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06-03-2025 Council Workshop Agenda Packet       WORKSHOP MEETING AGENDA CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ June 3, 2025 5:00 P.M.                                   HAL BALDWIN MUNICIPAL COMPLEX COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY BUILDING #4 SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154 CITY OF SCHERTZ CORE VALUES Do the right thing Do the best you can Treat others the way you want to be treated Work cooperatively as a team    AGENDA TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.        Call to Order   Hearing of Residents This time is set aside for any person who wishes to address the City Council. Each person should fill out the speaker’s register prior to the meeting. Presentations should be limited to no more than 3 minutes.  All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body, and not to any individual member thereof. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks while addressing the Council may be requested to leave the meeting. All handouts and/or USB devices must be submitted to the City Secretary no later than noon on the Monday preceding the meeting.  Handouts will be provided to each Councilmember prior to the start of the meeting by the City Secretary.  All USB devices will be vetted by City IT staff to ensure City property is protected from malware. Discussion by the Council of any item not on the agenda shall be limited to statements of specific factual information given in response to any inquiry, a recitation of existing policy in response to an inquiry, and/or a proposal to place the item on a future agenda. The presiding officer, during the Hearing of Residents portion of the agenda, will call on those persons who have signed up to speak in the order they have registered.   Discussion   1. Council Professional Development Policy Review  (Councilmember Westbrook) June 3, 2025  City Council Agenda                                Page 1  1. Council Professional Development Policy Review  (Councilmember Westbrook)   Adjournment   CERTIFICATION I, SHEILA EDMONDSON, CITY SECRETARY OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, TEXAS, DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE AGENDA WAS PREPARED AND POSTED ON THE OFFICIAL BULLETIN BOARDS ON THIS THE 28TH DAY OF MAY 2025 AT 5:30 P.M., WHICH IS A PLACE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AT ALL TIMES AND THAT SAID NOTICE WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 551, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.    SHEILA EDMONDSON    I CERTIFY THAT THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND AGENDA OF ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WAS REMOVED BY ME FROM THE OFFICIAL BULLETIN BOARD ON ________DAY OF ___________________, 2025. TITLE: _______________________________ This facility is accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Handicapped parking spaces are available. If you require special assistance or have a request for sign interpretative services or other services, please call 210-619-1030. The City Council for the City of Schertz reserves the right to adjourn into closed session at any time during the course of this meeting to discuss any of the matters listed above, as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act. Closed Sessions Authorized: This agenda has been reviewed and approved by the City’s legal counsel and the presence of any subject in any Closed Session portion of the agenda constitutes a written interpretation of Texas Government Code Chapter 551 by legal counsel for the governmental body and constitutes an opinion by the attorney that the items discussed therein may be legally discussed in the closed portion of the meeting considering available opinions of a court of record and opinions of the Texas Attorney General known to the attorney. This provision has been added to this agenda with the intent to meet all elements necessary to satisfy Texas Government Code Chapter 551.144(c) and the meeting is conducted by all participants in reliance on this opinion.    COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS     Mayor Gutierrez Member Audit Committee Investment Advisory Committee Main Street Committee TIRZ II Board Liaison Board of Adjustments Senior Center Advisory Board-Alternate Councilmember Davis– Place 1 Member Interview Committee  Main Street Committee - Chair TIRZ II Board Liaison Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Schertz Housing Authority Board Transportation Safety Advisory Board Councilmember Watson-Place 2 Member Audit Committee Liaison Library Advisory Board Senior Center Advisory Board Councilmember Macaluso – Place 3 Member Interview Committee  Hal Baldwin Scholarship Committee TIRZ II Board Liaison June 3, 2025  City Council Agenda                                Page 2  Senior Center Advisory Board Cibolo Valley Local Government Corporation-Ex-Officio  Liaison Animal Services Advisory Committee Councilmember Guerrero–Place 4 Member Hal Baldwin Scholarship Committee Investment Advisory Committee Liaison Schertz Historical Preservation Society Councilmember Westbrook – Place 5 Liaison Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation (SSLGC)     Planning and Zoning Commission Schertz Historical Preservation Society Cibolo Valley Local Government Corporation (CVLGC)-Alternate   Councilmember Heyward – Place 6 Member Animal Services Advisory Committee Audit Committee Interview Committee-Chair Investment Advisory Committee Main Street Committee Liaison Building and Standards Commission Economic Development Corporation - Alternate Senior Center Advisory Board Councilmember Brown – Place 7 Member Main Street Committee Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation (SSLGC) Liaison Economic Development Corporation      June 3, 2025  City Council Agenda                                Page 3  Agenda No. 1.   CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM    City Council Meeting:June 03, 2025 Department:City Secretary Subject: Council Professional Development Policy Review (Councilmember Westbrook) BACKGROUND   Attachments Public Funds for Support of Council Pro. Development  Professional Development Policy Review  Public Funds for Support of the Council’s Professional Development This subject is being brought forward for Workshop discussion to determine whether public funds should be allowed for professional development training outside the offerings of the Texas Municipal League (TML).  