Breckenridge Texan

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

The Breckenridge City Commission has worked on a variety of local government topics at recent meetings, in addition to the recent water rates issue (click here for the Breckenridge Texan’s previous article on that topic). Below is a roundup of recent actions and items from city leaders.

Ban on New Vape Shops

Despite the Breckenridge Planning and Zoning Commission asking the City Manager to draft another proposal regarding the location of new vape shops in the city, both the P&Z and the City Commission recently approved an ordinance that currently totally bans new businesses identified as “vape shops” in the city limits.

Ordinance No. 2026-14 defines a vape shop as: “A retail establishment utilized primarily for the sale of e-cigarettes, vaping devices, edibles and other devices for the inhalation or consumption of tobacco, CBD or other hemp derived products, and other supplies or paraphernalia, with no on-site smoking or tobacco consumption.”

Then, the ordinance added vape shops to the “General Business Retail Uses” table in the City’s Code of Ordinances; but, none of the city’s zone are marked as permitting vape shops. The ordinance, which was approved by the City Commission in August, effectively bans any new vape shops within the Breckenridge city limits.

City Manager Cynthia Northrop explained that the ordinance does not affect current vape shops in the city, which will be considered “legal, non-conforming” businesses, as allowed by the City’s Code of Ordinances.

When asked by the Breckenridge Texan via email if the anti-vape shop ordinance violates state law that might regulate whether or not a city can entirely prohibit a business that is otherwise legal under state law, Northrop said the City staff intends to bring the topic back to the P&Z, as well as the City Commission, at a future date.

2026-27 Budget and 2027 Tax Rate

The City held a public hearings on the proposed tax rate (Aug. 25) and the proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year (Sept. 1), and after some discussion between the commissioners and the City staff, both were approved at the Sept. 1 meeting.

Daniel Newell speaks to the Breckenridge City Commission about the budget and tax rate during the Sept. 1 meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

The only citizen to speak during the public hearings was Daniel Newell. At the Aug. 25 public hearing on the tax rate for the City, he asked the city commissioners to pass the lower rate of $0.90389 per $100 property valuation, which is the no-new-revenue rate, rather than the proposed $1.01893 per $100 valuation. During the Sept. 1 public hearing about the budget, he made several suggestions for trimming the proposed budget and pointed out that, although the proposed tax rate was slightly less than this year’s rate, due to increased home values, the average home owner’s taxes will still increase.

“I think there’s enough fluff in (the budget) that the no-new-revenue (tax rate) would be fine and would save us 10% increases on our city tax,” Newell said.

When it came time for the city commissioners to vote on the budget and tax rate, Commissioner Justin Rose said that he thought two items in the proposed budget – a salary for a Main Street Coordinator position and an across-the-board 3% salary increase for all City employees – should be pulled out of the budget and voted on separately. He said the salary for the Main Street Coordinator (a position that has not been filled yet) would pay for the increase in health insurance costs that the City will have to pay next year and that the raises should be approved on an employee-by-employee basis, rather than across-the-board.

Other commissioners on the board said that the Main Street Coordinator position had been discussed at a previous meeting before Rose was elected and that the position would help the City with getting grants.

After a motion to approve the budget was made by Commissioner Blake Hamilton and seconded by Commissioner Paul Huntington, City Secretary Jessica Sutter called for a record vote. The budget was approved with a split 3-2 vote, with Hamilton, Huntington and Mayor Kord Trammel voting in favor of the budget and Rose and Commissioner Junior Fernandez voting against it. They voted with the same 3-2 split to approve the proposed tax rate ($1.01893 per $100 valuation) and to approve the levying of that tax.

Wind Turbine Recycling

Rob Piscatelli, owner of Cutting Wind LLC, addressed the City Commission on Aug. 4, asking that “Wind Turbine Recycling Facility” be added as a permissible use in Breckenridge’s industrial zones.

The facility is planned for 705 Industrial Loop, at the site of a former recycling plant. It will involve the processing and recycling of end-of-life wind turbine blades and related wind energy components, along with the operation of a concrete batch plant that will utilize processed wind turbine blade material as an aggregate or supplemental material in concrete production.

The blades and other components will be mechanically shredded, Piscatelli said, adding that no chemicals are used in the process.

One of the concerns brought up during the discussion was the amount of water expected to be used by the facility to control dust in the air as the turbines are shredded.

“We use about 40 gallons (or water) an hour when we’re running full tilt, and that would probably be five to six hours a day of that 40 gallons an hour,” Piscatelli said. “It’s not all day, every day.”

