The most ceremonially significant action of the night is the canvass of the May 2 general election and the swearing-in of Wright (Place 3), Smith (Place 4), and Crummel (Place 5), all of whom won re-election by roughly 60/40 margins. Wright and Smith were both appointed in 2025 to fill vacancies; this election converts them to elected status. Council composition does not change.
Beyond the election formalities, the agenda is heavily oriented toward infrastructure and city governance. Items 7–11 are all infrastructure or planning items: a Comprehensive Plan scope expansion, a TxDOT Advance Funding Agreement for sidewalks and bike lanes on Meadow Place and Kings Gate, a Parker County interlocal for Precinct 4 road work, a West Oak water line upsizing grant, and a status report on Crown Road damage from Hudson Oaks' sewer installation. Items 12 and 13 add a police salary study and the return of the Squaw Creek Road project, brought back by Councilmember Contreras after a resident petition halted financing in February.
Item 14 is the Home Rule Charter next steps, with a likely path toward a November 2026 ballot election. Item 15 is a discussion-only item from Councilmember Gilliland on federal grant funding for ICE certification of Willow Park Police officers. Behind closed doors, five executive session items include the recurring Fort Worth/Aledo and Halff lawsuits, the Police Chief position (Chief Lacy was removed at the April 29 meeting), the City Manager selection, and a governance and compliance consultation covering city resources, intellectual property, the Texas Public Information Act, attorney-client privilege, and the scope of executive authority.
The consent agenda includes the minutes of the April 28/29 meeting. The April 28 meeting was recessed at opening by unanimous vote due to severe weather and reconvened the following evening, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. These are the minutes being approved tonight.
Clearion PD/CL Rezoning — Ordinance 939-26 (5-0). Developer Brian Holland of Skorburg Development Company presented. Resident Gene Martin spoke against the density; resident Bill Green spoke in favor. Motion by Crummel, seconded by Contreras.
Bar-Ko Commercial Rezoning — Ordinance 940-26 (5-0). No public opposition. Motion by Smith, seconded by Wright.
Havins LR Local Retail Rezoning — Ordinance 941-26 (5-0). The third zoning attempt for the 6603 East Bankhead Highway corner lot. No public opposition.
Trinity Christian Academy Digital Sign SUP — Approved (5-0). No public opposition.
ETJ Map Update — Ordinance 942-26 (5-0). The annual ETJ map adoption.
The April 29 staff list reflects a change in legal counsel. City Attorneys Fritz Quast and Aliecion Cotton are listed for this meeting in the staff section of the minutes. Andy Messer served in the City Attorney role at prior 2026 meetings. The transition was not a separately agendized item, so the public reasoning for the change is not on the record. We will update if more becomes available.
Following executive session, Council voted 5-0 to remove Police Chief Ray Lacy "due to lack of confidence, effective immediately." The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Crummel and seconded by Councilmember Eric Contreras. This action follows multiple executive session discussions of the Police Chief position across recent meetings. Police Commander Quincy Hamilton has been the visible police representative at council meetings and is again listed as a presenter on the May 12 agenda (Item 13 was originally scheduled but reframed as Item 13 for Squaw Creek; Hamilton remains on the speaker rotation for police-related items). The Police Chief position is on May 12's executive session as Item 18.
The Republic Waste rate change was discussed at length. Communications Officer Rose Hoffman, filling in for Interim City Manager Michelle Guelker, reported multiple resident complaints about the impending increase. Per the April 29 minutes, the change was from $19.08 to $25.12 per month, the full jump under the new cart-based contract beginning May 1. Council approved the rate change ordinance and directed staff to work with the other five cities in the joint agreement to attempt to renegotiate the contract.
Municipal Court Judge contract renewed (5-0) for two years at $1,550 per month. I-20 south service road water line loop project approved unanimously (Crummel/Smith). Future agenda items flagged by Mayor Palmer at meeting close: Crown Road repair (now appearing as May 12 Item 11) and city street re-paving via Parker County (now May 12 Item 9).
CPA Jake Weber will present the city's financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025-2026, covering October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026.
| Fund | Revenue (Actual) | Expense (Actual) | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | $3,841,265 | $2,588,536 | +$1,252,729 |
| Water Fund | $2,090,683 | $2,465,714 | −$375,031 |
| Wastewater Fund | $1,041,499 | $1,250,939 | −$209,440 |
The General Fund is performing well. At the halfway point of the fiscal year, the city has collected 69% of its annual revenue budget ($5.57M budgeted, $3.84M collected) but spent only 46% of its expense budget ($5.58M budgeted, $2.59M spent). That produces a healthy $1.25M positive net — a $330K improvement over the same period last year (+$922K). Development and permit fees are notably up $103K year-over-year, reflecting the city's active growth pace.
