The Balch Springs City Council voted to appoint five community members to the city’s newly required Capital Improvement Plan Advisory Committee during its Oct. 27 meeting.

Staff said the body is required by Texas law to advise on the proposed water and sewer impact fees and related capital projects. Council discussion focused on whether appointments should be finalized when some listed nominees were not present.

City staff explained the advisory committee will include representatives from the development, real estate and construction sectors plus existing board members and that the committee is part of the city’s work to implement water and sewer impact fees under Chapter 395, Subtitle C of the Texas Local Government Code. The council heard brief remarks from two nominees who were present: John Palmer and Veronica Bravo.

Councilmember Miles moved to take the item off the consent agenda and consider it as an individual item so nominees present could be heard. That motion carried. After nominees spoke, the council voted to approve the full slate as listed in the consent item: Christopher Watson (Planning & Zoning commissioner), Gwendolyn Gardner (Planning & Zoning commissioner), Veronica Bravo (real estate representative), Neli Castillo (construction representative), and John Palmer (development representative). Councilmembers voting “yes” during the final confirmation included Hill, Garcia, Gabriel, Patino and Miles. Councilmember Salaub attempted to abstain but was told an abstention was not permitted and the clerk recorded that member as voting no. The motion passed.

During discussion, several councilmembers said they supported prompt formation of the advisory committee so the consultant studying water and sewer impact fees could proceed with stakeholder input. Others urged adoption of a formal policy so future appointments would require applicants’ presence or clear procedural rules about absentee nominees.

The council’s action makes the committee available to participate in the impact-fee study now under way. Staff indicated the consultant would return later in the meeting to present a draft land-use and capital-improvement analysis tied to the impact-fee work.

No additional formal directives or conditions were recorded beyond the appointments and the council’s request that staff draft a consistent policy on attendance for future board and commission appointments.