In what he described as a largely symbolic gesture, Brady Mayor Tony Groves Wednesday vetoed the City Budget for FY 2025. Since the budget was approved by the Council on a 5-0 vote, the veto will almost certainly be overridden at the Oct. 1 Council meeting.
The budget approved by the Council was for just under $12 million for day-to-day operations. The issue Mayor Groves had with the budget was that it included $200,000 to be spent on starting the replacement of golf cart sheds at the Brady Golf Course. The Mayor said he believed the money would be better spent if it were allocated to helping pay for a new Fire Station. Groves said he had previously told the Council he would veto the budget if it contained the funds for the golf cart sheds.
Appearing on KNEL’s Morning Program Wednesday, the Mayor said he was going through with the veto because he said he would, and to emphasize his point about the use of the funds. He readily acknowldged the veto will be over-ridden, and he pledged to actively support the final budget. He did, however, say he hoped there might be a compromise in which some of the funds allocated for the golf sheds might be used instead to refurbish the Golf Pro-Shop and restrooms.
At their meeting Tuesday, the Council also adopted a tax rate for 2024 at .34 cents per $100 valuation – the no-revenue increase rate.
The Council meeting began with a presentation on the Rural Water Assistance Fund at the Texas Water Development Board. The Council subsequently approved authorizing the staff to move ahead with preparing an application to request assistance from the Rural Water Assistance Fund for approximately $4.7 million for replacement of dilapidated or undersized water lines, irrigation lines and related equipment. If approved, the funds would not be available until 2026.
