[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6487649,"mediaKeyId","5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a","parentId",5567060,"title","Dickinson council advances FY2025–26 budget plan, proposes tax rate and schedules public hearing; EMS staffing, response times discussed","audioSeconds",539,"startMs",1820000,"endMs",2359000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a&start=1820&end=2359","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a/thumbnail_1820000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6487649/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Dickinson-council-advances-FY202526-budget-plan-proposes-tax-rate-and-schedules-public-hearing-EMS-staffing-response-times-discussed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487649-fca31769d83db7bc8b3ac49d59a638b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142734&Signature=D9APhezrGzuqEghiPjFUBL5GZsk03dVMU9SkZZ7PKqh~RW~RZXLYAI7IG~0LbsS2YmVckjfX9tmBJoH6x61Aa0f4MSwtmOKd8uPmG2IWE2V6vcXTB6KIm1WEWOMpO0wPBu6Cj8Mwwf-8XRT2j1e6bhjLHMMYu9MbILhavqL0zsaN52BDoq1HEoleY32dUtIY-3rViWKeK4p2zUtJv1EYCmDcMKHfFFJ5~mp4M3uoBfs837WryH5cA1eIqvPjavOyYfsMPS1EIrwSa~WwH60tU5CDASyWx5VSIwnZoQvL~ax9gBwiyIL8IomurpCxvjgFN3r0FO1lRAlTpSeuzAhhvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dickinson","date","2025-08-13T00:00:00Z","article","City Manager presented a proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2025–26 that maintains the current property tax rate, includes a 6% cost-of-living adjustment for staff and increases funding for public safety and drainage projects.

The council voted to propose a tax rate of $0.3782 per $100 valuation and set a public hearing on the budget and tax rate for Aug. 26, 2025. Finance staff also filed the state-required “no new revenue” and voter-approval rate calculations with the governing body.

Why it matters: The proposed budget prioritizes retaining staff, bolstering emergency services and investing in drainage and street maintenance while seeking to avoid raising the tax rate amid rising property valuations.

City Manager overview and priorities
City management described the budget as aiming to preserve service levels, strengthen the fund balance and improve efficiency. The presentation said the plan retains the current tax rate, expands investments in drainage and demolitions (an additional $100,000 for community development demolitions), increases funding for the volunteer fire department by $100,000 and raises police funding by about $800,000 from the prior year. The manager also proposed a citywide energy-management program intended to reduce utility costs and noted a built-in 6% cost-of-living adjustment for civilian staff.

Budget schedule and formal steps
Miss Clark (finance/city secretary) outlined the schedule: a budget public hearing and first reading of the budget ordinance on Aug. 26, a tax-rate public hearing and second reading on Sept. 9, and adoption to follow. The finance director recommended keeping the tax rate the same for now; council ultimately moved to propose $0.3782 per $100 valuation and set the Aug. 26 hearing.

Council debate, travel and trimming items
Council members pushed staff to cut nonessential travel and training and to distinguish needs from wants. Members also discussed liquidating unneeded equipment and reviewing franchise-fee accounts to confirm receipts (questions were raised about Frontier/Verizon reporting). Council asked staff to provide more detail on the proposed vehicle and capital expenditures and to return with options for further reductions.

EMS assessment and staffing discussion
Council reviewed the findings of a third‑party assessment of Dickinson EMS paid for in part by DMD funds. The consultant’s work and internal review identified that operating a fully staffed second ambulance would cost roughly $1.1–$1.3 million annually — more than the mutual-aid costs the city currently pays. The assessment therefore recommended retaining the current single-ambulance staffing model while exploring targeted staffing changes, including adding part‑time shifts during peak hours, and restructuring full- and part-time mixes.

Medical Director Paul Fine, M.D., urged investment to close a pay gap with neighboring agencies and recommended a pay increase for full-time EMS employees (the presentation said full-time firefighting/EMS pay is roughly 12–15% below adjacent cities). Dr. Fine and Captain Robert Robbins, interim EMS director, said response times for Dickinson EMS are “very good,” with an average dispatch-to-on-scene time of about seven minutes, but that staffing shortages can cause reliance on mutual aid during multiple simultaneous calls.

