[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6654742,"mediaKeyId","5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287","parentId",5448772,"title","Council appoints Amy Nowlin to Bay City Tourism Advisory Council","audioSeconds",46,"startMs",1820000,"endMs",1866000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287&start=1820&end=1866","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287/thumbnail_1820000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6654742/Bay-City/Matagorda-County/Texas/Council-appoints-Amy-Nowlin-to-Bay-City-Tourism-Advisory-Council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654742-1ccfaf5d330e2c8280fb59c6a2e0c648/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447753&Signature=j-bMcMhwUeGp4f9zRh31hStu0Hn0xmGNckEyJiM1cBet4n9d4dN1cIggiZMalpdL1yYmx5l06HyVDs10rCLl-TpjBiwjTio5KMIHCUuOXjQdvaVn0oy1z8HaDrtxirOT0bM4YMrAcUK~MzTztx17koahLE~i4XNSWcupZu6Wu6ZvALLC6KxuIvZ9tVmOzOJj3c3QHxMWNWWaWTj~zZEcVrzStN7UICwyRGFWIaoO~Y3OZDFJ0s9qj3nK8CUFS3VC5XTI6xYSM0lO8t5H8SZ-cZdJmfpDCB3GPHj0x1OPVV2gUMCNMEy-ZAZD3ki7GIB-za3YNGySKzIyHMKatenl5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bay City","date","2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","article","The Bay City Council voted to appoint Amy Nowlin to the city’s Tourism Advisory Council.

City staff recommended Nowlin, who was not present at the meeting, noting she serves as an extension agent for marine and coastal resources, has been involved in facilitating ecotourism partnerships and holds volunteer roles with shoreline preservation and the Texas Master Naturalist program. \"It is my pleasure to recommend her to serve on the tourism advisory council, to help represent our ecotourism partners,\" a staff presenter said.

A motion to appoint Nowlin was made and seconded; council members voted in favor and the motion carried. Council asked that Nowlin attend a future meeting to introduce herself to the council.

No amendments or conditions were attached to the appointment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bay City - City Council - Jul 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council appointed Amy Nowlin to the tourism advisory council; staff said Nowlin brings coastal resource and ecotourism experience though she was not present at the meeting.","taxTitle","Bay City, Matagorda County, Texas","taxId",69557,"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},6654746,"Council amends city code to set regular meeting day and tighten public-comment language",900,3532000,4432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287&start=3532&end=4432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287/thumbnail_3532000.jpg","/articles/6654746/Bay-City/Matagorda-County/Texas/Council-amends-city-code-to-set-regular-meeting-day-and-tighten-public-comment-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654746-297d04dd9d042b362542d547e513b4b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447754&Signature=Oij9iQf8pmfKI2d4sMfxtNffXInsVlhhds5AybViGvN1s3cu5rFw6l3sHueJjfO~kL8AMSjF4t84IS5iO81N7co8EfcTSDJQhC2PeJjUU45Ww-561u88CCGB2ICmRcv3f~PgeAohj2mjTzxullOjl170xGZ2fbyG7TMFG2NRvHE7dPUsJwW~3RjjLErdX4-tOSB~9aw7zi2E1hEBlWlZEGZkgsyrjvOz0NowvleECcYmIU~dwvU5T3ANbxeBR90~d67xmyKN6rINxdf6KRHWJTZ4CK8sSfXYI8AVQDlIaw6BsNrsXd4HFqSXq-aNu7xzc2lZh7TqqSPRPzFkgG17eQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bay City Council approved an ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the city code to designate the fourth Tuesday of each month as the city’s regular council meeting date (with alternative dates near holidays) and to simplify the city’s public-comment rule.

Gina Thompson, city staff, presented the ordinance and the proposed meeting schedule and explained the change was intended to give the public a single, predictable regular meeting date while leaving flexibility to schedule additional meetings as needed. Thompson said she had prepared a published schedule through 2026 so the public can pencil in dates and noted November 11 (Veterans Day) falls on a regular meeting day; the council agreed to move that meeting to the third Tuesday of November for 2025.

Council debated wording that would allow a speaker to address multiple agenda items for three minutes each and sought to avoid creating a loophole that would permit filibustering by repeating unrelated comments. After discussion, council voted to remove the second sentence in the draft ordinance that could be read to allow multiple three-minute public-comment slots on different topics and to leave the public-comment period at three minutes per speaker as currently practiced at the start of meetings. As presented in the meeting, Thompson explained that presentation by citizens remains an agenda item and council can allow public remarks during specific agenda items at the mayor’s discretion.

