Argyle council approves records-scanning contract, employee benefits changes and area planning work; sets tax-rate hearing

Argyle Town Council on Aug. 18 voted unanimously on a set of administrative, personnel and planning measures that the town manager and staff said are intended to speed record modernization, maintain employee benefits and prepare for multiple development projects in the town’s core.

The council approved a contract with MCCI for document scanning and secure destruction, adopted an ordinance to participate in the Texas Municipal Retirement System’s supplemental death benefit fund, approved health, dental and vision contracts with Cigna and Mutual of Omaha, accepted a proposed property-tax rate and set a Sept. 15 public hearing on the budget and rate. The council also awarded a construction contract for the Frenchtown connection to Canary Construction as the low bidder and approved planning and design contracts to study the town center area and the I‑35 West corridor.

Why it matters: Council actions set the administrative foundation for planned capital work (notably a future town center and police building) and short-term service improvements. The planning contracts and funding transfers also position Argyle to coordinate infrastructure and design standards for several large development proposals that staff say are active in and near the 377/407 area.

Votes at a glance

- Document scanning contract (MCCI). Motion to approve passed (motion and second recorded; outcome: approved). Staff said the town has FY25 budgeted funds (~$31,000 not yet spent) that can be used toward the contract; MCCI would pick up the project in coming weeks and complete indexing in two to three months.

- Ordinance 2025-29 (TMRS supplemental death benefit). Council approved adding the supplemental death benefit for active employees and retirees (cost to town: a 0.22 percentage-point increase in the TMRS contribution rate). Motion carried unanimously.

- Employee health, dental and vision contracts (Cigna; Mutual of Omaha for life/AD&D/disability). Council approved the staff-recommended provider package; staff estimated a net 4.3% increase in FY26 employer costs and said employees would pay a portion of the higher premiums. Motion carried unanimously.

- Resolution 2025-39 (proposed property tax rate). Council accepted the proposed rate (0.3431) and scheduled the statutorily required public hearing on Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. A roll-call vote was held; the five voting members recorded “Aye.” Staff emphasized the rate is essentially unchanged from FY25 and explained the difference between the “no new revenue” and voter-approval calculations on the notice required by state law.

- Frenchtown connection construction contract. Town opened bids Aug. 7; Canary Construction was low bidder at roughly $337,000 (staff noted substantial spread among bidders). Council approved awarding the contract; staff said the contractor has 60 days for substantial completion once a notice to proceed is issued.

- Sign-code amendment: canopy signs. Council approved an amendment allowing larger “primary” canopy signs (up to 65 sq. ft., 4-ft. max height) where building design makes a canopy sign the primary business identifier, and a smaller auxiliary canopy sign (20 sq. ft., 3-ft. max). Planning staff presented examples from Argyle Station and Frenchtown; council asked staff to return with broader proportionality standards for signs in a future amendment. Motion carried.

- Area planning assignments (resolution 2025-38 and companion work). Council approved contracts with the town’s recommended consultants to prepare an area plan for the 6-acre town-center site (and adjacent parcels) and a larger I‑35 West corridor study (roughly 1,000 acres). Staff said the work will include site-development guidelines, infrastructure recommendations and optional zoning overlay language to help coordinate multiple private projects expected to come forward. Motions carried.

What the council did not finalize tonight: staff presented a draft FY26 budget (discussion item) but the council deferred final budget adoption for later hearings. Staff also noted possible future requests from TxDOT or Denton County tied to regional road projects; council members asked for additional cost information before committing to any intergovernmental participation.

Council statements and next steps

Town Manager Mike Sims and Finance Director Erica (surname recorded in packet) described the schedule for executing contracts and for moving the town-center design and police-building master planning work forward. Sims said staff will return to council with design options, cost refinement and requests for construction funding as the planning contracts produce greater detail.

A Sept. 15 public hearing on the proposed tax rate and FY26 budget is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at Argyle Town Hall.

Votes / formal actions recorded in the minutes are summarized above; full motions, ordinance and resolution text appear in the meeting packet and are referenced below.