[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6555051,"mediaKeyId","3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e","parentId",3859319,"title","Denton municipal electric asks council to allow study of buying or building dispatchable generation; council seeks public input","audioSeconds",561,"startMs",8241000,"endMs",8802000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e&start=8241&end=8802","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e/thumbnail_8241000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6555051/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/Denton-municipal-electric-asks-council-to-allow-study-of-buying-or-building-dispatchable-generation-council-seeks-public-input","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555051-3f9e61f0a3d6309bc5a68d2ca8054fa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168374&Signature=jorXKTYkEXnGQeznfWYjLcxTS8Tj1HMaAoCMbWX4wDFDjXQbd8bMu-AUdscI20jTxFmYbpHYVxu2n6CXCvkS9Y2Z1v9hRv3d9AuXYjCSowpDx0xEi4nFRvCGOWT7H8oVmipnyJ4Nmm0Sn3kzbKfAHSXhQqqH5RU-Z9D14gZVdw5bC~rw~M11-uYIJehLtSaN6CZ8R9FqISHVNJZNaQMWvtyvM3dieAIevSPT5kyHKBlZT6hDfLE1OEpGzh8RdlreKu4ifth-ZMpFWusR1a1MfTkt85rE~wppB3~Z0KstVu7coJmeOBdemWDcPzGqq5d9uy3EuEYAueH7Jzl4wwFkWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Denton","date","2025-06-17T00:00:00Z","article","Denton Municipal Electric (DME) on Tuesday asked the City Council for direction to research acquiring or building a dispatchable electric generation facility to shore up the city’s long‑term generation capacity.

Tony Fuentes, general manager for the municipal utility, said DME is short of dispatchable capacity and faces increasing peak demand. “Based on peak load, what we have today is 408 megawatts of peak load and 225 megawatts of dispatchable power,” Fuentes said. He told council staff estimates show the city could be roughly 183 MW short in the near term and as much as several hundred megawatts short over the next decade if native load and growth materialize as expected.

Fuentes said DME’s operating experience — including Winter Storm Uri and the extreme prices in summer 2023 — shows that on certain scarcity days dispatchable thermal generation produced crucial margin and revenue. He told council sales and market dynamics have shifted and that a purchase or build of dispatchable generation should be studied as one component of a diversified strategy that also includes storage, demand response and renewables.

The staff presentation identified options ranging from acquiring an existing natural‑gas or coal/lignite plant and retrofitting it, to pursuing a new quick‑start gas facility or battery storage installations. Fuentes and DME staff warned that batteries today are relatively expensive for the multi‑hour emergency window the city needs and have limited economic life compared with thermal plants; he estimated a 2‑hour battery system can cost roughly as much as a 300‑MW thermal project but last only about 10 years, whereas a gas plant can last 30–50 years.

Fuentes also described the changing regulatory and federal funding environment, noting the new Texas Energy Fund incentives and recent federal policy shifts affecting carbon capture funding and EPA emission standards. He said those changes could alter the economics of coal retirement and repowering projects that had previously been uneconomic.

Council members pressed for more detail before deciding. Several members said they support exploring options but asked for a clearer analytical basis (an integrated resource plan, IRP) and for explicit public engagement before the council takes any action that would lock the city into a new fossil‑fuel facility. One council member said an IRP — a longer study that evaluates demand, resource mixes, storage and distributed resources — should be completed first; another asked for community meetings so the public could weigh trade‑offs between rates, reliability and emissions.

Public commenters made the split in the meeting explicit. Supporters of new dispatchable generation framed the issue as reliability for hospitals, dialysis centers and other critical customers; opponents warned of greater greenhouse‑gas emissions, financial risk from debt and stranded assets, and urged the council to prioritize batteries, community solar, efficiency and other distributed solutions. Ed Soph, a local sustainability advocate, said the Denton Energy Center’s emissions are a growing problem and urged a climate‑risk study before any second plant is considered: “A climate impact and risk management study must be done before considering a second deck,” he said.

Council consensus on direction: several members said they were comfortable directing staff to further study options — including a 300‑MW to 600‑MW range — but asked staff to run an IRP and to engage the public before returning with firm procurement or acquisition recommendations. Mayor Gerard Hudspeth summarized council sentiment as a request for more analysis and community engagement: the council will not approve a purchase or construction at this meeting; it authorized staff to investigate potential targets and return with a detailed evaluation and public input plan.

