Nixon annexes Tractor Supply, approves budget, discusses monument

Nixon City Council voted unanimously Thursday, Sept. 19, to annex a little more than six acres of property along US 87 that includes the new Tractor Supply, the Gonzales County Emergency Services District No. 2 building and land belonging to the Nixon Hospital District.

Council members also voted unanimously to adopt the fiscal year 2024-25 budget and to authorize Interim City Manager Darryl Becker and City Attorney Eddie Escobar to enter into an agreement with Smith Dairy Queen to place a proposed Nixon monument in front of the restaurant at the intersection of Texas 80 and US 87.

Annexation

The council held a public hearing on the annexation a half hour prior to Thursday’s meeting. The annexation covers 4.42 acres of land generally located at 1276 County Road 174, which is the address for Tractor Supply’s new storm, as well as an acre of land at 1100 E. Central Ave. (the Buck and Elvera Butler Memorial EMS station) and an adjacent acre belonging to the Nixon Hospital District.
Tractor Supply voluntarily had requested the annexation in order to receive city water and other municipal services extended to the property, Becker said. The store officially opened in late June.

“We started working on the annexation back in February and our next steps going forward now are that we need to get our maps and then we’ll contact the Comptroller and contact the county clerk,” Becker said.

Annexing the store not only would add the property to the city’s tax base, but would also allow the city to collect a 1.5-cent sales and use tax allocation from the store’s retail sales, which could lighten some of the tax burden on other property owners.

Budget

The budget approved by council Thursday is the same proposed budget filed by Becker that calls for total income of $4,460,250 against total expenditures of $4,170,719.29 for an estimated budget surplus of $289,530.71 while still meeting the needs of the city.

The new fiscal year 2025 budget proposes a 50-cent per hour raise for all municipal employees. Along with a 30-cent increase in retirement and an increase in medical contributions, that would bring the total benefit package increase for employees this year to $1.25 per hour.

The city is expected to take in $2,041,450 in utility income and $2,416,800 in general fund income. The department with the highest proposed expenses is police at $886,033.48, followed by City Hall at $872,490.57, sewer expenses at $770,276.46 and water expenses at $671,905.36 and streets at $281,04019.

Utility office expenses ($173,345.48), capital outlay ($172,549.91) parks expenses ($170,500.49), municipal court ($86,086.20) and library ($70,941.15) are next up. The city also will spend $11,550 for expenses for the mayor and council (training, etc.) and $3,000 at the community center.

Monument

The city has gotten made three-dimensional powder-coated signs made resembling the city seal and a police badge and will soon have one which represents the Gonzales County South Fire Department, which will be the successor of a merged Nixon Fire and Rescue and the Smiley VFD, Becker said.

The new signs will be put into limestone blocks or a wall along with another sign which proclaims Nixon to be “Mustang Country” in honor of the Nixon-Smiley CISD.

“We’ve been talking back and forth with TxDOT and we’ve got the approval, but we’re just trying to tighten up some legal loose ends,” Becker said. “This will be at the four-way (stop) and it will be showing support for our emergency services, but also supporting the school.

“We had a guy who built these and donated the metal work and that’s not painted; it’s powder-coated and he’s really done a nice just to help support the town,” Becker added.

Donald Hoffman of the Rancho-Nixon Historical Association said his organization has also applied for space that would be near the city monument for a six-foot by four-foot sign advertising a John Wesley Hardin driving tour as well as the video exhibit at the Aphne Pattillo Nixon Public Library.

Mayor Ellie Dominguez said she expects the new monument to be “our spot to take pictures with administration employees to go on our website.”

Becker said TxDOT has surveyed and determined the state right of way for the road extends about 10 feet on either side, so the marker must be set beyond that point, which is why the city will be working with Dairy Queen on the placement of the marker.