Wimberley — At a special Wimberley City Council budget workshop Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, Mayor Jim Charles and councilmembers heard city staff present four proposed goals for 2025–26 and a preliminary fiscal year 2025–26 budget that staff described as balanced and without anticipated deficits.

The proposed goals presented by staff call for (1) water‑conservation incentives, partnerships and advocacy with an aspirational target to reduce water use by 20% over two years; (2) a comprehensive approach to emergency alerts and communications, including creation of a local/regional task force; (3) increased walkability, connectivity and parking in the downtown commercial district, and exploration of weekend public transportation; and (4) a process to secure resources for acquisition of land and facilities for conservation, education and recreation projects, including collaboration with nonprofit partners and pursuit of grants for the city’s nature center.

Why it matters: the goals would shape near‑term city priorities for utilities, public safety communications, transportation and parks and could affect permitting, partnerships and future capital requests. Staff also presented the city’s proposed budget structure, pay and retirement changes, and fund‑level revenue and expenditure estimates that set the financial framework for implementing those goals.

City staff described the overall proposed budget as balanced with total proposed revenues of $4,421,000 across all funds. The general fund was presented with proposed FY 2025–26 revenues of $2,095,000, with the largest single revenue source shown as general sales tax at about $1,535,000. License and permit revenue was projected at $54,000, with building permits estimated at $40,000. Personnel services in the general fund were presented as approximately $388,200. Staff said the general fund currently budgets six full‑time positions and one seasonal position.

Public works and roads were included in the presentation. Staff said the public works/roads allocation totals $634,000 and that $500,000 is budgeted specifically for road work. The parks and recreation fund (which staff said now includes the community center rather than a separate “Blue Hole” fund) was presented with roughly $1,177,000 in revenues and matching expenditures. Parks staffing totals shown were nine full‑time, nine regular part‑time and 22 seasonal positions; staff said one additional part‑time position is contingent on a potential agreement with Texas State University.

The wastewater fund was presented with projected revenues of $424,000 (described as roughly $420,000 from fees plus about $4,000 from interest and penalties). Staff described the hotel‑occupancy/tourism budget conservatively; staff said tourism expenditures are budgeted at roughly $700,000 with about $100,000 proposed for advertising and promotion, and that projections reflect a year‑over‑year decline staff estimated in the presentation.

Staff noted a proposed 3% pay increase for full‑time employees and that the employer retirement contribution is shown at 6% in the proposed budget (up from 5%), with staff checking whether any further council approval will be required for the retirement change. The city is showing no capital projects in the general capital line in the presented packet, with capital roads shown under public works; staff said American Rescue Plan funds currently appear at $0 in the packet but that a budget amendment could come later if engineer work does not finish and remaining ARP funds need to be appropriated.

Council members asked clarifying questions during the presentation. Rebecca Minnick, Place 1, asked, “How are you gonna measure that?” when staff described the 20% water‑use reduction target; staff responded that measurement and outreach would rely on partnerships, permit requirements (for example, low‑flow fixtures) and public education. Council and staff discussed potential partnerships with the Hill Country Alliance and outreach through the city website and permit processes.

Staff flagged several next steps and contingencies: a follow‑up budget discussion at the council’s next meeting to permit public comment and a public hearing on the budget scheduled for the regular meeting on Sept. 18, 2025. Staff also told council that any emerging capital projects — including a possible playground for Martha Neese Park — would be routed to the parks board and would require a budget amendment and council approval before funds are spent.

On other items raised during the workshop, staff said they are awaiting additional engineering work by HDR and that staff will follow up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a separate dam project; no final decisions or contract approvals were made during the workshop.

The workshop ended with a motion to adjourn that was moved and seconded and the meeting adjourned.