Next steps: DME will prepare further studies (an IRP and a market/value analysis) and a public engagement plan. Staff estimated the study and public process could take 18–24 months. If council later chooses to proceed with acquisition or build, any purchase or contract would return for a formal council approval and would be presented with financing and environmental analyses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Denton - City Council on 2025-06-17 2:00 PM - Jun 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Denton Municipal Electric asked council Tuesday to allow staff to explore acquiring or building dispatchable generation to fill a projected shortfall in dispatchable capacity; council members asked for an integrated resource plan and public engagement before any commitment.","taxTitle","Denton City, Denton County, Texas","taxId",2787,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6555055,"Denton officials unveil $7.1M in proposed cuts as city seeks to close $14M budget gap",720,3600000,4320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e&start=3600&end=4320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6555055/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/Denton-officials-unveil-71M-in-proposed-cuts-as-city-seeks-to-close-14M-budget-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555055-c7da0739f154146be512f70a771cc39f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168374&Signature=ON-UlG6PlrhJ0ufV5z-MzAt0htGvFia2alicpRGEqebeGZvJ4-M1KskMclEaP9ph~U58zXMqwx8ZBCMAyonxmtcobPXhJ76DkVqASHmm8jR9FOMttYeIRW10O7JpSaePYrxiKjljFXG9XwJEtQyb1Q1lIh5ZBSpNYokOzgQkVuXqyShwwsSV0EOthSDMJvkv9L2BXvalWpaLL9eWHSpUYos4l6Itl9IBKeGRAOea-shnxjlAsA6Eq4LgtHHhKEbCdzoTQAfLh-Dz-hEHIuS-jZvHZ57PpbO8UCgDXNO9aizA5j3OyFSe2V5UEQFmxBiZA951GaweSXZzIMYJfem5~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Denton city staff presented a midyear budget update Tuesday that shows revenues slowing and a preliminary $14 million gap for the 2025–26 fiscal year, and proposed about $7.1 million in reductions that city managers say close roughly half that shortfall.

The city’s chief financial officer, Jessica Williams, told the City Council the city is forecasting slower growth in property valuations and weaker sales tax collections and that the council should expect a “structurally balanced budget” but one that requires continued cost control. \"We are right now projecting net income of $264,000 at the end of the year,\" Williams said.

Williams and Assistant City Manager Christine Taylor outlined the staff package of proposed reductions targeted at the general fund. The largest category is personnel: about $3 million from holding vacant positions through a managed-vacancy program. Other proposed savings include roughly $2 million from program efficiencies, about $1 million from reductions in contracted services and roughly $600,000 from equipment and supplies.

Taylor said the personnel savings rely entirely on positions already vacant. \"All of these represent existing vacancies,\" she said. She said the policy is intended to avoid layoffs and to prioritize filling frontline and public-safety positions as conditions improve.

Major programmatic cuts recommended in the packet include:
- Ending the ambassador pilot program on the downtown Square at the end of 2025 unless an alternative funding source is secured (staff noted hotel occupancy tax or a public improvement district could be options, but only if the program is narrowed and funded competitively). The staff estimate for the program’s general-fund cost was about $500,000 annually.
- Discontinuing the city-run after‑school program and coordinating with Denton Independent School District (DISD) to absorb participants; staff said DISD has capacity for most sites but that enrollment at one school (Rivera) may be low and the city would continue to offer space at the MLK Recreation Center if necessary. Staff estimated the city’s after‑school savings at roughly $200,000.
- Scaling back special-event support and in‑kind services (police, maintenance, public safety) and reducing the in‑kind program budget from $400,000 to $200,000; staff said changes would take effect October 1 and event organizers would be offered transition options, including payment plans for fees.
- Reducing some Clear Creek park programming while maintaining park access and maintenance; staff said programming reductions target low-attendance, low cost‑recovery activities and rely on volunteer support.

Taylor said departments also identified about $1 million in contract cuts and travel/training reductions. The package presented to council would reduce the forecasted FY26 gap to roughly $7.3 million before transfers and enterprise‑fund adjustments; Williams said additional transfer reductions and enterprise fund savings are expected to close the remainder before final adoption.

Council members asked dozens of questions about service impacts, timeline and alternatives. Several members expressed reluctance to curtail programs that serve lower‑income residents. Councilmember [District 2] asked for attendance and cost‑recovery data for every program being cut; Taylor said staff would provide those metrics before the next budget workshop. Councilmember [District 4] requested options that would replace a proposed Clear Creek reduction with cuts elsewhere in parks so the program could remain.

Several public speakers told council the after‑school program supports working families and that cutting seasonal staff amounts to cutting jobs and services; one after‑school program supervisor said many seasonal employees use the positions to support themselves and to attend college. Others urged the council to find funding for the downtown ambassadors because downtown businesses say they value the program.

Mayor Gerard Hudspeth and city management emphasized that the proposed reductions are the result of a months‑long, 0‑based budgeting process and that departments have been asked to target at least 3 percent savings; city management also said protecting unrestricted fund balance is a priority to preserve the city’s credit rating.

