Council to set tax rate Sept. 19

A date has been set by Lindale City Council members for a public hearing concerning the city’s tax rate for the upcoming year during their regular meeting at city hall on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Council members, after approving the voter-backed rate of .36 cents per $100 property valuation during their Aug. 1 meeting, set the tax rate public hearing for 6 p.m. Sept. 19 at city hall.
The council also approved the city’s budget for the coming year, including a three percent cost of living adjustment for city employees.
Members then set a public hearing for Sept. 5 on the city’s budget, which will be added to the Sept. 19 meeting.
Lindale City Manager Carolyn Caldwell said the proposed tax rate is the lowest in the city’s history.
Also on the agenda Tuesday was a public hearing on the amended fi nancing plan for the Tax Reinvestment Zone No. 3. After the hearing, council members voted to approve the amended plan.
The amendment was approved unanimously after a motion from Place 1 council member Bob Tardiff.
Other agenda items included:
• A presentation of an all-inclusive park design for the Pool Park playground which would require the city to approve a design, the area where the playground would be located and developing an agreement with the non-profit Cal’s Pals, which is funding the project. Cal’s Pal’s offi cials say they should be able to qualify for an initial $700,000 grant to help with the cost. The group presented a preliminary design showing the details of the playground to council members. The project would be built in three phases, offi cials said, adding early cost projections are estimated to be between $1 and $2 million. Fundraising hasn’t begun, officials said, but it will begin soon.
Council member Bryan Summerville spoke for the majority of the council that some specific dollar fi gures and plans need to be presented to the city before any fi nal commitment can be made.
Cal’s Pal’s offi cials said they hope to have some itemized details in early fall.
• Approved a resolution for the use of eminent domain to acquire certain property from Thedford Crossing to extend East Centennial Blvd.