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Arlington treasurer presents off-cycle FY26 CIP authorizations; TAD board vote timeline set for December
Summary
City Treasurer Ethan Close asked council to authorize preliminary FY26 work on three off-cycle capital projects (a federally funded water treatment/migration project, land assemblage for a public safety training facility and fire-vehicle orders) and updated the council on TAD board nomination and voting timelines, reporting 802 votes cast so far.
City Treasurer Ethan Close briefed the council on three capital items staff seek authorization to begin ahead of the normal CIP cycle and provided an update on tax-appraisal-district (TAD) board voting.
Close said the first capital item is a water "permanent chemicals migration" project for which the city has already received a federal award of $7,200,000; he said the award would be used to start preliminary and final design work, but that construction costs are not yet known and likely to occur several years hence. Close referred technical questions to Water Department staff who were present.
On the public-safety side, Close said the city has purchased three parcels and is seeking to acquire another parcel (roughly 21 acres) for a public safety training facility; the land assemblage is part of a previously approved bond project and Close said design and construction remain years away. Close also said staff planned to order fire vehicles (engines and a ladder) for FY26 because lead times are long (18 months to over two years) and staff want to avoid anticipated price increases.
Close said the next step is to bring CIP items to council on Dec. 9 with reimbursement resolutions and then proceed through the regular capital budget cycle (spring 2026 property valuation and summer bond sale timing) if council authorizes the preliminary work.
On TAD board appointments, Close said 802 votes had been cast (about 40% of the total) and that no candidate had yet secured the required votes. He said Arlington remained the fourth-largest entity that had not yet voted and that results from Arlington ISD, Tarrant County College and Keller ISD were expected by Dec. 1; council voted on Dec. 9 with ballots due Dec. 15. Close also noted that Alan Blaylock had resigned from the unspecified board effective immediately and explained the nomination-and-appointment process for replacements (nominations due Dec. 26; the board would appoint in January).
What happens next: staff will return with formal CIP items and reimbursement resolutions on Dec. 9 and will provide additional TAD voting updates when entities submit ballots.
