Lindale—The Lindale City Council addressed a wide-ranging agenda during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at City Hall, unanimously approving adjustments to utility and garbage rates, approving preliminary plans for a splash-pad shade structure and community-center flooring work, and advancing a proposed tax rate for the 2026–2027 fiscal year.
Mayor Gavin Rasco called the meeting to order, present with council members Bob Tardiff, Jerretta Nance Pate, Bryan Summerville, Sallie Black, and Greg Kilgore.
Utility and Garbage Rate Adjustments
Effective with the Oct. 1, 2026, billing cycle, Lindale residents will see a 4.8% garbage-rate adjustment and a 4% increase in municipal water and sewer rates:
Both motions were made by Council Member Bob Tardiff and seconded by Council Member Jerretta Nance Pate, passing unanimously.
Facility Upgrades and Parks Projects
The council addressed preliminary plans and maintenance for city facilities:
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Darden Splash Pad Shade Structure: Parks Board representative Mark Cox presented renderings for a proposed shade structure at the Darden Splash Pad, with an estimated cost between $65,000 and $70,000. Cox stated that he is exploring grant opportunities and other funding sources to offset costs. The council approved the preliminary plans and authorized the Parks Board to pursue the project and obtain bids for later council consideration.
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Kinzie Community Center: Council unanimously approved replacing existing carpeting with linoleum flooring at a cost not to exceed $22,000. The council also discussed community center rental hours and cleaning service fees.
An item regarding lawn care service for the Pickers Grounds was tabled.
Executive Sessions, Budget Workshop, and Proposed Tax Rate
The council held executive-session discussions concerning legal matters, city manager duties, and real property. No action was taken following the real-property executive session.
After an executive-session discussion concerning legal matters and city manager duties, the council unanimously approved payment of accrued sick leave to City Manager Carolyn Caldwell in lieu of COBRA benefits. The payment must equal the projected COBRA value shown on Caldwell’s submitted spreadsheet and is contingent on a signed waiver.
During the 2026–2027 budget workshop, Caldwell reported that the proposed general fund budget includes adding one employee to the Police Department and one employee to the Water Department.
A public hearing on the proposed 2026–2027 budget and proposed tax rate of $0.35163 has been set for Sept. 15, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
In other action, council members unanimously approved:
- An Interlocal Cooperation Contract between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Lindale Municipal Court under Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code.
- Updating the C.T. Brannon Corporation engineering agreement.
This article was created with artificial intelligence using public meeting materials and was edited by staff.
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