The company has recycling facilities in other areas, including Tulsa, Oklahoma; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Buffalo, New York; and Lubbock.

“We need to be in a place where we have space. We need to be close to … where they’re coming from. So, if you look in Iowa, there’s obviously a significant amount of wind turbines there, just like in this region of the country as well. So that’s why we selected this area, both for the inbound and then the outbound,” Piscatelli said. “You know, we want to get into the concrete industry around here, Dallas, Fort Worth. It’s just a massive. This whole area is exploding, so we want to be here to participate in that.”

The city commissioners approved the ordinance to allow the facility to operate in the industrial zone.

Bethel Baptist Church

In honor of Bethel Baptist Church’s 100th anniversary, Mayor Trammel issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 20, 2026, as Bethel Baptist Church Day in Breckenridge.

Breckenridge Mayor Kord Trammel, right, presents a City of Breckenridge proclamation declaring Sept. 20 as Bethel Baptist Church Day to church members Tom Cyprian, Rev. C.F. Holliman and Rowena Cyprian, church clerk. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

In reading the proclamation, Trammel said, Bethel Baptist Church has served as a cornerstone of faith, fellowship, and service within the community. “Bethel Baptist Church was organized in 1926 by Rev. J. L. Mann, who was then a traveling missionary, and … for years the congregation has provided spiritual guidance, charitable outreach, and support to the citizens of our city, including nursing home outreach, Feed My Lambs, Thanksgiving meals, and scholarships to youth,” he said. “… the contributions of Bethel Baptist Church have greatly enriched the cultural and moral fabric of our local area.”

The proclamation was received by Rev. CF Holliman, who has served in the position since 1987, and Rowena Cyprian, church clerk.

“On behalf of the entire congregation at Bethel Baptist Church, I want to express our deepest gratitude for the official city proclamation recognizing our 100th anniversary,” Cyprian said. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to God’s faithfulness and the enduring spirit of our community. For the past century, our church has strived to be a beacon of hope, service, and fellowship. We are incredibly honored that the city has recognized our service and fellowship, and also that the city recognizes our historic presence and ongoing contributions to the well-being of Breckenridge. We deeply appreciate your leadership and the support of the City Council. We look forward to continuing our partnership with local leaders to serve and strengthen our community for the next 100 years. Thank you again for this meaningful honor.”

Fire Station

In the Sept. 1 meeting, city commissioners approved an ordinance that authorizes the issuance of up to $2.5 million in Certificates of Obligation, which was described as the next step for the City of Breckenridge’s plant to build a new fire station.

In July, the City Commission authorized the publication of a Notice of Intent to issue Certificates of Obligation to build a new fire station on city property next to the YMCA.  The City’s long-time fire station at 120 W. Elm St. was deemed to be unsuitable for the fire department to continue operating there.

In 2025, the firefighters moved into a temporary building behind the current fire station. The City looked at several locations in the downtown area and determined that the property east of the old YMCA building will be the best location for a new fire station. The YMCA building has been donated to Stephens Memorial Hospital and will not be affected by the new fire station.

According to the Sept. 1 meeting agenda, the financial impact of the new fire station is expected to be up to $2.5 million – $1.5 million to $1.750 million for a modest building (5,000 square feet at $300-$350 per square foot);  $288,000 to $360,000 (16-20% of building cost)  for  architect, engineering and construction oversight; and, $125,000 for financing costs.

The issuance of the certificates of obligation is necessary to begin the project, and the commissioners approved the ordinance.

Legal Notices

With the last printed issue of the Breckenridge American newspaper being printed on June 27, 2026, the Breckenridge City Commission voted on Aug. 4 to publish their public notices in the Albany News and the Abilene Reporter-News.

According to Texas law (Texas Government Code Chapter 2051, Subchapter C), most municipalities, counties, districts, and other government agencies are required to publish certain types of public notices in a newspaper to ensure that the public is informed about upcoming government business. That includes things like requests for bids, public hearings, ordinances, etc.

The law is very specific about what type of a publication qualifies for the notices.

Section 2051.044 specifies that the type of newspaper required must: (1) devote not less than 25 percent of its total column lineage to general interest items; (2) be published at least once each week; (3) be entered as second-class postal matter in the county where published; and (4) have been published regularly and continuously for at least 12 months before the governmental entity or representative publishes notice. Additionally, to be considered, a weekly newspaper must not have missed publishing more than two issues in the 12-month period.

