League City council agrees on July work sessions for FY2027 budget after debate over timing

League City City Council on Feb. 10 approved a resolution setting dates for FY2027 budget and capital-improvement-plan work sessions after council members debated when and where to hold them.

A councilmember argued the current practice of holding budget hearings an hour before council meetings shortchanges review time and proposed moving work sessions to earlier dates or a different location so members would have 1½–2 hours per night to examine the books. "I would like to make an amended motion that we take July 6 through the tenth," the councilmember said, proposing a separate venue (the Arafjo/Raffle building) and multi-night sessions to allow fuller discussion.

Council members and staff noted a logistical constraint: the budget books and the CIP are typically distributed around July 14, which affects the feasibility of earlier start dates. "The fourteenth and the budget books and the CIP would be ready on that day and passed out," another council member said, citing the usual publication schedule.

As a compromise, councilmembers discussed returning to the prior practice of Monday work sessions at the Civic Center, 6–8 p.m., and settled on a kickoff session on July 27 at the Civic Center while retaining two additional work sessions in July/August as needed. A motion to amend the schedule to include July 27 and maintain the other sessions was seconded and adopted on a unanimous voice vote, 8–0.

The council did not adopt a single, prescriptive timetable beyond the amended resolution; members said they would circulate date options and confirm logistics with staff. The approved approach leaves flexibility for additional nights if more time is needed to review departmental materials and budget details.

The council passed the amended motion and moved on to other agenda items.