KYLE — At the Aug. 15 Kyle City Council meeting, members covered numerous topics with relevant discussions.
Proclamations
Council delayed a proclamation honoring Sandra Tenorio — former Kyle mayor and resident who died on July 30 — as the family requested more time to be present at the meeting when it is read. Tenorio was a pillar and respected member of the community who will be missed by many.
Mayor Travis Mitchell read a proclamation that honored the Kyle Fire Department for its outstanding work in responding to the constant fires that have been occurring, specifically the Oak Grove Fire that sent many residents into panic.
“[KFD] responded to the Oak Grove Fire in the San Marcos area that consumed approximately 400 acres, including one structure, with no lives lost,” read the proclamation. “Be it proclaimed that the city council does hereby recognize and commend the first responders and regional organizations for their extraordinary work.”
Receiving a standing ovation, the firefighters stood proudly, soaking in the support and gratitude from the residents they try so hard to protect.
Lease agreement between the city and the volunteer fire department
Previously, a partnership between the city of Kyle, Hays County Emergency Services District 5 and Hays CISD was formed to construct Kyle Fire Department Station No. 2. The agreement stated that the city would pay for construction, the school district would donate land and the fire department would own and maintain the building under a lease. The lease agreement also originally stated that the city of Kyle would own a room in the building. Now, to accommodate growth, the fire department asked for the lease to be amended to allow it to utilize and remodel it to fit its needs. The item passed 7-0.
Discussion on the Arts and Cultural Commission
Council began discussions of the potential removal of “cultural” from the Arts and Cultural Commission more than a month ago, but community members voiced their opinions and council member Miguel Zuniga listened.
“I wanted to share a few things that I learned in talking to many people that were on the arts and cultural board. The reason the feeling is felt very strongly to keep the ‘cultural’ in the arts commission is because they really went above and beyond to give the city an entirely better experience and understanding of culture and history,” he said. “When they did Asian American Cultural Day, the Arts and Cultural Commission went out to the community [and] talked to restaurants to provide types of foods to bring to the library, so that the Asian American Cultural Day would be that much more [enriched] in food and in history … That’s the cultural part. That's what they bring.”
All of the council members clarified that cultural events are not being removed from the city, the city is just switching its facilitators, with Mitchell stating that the word “cultural” is not the issue; it’s the use of the budget — that there needs to be more clarity in expectations and goals.
In the end, the name stayed, with council approving amendments to all other commissions with the exception of those that relate to removing “cultural” from the Arts and Cultural Commission.
Election Day
Council approved an ordinance that ordered a general election on Nov. 7, 2023, for mayor and council districts two and four for three-year terms.
Ordinances relating to the regulations of public areas
At the Aug. 1 meeting, staff was directed to close loopholes that allow panhandling, camping and solicitation. Director of Planning Will Atkinson described Kyle’s ordinances as “more robust than the city of Austin’s;” however, council members questioned the potential removal of individuals on sidewalks, particularly one individual that they had seen with drums over the weekend. When asked, Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett stated that because the individual was not technically blocking any paths, they were not in any violation. For KPD to remove them, the city would have to add language that covered all aspects to the ordinance.
Barnett also explained the options that KPD goes through when conversing with individuals who ask for money on the corners, such as offering rides to shelters, food vouchers, hotel vouchers or a phone to call family.
“What we don’t do is force them [to leave] if they are not endangering themselves and they are not otherwise wanted or [there is not] a need to remove them,” said Barnett. “If they’re of sound mind and they’re making those actions free of choice, then obviously we don’t take their liberty away from them to make those choices.”
Ultimately, the council chose to add legal language for activities concerning soliciting by advertising any form of payment, including electronic payment.
Creating North, South, East and West districts in Kyle
Zuniga brought forth this item in light of code issues and the increasing number of emergencies occurring, such as the recent Oak Grove Fire. By dividing Kyle into four directional districts, he believes that this could lessen response times and provide a clearer understanding of where a resident is if they do not know their street name, but they might know what district they’re in instead.
“With the last wildfire emergencies, when the announcements come out from the city side, we have the advertising that says, ‘Wildfire, home in danger’ or, ‘Acres in danger’ and all of a sudden everyone goes into a panic,” said Zuniga. “‘Is it going to be my house? Is it in my neighborhood?’ But if we had a bit more specificity that says, ‘Fire Northwest Kyle,’ [they would know that] if you’re Northeast, you're safe for now. So, this is really just to get us to start thinking at that higher level as we're growing.”
Barnett provided that the dispatchers are trained to ask multiple questions along with using GPS to pinpoint locations of callers, but that if the new language is adopted, the stations will use it.
Council member Michael Tobias was in favor of the item and stated that it could also help to identify locations of projects and if the city wants to focus on a specific district when discussing developments. However, Atkinson said that the terminology could cause things to get “murky” for items like the masterplan.
The council directed staff to look into more information about creating districts and the benefits it could have.
Kyle City Council will hold its next meeting on Sept. 5.