Council adopted the ordinance with the clarified language and approved the proposed meeting schedule for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026. The ordinance change was intended to provide calendar certainty for both council and the public and to avoid unintended expansion of public-comment time during agenda consideration.","The council updated the code to designate the fourth Tuesday as the regular monthly meeting date (with alternative dates near holidays) and simplified public-comment language to preserve the existing practice of three-minute public comments without granting multiple separate three‑minute slots on unrelated topics.",{"_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},6654750,"Council approves $5 million certificates of obligation to fund Bay City public-safety building; competitive sale awarded to Baker Group",233,3127000,3360000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287&start=3127&end=3360","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287/thumbnail_3127000.jpg","/articles/6654750/Bay-City/Matagorda-County/Texas/Council-approves-5-million-certificates-of-obligation-to-fund-Bay-City-public-safety-building-competitive-sale-awarded-to-Baker-Group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654750-6055334260739a40d515bf8bb32ed6ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447753&Signature=AY~6tq3a0SmjhkqKoA4UjXclj8K7us1i~r7QinaxfgCj-A9OfmrZAjlGSIeyuRVfW4P9c1rMd-YIAvgNrq-UadVdirWUImFhntrXe7O9Vwa509ysOOgwmuWXKo1yURBWHraGKkfclm8wZTrACzf9IuGwGZ1oKTaoDXY-XdktxMua~sV3fWuftEGyUFADfEttiOB-X50gCYBSq0xucJXnVjCYRIHRLNxmnBktpu3xzx-gSfEGIHCXfZzjszCUIZkhpBWk8jNHfZ3NfEidHnpnOduI6hilXNjoZBaRN5XgEyGUHOG-rsEnAtJZUmkbG7vrNTOfc~~0VTppboHyrpo0Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bay City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of up to $5 million in tax and revenue certificates of obligation to finance the city’s public-safety building project.

James Gilly of US Capital Advisors presented the results of the city’s competitive bond sale process and said the sale attracted multiple underwriters. \"We advertised the sale of the city's bonds by distributing those offering documents,\" Gilly said, and bidders returned four bids by the advertised deadline. The winning bid came from the Baker Group with an initial true interest cost reported at about 4.7892 percent. Gilly said other firms bid at yields clustered near 4.86 percent.

Gilly noted Standard & Poor’s had upgraded the city’s rating to AA- late last year, citing \"consistently strong budgetary performance, strong cash reserves.\" He said the transaction will close on Sept. 2, 2025, if council approved the ordinance.

Council approved the ordinance authorizing issuance and sale of the certificates of obligation, and the clerk recorded the motion as carried. There were no amendments to the ordinance reported during the meeting. Closing and detailed financing documents will be finalized before the September closing.

The ordinance directs issuance of debt under the city’s authority for certificates of obligation and provides for security and payment terms as set out in the bond documents; the presentation included the bid tabulation and underwriting results.

Council did not alter the amount presented at the meeting. Staff and advisors said final closing documents will reflect the bid award and standard bond covenants and security provisions.","The council authorized issuance of $5 million in tax and revenue certificates of obligation to finance a public-safety building; city financial adviser reported the competitive sale drew multiple bids and the lowest true interest cost came from the Baker Group.",{"_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},6654753,"Council approves Bay City quarterly financial and investment report; staff projects reserves above policy",906,1910000,2816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287&start=1910&end=2816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287/thumbnail_1910000.jpg","/articles/6654753/Bay-City/Matagorda-County/Texas/Council-approves-Bay-City-quarterly-financial-and-investment-report-staff-projects-reserves-above-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654753-b4f9d04b4df4845c9c6a908a72efa468/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447754&Signature=JrbflgXx7yVmReXcr2bDx7uvaHB~iuXQEur~WuP9E16eSA6AQ50bqI1O8VYV-rUDmPicVI7VN-7zQS5Es2BPEAHletWQkPqANe7GSr4ds228RAM3AnpP-Y2-SKI5grDGktH-se~Wp7r~p36k2h0-WzZRaiWLgbCcJWZ0XfvEWdpMDKgpqfxQMQtqU~U8kVo6K755UjcRJ2EIWVpJ5P2ygaz4mVu~04fBEDjR1w6LXfiaUzAhLhz5Sa6KLvqXPvtVSsIvF7W872MdO4z0Xhsvtj4WW~Q9V6KylQVGi4dIL~GxzlBFioaJv~a-Us1Vg58mB3gTeoDxmjinOnV1NCESXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bay City Council approved the city’s quarterly financial and investment report for the period ending June 30, 2025, after a presentation by finance staff on revenue, expenditures and investment performance.

Jennifer Leverett, the city’s finance staff member who presented the report, told council that the general fund revenues through the quarter totaled about $15.8 million, or 83% of budget, with property tax collections at about $5.3 million (96.78% of the property tax budget). She said sales tax receipts were down about 1.9% compared with the same quarter last year but that staff still projected ending sales-tax receipts would exceed the adopted budget. \"We are projecting that we are gonna beat our budgeted sales tax number,\" Leverett said.