The Water and Wastewater funds are running negative for the half-year, which is typical for utility funds carrying significant capital debt service. The wastewater fund operating cash dropped substantially — from $661K to $59K at March 31 — reflecting large capital outflows tied to the new wastewater treatment plant construction. The plant is the primary driver of the $9.3M in wastewater fund balances being predominantly committed to capital rather than liquid operating cash. Total city cash across all funds stands at $19.37M, down from $21.15M at December 31, 2025.
The Road Construction Fund dropped from $222K (12/31/25) to $26K (3/31/26), reflecting active spending on street projects. The TIRZ Reimbursement Fund dropped from $224K to $2K in the same period, indicating a TIRZ payment was made. The First Responder Fund declined from $104K to $86K. Tourism receipts grew from $593K to $654K.
Item 4 — Canvass of May 2, 2026 General Election (Resolution 2026-24). Under Texas Election Code §67.002, the governing body of a political subdivision must canvass the returns of an election no later than the 11th day after election day. The canvass is a formal review and certification of the voting returns provided by Parker County Elections, the elections authority. Council will adopt Resolution 2026-24 declaring the official results.
| Place | Candidate | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place 3 | Buddy Wright (Incumbent) | 578 (59.9%) | Elected |
| Place 3 | Gary Houston Wingard | 388 (40.1%) | — |
| Place 4 | Scott Smith (Incumbent) | 589 (61.0%) | Elected |
| Place 4 | Roy Kurban | 377 (39.0%) | — |
| Place 5 | Nathan Crummel (Incumbent) | 597 (61.9%) | Elected |
| Place 5 | Marcy Galle | 368 (38.1%) | — |
Source: Parker County Elections, May 2, 2026. Unofficial results pending canvass.
All three incumbents won by comfortable margins — roughly 60/40 in each race. Total votes cast across the three races: approximately 2,897 ballots (as race totals; some voters may have cast ballots in multiple races). No runoffs are needed since all winners exceeded 50%. Wright, Smith, and Crummel begin new two-year terms through May 2028. Wright was previously appointed in September 2025 to fill the Place 3 vacancy; Smith was appointed in August 2025 to fill the Place 4 vacancy. This election converts both to elected status.
Item 5 — Oath of Office. City Secretary Deana McMullen will administer the oath of office to Wright, Smith, and Crummel under Article XVI, Section 1 of the Texas Constitution and §22.034 of the Texas Local Government Code. The oath requires each official to swear to faithfully execute the duties of the office and to preserve, protect, and defend the constitutions of the United States and Texas.
Item 6 — Appointment of Mayor Pro Tem. Following the swearing-in, Council will appoint a Mayor Pro Tem for the next year. Nathan Crummel has served in the role and was the mover behind the Police Chief removal at the April 29 meeting. His re-appointment is the likely outcome but is not guaranteed — any council member may be nominated by motion.
Willow Park's current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2014. Council approved a contract with Jacob & Martin in November 2025 to update it. Mayor Palmer is now requesting that Council expand the scope of that update to require public hearings as part of the process, and to receive a status update on all capital improvement plans.
Under Texas Local Government Code §213.004, a municipality must hold at least one public hearing before adopting or amending a comprehensive plan, so requiring public hearings is consistent with state law and best practice. Expanding the process to include broader public input — beyond the single statutory minimum — is a policy choice Council can make by scope amendment to the existing contract. A CIP status update is a separate administrative action: staff would compile a summary of all active and planned capital projects, their funding status, and timelines for Council review.
Whether Council authorizes an expanded public hearing process, accepts the single statutory minimum, or tables the scope change pending Jacob & Martin input on cost implications. The CIP status request is essentially uncontroversial.
| Project | Sidewalks and bicycle lanes on Meadow Place Drive and Kings Gate Drive |
| Total Budget | $694,000 (estimate) |
| Local Match | $130,000 (committed by Council on March 24) |
| TxDOT Share | Approximately $564,000 via Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) |
At the March 24 meeting, Council committed a $130,000 local match to a $694,000 project to add sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian features to Meadow Place Drive and Kings Gate Drive. This item formalizes the funding relationship through a TxDOT Advance Funding Agreement (AFA), the standard contract mechanism through which TxDOT disburses Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) or similar federal-aid grant funds to local entities.
