A Message From Mayor Chris Riley

LETTER TO LEON VALLEY CITIZENS 

From Mayor Chris Riley  

August 21, 2026 

        UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday/Sunday August 22-23 and 29-30 – the Forest Oaks pool will be open from noon – 8 pm for you and your family to cool off from this Texas heat!  Temperatures are expected to be 101-103 this weekend. The pool will remain open weekends only through September 27^th. $5 admission; free on Labor Day, September 6^th.

Thursday, August 27^th  – the last city-wide meeting on the Leon Valley Comprehensive Plan Update, 7 pm at the Leon Valley Conference Center.  Citizen input is key to developing a plan for future growth, economic development, parks, mobility, infrastructure, and land use in our city.  Please bring a smartphone, tablet or laptop to participate in a brief interactive activity. If you live in Leon Valley and have not participated yet in one of these comprehensive planning meetings please come!  We need your ideas on the future of Leon Valley.

                 CITY COUNCIL MEETING –August 18, 2026 

The following are highlights of council actions from the August 18^th  council meeting which began at 5:30 p.m. and ended at 9:47p.m. 

EXECUTIVE SESSION  

          The Council moved into executive session to discuss the following agenda items:  1)  Consultation with Attorney regarding personnel matters; 2) Consultation with Attorney about a proposed infrastructure improvement agreement on Sawyer Road between the City of Leon Valley and One Stop Group LP. There was no action taken on either agenda item.

PRESENTATIONS

Presentation, Discussion and Action to Approve Fiscal Year 2027 Group Insurance Proposal for Employee Medical, Dental and Life Insurances provided by Gallagher Benefit Services -The City pays for 100% of employee-only health care, dental and life insurance coverage as part of their benefits package.  Lisa Hernandez, Human Resources Director, reported to renew the same plan for next fiscal year would have required a 19% increase for the same coverage. Due to a tight budget, staff researched over 90 alternate plans and recommended one which had no increase in premium cost, but did increase deductibles and specialist office visit copay. There is also a per occurrence deductible for Emergency Room visits of $400, which is waived if they are not admitted. The cost for the plan is $808.76 per employee per month.  Dental coverage remains at $25.72 per month (employee only).  Basic life insurance of $10,000 remains the rate of $1.30 per month.  The total fiscal impact to the FY 2027 budget is the same as last year.  Approximately 115  (out of 123) employees are currently enrolled. The Council unanimously approved these employee benefits for FY 2026-2027 budget.

Presentation, Discussion and Direction to Staff on the Leon Valley 4^th of July Celebration -  At the Coffee with the Mayor & Council in July, the City Manager conducted a survey to obtain feedback from citizens on next year’s 4^th of July. The 2024 & 2025 larger event in the park with fireworks, live band and food trucks cost the city approximately $142,000.  For this year’s event, due to severe budget cuts, the Council voted to hold a smaller “Hometown” event in the morning with entertainment, speakers, food, raffles. This cost $ 14,500.  Three options were presented to citizens to vote on: 1)  Full event for $180,000; 2) Fireworks only (no band or food vendors), costing $66,000; or 3) Hometown event for $15,000. The majority results from citizens who attended the Coffee were to expand upon the Hometown event without fireworks.  Citizens who voted online generally preferred the fireworks; However, the survey responses were not in favor of raising property taxes to cover this event. The balanced set aside only $15,000 for the 4^th of July expenses next year. Council approved this plan and gave directed staff to expand on the Hometown event for next year, without fireworks.

    Ideas obtained from citizens (especially Tina Chasen) to add to next year’s event were:  Old Fashion Contests for best homemade pie, best jam/jelly or summer relish; watermelon seed-spitting contest, pie eating contest, burlap sack races, egg and spoon races, just to mention a few.  The Council definitely wanted to include a raffle drawing for citizens to win gift cards (donated) from area businesses such as  HEB & restaurants.

Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Updated Budget Presentation – City Manager Caldera received the new numbers from Bexar Appraisal District.  Staff recommended to keep the tax rate the same from last year - $0.545040. It will decrease the average tax bill by $4.12, based on an average home value of $229,635.  The Council had requested the manager find a way to increase the COLA (cost of living allocation) from 1.5 % back to the original 2%. The manager and finance director did just that, through decreases and increased revenue transfers in personnel shared services.  Our total general fund operating revenue and expenditures are $15,580,694.

       The Enterprise Fund (the city’s water & sewer company budget)) is balanced with operating revenues of $5,562,024 and expenditures of $4,884,566.

       The above is a brief overview of the funds of the city.  On September 1^st a public hearing (first read) will be held on this new budget. Please attend  to give the council any input on this budget.  Many thanks to our staff, City Manager, Finance Director and all the department heads who worked feverishly to obtain a balanced budget. We are required as a city to pass a balanced budget every year.

REGULAR AGENDA 

Presentation, Discussion and Approval of a Petition for Preliminary Acceptance of Public Improvements in Poss Landing, Unit 2 subdivision on Huebner Road -– The Planning and Zoning Commission approved this plat in November, 2024.  The applicant constructed all public improvements, which were satisfactorily inspected.  Additionally, the applicant posted a $483,711.10 Maintenance bond to guarantee compliance with the one-year maintenance agreement. Any deficiencies will be repaired by the applicant prior to final acceptance. A motion was made to accept the preliminary public improvements with the direction that staff verify the maintenance bond. Council unanimously approved.

Amending Chapter 15 Zoning Permitted Use Tables – The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed these permitted use tables in April with recommendations. City Council held a meeting in June to review these changes with some of the zoning commission members. These tables list the various types of businesses and determines where they can be located (office, business (3 categories) and industrial.  Additionally, Council reviewed the need for Specific Use Permit’s (SUP) to regulate parking, hours, etc. depending on the nature of the business and its proximity to neighborhoods, schools, churches.  There were no other changes made from the special meeting and the council moved to approve the changes as presented.  There is still another half of the permitted use table that needs to be reviewed and updated.  Council decided to set a special meeting in the fall to discuss. Council by consensus requested this item be placed for approval in the Consent Agenda at the next council meeting.

Amending Permit Expiration Renewal for BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle)-  Staff requested a change in the ordinance,  which read “an establishment can request 4 consecutive permits”, to an establishment may be granted no more than four (byob) permits, each permit lasting 90 days.  Council by consensus requested this item be placed for approval in the Consent Agenda at the next council meeting.

Amending an Ordinance to Expand the Vacant Building Registration Program to Address Vacant Commercial Property, Establishing Requirements for Installing and Maintaining a Perimeter Fence – Any vacant commercial property which has remained without an occupied building or active business use for a continuous period of ninety (90) days would be required to enclose the property by a 6 ft. fence constructed of chain link, wrought iron or other material approved by the director. The intended purpose of this amendment is to promote the health, safety and welfare of the community by helping to deter graffiti, illegal dumping, etc. Existing vacant commercial properties would be provided 120 days from the effective date to come into compliance.  Thereafter, property owners subject to this ordinance would be required to comply within 60 days. Council by consensus requested this item be placed for approval in the Consent Agenda at the next council meeting.oval.

Discussion on an Ordinance Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Commercial Contract – The City will sell .55 acres of Real Property to Arbor Urban Developers, LLC (unimproved land) located on  Huebner Road, surrounding the silos – The Council previously approved an Economic Development Agreement between the parties for $1,000 to be paid by the developer to the city in exchange for his development of the property and restoration of the silos,  in accordance with the Master Site Plan. This contract is formalizing the previous agreement. Council by consensus requested this item be placed for approval in the Consent Agenda at the next council meeting.

     The next City Council meeting is on Tuesday, September 1,  beginning at 6:30 p.m., unless there is an executive session, it will begin at 6 p.m.

Please do not hesitate to call me or any of the councilors if we can assist you in any manner.  Please stay safe and hydrated. Heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke are serious risks in this 103 degree weather.

Sincerely, Chris  

(210) 618-2092 (cell);  

mayorriley@leonvalleytexas.gov