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Granbury council approves $21M grant application, zoning amendment, new audit firm and employee insurance renewal
Summary
At its July 7 meeting the Granbury City Council unanimously approved a resolution to seek up to $21 million from the Texas Water Development Board, approved a comprehensive-plan amendment at 501 Holly Hills Cemetery Road, selected Forvis Majors LLP as external auditor, and renewed employee health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.
The Granbury City Council on July 7 unanimously adopted a series of measures the city says advance infrastructure, fiscal oversight and employee benefits. The key votes included adoption of Resolution No. 2608 to request financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) of up to $21,000,000 for water-system improvements, approval of a future-land-use amendment connected to a private residential/golf-course development at 501 Holly Hills Cemetery Road, selection of an external audit firm under RFP 25-26-25, and approval of the employee health-insurance renewal.
On the TWDB application: Assistant City Manager Chris Sharp told the council staff and consultants are finalizing maps and cost estimates and "we can apply for up to $21,000,000" from available TWDB funds and planned to submit the application the following week. Council voted to adopt Resolution No. 2608 authorizing the application; the motion carried 5–0.
"We can apply for up to $21,000,000 of that," Chris Sharp said, describing a slate of potential water-system projects including looped lines, cast-iron pipe replacements and connections to improve system resiliency.
Zoning and land-use: Community Development Director Cody Nolan explained the proposed future-land-use map amendment for a portion of a 259-acre property at 501 Holly Hills Cemetery Road (tied to a private golf-course residential project). Nolan said staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval; council adopted Ordinance No. 26-38 to change the frontage designation from retail/office to low-density residential by a 5–0 vote.
Audit services: Deputy Finance Director Christy Allen told council the finance department received three proposals for external audit services and recommended Forvis Majors LLP based on an interactive audit platform, proposed hours (500), single-audit capacity and experience auditing governmental grants. Council voted 5–0 to select Forvis under the RFP and authorized the city manager to sign contract documents.
Employee insurance: During the City of Granbury Employee Benefits Trust meeting that immediately followed the council session, staff recommended renewing the city’s employee medical and group-life coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Staff reported a 2.98% decrease in the medical-rate proposal and an estimated total medical cost (depending on participation) of about $2,396,343. The trust approved the renewal.
Other measures: The council accepted the 2026 Charter Review Commission report (no recommended amendments), appointed Jerry Morgan to the Building Standards/Plumbing Adjustments & Appeals Board by acclamation, and nominated Steve Reinke to the Hood Central Appraisal District board (Resolution No. 2609) for a term ending 12/31/2027. All recorded votes on July 7 were unanimous (5–0).
What to watch next: Staff said the TWDB grant application would be submitted next week; selection of the audit firm triggers contract execution and work to begin on the fiscal year audit; the HCAD will review nominations for the appraisal-district seat. The petition presented during citizen comments requesting a vote of no confidence in city leadership was filed with the city secretary but not acted on at the meeting.