Next steps and oversight
Council directed staff to continue implementing the energy-management program, refine the budget details, and return with additional analyses — including equipment liquidation estimates and more precise staffing-cost figures for EMS. The Aug. 26 hearing will give the public a formal opportunity to comment before final readings and adoption.

Votes at a glance
- Acknowledged filing of the state-calculated no-new-revenue tax rate and voter-approval tax rate (agenda item 7(a)): approved (unanimous).
- Proposed tax rate of $0.3782 per $100 valuation and set public hearing for Aug. 26, 2025 (agenda item 7(b)): approved by roll call (Mayor Travis Maglioglu; Council members Johnny Simpson, Sean Holt, Mark Townsend, Scott Schrader, Bill Schick, Kevin Edmonds — all recorded as aye).
- Consent agenda items A and B (routine items): approved.

What’s next
The council will hold a public hearing on Aug. 26; staff will return with more detailed line-item analyses, equipment liquidation estimates, and the consultant’s EMS recommendations to inform final budget decisions.

Attribution — selected speakers quoted in the meeting:
\"It is my honor to present a proposed annual budget...\" — City Manager (presentation opening).
\"Response times for Dickinson EMS are very good, with an average time of 7 minutes from dispatch to on scene.\" — consultant summary referenced in Captain Robbins’ remarks.
\"We need to bring the pay up to where we can recruit more part-time and retain our full-time people.\" — Dr. Paul Fine, medical director.

Ending
Council members and staff agreed to continue budget refinement at scheduled workshops and to accept public comment at the Aug. 26 hearing before final readings and adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dickinson - City Council","oneSentenceSummary","City Manager presented a proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2025–26 that maintains the current property tax rate, includes a 6% cost-of-living adjustment and increases public-safety and drainage funding.","taxTitle","Dickinson, Galveston County, Texas","taxId",69479,"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},6487639,"Council approves rezoning for Dickinson Plaza parcels on second reading",106,1713000,1819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a&start=1713&end=1819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a/thumbnail_1713000.jpg","/articles/6487639/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Council-approves-rezoning-for-Dickinson-Plaza-parcels-on-second-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487639-328e97796162445832af582100116e49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142734&Signature=gAmyPNQVjMnFK4cdMuq3S9iAgT5WfAETS6pAelLf~OCXNj~3TENKmyh-wTkFUkahCltwJsDxCJAmdAdkksO61TE6muxDymaowWLHYIn3bL~zjpOa~7tE8PbvOK-3hzkOC5AFkCZ4fjT1qubrkdf-21BidWjwGeQR2vVbOpu03Dt4orL8fPRARxSEQVjx1Lthl-NVntM4YjfAR~~46-cSzSzDMkR0vSX1kIPxEOaOfZBRf5~S0ZKeD7LBr-id8kEl84-Gv~GenyJr8WNXtrCl4SgHpv3vDqKAuSxmpp9rXxmKbA9SCWNJ2M17EzIi-RVtKP7gS0Dgn8Q-PAuQuZ8-0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dickinson City Council approved on second reading an ordinance to amend the official zoning map from Mixed-Use zoning district to Auto-Centric Commercial for about 8.813 acres identified by four parcel addresses along Gulf Freeway (including 3401, 3429 and 3535 Gulf Freeway).

Why it matters: The rezoning will change permitted uses on the property and affects whether empty tenant spaces can claim nonconforming use protections. Council members queried whether vacant units would retain grandfathered status; staff said empty units must have been in use within the last 12 months to qualify for nonconforming protections.

Council discussion and vote
Council discussed the practical implications for existing and prospective tenants. Staff explained that nonconforming protections do not apply to spaces that have been vacant for more than 12 months, meaning some empty units would need the new zoning to host certain uses. After brief questions, council voted in favor; the motion passed on second reading.

