Gunter town hall reviews final tourist-fund financing and service-assessment plan; no votes due to lack of quorum

Consultants from P3 briefed the Gunter town hall on the final project and finance plans that will govern the city’s new tourist fund and related service-and-assessment provisions. Mayor opened the meeting and noted, “We do not have a quorum,” meaning councilors could discuss the agenda but could not adopt or approve items tonight.

Jordan Sawyer, identified as regional director for North Texas for P3, said P3 is contracted to administer the district and walked through the required service-and-assessment documents, saying the plan “sets out what costs can be paid for out of the assessments.” A consultant for the city explained the legal effect: “once the final plan is approved, this flow of funds is solidified but it doesn't actually obligate anything to the developer,” meaning a later TERS agreement would create contractual obligations to a developer if conditions are met.

Staff tied the service-and-assessment plan to Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code, which governs what improvements can be paid for by assessments and requires that assessed benefits equal or exceed the amount levied. Staff said the next formal steps would be a council resolution to call a public hearing on the proposed assessments, followed by that hearing and any bond or financing actions if the council later votes to proceed. Because there was no quorum, the council did not and could not take votes tonight; staff will return with materials needed for an advertised public hearing.