BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL HOLDS BUDGET WORKSHOP, APPROVES EARLIER START TO MORNING SCHOOL ZONE TIMES

  

Brenham City Councilmembers met on Monday to go through the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year and vote on shifting the effective time for school zone speed limits in the morning.

A priority of the 2025-26 budget is public safety, as the city plans to add three firefighters and a deputy fire marshal to coincide with the expected opening of the fire department’s second station in the spring of 2026. 

The budget also accounts for additional software and training expenses for the police department, as well as a 3 percent step increase for all full-time public safety personnel.  General government positions, or all full-time non-public safety employees, are slated to receive a 2.5 percent step increase.

Additionally, following council discussion in June about the city’s five-year capital plan, the budget makes plans for the issuance of new certificates of obligation next year to fund the purchase of two fire trucks, remodel the existing fire station and perform street reconstruction.  Work will continue on projects to expand the water treatment plant and add groundwater wells.

Certified property values are expected to be released by the end of this week, which will be used to calculate the new property tax rate.  The current budget proposal is based on the tax rate remaining the same as last year, at $0.4584 per $100 valuation. 

Chief Financial Officer Julie Flagg said the council plans to propose a tax rate at its August 7^th meeting, and the proposed budget should be filed with the city secretary that week.  A public hearing for the budget will take place at the council’s September 4^th meeting.

In the lone item up for a vote on Monday, the council approved a modification to the morning school zone times, moving them up from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 – 8:15 a.m.  City of Brenham Public Works Director Dane Rau said Brenham ISD reached out to the city about adjusting the zones to better align with schedules for school bells and buses that have changed over time.  

The plan is to amend the times on city signs by the start of the new school year, and Rau said the city will coordinate with TxDOT to reprogram the school zone beacons on TxDOT roadways.  The afternoon school zone window of 2:45 to 4 p.m. is not changing. 

Click here to view the agenda packet for Monday's meeting.