Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cdbg Accountability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council for transparency as public hearings open on CDBG CAPER and reprogramming
Summary
Public commenters at the Killeen City Council special meeting questioned CDBG spending, alleged program failures and urged that public comments be read into the record; one commenter referenced past federal prosecution connected to mismanagement and called for greater transparency.
KILLEEN, Texas — At a special City Council meeting, several residents used two public hearings to press the city for clearer accounting and transparency for Community Development Block Grant spending.
Melissa Brown, a public commenter, criticized a proposed substantial amendment to reprogram CDBG funds and the city's CAPER reporting. Brown said the irrigation project for the Community Center Park was not on the capital improvement plan and questioned reported program outcomes, including claims that a reunification center (which she said is not in operation) had helped 630 people. "This million dollars will not cover the full cost of irrigation," Brown said, and she asked the council to consider alternatives that directly serve low-income residents, including renovating Fire Station 1 for shelter space.
Another commenter, Leo Gukason, asked for an up-to-date total cost for the Hereford/Rosa Harper community center renovation and suggested using the funds for museum or EMS space rather than further renovation. Later, Michael Funino cautioned about the city's relationship with KHA and HUD, saying there has already been "an arrest with federal prison time assigned to somebody who is mismanaging those funds" and urging the council to read public comments and commenter identities into the record when such comments influence policy.
City staff did not provide detailed responses to the specific accounting claims during the hearing. Several speakers asked the council to prioritize completing existing projects before authorizing new expenditures. Staff said draft materials for the CAPER and the proposed substantial amendment will be available for review at City Hall, Community Development, both public libraries and the Lions Club Senior Center and online, and invited written and in-person comments during the announced comment periods.
The CAPER comment period staff recommended runs Dec. 8–Dec. 22, 2025, with a CAPER submission to HUD on or before Dec. 29, 2025. The proposed reprogramming comment period runs Dec. 8, 2025–Jan. 6, 2026, with a final council hearing scheduled Jan. 6, 2026.
