Min 11/19/2024 City of Wichita Falls ,
City Council Meeting
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Item 1 - Call to Order
The City Council of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, met in a regular session at 8:30 a.m.
on the above date in the Seminar Room at the MPEC with the following members present.
Tim Short - Mayor
Bobby Whiteley - Mayor Pro Tem/At-Large
Larry Nelson - District 2
Jeff Browning - District 3
Mike Battaglino - District 4
Tom Taylor - District 5
James McKechnie - Interim City Manager
Kinley Hegglund - City Attorney
Marie Balthrop - City Clerk
Absent: Michael Smith, Councilor District 1
Mayor Short called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
Item 2a — Invocation
Dr. Samuel Abbott, Hospice of Wichita Falls/Kingdom Life International, gave the
invocation.
Item 2b — Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Short led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Item 3 — Comments from Citizens
8:34 a.m.
Al Vitolo, 5408 Blazing Star, thanked the City Clerk and her staff for their work during the
election and thanked the citizens of Wichita Falls for their support. He also thanked
Councilor Nelson, Councilor Smith, and Councilor Whiteley for their service and positivity.
Mike Mitchell, 1805 10th Street, Chair of the Revitalization Committee, said they had a
wonderful turnout for the block party on November 9th and he encouraged everyone to
visit Bridwell Park to see the improvements. He thanked Terry Floyd, Fabian Medellin,
and Christal Cates with the Development Services Department for their work and the
members of the Council who attended.
Item 4 — Ordinance 63-2024
8:37 a.m.
Ordinance canvassing the returns of the General and Special Municipal Election held in
the City of Wichita Falls, Texas on November 5, 2024.
Marie Balthrop, City Clerk, read the following cumulative totals from the canvassing
report:
Councilor At-large:
Sam Pak received 9,966 votes
Larry Nelson received 5,607 votes
Austin Cobb received 9,806 votes
Councilor District 1 :
Whitney Flack received 5,443 votes
Write in: Oscar Verduzco received 42 votes
Councilor District 2:
Robert W. Brooks received 1 ,800 votes
Naomi Barron received 1 ,162 votes
Proposition No. 1 . Yes 21 ,653
No 7,191
Proposition No. 2. Yes 21 ,778
No 5,658
Proposition No 3. Yes 18,541
No 9,055
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November 19, 2024
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Proposition No. 4. Yes 17,118
No 10,305
Proposition No. 5. Yes 16,516
No 10,570
No one candidate received the majority of the votes for Councilor At-Large and a runoff
will be called for this position.
It was declared that Whitney Flack was elected as Councilor District 1 , Robert W. Brooks
was elected as Councilor District 2, and Propositions 1-5 passed.
Moved by Councilor Whiteley to approve Ordinance 63-2024 with the numbers as read
by the City Clerk.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Browning and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Browning, Nelson, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 5 — Administration of Official Oath to Newly Elected Council Members
8:41 a.m.
Marie Balthrop, City Clerk, administered the Oath of Office to newly elected Councilors
Whitney Flack and Robert W. Brooks.
Item 6 — Recess
8:45 a.m.
Mayor Short recessed the meeting for a short reception to welcome incoming council
members and to thank Councilor Nelson for his service. Newly elected council members
Whitney Flack and Robert Brooks were seated after the recess.
Item 7-8 — Consent Items
9:08 a.m.
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November 19, 2024
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James McKechnie, Interim City Manager, gave a briefing on the items listed under the
Consent Agenda.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve the consent agenda.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Battaglino and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 7—Approval of Minutes of the November 5, 2024, Regular Meeting of the Mayor
and City Council
Item 8 — Receive Minutes
(a) MPO - TAC, July 11 , 2024
(b) Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health Board, September 13, 2024
(c) Public Safety Assessment Committee, September 26, 2024
Item 9a — Ordinance 64-2024
9:09 a.m.
Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, calling a Municipal
Runoff Election to be held on December 14, 2024, for the purpose of electing a Councilor
At-Large; providing for Early Voting, for the Notice of Election, and for other matters
related to the election.
Marie Balthrop, City Clerk, presented the following numbers for the percentage of votes
for each candidate for Councilor At-Large:
Sam Pak— 39.27%
Larry Nelson — 22.09%
Austin Cobb — 38.64%
Since no one candidate received a majority of votes, a runoff election between the top
two candidates must be held.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Ordinance 64-2024 with the percentages
presented by the City Clerk.
