The Bandera City Council announced a $50,000 grant for the Marshal’s office Tuesday and approved the Economic Development Corporation’s $17,100 expenditure to clean up Settler’s Park.
The donation, which was provided by the Hal & Charlie Peterson Foundation from Kerrville, Texas, will provide the downpayment for the $86,789.64 expense for the department to upgrade the deputies body and vehicle cameras, according to City Marshal Earl Heidelberg.
“We are very thankful for this donation,” Heidelberg said. “I will be placing the order for the new equipment tomorrow.”
The remaining $36,789.64 expense will be paid by the city in installments over the next five years.
While the council unanimously approved the expense, council member Debbie Breen questioned why the expense had not been brought before council prior to finalizing the 2026-27 budget.
“It wasn’t in the budget because we were anticipating whether we would get the grant,” City Administrator Toni Kunz said. “Otherwise, we could not afford this.”
City Secretary Jill Dickerson went on to state that the city applied for the grant on July 29 and received notification of the award on Sept. 8.
The city council approved the 2026-27 budget on Sept. 22.
“If we knew we wanted this – it’s Oct. 13,” Breen went on to say. “We knew that this was something that we wanted, whether we got the grant or not.”
Tension between Kunz and Breen has brewed over the city’s budget in past meetings.
The city council went on to other business, later approving the EDC’s request to pay $17,100 to Seventh Generation to clean up Settler’s Park. EDC president Kim McAleb stated a Town Hall to receive community input on future plans for the park is in the works.
The majority of the council, with council member Jeff Flowers abstaining, voted against the Cowboy Capital Association’s (CCA) request to close Cypress St. for First Friday on Nov. 6. Multiple residents, including Bandera Chamber of Commerce President Michele Kosmalski expressed concerns over the CCA’s request.
“I don’t understand why we are doing this on the first Friday of every month when the BBA has always done it on the first Saturday of every month for how many years?” Kosmalski said. “Why couldn’t we push this to the third Friday of the month?”
Other residents also expressed concerns that the request fell on Hunters Weekend. The council denied Hernandez the request for closure, with Breen suggesting the CCA look at a new location for the vendor market.
The council also approved a new auditor for the city, LSL CPA; tabled a decision for new legal representation, citing favorable mentions of two firms that cover Boerne and Fredericksburg; tabled a decision to rezone all of Maple and 10th St. from P3 to P4; and requested further discussion at a later meeting regarding Short Term Rentals registry and permitting fees.
Flowers, who currently rents out one of his properties on VRBO, stated that process was excruciating, and implored the council to discuss the matter carefully.
“I don’t have a problem with the city knowing where our shortterm rentals are,” Flowers said. “In fact, I think we should. A simple registration makes sense. Give us the property address, owner contact information, verify that they are paying Hotel Occupancy Tax, and issue them an STR registration number.”
Flowers clarified that his concerns were that the registration could turn into treating every residential STR as though the property itself had become a commercial lodging business.
“So, before we create another annual fee, I want to know what problem we’re trying to solve and what the fee is actually paying for,” Flowers said.
The council is expected to receive a draft from Kunz after legal counsel provides input at a later meeting.
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