Item: City Presents Budget Update

From the Huntsville Item [Aug. 20]:

City Council members were given a presentation of planned budget changes at Tuesday night’s council meeting, with a few adjustments from the workshop held on July 23.

The Raven’s Nest Golf Course revenue generated from a lease agreement with Sam Houston State University would be budgeted through the debt service fund, if council approves. The change, city officials said, would allow for more flexibility in case the university ever purchases the golf course from the city.

With the revenue budgeted in general funds, if the university tried to buy the course, the city would not be able to collect the yearly lease amount of $325,000 from the university and would be without the revenue, Finance Director Steve Ritter said.

In order to plan for this type of scenario, the city recommends moving the revenue source to the debt fund.

The amount had not been budgeted in the 2013 fiscal year because the university had shown interest in possibly purchasing the golf course.

"Basically, the general fund still ends up getting the same amount of revenues, but now it’s property tax revenue instead of the golf course revenue."

Properties split into two lots, will share access to Sam Houston Avenue

Council members voted unanimously at Tuesday’s meeting to separate the properties occupying Huntsville Fire Station No. 2 and the old Military Reserve Building, recently purchased from the city by Maalouf Properties.

Sam Houston State University has shown interest in acquiring the land sold to Maalouf through either purchase or condemnation by way of eminent domain. The Texas State University System Board of Regents were supposed consider allowing the university to carry on with eminent domain proceedings the Attorney General’s Office, but system administrators pulled the item when it was learned that the necessary metes and bounds survey had not been conducted on the land.

The subdivision plat establishes the properties as separate locations. Council also voted for a shared access easement to between the two properties to and from Sam Houston Avenue.

Ward 1 council member, like a few Planning and Zoning Commission members, did express concern that depending on what type of business occupies the Military Reserve Building in the future, it could present parking issues for the fire department in case of emergency. Community and Economic Development Director Aron Kulhavy told P&Z members that the fire department was on board, and City Attorney Leonard Schneider reaffirmed council members on Tuesday.