Wimberley council approves $5,000 film festival grant, sets May 3 election and adopts investment and personnel policies

WIMBERLEY, Texas — The Wimberley City Council on Feb. 6 voted unanimously to award a $5,000 hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) reimbursement to the Wimberley Film Festival, adopt ordinance 2025-01 ordering a May 3 general election, and approve the city's annual investment policy and proposed personnel-policy amendments.

Council approved the funding and the other items by voice vote; city staff recorded the outcome as 4-0 on each action. The items moved through with relatively brief staff presentations and limited discussion before each vote.

The HOT award: Michelle Woods, Wimberley's tourism director, presented the festival's funding request and staff's recommendation. "The Wimberley Film Festival is a growing independent film event that aligns with Wimberley's film-friendly Texas designation and benefits our local tourism economy," Woods said. She told council the inaugural festival drew 285 attendees and that organizers added a Friday-night welcome reception this year to promote overnight stays. Hotak recommended funding the full $5,000 request with the condition that funds be used only for marketing and other expenses allowed under the HOT ordinance.

Helena Hawk, chair of the Hotel Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee, told council the committee supported the recommendation. "We are in full support of this recommendation," Hawk said. The festival is scheduled for a weekend in April at Blue Hole Park, and organizers told council the event will be outdoors with upgraded AV equipment and partial ticket proceeds directed to local nonprofits and park costs.

Election ordinance: Tammy (city staff) told council the city must call the election by Feb. 14; the election is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2025. Polling locations were finalized with the county and are posted; the filing deadline for candidates was stated as the coming Friday. Staff said the city budgeted $6,500 for election costs, while last year's actuals were roughly $1,500'$1,800 plus additional translation/publication costs that pushed some items near $2,000.

Policies and personnel: Tim Potek, city administrator, presented the investment policy for annual approval and said auditors recommend the council review and adopt it each year. Potek said no substantive changes were proposed. Potek also described door-cleanup edits to the personnel policy: the amendments clarify employee classifications and hours and do not change current employees' titles or benefits, he said.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of Jan. 16, 2025 meeting minutes — Outcome: approved; tally: yes 4, no 0. - Reimbursement grant agreement (Wimberley Film Festival), $5,000 — Outcome: approved; tally: yes 4, no 0. Condition: funds restricted to marketing and other HOT-eligible expenses. - Ordinance 2025-01, ordering a general election on May 3, 2025 — Outcome: approved; tally: yes 4, no 0. Deadline to call election noted as Feb. 14; filing deadline announced by staff. - City of Wimberley investment policy (annual adoption) — Outcome: approved; tally: yes 4, no 0. - Personnel policy amendments (definition and classification clean-up) — Outcome: approved; tally: yes 4, no 0. Staff stated no current employees' titles or benefits would change.

Council members did not request roll-call votes; each item passed on a unanimous voice vote. No formal amendments to any of the motions were offered during debate.

The council meeting packet shows that the film festival will return a portion of ticket revenue to local programs and that HOT funds were recommended for marketing only to ensure compliance with HOT rules. Staff said it will post finalized election polling locations and the candidate filing timeline on the city bulletin board and website.

The city clerk recorded the adopted ordinance and policy changes in the meeting minutes. Council did not set additional follow-up tasks beyond standard staff posting and compliance steps for the approved items.