Work Session Notes - November 17, 2025
But I'll go right back where the bullets fly, And follow the cow trail till the day I die
During tonight’s Work Session, your City Council will discuss our Council Policies, a memorial for Roxann Reyes at the West Garland Branch Library site, and the use of eminent domain for an electric substation.
My comments are in bold italics, and I welcome your feedback and comments.
WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS
CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA
WRITTEN BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a written Briefing.
1. Parking Restrictions on Marquis Drive
Council is requested to consider parking restrictions by the adjacent business to ensure safe entry onto Marquis Drive. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the December 2, 2025 Regular Meeting.
GDMI, Inc. has asked that we restrict parking along the northern side of Marquis Drive to prevent 18-wheelers from parking along the street which has been made getting in and out of driveways difficult for staff.
(A view of the restricted parking area.)
2. Crossing Extension Agreement with the Kansas City Southern Railway Company for New Sidewalk Improvements
Council is requested to consider whether to enter into an agreement with the Kansas City Southern Railway Company (CPKC) for the reconstruction of an at-grade rail crossing on West Walnut Street. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the December 2, 2025 Regular Meeting.
The City of Garland plans to construct approximately 1.5 miles of new sidewalks along sections of Mars Drive, W. Walnut Street, and N. First Street to improve pedestrian access to DART’s Downtown Garland Station. This will replace the “cow paths” that have been made by pedestrians.
As part of this project, an at-grade rail crossing on W. Walnut Street between First and Fourth Streets must be upgraded to connect the new sidewalks. CPKC will furnish the labor and materials needed to rehabilitate the existing rail crossing and extend the crossing surface to meet the City’s improvements. The railroad estimates its construction cost at $378,411.00, and the City will be responsible for paying 100% of CPKC’s actual costs, including labor, equipment, materials, asphalt approaches, pavement markings, shipping, handling, and standard additives.
3. Bond Refunding - Electric Utility System Commercial Paper Notes
Council is requested to consider refunding commercial paper notes into long-term electric revenue bonds. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the December 2, 2025 Regular Meeting.
Approving this item would authorize issuing up to $150 million in Electric Utility Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2026. The purpose of the bond issuance is to replace a portion of the Electric Utility’s variable-rate commercial paper—currently used as short-term financing for capital projects—with fixed-rate long-term debt, and to refund $24.6 million of the callable Series 2016B Electric Utility Revenue Bonds for potential savings. Of the Electric Utility’s $150 million commercial paper capacity, $104.8 million is currently outstanding. The new Refunding Bonds will be structured over a 30-year amortization period, with the final debt service amounts and interest rates to be determined at pricing.
4. Investment Portfolio Report
The Quarterly Investment Portfolio Report is being presented to City Council for review.
The 3D pie charts have returned this time with the 0.13% Demand Deposits that can barely be seen. I am still pushing to present the data in a more easily-read format.
VERBAL BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a verbal briefing.
5. Council Discussion Regarding Council Policies
Council will discuss proposed amendments to the 2025 Council Policies and give direction to the City Attorney in regards to incorporating any agreed-upon changes into current policies.
Presenter: Brian England, City Attorney
Annually the City Council reviews its Council Policy document which provides guidelines on the way we conduct business. We are reviewing the policies now, but the Council can amend its policies at any time through a simple majority vote.
6. Discussion Regarding a Memorial Honoring Roxanne Reyes
This item will be a discussion on memorializing Roxanne Reyes at a site between the City’s two recently constructed facilities, West Garland Library and Hollabaugh Recreation Center. This item was submitted by Councilmember Dutton and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lucht.
Presenter: Councilmember Carissa Dutton
Roxann Reyes was a three-year-old who was kidnapped on November 3, 1987 from the Meadow Terrace Apartments which is now the location of Hollabaugh Recreation Center and the West Garland Library. Her body was found in Murphy on May 19, 1988. Garland Police Detective Gary Sweet took up Roxann’s cause, and after seven years of investigation, her killer was indicted in 2003.
7. Keen Creek Substation Project
This item will be a discussion on the status of the Keen Creek Substation Project, including land acquisition located generally along Shiloh Road between Forest Lane and Walnut Street and eminent domain authorization requirements.
Presenter: Scott Levine, First Assistant City Attorney
Due to growth of our electrical system, a new and larger substation is required to supplement two existing substations. The City Council will consider using its powers of eminent domain to acquire a property near the existing substation to relocate five transmission line terminals and to install two load serving transformers.
ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
A Councilmember, with a second by another member or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or of a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The City Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to sections 551.071 and 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate and discuss the following:
8. Personnel matters related to the performance, appointment, employment, evaluation, orduties of the Municipal Judges and the Office of the City Manager (551.074); and attorney/client matters related to the same (551.071)
ADJOURN
With the discussion of paving the “cow paths” that have formed from the lack of sidewalks around our Downtown DART station, here is “Following the Cow Trail” by cowboy-singer Don Edwards.