Meadow Place Drive and Kings Gate Drive are two of the primary internal residential streets in Willow Park's western neighborhoods, running roughly north-south and connecting Crown Road to the northern portions of the city. The Kingsgate speeding data reported at the April 29 meeting — 10 of 15 vehicles speeding, one clocked at 81 mph — is directly relevant context: adding defined bike lanes and sidewalk improvements addresses pedestrian safety on a corridor with a documented speeding problem.
Whether the $130K local match has been confirmed as budgeted in the current fiscal year or will require a budget amendment.
Mayor Palmer is bringing a proposal to renew Willow Park's interlocal agreement with Parker County for road improvements in Precinct 4, and to authorize funding from general fund reserves to participate. Interlocal agreements between Texas cities and counties for joint road work are authorized under the Texas Interlocal Cooperation Act (Government Code Chapter 791) and are a common mechanism for stretching local infrastructure dollars.
This item follows two threads from the April 14 meeting: (1) Parker County Judge Pat Deen and Director of Strategic Projects Bryan Grimes (the former Willow Park City Manager) presented a prospective transportation bond and asked Willow Park to update its Thoroughfare Plan; and (2) Mayor Palmer noted at the April 29 meeting close that she wants to discuss city street re-paving using the County. This item is the formal action that follows.
Parker County Precinct 4 covers the area surrounding Willow Park. The County has historically maintained Bankhead Highway under a claim by prescription (long-established use), as Grimes noted at the April 14 meeting. A renewed interlocal could cover a variety of roads, potentially including neighborhood streets, county-maintained farm-to-market connectors, or Bankhead itself. The packet does not specify the scope or dollar amount.
The specific roads and dollar amount, which will likely be presented verbally at the meeting. With general fund reserves as the funding source, the question is how much reserve capacity will be used and whether the reserves remain above the city's stated target after the expenditure.
This item authorizes a grant related to upsizing — increasing the diameter of — water lines on West Oak. Water line upsizing is a common utility improvement that replaces smaller-diameter distribution pipes with larger ones to increase flow capacity, improve fire flow at hydrants, and accommodate growth.
The grant source is not named in the agenda. Possible sources for water line projects in Texas include the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program, or federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds passed through the Texas General Land Office. The city has an existing relationship with TWDB, having used it for the Fort Worth water supply line. A grant resolution typically authorizes the Mayor to execute the grant agreement and commits the city to any required local match and reporting obligations.
The grant source, total project cost, and any required local match. The packet does not specify any of these.
Crown Road runs along the boundary between Willow Park and Hudson Oaks in the western part of the city and has been the subject of construction activity related to Hudson Oaks' sewer infrastructure. Mayor Palmer flagged the road's condition as a future agenda item at the April 29 meeting close, and it now appears here as a status report.
The issue: Hudson Oaks installed a sewer line that required trenching in or along Crown Road, leaving the surface in degraded condition. Responsibility for restoration typically falls on the entity that performed the excavation under a standard utility agreement or interlocal understanding, though the terms of any existing agreement between the cities govern. This item is listed as a status report, not an action item, so Council is likely receiving an update from staff on the repair timeline, responsibility, and any negotiations with Hudson Oaks over restoration costs or schedule.
Council is being asked to authorize a salary study for Police Department personnel. Police Chief Lacy was removed at the April 29 meeting; there is no permanent replacement on the May 12 agenda. A salary study would survey comparable law enforcement compensation in similar-sized Texas municipalities and evaluate whether Willow Park's current pay scales are competitive for recruitment and retention.
Police salary competitiveness is a recurring issue for small Texas cities that compete against larger, better-funded departments for certified officers. A salary study is a standard first step before proposing compensation adjustments in the budget process. Studies are typically conducted by a human resources consulting firm or city staff and do not commit to any pay changes — they inform budget deliberations. Authorization here likely means approving the expenditure of funds for an outside consultant.
| Estimated Cost | Approximately $10 million ($3.56M water + $6.35M streets, Nov. 2025 estimate) |
| Engineer | Jacob & Martin, LLC (PSA approved March 11, 2025) |
| Status | Council dropped the proposed certificates of obligation in February 2026 after a citizen petition |
Squaw Creek Road is a north-south artery in the older western portion of Willow Park serving the Squaw Creek Estates neighborhood, with connecting side streets (Yucca, Mesa, Cactus Road, Cactus Court, and Verde). The road and its associated water lines have been described as among the worst in the city for decades. The infrastructure includes approximately 6,180 feet of eight-inch water line replacement and a full street reconstruction estimated at approximately $10 million total ($3.56M water and $6.35M streets per the November 2025 figures), with a recommendation for concrete rather than asphalt.