But, if a community’s newspaper does not meet those requirements, there are some exceptions. If the local newspaper does not meet those requirements, Section 2051.0441 the public notices may legally be published in a newspaper that (1) devotes not less than 20 percent of its total column lineage to general interest items; (2) is published at least once each week; (3) is entered as periodical postal matter in the county where published or has a mailed or delivered circulation of at least 51 percent of the residences in the county where published; and (4) has been published regularly and continuously for at least 12 months before the governmental entity or representative publishes notice.

And, if the community’s newspaper still doesn’t meet those requirements, Section 2051.0441 continues with another option. In lieu of publishing a notice in a newspaper under the above listed requirements, a governmental entity may publish a notice in a digital newspaper if that digital newspaper: (1) has an audited paid-subscriber base; (2) has been in business for at least three years; (3) employs staff in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity; (4) reports on local events and governmental activities in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity; (5) provides news of general interest to people in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity; and (6) updates its news at least once each week.

The Breckenridge American would meet that last list of requirements; however, it seems that they no longer have any local employees.

The Breckenridge Texan would meet that last list of requirements; however, we do not have a paid-subscriber base. Because the Breckenridge Texan has always offered all of our news for no charge to our readers in the community and beyond, we are not currently eligible to meet the legal requirements for public notices. We are looking into how we could qualify in the future.

During the August meeting, Northrop explained to the commissioners that the Albany News is significantly less expensive than the Abilene Reporter-News but that it is not distributed in Breckenridge. The City of Breckenridge’s charter requires that ordinances (not all public notices) be published in a newspaper that has been continuously published in Stephens County for at least one year prior to such publication. Therefore, the notices about ordinances will be published in the Abilene newspaper, which is distributed in Breckenridge.

The commissioners approved the resolution designating the Albany News as the Official Newspaper of the City of Breckenridge for public notices and designating the Abilene Reporter-News as the official newspaper for ordinance publications.

According to the City of Breckenridge’s Facebook page, the Albany News is published on Thursdays, and copies of the newspaper will be available for purchase at the Breckenridge City Hall for $2 each. Additionally, the public notices are available online at www.breckenridgetx.gov. On the homepage, select “Public Notices” to view current notices and publications.

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson, left, pins Dawson Tovar’s badge on his uniform at the Sept. 1 City Commission meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Oaths of Office

Newly election City Commissioner Justin Rose was officially sworn in at the beginning of the July 7 meeting.

Additionally, City Secretary Jessica Sutter swore in police officer John Butler on July 7 and Dawson Tovar on Sept. 1. They are serving in the Breckenridge Police Department.

Agreements

The City Commissioners also approved several agreements with other entities:

• Interlocal agreements with Stephens County for shared use of the Stephens County Law Enforcement Center building, for fire services, for animal control services and for the emergency notification system HyperReach
• A facility use agreement with Stephens County Humane Society for a city-owned building located at 210 N. Live Oak St., previously known as the Sis Clark Building.
• An agreement between the City of Breckenridge and the Breckenridge Library and Fine Arts Foundation for the City to provide $30,000 to the foundation – $16,100 to the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center and $13,900 to the Breckenridge Library – indicating no changes from the previous year.

Brant Thurmond, wastewater treatment plant supervisor for the City of Breckenridge, answers questions by the city commissioners about recent upgrades to the plant. Colden Rich with Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc., standing at left, was on hand to provide information to the commissioners about change orders request for several projects. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Other Items

During the August and September meetings, the City Commission also took the following actions:

• Approved two new members to the Breckenridge Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors – Matt Thompson and Josh Griffith
• Approved several change orders for projects related to water system improvements, wastewater treatment plant improvements and street improvements.
• Agreed to donate surplus bricks from a construction project – not historical bricks – to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Walker Sayle Unit.
• Approved the closure of a portion of Westwood Road that lies between two properties and convey the closed street property to the owners of the two adjacent properties. The street was platted but had not used as a public thoroughfare.
• Approved plans for the 2026 Family Fun Fest in downtown Breckenridge on Oct. 20.

Newly elected Breckenridge City Commissioner Justin Rose is sworn in by City Secretary Jessica Sutter at the July meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Breckenridge City Secretary Jessica Sutter swears in new police officer John Butler at the August City Commission meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson, left, salutes newly sworn-in officer Dawson Tovar after pinning on his badge. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Cutline, top photo: Rob Piscatelli, owner of Cutting Wind LLC, addresses the Breckenridge City Commission on Aug. 4, asking that “Wind Turbine Recycling Facility” be added as a permissible use in the city’s industrial zones. The new recycling plant is planned for 705 Industrial Loop. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)