Before every regular City Council meeting, we read the full agenda packet and publish what we would ask the council to do on each item, and why. After the meeting, we fill in what the council actually did.
This is an editorial. The recommendations are ours. The facts behind them come from the city’s own 105-page packet for the November 17, 2026 meeting, with page numbers listed. The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. in the Thomas Ward Council Chambers, 300 W. Main Street. Citizen comments are limited to three minutes each and come early in the meeting.
The short version
- HEDCO’s year-end report has a math error worth $2.3 million. Its bottom line shows a $1,050,402.60 gain for the 2025-26 year. Using the report’s own revenue and spending totals, HEDCO spent $1,262,851.10 more than it took in. (Pages 30 to 36)
- HEDCO bought land without a budget line. The $1.5 million Gregory-Gray purchase was paid in September 2026 from a line with no approved budget. Six other lines with $0 budgets carry $263,057.60 in spending, and six more ran $152,096.72 over budget. HEDCO’s own notes say amendments are still needed.
- $112,225 in engineering work orders with no construction cost attached. The council is asked to approve design fees for new Civic Center air conditioning and a new Police Station roof, but the packet gives no cost estimate for either project and no budget line. (Pages 17 to 22)
- The October 20, 2026 minutes still contain unedited notes. One paragraph reads, in part, “General Fund Bal policy 1.8 million wa 800,000 Jay keeping the min.” (Page 7)
- No council meeting until January 19, 2027, if the council cancels December 15 as proposed.
The scorecard
| # | Item | Our call | What council did |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | October 20, 2026 minutes | Pull and correctRemove the unedited notes; list absent members | Pending |
| 6 | Christmas on Main street closure | Approve | Pending |
| 7 | Tree lighting and parade street closure | Approve | Pending |
| 8 | Buzz Fullen to the Texas Eastern 9-1-1 board | Approve | Pending |
| 9 | Civic Center AC design, $55,350 | Approve with changesState the construction estimate and budget line | Pending |
| 10 | Police Station roof design, $56,875 | Approve with changesState the construction estimate and budget line | Pending |
| 11 | Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board, second reading | Approve with changesSay what happens to the existing Cemetery Board; post minutes online | Pending |
| 12 | HEDCO September 2026 financials | PostponeUntil the bottom line is corrected and a budget amendment comes with it | Pending |
| 13 | Cancel the December 15, 2026 meeting | Approve | Pending |
| 14 | Silvey Street sewer main dedication | Approve | Pending |
| 15 | Planning and Zoning reappointments | Approve | Pending |
| 17 | Closed session on “personnel matters” | Approve with changesName the position being discussed | Pending |
Items 1 to 4 are ceremonial: the canvass of the November 3, 2026 election, a presentation to the outgoing council member, the mayor pro tem appointment and a Keep Henderson Beautiful presentation. Items 5 to 7 are on the consent agenda and will pass in one vote unless a council member pulls one out.
The election canvass
The council will certify the November 3, 2026 city results. The unofficial returns in the packet show Reginald Weatherton winning District 2, 244 votes to 169 for Bruce Bommarito, and Proposition A, the charter amendment, passing 1,854 to 1,224. (Page 5) Weatherton takes the seat now held by Council Member Michael Searcy. The mayor and District 3 races were unopposed.
Worth noting: The Spanish version of item 1 on the agenda describes the District 2 winner as unopposed (“también sin oponentes”). District 2 was the one contested city race. The English version is ambiguous. (Page 1)
Item by item
5. October 20, 2026 minutes Pull and correct
What the minutes get right: They match our record of that night. Three council members were present (Stephen Strong, Greg Jackson and Gina Juarez), and every recorded vote was 3-0. The firefighter pay plan, the VeraBank officer as HEDCO treasurer, the HEDCO August financials and the Board of Adjustment appointments were all approved. (Pages 6 to 8)
What needs fixing: Under the investment policy, the minutes include what look like unedited notes: “General Fund Bal policy 1.8 million wa 800,000 Jay keeping the min in the policy in case we have an emergency and need to spend down to the min.” A reader cannot tell what the council was told about the city’s fund balance policy. The minutes also list only the members present, not the two who were absent, Michael Searcy and Lee Scoggins. (Pages 6 to 7)
Also missing: The minutes record no cost for the firefighter pay plan. At the meeting, the City Manager said the budget already includes $380,000 for it, which is the most important number from that item. And the Finance Director’s year-end presentation is recorded with no figures at all.
