Tuesday’s Killeen City Council meeting will include a citizen’s petition on concerns over the expected closure of the city’s homeless shelter, which was first reported Friday.
Friends in Crisis is expected to close by February. The cause of the closure is federal funding drying up.
The 78-bed homeless shelter, 412 E. Sprott St. in north Killeen, falls under the umbrella of Families in Crisis, a nonprofit organization based in Killeen.
The person signing up for this citizens petition is Nigel Dunn.
Generally, petitioners have four minutes to speak.
The regular council meeting will also include a discussion and possible vote on renaming the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport. Some of the names discussed included the “Greater Killeen Regional Airport” and the “Killeen Regional Airport.”
The council will also discuss carrying over funds from the 2023 budget for defense against Bell County’s marijuana lawsuit and the KTMPO Safe Streets & Roads for All grant.
The council previously budgeted $100,000 for legal fees associated with the lawsuit and so far there is approximately $42,000 left, which will be carried over into the next fiscal year if approved, according to city documents attached to Tuesday’s meeting agenda.
Bell County is suing Killeen because voters approved Proposition A in November 2022, essentially decriminalizing marijuana under four ounces.
Bell County argues that the Killeen ordinance violates state law while some City Council members maintain they are supporting those who voted for the proposition.
Two public hearings will also be held Tuesday, one on amendments to the 2023 budget and the other on the rezoning of a property from business to single family residential.
The consent agenda also includes the following:
- Approval of investment reports.
- A Meet and Confer agreement with the Killeen Police Department.
- A $2.7 million wastewater construction on the Chapparal Road Project.
- A mutual aid agreement between the Killeen and Nolanville fire departments.
- A resolution awarding $45,000 annually for a mental health clinician for the fire department.
- Supporting the Railhead Energy Resiliency grant for the FY 2024 Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant project.
The city council workshop begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers in City Hall, 101 N. College St., Killeen.
For those unable to attend the meeting in person, it will be web streamed live and archived for playback on the city’s website, KilleenTexas.gov. It will also be broadcast live on Spectrum Cable Channel 10.