Next steps: staff will return with additional data and a formal proposed budget this summer, with budget workshops scheduled in July and August and adoption planned in September. Council signaled general support for staff to proceed with the proposed reductions but asked for more detail on program metrics, potential alternative cuts, and options for funding any high‑priority items (for example using hotel‑occupancy taxes for a scaled‑down ambassador program).","City staff told the council that a combination of slow revenue growth and prior spending choices left a projected $14 million shortfall for FY 2025–26. Staff proposed roughly $7.1 million in general-fund reductions — mostly personnel and program cuts — and said further measures or revenue will be needed to close the remainder.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6555042,"Council votes at a glance: June 17 — contracts, mobility amendments and economic incentive approved",509,17291000,17800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e&start=17291&end=17800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e/thumbnail_17291000.jpg","/articles/6555042/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/Council-votes-at-a-glance-June-17-contracts-mobility-amendments-and-economic-incentive-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555042-9faf1aee5a487a532b4b0a4f30a03397/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168375&Signature=mEgSnMBvtkmyOVmEnc0nu9Eng674JPOHr9BDct5pk9xxXNWPx-sV8DtbkPMd0BfIvPj28uFDfSbrIvK9j-a8YtE1DwsSJvcczWRY75Y2Q97ZyT21kIWtoGcjEhl4a4uUcD~zLYHO9FR060x4mpmDgkh0LHjuInSBQ3X6Xg41Hf8tsSNRTQ93JMAJUJDEvEsBq1NXxyZCL9wleboxA~m6emdhQGeo8JNo5o1WW2N5-D225xxTfxr9dgQteo~VDsa7nESJ4xgYToyYCKx7~8dFqPm~xrS3xQ~UroonzCC~jh3GmMXjoor1fI5FGoYQ2NkWLZ59SeLrLFMtRAF9ELMHiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Denton City Council took a series of formal actions at its June 17 meeting. Highlights and official outcomes are summarized below.

Votes at a glance

- Holt / Caterpillar equipment contract (BuyBoard cooperative): Approved. Council authorized the city manager to execute a contract for equipment purchase, repair and rental through Holt (BuyBoard). Vote: 7–0.
- Bulk fuel contract (City of Fort Worth cooperative): Approved. Council authorized use of a Fort Worth cooperative contract for bulk fuel purchases (diesel and unleaded) for fleet operations. Vote: 7–0.
- Mobility‑plan amendment — Underwood/Corbin/Springside thoroughfare changes: Approved. Council adopted the city‑initiated amendment to modify the thoroughfare map (removing portions of proposed Underwood and Corbin extensions, adjusting Corbin and Springside classifications). Vote: 7–0.
- Mobility‑plan amendment — proposed I‑35 to Western collector removal: Approved. Council adopted the city‑initiated amendment removing a proposed collector in the I‑35/Western corridor (crossing challenges and floodplain cited). Vote: 7–0.
- Economic development agreement (Mayday Manufacturing expansion): Approved. Council authorized a Chapter 380 agreement that provides a 60% rebate on new ad valorem valuation for ten years plus a Catalyst Fund expansion grant (total incentive not to exceed $577,944). Vote: 7–0.
- Planning & Zoning Commission appointment (consent item pulled): Approved. Council approved appointment of Erica Garland to the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission. Vote: 4–3.
- Consent package: Approved (all remaining consent items except the P&Z appointment). Vote: 7–0.

What these votes mean
- Procurement contracts: The Holt and bulk‑fuel cooperative agreements allow the city to streamline purchases and repairs of heavy equipment and to purchase bulk fuel at cooperative prices. Staff will continue to procure specific vehicles and equipment through regular budget processes.
- Mobility amendments: The two comprehensive‑plan / mobility amendments were city‑initiated and reflect staff evaluations of environmental constraints (riparian buffers, floodplain and railroad crossing policy) and connectivity. Council adopted those map changes and directed staff to update related code and project plans as needed.
- Mayday incentive: The Chapter 380 package is designed to retain and expand a long‑standing local manufacturer. Staff estimates the city will collect substantial tax revenue that is not rebated and believes the incentive meets the city’s economic‑impact criteria. The ED Partnership Board recommended approval prior to council action.
- Planning & Zoning appointment: The council approved the nomination for the P&Z vacancy in a close vote; that item was pulled from the consent agenda for discussion and individual roll call.

Next steps
- Staff will finalize contracts and return executed agreements to the clerk’s office. Departments will incorporate the mobility map changes into planning documents and future CIP proposals. The Mayday Chapter 380 agreement will be executed and monitored as required under the agreement. The council scheduled a separate vote on some council committee appointments for July 15, 2025.

