Wichita Falls council says lake lots won’t be sold after executive session; residents press for input, lower prices

The Wichita Falls City Council voted after executive session on May 6, 2025, to keep city-owned lots at Lake Arrowhead and Lake Kickapoo off the market for the foreseeable future.

The decision follows months of resident requests to allow purchases of leased lots. In public comment at the council meeting, multiple residents said sample appraisals produced prices well above what many lot-holders could afford and asked the city to create a formalized process for resident input on lake property decisions.

Why it matters: dozens of lot owners told the council the parcels are core to family life and local recreation and said high appraisal figures would force some longtime residents to leave the lakes. The city’s appraisal work and legal obligations — and the council’s choice not to sell — affect household finances, local neighborhoods and future maintenance expectations for parks, roads and services at both lakes.

Council and staff description of the legal and appraisal constraints

Mayor Tim Short told the meeting that, following executive-session deliberations, “we are not gonna sell any lake lots at any price at any time in the foreseeable future.” City staff later said that state law requires municipalities to sell property at fair-market value as set by a certified appraiser. Council members said the city hired an outside appraiser with lake-lot experience; some sample appraisals returned values in the five-figure and low six-figure ranges.

Russell Shriver, director of public works, and other staff described the process: the city contracted a third-party appraiser from outside Wichita Falls to provide comparables and valuations for the lots. Councilmember comments made clear those appraisals were higher than many residents expected; one resident said her lot’s sample appraisal was $145,000 and called that figure “a relief” only because it meant she would not be forced to buy at that price. Other commenters noted the Clay County appraisal district’s values — one resident said the county’s assessed value on her lot was $7,040 and said lenders typically look at tax rolls when sizing loans.

Resident requests for process changes and relief measures

Tina Jones, who identified herself as a city employee and lake resident, urged the council to recognize the lakes’ community value and to increase maintenance and services around the leases. Stacy Darnell, another lot holder, asked the council to create “a representative group” from both lakes so residents could have a voice though not a vote on lease and maintenance matters.

Carrie Shepherd said sample appraisals produced numbers she could not meet and asked for “reasonable prices” if selling were reconsidered in the future. Several commenters — including Donna Nikas and Mark Fry — pressed whether lease revenue could be directed to volunteer fire departments, road repair or park maintenance; staff said the fire departments currently pay nominal leases (one speaker noted two fire department leases at 50¢ per year) and described current city maintenance responsibilities.

Discussion versus decision

Discussion: Residents raised affordability, representation, road and park maintenance, fire protection, trash cleanup and inconsistency between county-assessed values and third-party appraisals.

Direction/assignment: Council members encouraged formation of resident groups and town-hall–style meetings. Mayor Short and other councilmembers invited residents to propose representative committees and sign up for meetings with staff.

Formal action: After returning from executive session the council announced no sale of lake lots at this time. The meeting transcript records no roll-call vote tied to individual names; the council’s announcement followed executive-session deliberations.

Clarifying details from the meeting

- The city said it had hired a nonlocal certified appraiser who has prior experience appraising lake lots; sample appraisals produced figures residents described as high (one cited figure: $145,000). - A commenter said the Clay County appraisal district’s assessed value for some lots was about $7,040. - A city staffer said some leases remain at very low legacy rates (examples cited: $35–$60 a year for older generation leases) while newer leases are higher. - Staff said the city considered surveying and platting costs if parcels were sold individually; a council member estimated a full surveying/platted-division process could cost in the neighborhood of $400,000–$500,000 and pose legal complications for creating access to sold lots.

Takeaway and next steps

The council’s formal stance is to retain ownership of the lake lots. Councilmembers asked staff to continue listening to residents and encouraged resident groups to propose a process for regular input and coordination with the city. The council did not adopt a sale plan, change appraisal figures, nor approve an immediate funding reallocation during the May 6 session.

Ending: City officials said they will continue to collect resident input and explore options within the constraints of state law and the city’s obligations; residents asked for a more formal, representative channel to advise future council consideration of lake properties.