The project was approved and under engineering design beginning in March 2025 with Jacob & Martin. In February 2026, residents circulated a petition under Texas Local Government Code §271.049 requesting that the proposed certificates of obligation be put to a public vote. The petition gathered just over 300 signatures, meeting the statutory threshold to trigger the statute. Under §271.049, a city presented with such a petition has two options: call a bond election on the COs, or abandon the CO issuance. Council chose to drop the COs rather than call an election.
Councilmember Contreras's "bring back" framing reflects ongoing council interest in advancing the project; previous council votes on Squaw Creek-related items had been unanimous.
The city's existing debt service drops by almost $500,000 in FY 2026-27, creating fiscal space to take on Squaw Creek debt with minimal tax impact if structured properly. Financing options include: Certificates of Obligation (no voter approval required, but subject to petition again); General Obligation Bonds (require voter approval at an election); or a phased approach. Hilltop Securities' Erick Macha, who presented financing options in November 2025, indicated a 20-year CO structure issued in early 2026 would have a first debt service payment in FY 2027.
How Council proposes to proceed given the petition experience: another CO issuance (which can be petitioned again), a bond election (which requires voter approval), or a grant-funded approach. Contreras's framing as "bring back" the project suggests a discussion of options rather than an immediate commitment to a specific financing path.
The Home Rule Charter Commission, appointed by Mayor Palmer in August 2025, spent approximately five months drafting a proposed city charter. The commission was chaired by Gene Martin, a former council member, and included ten members recognized at the April 14 meeting. The charter was submitted to Council in early 2026, and Council tabled calling a May 2026 election after requesting additional legal review.
Under Texas Local Government Code §9.004, a general law city may incorporate as a home rule city by (1) adopting a home rule charter at an election, and (2) having a population of 5,000 or more. Willow Park's population exceeds the 5,000 threshold. The city has the option to call a charter election at any general election date under the Texas Election Code, including the November 2026 uniform election date. Council's action tonight is likely to either set a path toward a November 2026 election or define what additional legal review is needed before that decision can be made.
A home rule charter would give Willow Park broader self-governance authority than it currently has under Texas general law. Key potential differences include: the mayor may be granted voting rights and potentially veto power depending on the charter structure; citizens may gain the ability to initiate recall elections; term limits may be established; and the city may act on any matter not specifically prohibited by state law, rather than being limited to enumerated general law powers. The specific provisions are determined by the proposed charter document itself.
Whether the legal concerns cited when Council tabled the May ballot vote in February have been resolved sufficiently for a November 2026 election to be called, or whether further drafting by the commission is needed. The legal concerns have not been publicly detailed.
Councilmember Gilliland is raising the possibility of applying for federal reimbursement funding to enable Willow Park Police officers to become certified through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The specific program is likely the 287(g) Program under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows ICE to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies to perform certain immigration enforcement functions. Alternatively, the reference may be to the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which reimburses localities for costs of incarcerating undocumented individuals convicted of crimes.
This is a discussion-only item; no action or vote is anticipated. The discussion will likely address what the specific grant program is, eligibility requirements, what ICE certification entails for officers operationally, any associated federal conditions, and whether there is Council appetite to direct staff to prepare a formal application.
Council will recess into closed session under Texas Government Code Chapter 551 to discuss the following five items. Any action taken after reconvening must occur in open session.
This executive session item appeared on the February 10, 2026 agenda and was tabled at that meeting with the intent to take it up at the March 24 meeting. It did not appear on the March 24 agenda. It returns tonight. The agenda language describes a consultation with legal counsel under §551.071 regarding "potential claims, legal duties, and exposure" relating to:
— Use of city resources
— Handling of city intellectual property and logos
— Texas Public Information Act compliance
— Participation of non-official persons in closed meetings
— Protection of attorney-client privileged communications
— The scope of executive authority under applicable Texas law
Each is a distinct legal topic. Grouping them under a single §551.071 consultation indicates the City Attorney is briefing Council on a related set of compliance questions. The agenda does not state which specific facts triggered the consultation. Action, if any, would have to occur in open session after Council reconvenes.
The meeting closes with City Manager comments, Council and Mayor comments, items of community interest, and future agenda items. Community Interest notes the Willow Spark July 4 event at The District of Willow Park, with more details forthcoming. Future Agenda Items is the procedural mechanism by which Council members or the Mayor can request items be added to upcoming meeting agendas.