If you want to see the motions and tallies: copies of the meeting minutes and the adopted ordinances will be posted on the city website.","At its June 17 meeting the Denton City Council approved procurement contracts for vehicle/equipment repair and fuel, two mobility‑plan amendments, and an economic development incentive for Mayday Manufacturing. The council also scheduled a separate vote on committee appointments for July 15.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6555047,"City staff brief council on 2025 Texas Legislature outcomes and local impacts",252,1565000,1817000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e&start=1565&end=1817","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859319-b4839516d8d7705c9fe95331a836099e/thumbnail_1565000.jpg","/articles/6555047/Denton-City/Denton-County/Texas/City-staff-brief-council-on-2025-Texas-Legislature-outcomes-and-local-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555047-84faf2e26c9795d70ba80d4297a656dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168374&Signature=lHwZT64lNU8Oes9mwuejOcdEeePeNcxJygeSYn5xM5PLhh2xQvO9nrLTJZxC12tOFtw6iizYLyUqPldTXvNPiWZ6dH~kzf8v-00ejyFFTom4HzQ6eqG-UCEOMfWESfBLjl6n63nLPj9PqoWHRh9R0rPEtsDxisu5GVRCZDEpCQdF2uR3yFA5NgGhRsUIEQBtoVe3R7f8cbIGkgOufnMUGOvf3e~fTXJLfPpJ1dw84N84xWB6tPf-MPuiu06rSFPVqYSbSOalAyXat1OUCVQ7KYL5IGN4wZiTMEPSFD-qH6clNI0QloVZzahqbAyDRsaFx61oiU8OH7XRzjsrxvPPmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and the city’s legislative consultant gave Denton City Council a high‑level briefing Tuesday on the 2025 Texas legislative session and potential local impacts.

Chief of Staff Christie Fogel summarized the city’s outreach and tracking: staff monitored more than 700 bills and registered formal positions on 32 measures that aligned with the city’s legislative priorities. \"This session was about laying the groundwork, building our relationships in Austin and setting ourselves up for even more engagement and success in the future,\" Fogel said.

Major developments highlighted by staff included:
- Property tax and school finance initiatives: an HJR and related bills would increase local property‑tax homestead exemptions and move amendments to the November ballot; staff said the fiscal impact for the city depends on whether voters adopt the constitutional language and on implementation details.
- Water and school investments: constitutional and appropriations items were described as large investments in Texas water systems and school finance.
- Open meetings change: HB 1522 (staff referenced bill number HB 1522 in discussion) reduces the Open Meetings Act notice requirement from a 72‑hour rule to a 3‑business‑day standard; staff said that may shift when agendas are posted for Tuesday meetings.
- Land use and housing preemption: several bills were flagged as materially changing municipal zoning authority, including bills that would require cities to allow manufactured homes by right, constrain zoning requirements for single‑family minimum lot sizes and allow certain multifamily development by right in areas that permit commercial or mixed uses; staff said those changes will require development‑code updates.
- Criminal and public‑safety changes: bills address matters such as penalization for interference with utility crews during disaster response and restrictions on municipal use of funds to bail defendants; staff noted the city does not currently use public funds to bail defendants.

Other measures staff called out included a bill restricting the sale and marketing of hemp‑derived THC products (potential effects on sales tax revenues) and legislation changing housing finance corp oversight. Staff also noted SB 1173 increased competitive‑bidding thresholds, giving more procurement flexibility for purchases under $100,000.

Christie Fogel and DME and other department representatives told council staff will continue to parse recently passed laws, watch the governor’s veto period and return with implementation steps. \"Staff will be attending the TML legislative briefing on June 27 and we'll have additional updates and more information on legislation in the upcoming weeks,\" Fogel said.

Council asked for follow‑up on budgetary impacts tied to any enacted property‑tax changes and for staff to bring specific code amendments needed to comply with new land‑use preemptions.

Public comment did not directly address the legislative briefing; staff said the governor’s veto period would end June 22 and reminded the council that several constitutional amendments will go to voters this November.

Staff promised a more detailed information session and interdepartmental review of new laws in the coming weeks so the council can identify implementation actions or seek local clarifications where the legislature delegated rulemaking to state agencies.","Denton’s chief of staff and legislative consultant summarized the 2025 Texas legislative session: major constitutional amendments and emergency items advanced for voters, changes to open‑meetings notice, housing and land‑use preemption bills, and other measures that may affect city revenues and operations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Denton municipal electric asks council to allow study of buying or building dispatchable generation; council seeks public input

Denton officials unveil $7.1M in proposed cuts as city seeks to close $14M budget gap

Council votes at a glance: June 17 — contracts, mobility amendments and economic incentive approved

City staff brief council on 2025 Texas Legislature outcomes and local impacts