Ending
The ordinance passed on second reading; council recorded the vote as in favor and the rezoning will take effect as provided by ordinance language and state law.","Council approved an ordinance on second reading to change zoning from Mixed-Use to Auto-Centric Commercial for approximately 8.813 acres at several Gulf Freeway addresses (3401, 3429, 3535 Gulf Freeway). Council members discussed nonconforming tenant issues and the effect of vacancy on grandfathering rights.",{"_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},6487645,"Dickinson council authorizes charter review commission; appointments deferred to next meeting",505,5244000,5749000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a&start=5244&end=5749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5567060-ca8487c03c3d6bfe5ffbf2e00a705a3a/thumbnail_5244000.jpg","/articles/6487645/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Dickinson-council-authorizes-charter-review-commission-appointments-deferred-to-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487645-5c3f7721f99176d9ecbf8faaaf9bf2e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142734&Signature=aJZ1Moom3AkqbrlTtjkNtkw91nYA6GPwGX7Bf1lZAzZlEPU-cqn3pDoxxj-m5U2OijWXTJ9yhfH4rh3rvi3zjP4UL92zxZF3xHQ80wNEJpnt8K6IPyL1t6ihwpvpJiqSE6fVg9yvwLXMYQicRsaI6Z~fwusrujzTAHM0cXljw4VbdHprbPcB-3ZRJuRgamZuVfz6R8HbAQgwopzl-6b0GSgOQNP2BSMEEVi0LO5D6C4LKqUqnljgGCmfHXRUlmQiVd2zDXbrH-81tnvX6VtBLJK15kkVLZuzvrAf-JRM9VoMyCNW7W0~LVR8dRDn7QsaNZ82MNqNEpFAbA77b9q8dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dickinson City Council approved an ordinance to create a five‑member Charter Review Commission charged with reviewing the city charter and recommending possible amendments. The vote authorizes the formation of the commission and sets a six‑month term for its work; council members said they expect any substantive changes to be placed on a future ballot for voter approval.

Why it matters: The charter governs the city’s structure and authorities; council members expressed interest in clarifying provisions they said had caused administrative friction, including the charter’s treatment of city-manager term contracts and the quorum requirement.

Council action and discussion
Council member Kevin Edmonds explained he proposed the review to clarify charter provisions he said have created operational challenges, citing term contracts for city managers and a quorum requirement that currently references five members rather than a simple majority. John Harris and Garland Copeland addressed the council during public comment, asking who requested the item and what problems the commission would address; Edmonds said he had requested the item at a prior meeting and that clarifying language on management and quorum were among his concerns.

Council discussion emphasized process: the commission is advisory and its recommendations must be considered by council; any charter amendments would then go to voters. Several members urged that the city attorney and city secretary attend commission meetings to help the group avoid recommending changes inconsistent with state law. Several speakers also recommended public posting of commission agendas and using an open, well-documented process.

Appointments and next steps
Council passed the ordinance forming the commission but deferred appointing the five members until the next meeting to allow time for application collection and to give council members opportunity to propose nominees. City staff noted that the timeline to place amendments on a May 2026 ballot imposes calendar constraints: the Secretary of State’s deadline for calling a May election falls in February, which would require timely completion of the commission’s work if council intends to place measures on that ballot.

Ending
Council members said they will return at the next meeting with candidate names for appointment and will seek legal support for the commission to ensure recommendations comply with state law.","Council approved an ordinance to form a five‑member Charter Review Commission to review the city charter and recommend amendments. Council discussion stressed that any substantive charter changes would still require voter approval and that the group should have attorney support. Council decided to appoint members at a later meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dickinson council advances FY2025–26 budget plan, proposes tax rate and schedules public hearing; EMS staffing, response times discussed

Council approves rezoning for Dickinson Plaza parcels on second reading

Dickinson council authorizes charter review commission; appointments deferred to next meeting