Council advances charter amendment to put Board of Public Affairs dissolution before voters after public comment

Bryan City Council heard extended public comment on Sept. 2 about Ordinance 43-2025, an ordinance that would ask voters on May 5, 2026 whether to abolish the elected Board of Public Affairs (BPA) and place Bryan Municipal Utilities under the direction and supervision of the mayor and city council.

Annette Schreiner, identified herself as a Bryan resident, urged council not to place the charter amendment on the ballot and outlined the board’s history and limited meeting‑stipend costs as she described them. Karen Ford, identified as a Bryan Municipal Utilities board member, told council the BPA oversees the city’s electric and water operations — including the power plant, the water treatment plant, Augley's hydroelectric dam and the solar field — and said the board has worked to keep rates low, pursue renewable energy goals and provide community services. Bob Iyer, a resident who said he has long utility‑industry experience, told council the BPA’s institutional expertise cannot be replaced by a stated $50,000 savings.

Mayor (presenting) reviewed the city’s historical governance changes and said the measure is intended to modernize government, reduce duplicated reviews, and make it easier to meet grant deadlines. The mayor stressed the ordinance does not authorize the sale of the water or electric systems, does not permit utility funds to be transferred to the general fund, and would keep BMU staff and operations intact; he said the ordinance merely places the question before voters.

Council debate focused on the ordinance’s framing. Council member John recommended removing a sentence characterizing the change as being “with less fiscal expense” and asked that paragraph 4 be eliminated because cost savings are not a settled fact and could be misleading. John moved to strike those two items; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously with recorded assent from John, Steve, Jim, Rick and Mary. Council agreed to three readings and the ordinance will return for a second reading as amended.

Council members and BMU representatives also discussed procedural questions about how representation and AMP/OMEA memberships would be handled if voters approve the change; the mayor and BMU staff said those governance details would be addressed later and that the ordinance as drafted preserves public‑power status and the city’s membership in AMP/OMEA. Several speakers urged residents to get verified information rather than relying on social media.

The council did not adopt the charter change at the meeting; it approved amendments to the draft ordinance and scheduled a second reading.