A Message From Mayor Chris Riley

LETTER TO LEON VALLEY CITIZENS 

From Mayor Chris Riley  

July 24, 2026 

        UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, July 25^th – Coffee with the Mayor and Council at the Conference Center from 9AM -noon.  You can speak on any topic at Citizens to Be Heard.  Additionally, the Council would like to get feedback from the citizens on this year’s 4^th of July event, which was a smaller hometown celebration held on the morning of July 4^th.  We have heard from some residents the desire to bring back the larger 4^th of July event with fireworks, band and food trucks. Budgetary implications will be shared on these options. Next, City Manager Caldera will present an update on where we currently stand in the proposed budget for FY 2026-2027, which will be finalized in September when we will have our no-new-revenue tax rate from Bexar Appraisal District and the employee health insurance rate increase.   A light breakfast will be served.

Friday, July 30^th  (3:30 -7:30 pm) and July 31^st (9:30 am – 1:30 pm)    

 – Mini Golf in the Leon Valley Public Library, to benefit the Friends of the Library -  Tickets are $3 for one round of golf for an Adult and $1 for a Child (12 and under). A family bundle for $8 (2 adult tickets and 3 children tickets) is also available for purchase. For more information, please call (210) 684-0720 or email lvpl@leomvalleytexas.gov.  By the way, the library has programming for all ages!  Check it out!

 CITY COUNCIL MEETING –July 21, 2026 

The following are highlights of council actions from the July 21^st council meeting which began at 6:00 p.m. and ended at 9:11 p.m. 

PRESENTATIONS 

Quarterly Monthly Financial Report Ending June 30,2026 – Target percentage for revenue and expenditure is at 75%. In the General Fund, revenues were at 74.8 % and expenditures for 14 departments was at 56.7%.  In the Enterprise Fund (Water and Sewer), revenue was a 74.5% and expenditures were at 68.5%. There are additional funds within the budget:  Community Center- revenue at 62.2% with expenditures at 67.3%; Economic/Community Development – Revenue is at 58.5%; expenditures at 34.5% (we did not have a director for 4 months this fiscal year). Impound Lot – Revenue is at 89.6% and expenditures at 76.6%.

Continued Discussion of FY 2026-2027 Proposed Budget – The city manager presented a proposed budget which has an operating deficit of $454,888.  In the General Fund, we have revenues of $15,530,864 and expenditures of $15,985,753, applying the same tax rate as last year, 54.5 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The projected General Fund balance is $7,130,457, including $1.25 million in emergency fund and $275,000 in future capital purchase fund.  

      The Enterprise Fund budget for the Leon Valley Water System  is balanced.  Operating revenues of $5,562,024 and operating expenditures of $4,742,235.

       Red Light Camera Fund is balanced with revenues projected at $2,421,803 and expenditures of $2,341,223, with an ending total  fund balance of +$502,435.

          Crime Control and Prevention Fund ( funded by 1/8 sales tax) is balanced.  Revenues of $446,777 and expenditures of $444,606.

          Community Center Fund is balanced and is funded by hotel/motel taxes and rental fees.  Operating revenues of $100,547 and expenditures of $100,056.

          Street Maintenance Fund (funded by ¼ sales tax receipts) has total revenue of $2.618,433 with expenditure of this amount for maintenance of our streets.

          Special Revenue Funds – Court Building Security Fund, Child Safety Fund, Municipal Court Technology, Debt Service and Police Forfeiture all have positive ending fund balances for this budget cycle.

          Personnel – We employ 123.5 employees. City Manager is recommending salaries be adjusted to based salary scale and 2% COLA. Longevity pay, for all qualifying employees, is paid in November. The medical insurance program is estimated at a 15% increase and retirement funding increase at 19.49%, effective 1/1/2027.

       The First Budget Public Hearing and Formal Adoption will be on August 20,2026.  The Final Tax Rate and Budget Public Hearing and Formal Adoption will be September 8, 2026.  The City is required by law to pass a balanced budget by that date.

