SEPTEMBER
3RD, 2024
PROPOSED TAX RATE
At the September 17th meeting, the City Council approved a resolution to adopt the 2024 tax rate. The proposed rate is $0.42, which reflects the no-new-revenue rate. This rate allows the city to collect the same property tax revenue as the previous year, excluding any revenue from new property growth.
PROPOSED 2025 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET
Finance Director Deborah Woodham presented the proposed FY 2025 budget, outlining the city's sources of revenue and plans for utilizing funds in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2024. The full budget can be viewed online at forneytx.gov/budget. The City Council is set to vote on the formal adoption of the budget on September 17.
GRADE SEPARATION
QUIET ZONE UPDATE
Assistant City Manager Karl Zook provided an update on the progress made in the quiet zone. The Public Works and Engineering Departments have completed the median modifications at Chestnut and FM 548 to meet Union Pacific's standards and install the required signage and markings. A federal railroad inspector is scheduled to conduct a final inspection and walkthrough of all the crossings on September 9. While the inspection is a key step, the activation process may take some time, and there is no firm estimate on when the quiet zone will be officially activated.
Assistant City Manager Zook provided an update on the proposed grade separation (bridge) over the Union Pacific Railroad, a key component of Proposition E, passed in the 2022 bond. WSB Engineering is conducting a bridge study to explore potential solutions for this grade separation. The study will identify possible bridge locations, and a public input meeting is expected to be held within the next few months to gather feedback. The study area spans 1,500 feet north and south of the railroad, stretching from the W Broad Street/US 80 intersection on the west to FM 548 on the east. The study is projected to be completed by late spring or early summer of 2025.