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November 19, 2024
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The motion was seconded by Councilor Whiteley and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 10a — Resolution 149-2024
9:11 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute contracts with several community
service organizations and organizations that promote the convention and tourism
industry.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Resolution 149-2024.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Battaglino and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 10b— Resolution 150-2024
9:13 a.m.
Resolution adopting the addition to the City's Social Media Sites and Services Policy to
include the prohibition of the installation or use of the social media application, TikTok, on
any city-owned or leased electronic device.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Resolution 150-2024.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Battaglino and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 10c — Resolution 151-2024
9:15 a.m.
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Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Advance Funding Agreement
(AFA) with Texas Department of Transportation for the construction of a Hike & Bike Trail
Camp Fire Property to Lucy Park with an estimated local participation of $685,689.00.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Resolution 151-2024.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Whiteley.
Russell Schreiber, Director of Public Works stated that this Resolution was previously
approved, and discussed the changes the Texas Department of Transportation has
requested. This Resolution replaces Resolution 103-2024.
The motion was carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 10d — Resolution 152-2024
9:18 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the award of a sole source rehabilitation of a Belt Filter Press at
the Wichita Falls Resource Recovery Facility, to Andritz Separation Technologies Inc., in
the amount of $348,851 .00.
Moved by Councilor Battaglino to approve Resolution 152-2024.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Whiteley and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 10e — Resolution 153-2024
9:20 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the City Manager or his designee to make application for a grant
from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA), FY 2025 Request for
Application — SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant in the amount up to $108,000.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Resolution 153-2024.
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The motion was seconded by Councilor Battaglino and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 11 — Announcements concerning items of community interest from members
of the City Council. No action will be taken or discussed.
9:23 a.m.
Councilor Flack thanked everyone for the opportunity and said she is looking forward to
it.
Councilor Whiteley welcomed Councilor Flack and Councilor Brooks. He thanked Chief
Borrego and the Police Department for their assistance with an issue he had a couple of
weeks ago. They were very professional and sympathetic to his wife, took care of the
issue, and did an outstanding job.
Councilor Browning welcomed Councilor Flack and Councilor Brooks, and thanked
Councilor Nelson for his service.
Councilor Battaglino welcomed the new Council members. He thanked everyone that
attended the Veterans Memorial Plaza on Veteran's Day, and encouraged everyone to
sign up for the Chamber of Commerce newsletter to keep up with community events.
Councilor Taylor wished Godspeed to Councilor Nelson. He welcomed the new
Councilors and encouraged them to call on staff as they are very happy to help. He
discussed the new equipment for water treatment, the cost to treat water, and encouraged
taxpayers to understand the cost to run a city. He asked for all citizens and specifically in
District 5 to contact him with any suggestions they have.
Mayor Short congratulated and welcomed the two new Councilors. He recognized Larry
Nelson and thanked him for his service. He enjoyed working with him and said Larry
knows more things about more things than anybody he has ever met. When Larry said
he would follow up you could count on him, and his smile and humor will be missed. He
asked that God continue to bless Councilor Nelson and our city.
Item 12 — Executive Sessions
City Council adjourned into Executive Session at 9:29 a.m. in accordance with Texas
Government Code §551 .071 , §551 .072 and §551 .074.
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Mayor Short reconvened the meeting in open session at 11 :42 a.m. and announced that
no votes or polls were taken.
Item 13 — Resolution 154-2024
11 :42 a.m.
Resolution casting votes for individuals nominated for the Wichita Appraisal District Board
of Directors.
Moved by Councilor Browning to approve Resolution 154-2024 with 500 votes for Glenn
Barham, 265 votes for Austin Cooper, and 500 votes for Jeff Taylor.
The motion was seconded by Councilor Battaglino and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Short, Councilors Battaglino, Brooks, Browning, Flack, Taylor, and Whiteley.
Nays: None
Item 14— Adjourn
Mayor Short adjourned the meeting at 10:42 a.m.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 3rd day of December 2024.
Tim"Short, Mayor
ATTEST:
Marie Balthrop, TRM , MMC
City Clerk
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November 19, 2024
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