A fund will pay a one-time $75,000 office renovation as a capital cost to make room for the position.

Key budget figures presented to the board include a $3.2 million annual debt service payment tied to the HEB Center that continues through fiscal 2033 and staff support costs of about $800,000, which Solis said reflects the cost of general-fund departments that support the Type A corporation. Economic development agreements are budgeted at $2.4 million for 2026, she said.

Solis told the board the HEB Center contribution was increased in the proposed budget to reflect the city’s contractual share rising from 33% to 50% of certain capital expenditures beginning in 2026. She said the outstanding principal on related debt as of Sept. 30, 2025, will be $21,900,000 and that staff continue to monitor market conditions for any potential defeasance or refunding opportunities.

The board was presented a projected increase of $1,100,000 to the fund balance in 2026, leaving an estimated available fund balance after a reserve requirement of about $4,700,000 of $15,300,000 for future initiatives. The reserve was described as approximately two months of budgeted sales-tax collections plus one year of annual debt service, consistent with current financial policy.

During the meeting the board approved routine minutes from the Aug. 18, 2025, regular meeting by motion and later moved, seconded and voted to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget resolution. The motion to adopt the budget carried after an affirmative voice vote recorded as “all in favor.”

Votes at a glance

• Motion to approve minutes from the Aug. 18, 2025, regularly scheduled meeting — outcome: approved (motion/second; recorded as “all in favor”).

• Resolution adopting the fiscal year 2026 Type A Economic Development Sales Tax Corporation budget — outcome: approved (motion/second; recorded as “all in favor”).

The City Council will hold the second public hearing and consider adoption of the citywide fiscal year 2026 budget on Thursday; the Type A budget adopted by the EDC board was included in that citywide proposal.","At a special-call meeting on Sept. 8, 2025, the Cedar Park Type A Economic Development Sales Tax Corporation approved its fiscal year 2026 budget that includes $9.7 million in revenues, a $400,000 innovation grant to attract startups, and funding for a new administrative assistant position.","actionData","errors"]

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City attorney reviews open-government rules, conflicts of interest for Cedar Park EDC board

Cedar Park Type A EDC adopts $9.7 million FY2026 budget, funds innovation grant and new staff post