Wylie council approves Army Corps MOA and $196,295 budget amendment to restart McMillan Road work

The Wylie City Council on April 8 unanimously approved a $196,295 amendment to the current fiscal year budget and authorized the city manager to execute a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, to advance the McMillan Road reconstruction project.

The budget amendment, described by city staff as part of the MOA, passed on a 7–0 vote after a motion by Councilman Dave Strang and a second by Councilman Gino Maleche. The separate motion to approve the MOA, moved by Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Forrester and seconded by Councilman Strang, also passed 7–0.

The items come after more than a year of delays tied to federal permitting and archaeological reviews. City Manager Parker told the council the approvals represent the final stages of the permitting process with the Corps and the Texas Historical Commission and, once signatures are complete, construction in the wetland area will resume. Parker said the Corps and the Texas Historic Commission each have 30 to 45 days to review submitted documents before work can restart.

The votes followed an extended public comment period in which McMillan Road neighbors and the owner of Trinity Valley Ranch described ongoing problems from the halted construction. Doug Jones, who said his business Trinity Valley Ranch is at 2300 McMillan Road, asked the council for clearer access for customers, flaggers to protect ingress and egress, restoration of landscaping, acknowledgment of alleged wetland and flooding damage to surrounding properties, and the return of surveillance cameras he said had been moved.

Resident Terry Thurman described construction debris on private property and asked why permits were not obtained; she also asked for public records, including a hydrology study, that she said were withheld. James Glubo, who identified his address on McMillan Road, raised concerns about delivery drivers, truck ruts on private yards and the loss of the tree‑lined appearance of the road.

Parker addressed several specific points in open session: he said the construction delays were caused by permitting requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and additional work prompted by discovery of historical artifacts, which required excavation and review. He said the city installed multiple cameras on McMillan Road “to monitor road conditions and assure it remains passable,” and denied that camera placement targeted any single driveway.

Parker also summarized the litigation history: Trinity Valley Farms (operated by Mr. Jones) has sought $6.5 million in damages, alleging loss of access and other harms. Parker said a court previously dismissed the case with prejudice on a plea to the jurisdiction, and that the plaintiff has appealed to the Dallas Court of Appeals.

The council previously considered multiple related legal items in executive session; the city announced the budget amendment and MOA actions after returning to open session. City staff told council there remain franchise utilities and wetland work that must be completed before final paving; staff declined to give a definitive construction timeline but estimated federal and commission reviews would take up to about 90 days from submission.

Actions

- Motion: Approve ordinance number 2025‑15 amending the FY2024–2025 budget by $196,295 for the McMillan Road MOA with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mover: Councilman Dave Strang. Seconder: Councilman Gino Maleche. Vote: 7–0. Outcome: approved.

- Motion: Approve a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, concerning the McMillan Road project and authorize the city manager to execute necessary documents. Mover: Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Forrester. Seconder: Councilman Dave Strang. Vote: 7–0. Outcome: approved.

Why it matters

McMillan Road serves multiple residences and a commercial operation; residents and business owners told council the prolonged construction has affected access, property appearance and flooding concerns. The MOA and budget action are intended to clear federal permitting obstacles so construction can resume, but staff said additional steps (utility relocations and Corps/THC reviews) must occur before crews return to work.

Clarifying details

- Budget amendment amount: $196,295 (stated by staff). - Reported calls to action on social media and multiple public complaints prompted the council discussion; the city referred litigation and many communications to the city attorney due to the pending lawsuit.

Speakers (selected)

- Matthew Porter, Mayor (first referenced 00:00:03.44) - City Manager Parker (first referenced 00:41:58.73) - Doug Jones, owner/operator, Trinity Valley Ranch (first referenced 00:32:50.26) - Terry Thurman, resident, 2500 McMillan Road (first referenced 00:28:29.38) - James Glubo, resident, 1770 McMillan Road (first referenced 00:44:37.65)

Authorities

- memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District — referenced by staff during item presentation. - Ordinance number 2025‑15 (budget amendment) — referenced on the council floor. - Texas Historical Commission / Texas historic preservation review — referenced by staff regarding archaeological findings. - Court case: Trinity Valley Farms v. City of Wylie, cause/case number 493029002024, 490th District Court (referenced in open session comments).

Proper names

Wylie; Trinity Valley Ranch; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District; Texas Historical Commission; Collin County; McMahon (contractor named by staff); Trinity Valley Farms.

Provenance

- topicintro: "This item before you is a budget amendment in the amount of $196,295 as a part of our memorandum of agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers." (timecode 00:41:58.73) - topfinish: "This item before you this evening is the final stages of the permitting process for the McMillan Road project... Once this is approved... we'll begin construction on McMillan Road again." (timecode 00:43:12.85)

Searchable_tags:["McMillan Road","Army Corps","infrastructure","Trinity Valley Ranch","Wylie"]

salience:{"overall":0.78,"overall_justification":"Major local infrastructure project with resident and business impacts, active litigation and federal permitting; unanimous council votes."}