Why it matters: Minutes are the city’s permanent record. Once approved, they are what a resident, an auditor or a court will rely on.
6 and 7. Christmas street closures Approve
Christmas on Main on December 6, 2026, and the tree lighting and parade, with barricade maps. The packet notes the police and fire departments will cover security with on-duty staff, and that Christmas on Main is not in the budget. (Pages 9 to 14)
8. Texas Eastern 9-1-1 board Approve
Former Mayor John (Buzz) Fullen would serve another two years as Henderson’s representative on the 9-1-1 district board that serves Rusk and Harrison counties. (Pages 15 to 16)
9 and 10. Engineering for Civic Center AC and the Police Station roof Approve with changes
What is proposed: Two fixed-fee work orders with Stokes & Associates, the city’s longtime engineer: $55,350 to design replacement rooftop AC units at the Civic Center, and $56,875 to design a new membrane roof and two rooftop AC units at the Police Station. Together, $112,225. Stokes would bring in Barham Architects and Moody Phillips Electric, both of Tyler, design in about 120 days, prepare the bid documents and inspect the work. (Pages 17 to 22)
Why approve: Both buildings need the work, and the Police Station in particular should have a sound roof and working air conditioning.
What the packet leaves out: There is no construction cost estimate for either project, so the council cannot tell whether $112,225 in design fees is a reasonable share of the job. There is no budget line or funding source; “Special considerations” reads “None” on both. Both work orders rest on a master agreement with Stokes dated April 29, 2008.
The changes we would ask for: State the estimated construction cost and the budget line before approving. And because the master agreement is more than 18 years old, schedule a fresh qualifications review for engineering services, which the state’s professional services law contemplates. That is not a criticism of the firm; it is how the city shows it is getting the best value.
11. Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board Approve with changes
What is proposed: Second reading of Ordinance 2026-10-01, creating a seven-member citizen advisory board for parks, the Sports Complex, recreation programs and city cemeteries. Members must live in the city, serve staggered three-year terms and follow state conflict-of-interest law. The board meets at least quarterly and is subject to the Open Meetings Act. (Pages 23 to 28)
Why approve: More residents involved in parks and cemeteries is a good thing, and the ordinance is clearly written.
Two questions to settle first: The city already has a Henderson Cemetery Board listed on its website. The ordinance does not say whether that board continues, merges or ends. And the ordinance says the new board’s minutes go to the City Secretary and are available to the council “upon request.” Posting them online, as the city does for its other boards, costs nothing and lets residents follow the board’s work.
12. HEDCO September 2026 financials Postpone
This is HEDCO’s report for the full 2025-26 year, which ended September 30, 2026. The item’s cover sheet is blank. (Page 29)
The bottom line is wrong. The report shows total revenue of $2,313,253.70 and total expenditures of $3,576,104.80. That is a shortfall of $1,262,851.10. But the summary at the end lists “Total Expenditures” as $1,262,851.10 and then reports a “Net Increase” of $1,050,402.60, as if HEDCO had come out ahead. The two numbers differ by more than $2.3 million. The report also still says 33.33 percent of the year is complete. (Page 36)
Spending with no approved budget. HEDCO paid $1.5 million for the Gregory-Gray property from the city in September 2026 from a new line with no approved budget; the capital budget the council approved totals $3,730,000 and does not include it. Six other lines budgeted at $0 carry $263,057.60: Jenkins Estate property maintenance ($143,216.64), Scout Crossing ($44,320), the First Methodist performance agreement ($35,750), a Sadler performance payment ($35,000), Scout Crossing maintenance ($2,500) and utilities ($2,270.96). (Pages 31 to 36)
Over budget. Six more lines ran $152,096.72 over their budgets, led by professional services ($169,535 against $100,000), the executive director’s contract labor ($250,328.59 against $220,947.79), the marketing director ($124,552.37 against $99,154.67) and the office manager ($101,333.10 against $81,696.91). HEDCO’s notes on several lines say “will need BUDGET Amendment 25-26.” No amendment is on this agenda.
