Anna CDC/EDC approves consent items, hears director report that sales tax rose 20%

The Anna Community Development Corporation and Economic Development Corporation approved routine consent items and heard a director’s monthly report at a meeting on Thursday, April 3, in the Municipal Complex Council Chambers.

The director of support (name not stated) told the board the month brought a string of business outreach and community events, including attendance at the DCEO awards, participation in Anna ISD’s career fair, a Chick‑fil‑A grand opening, and meetings with brokers and developers interested in locating in Anna. The director said newsletter subscriptions surpassed 2,000 and that reported sales tax collections were up 20% compared with the prior reporting period; the director also noted that the city’s tax receipts are reported with a two‑month lag by the Texas Comptroller’s office.

The monthly report mattered to the board because it summarized business‑retention activity and near‑term calendar items that could affect economic development work in Anna. Board members asked for clarification on how sales‑tax months map to reporting months and on outreach metrics.

According to the director, staff logged more than 10 meetings with real estate brokers and developers, 15 business‑retention “touches” with local companies, and six or more architecture or construction meetings during the month. The director also credited staff members Natasha and Selena for a revised, more engaging newsletter and noted incremental growth across social channels: seven new LinkedIn followers, one new Instagram follower and 15 new Facebook followers, bringing Facebook to 79 followers. The director said these metrics help market the city to prospective businesses and residents.

Upcoming community events and training noted to the board included an economic development one‑on‑one training course slated for “Thursday the 22nd” upstairs in the Skyview Conference Room at the Municipal Complex; Collin McKinney Day, scheduled for April 12 at 9 a.m. and hosted by the Historical Society; and a Home Depot neighborhood‑night event on Wednesday, April 23, with store activities beginning at 4:15 p.m., a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. and the store opening at 6 p.m. In recognition of the Home Depot opening, staff said the city would light the water tower orange the night of April 23–24.

Procedural business: the board approved consent agenda item 4(a), which included approval of minutes from the March 6, 2025 joint CDC/EDC meeting, and consent agenda item 4(b). The board then voted to go into a closed session at 6:16 p.m. to consult with legal counsel and deliberate on real property, personnel matters and economic development negotiations under the Texas Government Code. The board reconvened in open session at 6:52 p.m.; the meeting record shows no action taken in open session on closed‑session items.

Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows approval of consent agenda item 4(a) (minutes from March 6, 2025) and item 4(b); both motions were made and seconded on the record and carried. The board also approved a motion to move into closed session under Texas Government Code sections cited on the record and later reconvened with no reported action.

No formal bills, ordinances or budget appropriations were considered at this meeting, and no appointments or contract awards were recorded in the open session minutes. The chair adjourned the meeting at 6:52 p.m.