A recent request was reviewed and ultimately denied by the mayor, based on current policy limitations and budgetary considerations. Given the nature of the request and its implications for future decisions, it is important that Council collectively considers how such requests should be evaluated moving forward to ensure both transparency and consistency in the use of public funds to support Council’s professional development.  As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we are bound by the principle that public funds must serve a clear, direct public purpose. That means the expenditure must support the operations, responsibilities, or services of this city—not individual advancement. While leadership development is important, the benefit to the city must be both tangible and directly tied to our municipal duties. Precedent and Policy Alignment: Historically, this Council has supported participation in training and conferences that are directly related to municipal governance—such as those offered by the Texas Municipal League. These are budgeted for, vetted, and widely accepted as appropriate municipal expenditures. Funding external, self-selected programs—no matter how reputable—would represent a departure from that established practice. Equity and Consistency: Approving one request of this nature opens the door to similar requests from other council members. Without a consistent policy framework to evaluate such requests, we risk creating perceived or actual inequities. It also makes it difficult to draw a line between what is eligible for funding and what is not. Public Perception and Trust: We must consider how this would be viewed by the public. Most residents expect city funds to go toward essential services, infrastructure, safety, and operations—not to underwrite individual development opportunities that are not clearly connected to city service delivery. Even if the intent is positive, the perception could undermine public trust. Budgetary Oversight: Financial policies require us to approve expenditure in accordance with an adopted budget and with purpose. There is currently no line item or approved process for this type of expenditure. To approve it outside of the established budget cycle would not only be a policy concern but could raise procedural questions. Requests for training opportunities outside of those offered by the Texas Municipal League (TML) should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with careful consideration of the potential benefit to Council members and, by extension, to the city. This approach is not intended to reflect negatively on the individual or the inherent value of professional development. Rather, it reflects our responsibility to ensure that public funds are used appropriately and in alignment with our commitment to sound fiscal stewardship. To strengthen oversight and ensure the prudent use of public resources, I respectfully recommend amending the current Policy and Procedures to authorize the Mayor to review training-related budget requests and, when appropriate, exercise discretion in approving those that fall outside the standard TML offerings. This proposed amendment aligns with the responsibilities outlined in the City Charter, Section 4.05 – Mayor and Mayor Pro- Tem, which designates the “Mayor as the official head of the City government” and empowers him or her to “perform duties consistent with the Charter or as directed by City Council.” Granting this authority would provide the necessary flexibility to support professional development opportunities that best serve the City's evolving needs. Authored by Mayor Ralph Gutierrez Professional Development Policy Review Presented to Schertz City Council Workshop Discussion Items •Review of Councilmember Professional Development Training requests •Analysis of City Charter, Council Rules, and Travel Policy. •Focus: fairness, transparency, and codified governance process. Governing Documents •City of Schertz Charter –2024 Edition •City Council Rules of Conduct and Procedure –Ordinance 23-M-28 •City of Schertz Travel Policy Document Takeaways • Charter Section 4.08: Powers vested in Council • Charter Section 4.09(d): Council sets its own rules. • Council Rules: No unilateral authority to Mayor. • Travel Policy: No mention of Councilmembers—creates ambiguity. Core Talking Points • Councilmembers trusted to manage city policy and budgets. • Denying autonomy in training contradicts trust in Council members judgment • Cities advocate for local control, certainly council members should have a say in their own professional development • Lack of policy invites inconsistency and selective treatment. Additional Talking Points • No codified authority grants the Mayor approval power. • Travel Policy only addresses staff, not elected officials. • Denial implies governance training lacks municipal relevance. • Leadership development improves public service and trust. Comparison Matrix: TML vs. Harvard Kennedy School Criteria TML Annual Conference Harvard Kennedy School Target Audience Local Elected Officials Local Elected Officials Program Goals Municipal Governance Skills Executive Public Leadership Duration 3-4 Days 3 Weeks Accreditation State-level Support Harvard Certification Funding Decision Approved Denied Anticipated Questions & Key Answers • Does the Mayor have unilateral authority? No—Council holds the authority per the Charter. • Is denying training fiscally responsible? Only with clear policies; not through subjective decisions. Additional questions •Is Harvard training relevant to Council duties? Yes —It supports governance and leadership roles. •How does it differ from the TML Conference? It doesn't—Both serve elected officials; approval inconsistency shows policy gaps. •Can Councilmembers place agenda items? Yes —Council Rules allow this without Mayoral override but has to be requested during an open session meeting. Questions •Will this invite excessive requests? Not with a clear policy including limits and criteria. •Is the current Travel Policy only for employees? Yes —Which underscores the need for a Council-specific policy. Policy Recommendations • Codify a policy for Councilmember professional development. • Define eligibility and approval processes. • Use Council vote or matrix based on training relevance. • Review of current authority limits. Recommendations for Agenda Discussion • Request criteria for Council training in Council Rules or Travel Policy. • Propose amendments allowing independent requests. • Establish review mechanism: vote or relevance matrix. • Seek City Attorney opinion