The good news in the report: Sales tax came in at $2,047,023.01, 7.7 percent above budget, and interest income was $166,844.44. HEDCO ended the year with $3,130,661.85 in its checking account. (Page 30)
Why postpone: State law requires the council to approve a development corporation’s expenditures. Approving a report with a wrong bottom line, and spending that has no approved budget, puts both errors in the permanent record. The fix is simple: correct the summary and bring the budget amendment HEDCO says it needs at the same time. Last year, HEDCO’s amendment for 2024-25 did not reach the council until seven weeks after that year ended (our November 18, 2025 recap).
13. Cancel the December 15, 2026 meeting Approve
Staff say there are no pressing items. (Page 37) If approved, the next regular meeting on the city’s calendar is January 19, 2027, two months after this one. The council also canceled its December meeting in 2025.
14. Silvey Street sewer main Approve
A privately installed sewer extension serving two new homes at 105 and 107 Silvey Street, inspected and recommended for acceptance by the city’s engineer. Once accepted, the city maintains it. (Pages 38 to 39)
15. Planning and Zoning reappointments Approve
Bill Garmon, who has served on the commission since 1995, and Scott Droddy, who has served since 2022, would each serve two more years. Their terms expire December 1, 2026. (Page 40)
17. Closed session on personnel Approve with changes
The council would meet privately with the City Attorney on “personnel matters.” (Page 2) The Open Meetings Act allows closed sessions on personnel. We would ask the council to name the position or officer being discussed, so residents know the subject without anything private being disclosed.
In the packet: HEDCO’s October 20, 2026 annual meeting
The packet includes HEDCO’s draft minutes from its October 20, 2026 annual meeting, held at 2:00 p.m. the same day as the last council meeting. The council takes no vote on them. (Pages 100 to 105) What they show:
- New officers and a new member. Gabriel Salazar, a local contractor, was sworn in as a new director. Michael Marshall stays president, Micah Howard vice president and Justin Pirtle becomes secretary. Former directors Trey Segura, Brian Ballard and Noble Welch were recognized for their service.
- A treasurer on the bank cards before his appointment. The board added VeraBank’s Ryan Ellis to HEDCO’s bank signature cards at its 2:00 p.m. meeting. The City Council did not approve him as HEDCO treasurer until its 6:00 p.m. meeting that evening.
- An attendance list that does not match the votes. The minutes list five directors present and none absent, but director Adam Duey, who is not on that list, made several of the motions.
- Small business grants with no amounts. The board approved grants for Sadler Ministries, Orta’s Restaurant, Nueva Vizcaya, Hodgkins Consulting, Henderson GNR Holding and McNew’s Produce, and denied DC Distributors, Jesus and Perla Montelongo, Bane Investments #2 and Tarpworx. The minutes record no dollar amount for any of them.
- Expired contracts still being paid. Director Courtney Smith asked the board to review HEDCO contracts that have expired and continue month to month, noting some carry substantial annual costs. The executive director recommended renewing them for another year. The board put the review on its November agenda and discussed starting it in closed session.
- Corrected April minutes approved. The board approved revised minutes for its April 21, 2026 meeting on its consent agenda. The minutes do not say what was changed.
- A name for the land at Highway 323 and Highway 64: “The Preserve.” The board also asked the city’s engineer to write bid specifications for mowing four HEDCO properties, including the Gregory property bought from the city.
- A changed performance agreement. The board amended an existing agreement to change a project’s scope after the company found a building on the site beyond repair; HEDCO’s minutes say the investment and job requirements did not change.
How to speak up
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 6:00 p.m., Thomas Ward Council Chambers, Municipal Services Complex, 300 W. Main Street. Citizen comments come at the start of the meeting and are limited to three minutes. The council cannot act on topics that are not on the agenda. To ask for an item on a future agenda, contact the City Secretary’s office at least 10 days before a meeting, (903) 657-6551.