      Thanks to the city staff for all their work on this budget, as well as the city council.  We still have a way to go, but will get there.

REGULAR AGENDA 

Discussion and Action on the First Amendment to the Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement between the City of Leon Valley and 6400 Bandera LP, Xuyan Lang and David Weiner – Council unanimously approved an extension to the annual sales tax refund incentive: payments to begin in 2027, and to continue through 2033. This was due to CPS Energy delays in the project. The total incentive value remains the same as the original Agreement. This redevelopment project is where the old Gold’s Gym is located.

Presentation and Discussion on Amending the City of Leon Valley, Chapter 2 Animal Control Ordinance – At the annual council retreat, Council directed staff to make the following changes to this ordinance:

Revising definitions applicable to regulated facilities and prohibited animals; authorizing a number of facilities to possess prohibited animals, provided all safety requirements are satisfied; clarifying that such exemptions do not authorize private ownership of prohibited animals.

        Pet shops which are selling, adopting or transferring dogs or cats must obtain these animals from municipal or county animal shelters, animal control agencies, qualified non profit animal rescue organization or other organizations approved by the department; pet shops are required to maintain documentation as to where they obtained the animal and to make these records available for inspection.  Council discussed sending a letter to the 3-4 pet stores in Leon Valley with a six-month transition period.  The Council will discuss this item further at the August 4^th council meeting before a final vote is taken.

Presentation and Discussion on Amending the Short Term Ordinance  Chapter 4 – At the annual council retreat in June, council provided direction to the city manager to make the following changes to the Short-Term Rental (STR) ordinance:  Expand radius to 300 feet (from 200 feet) between STR’s; reduce trash violation time for remediation (24 hours after being properly notified of trash beyond the property boundaries); add maximum number of people who can sleep in the STR based on fire code; the STR permit is non-transferable and if a grandfathered permit is pulled, it is abandoned and the owner must reapply for a STR permit. The Council directed staff to place this agenda topic in the Consent Agenda for approval on the August 4^th council meeting.

Council Considered an Application for a BYOB permit for Wulspar Nexus (a PC Gaming Destination), located at 7007 Banders Road – The owner wanted to allow customers the ability to drink beer or wine while they gamed.  The permit was good for 90 days and could be renewed 4 consecutive times only. Council had concerns about underaged customers interspersed with drinking adult  gamers.  The BYOB permit was denied.  However, the owner of the new business is applying for a liquor license through TABC (Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission). The Council had a ribbon cutting of this new business in Leon Valley on July 23^rd.  There is a large room with an amazing collection of gaming PC’s. We learned that ESPORT is the up and coming game and is also in college curriculums!  There are hourly, daily and monthly rates available.  You can also order food while you game. Check it out. 

Presentation and Discussion on Amending Chapter 6 Health and Sanitation Food Establishments – The following changes were made to comply with State Law HB 2844 which exempts mobile food vendors from the requirement of separate city or county health permits.  Also, childcare  facilities or schools can now directly apply and pay required fees to the state for a food permit.  Cities can no longer charge for food permits. The city’s fire marshal will continue to inspect food trucks for fire safety. The Council voted unanimously to approve these changes.

Presentation and Action on Economic and Community Development Advisory Committee (ECDAC) Objectives – The 5 member committee is requesting three objectives to work on:  1.  Conduct a business inventory of available properties; 2.  Review of vacant buildings and identifying priority sites for future redevelopment/demolition; and 3. Review of façade and building improvement programs to recommend policy enhancements. The Council voted unanimously to approve these objectives.

     The next City Council meeting is on Tuesday, August 4^th  beginning at 5:30 p.m., due to an executive session.

      The recent rains we received were such a welcome relief to the 7-year drought we have been experiencing!  We had no major flooding issues in our city, for which we are truly grateful! Now we have heat and humidity.

Please do not hesitate to call me or any of the councilors if we can assist you in any manner. 

Sincerely, Chris  

(210) 618-2092 (cell);  

mayorriley@leonvalleytexas.gov