Euless council approves drainage fee increase, updates to multiple city fees, Atmos settlement and two municipal judge reappointments

The City of Euless City Council on Aug. 18 approved several items intended to fund infrastructure and finalize routine city business, including an increase to the storm drainage fee, changes to a wide range of municipal fees, a negotiated rate settlement with Atmos Energy Mid-Tex, and the reappointment of two municipal court associate judges.

City staff presented the storm drainage proposal as part of a public hearing on an ordinance to revise Chapter 30, Section 30-41 (drainage charges). Miss Jewell, a city staff member presenting the item, said the drainage system was established in 1990 to prevent street flooding and protect life and property and that rates are based on impervious acres. She described the proposed increase as a 50-cent-per-residential-customer rise and a $40 charge per impervious acre for commercial customers, and said the increases would help fund curb-and-gutter infrastructure projects done in conjunction with the annual street improvement program. Jewell said the residential average impervious area used for billing is 0.22 acres per lot and that the proposed rates would remain below neighboring communities’ averages. The council received no public comments during the hearing and approved the ordinance on a roll call vote.

Council members also approved a comprehensive ordinance amending multiple fee sections in Chapter 30 of the city code, covering categories that the itemized motion listed as contractor fees, building-moving permits, fence administration, retail food stores, daycare, public pools, water and wastewater service and others. The motion encompassed numerous fee-line changes read into the record and passed on first and final reading.

Separately, the council approved a negotiated settlement between Atmos City Steering Committees (ACSC) and Atmos Energy Corporation, Mid-Tex division, concerning the company’s 2025 rate review mechanism. The ordinance as stated on the agenda declares existing rates unreasonable, adopts tariffs consistent with the negotiated settlement, directs the company to reimburse ACSC’s reasonable rate-making expenses, and finds the action was taken in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. The council approved the ordinance by unanimous vote.

The council appointed Tim Murphy and Terry Pierce to new two-year terms as associate judges of the municipal court of record after city staff said each incumbent indicated interest in reappointment. Passage of that ordinance reappoints both judges for another two-year term.

Before those items, the council approved its consent agenda, which included authorizing purchases through the State of Texas cooperative contracts (Texas DIR and National IPA), CMG Engineering to provide construction materials testing per Tarrant County RFQ 2022-098, single-source purchases from OCLC Incorporated and Midwest Tape LLC for library digital platforms, asphalt milling services via an interlocal agreement with Tarrant County, an extension of a benefits-administration contract with UnitedHealthcare Services Inc. covering Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, and approval of a resolution (listed as Resolution No. 2051679) to apply to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority SB 224 catalytic-converter grant program. The consent agenda passed unanimously.

During the public-comment period, Joshua Hendrickson identified himself as campaign manager for Cheryl Bean, a candidate for State House District 94, and said Bean plans to donate Ten Commandments placards to schools in the district under SB 10. Hendrickson said, “Miss Cheryl Bean will be donating 10 commandments placards and signs to all schools within the district, which includes the HEB ISD schools,” and no council member asked follow-up questions during the comment period.

All recorded motions on the agenda items described above passed by unanimous council vote as announced at the meeting; the transcript does not list individual roll-call tallies in the record provided. The meeting was adjourned following public comment.

Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda (items 2–9, including multiple procurement authorizations, contract extension and resolution No. 2051679): approved (motion by Mayor Pro Tem Stinnaford; second by Council member Tompkins; outcome approved unanimously; tally not specified in transcript). - Ordinance (drainage charges; listed as item 10 on agenda): approved (motion by Council member Bynum; second by Council member Paddell; outcome approved unanimously; tally not specified in transcript). - Ordinance (Chapter 30 fee changes; listed as item 11 on agenda): approved (motion by Council member Price; second by Council member Eads; outcome approved unanimously; tally not specified in transcript). - Ordinance (Atmos Energy Mid-Tex negotiated settlement; listed as item 12/24-40): approved (motion by Council member Tompkins; second by Council member Bynum; outcome approved unanimously; tally not specified in transcript). - Ordinance (reappointment of municipal court associate judges Tim Murphy and Terry Pierce; listed as item 13/24-41): approved (motion by Council member Paddell; second by Mayor Pro Tem Stinnaford; outcome approved unanimously; tally not specified in transcript).

Context and next steps: The drainage-charge ordinance and the Chapter 30 fee changes were presented as first and final readings and were adopted at the meeting. The drainage presenter said the increases will fund curb-and-gutter and drainage upkeep alongside annual street projects; the effective dates for each ordinance were not specified in the portions of the transcript provided. The council adjourned after public comment.