Leverett said general-fund expenditures were about 68.3% of budget and that the audited beginning fund balance of $5.6 million left the city above its 25% reserve policy target. \"After audit, our general fund beginning cash position was 5,600,000, which currently represents about 26% of that,\" she said. For the utility fund, revenues were at 82% of budget and expenditures about 61%.

On investments, Leverett said the city’s portfolio had an average book yield of about 4.13% and was highly liquid, with roughly 88% of holdings maturing in less than a year. Investment earnings for the quarter totaled about $328,000, roughly $127,000 more than the same quarter last year, and total cash and investments across accounts were about $34.8 million as of June 30.

Council asked several operational questions about how interest earnings are allocated and whether the city could move funds between deposit accounts or use sweep/money-market arrangements to capture higher yields. Leverett described the mechanics: interest is allocated to the fund where the cash is held; transfers between banks are feasible but require attention to collateralization (pledging securities to protect deposits beyond FDIC limits).

Council moved to approve the quarterly financial and investment report. The motion carried with an affirmative vote.","Council approved the city’s quarter-ending June 30, 2025 financial and investment report after a presentation showing general- and enterprise-fund reserves above policy and higher investment earnings compared with the prior year.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654756,"Bay City staff outline hurricane-season preparations, identify volunteer coordination as outstanding item",1027,776000,1803000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287&start=776&end=1803","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448772-9312dc28d6280c224d2a0b477e21f287/thumbnail_776000.jpg","/articles/6654756/Bay-City/Matagorda-County/Texas/Bay-City-staff-outline-hurricane-season-preparations-identify-volunteer-coordination-as-outstanding-item","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654756-4d4bbfdd98e29e4929db81747f3ac9b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447754&Signature=X2tokH8ORqH~k5S3N3BkJioBOcStKF42P~I~gYJTbjPYLcmfGxrN5AuZPTOzMAD0SHXHYDpX7mTroOmA6NZV7sfP~EDOZvwfD6BessuZSQOxVhS3RdL9oyWERn4Y9CiozwS0A8JJhob0gA8p~CoB6o6ZJI4B8k1f5g6-qwKEH0jvdaRLD3fILh9SEb5uNRqYKVQyn7L75bUI04KtX0eOAxI8QuCUtJ86n45zvHXJ6n349OVkYT9rfNu0fKcVIr~r8pFee6LIlUbxsID~6H4mRrJfPV-6mAI1Kq2qEVOfoPmIM6eEeQ88huYVxPy6IKzMzBCVReiRJf5w2ni~~iLZDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bay City staff told the City Council on July 22, 2025, that the city has completed the bulk of its hurricane-season preparedness work, including new outreach materials, backup communications and updated reimbursement forms, while some items — notably volunteer coordination — remain in progress.

Emergency management coordinator Dan Shook presented the report and said the city has prepared an emergency plan specific to Bay City, distributed bilingual postcards about preparedness and is promoting HyperReach for resident notifications. \"As you may or may may not be aware, you should have gotten a received a postcard in the mail this year,\" Shook said. He also described new portable radios for non-public-safety departments and work toward a satellite backup for radio communications.

The report detailed operational steps taken since last year’s storm: updated contact lists and forms for reimbursement, identified shelter and cooling-center locations, a generator testing and maintenance routine, inspection and restocking of consumables, and verification of backup communications. Shook said the city had incorporated lessons learned from Hurricane Burrow and that most items on the action checklist are complete. \"We are ready for this hurricane season,\" he said.

Council members focused their questions on volunteer management and the speed of implementing after-action items. Councilwoman Reardon pressed for faster progress on volunteer intake and training systems so residents who arrive to help during an emergency can be quickly assigned. Shook said the city is coordinating with the county emergency management coordinator and plans to have a local coordinator to work with the county, but that details remain to be finalized. \"We are still working through that,\" he said.

Councilman Flores pressed for a shorter cycle between after-action findings and implementation. \"I would like to see a little bit more expediency when it comes to implementing lessons learned,\" he said, noting it had been nearly a year since the last storm. Shook replied that roughly half the action items have been completed and pledged to provide more frequent updates to council.

Council members and staff also discussed operational constraints and the need for additional personnel or tools to accelerate remaining items. Shook credited public works and other departments for much of the implementation work and said the city would continue to refine its plan.

The presentation did not result in a formal vote; council requested more frequent reporting and additional work on volunteer coordination ahead of the remainder of the hurricane season.","City staff told the Bay City City Council they have completed most of an after-action plan from last year’s storm and have new communications and forms in place, but council members pressed for faster implementation of volunteer coordination and other outstanding items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council appoints Amy Nowlin to Bay City Tourism Advisory Council

Council amends city code to set regular meeting day and tighten public-comment language

Council approves $5 million certificates of obligation to fund Bay City public-safety building; competitive sale awarded to Baker Group

Council approves Bay City quarterly financial and investment report; staff projects reserves above policy

Bay City staff outline hurricane-season preparations, identify volunteer coordination as outstanding item