The Jersey Village City Council on July 21 received adopted budgets from the city’s Crime Control & Prevention District and its Fire Control, Prevention and Emergency Medical Services District and voted to postpone the final municipal budget vote until Aug. 18 to await updated appraisal-district numbers. The council also approved a published notice that the city’s proposed maximum ad valorem tax rate will not exceed 0.89.

City Manager Austin Blais told the council the district boards submitted their adopted budgets as required by state law and that no formal motion was necessary to receive them; Council later took separate action to postpone the final municipal budget vote until the Aug. 18 meeting so members would have updated property-value numbers before setting a tax rate. Blais said the postponement also gives residents extra time to review the budget that was released July 3 and provide feedback to council representatives.

The fire district’s budget submitted to council had been amended shortly before the meeting. Assistant Chief Daley and others explained that a roughly $130,000 line item for radio equipment was removed from the version published before the meeting; the amended budget as presented to council reflected that change. Assistant Chief Daley described changes to how the city handles fire and EMS dispatching: a contracted fire/EMS dispatch center now receives transfers for calls identified as fire/EMS and, he said, the city has seen faster unit response. “We were averaging about 4 minutes from the time a dispatcher with the city was receiving a 911 call to getting a unit en route,” Assistant Chief Daley said. “We’re now averaging under 1 minute.” He also said the city realized cost savings on staffing and on maintenance costs for the Tyler CAD software.

Council formally voted to postpone the final municipal budget adoption to Aug. 18 (Resolution 2025-43). The council also adopted a resolution setting the maximum proposed ad valorem tax rate and scheduling a public hearing; staff said the notice sets a ceiling of 0.89 but does not set a final tax rate, which the council must adopt in August. Finance Director Jennifer Brown confirmed the city will not set the final rate until the Aug. 18 meeting when more precise numbers are available.

Discussion and public comment addressed the communications position and outsourcing of fire/EMS dispatch, with staff explaining the operational and liability reasons for the change. Staff emphasized that 911 callers will still reach the city’s dispatch center and that calls needing fire/EMS are routed to the contracted center when appropriate. A public speaker and several council members urged residents to read the budget materials and contact council with questions.

Actions taken (as reflected in the meeting record): the council received the Crime Control & Prevention District and the Fire Control, Prevention and Emergency Medical Services District adopted budgets; passed Resolution 2025-43 postponing the final municipal budget vote to Aug. 18; and passed Resolution 2025-44 publishing the maximum proposed ad valorem tax rate notice. Where ordinances or motions were recorded during the meeting, the council approved those motions; the record shows motions carried as stated on the dais.

The council also discussed timing for the August budget adoption and the option to call a tax-rate election in November; staff said delaying the final vote until Aug. 18 preserves council flexibility to consider a tax-rate election later in the calendar.

Ending: Council closed the municipal budget public hearing after asking staff and chiefs to answer questions about dispatching and related budget line items; the council signaled it will take final budget action at the Aug. 18 meeting when updated appraisal values are available.