City of Commerce

The Council reviewed and approved a consent agenda. Discussions included council member comments regarding downtown lighting improvements and the filming of a movie within the city. A resolution was passed authorizing the sale of two city-owned properties to the Chicago Legacy Group. The City Manager provided a comprehensive report covering fiscal year financial updates, tax collection projections, and sales tax revenue trends. Additionally, updates were provided on departmental initiatives, including the upcoming Tiger Madness and Miracle on Main Street events, the Clean Commerce campaign, the digitization of historical city records, and the implementation of software for processing public information requests.

The council discussed a request for a $15,000 contribution from the hotel occupancy tax (HOT) fund to support a local film production. Members publicly disclosed potential conflicts of interest related to the production. The discussion covered whether the expenditure met state requirements for hotel occupancy tax funding, specifically the promotion of the arts and tourism. Following the deliberation, the council approved an amendment to the 2026 budget to allocate the requested funds to the production.

The meeting included public comments regarding tiny homes in residential areas and a candidate introduction for Hunt County Judge. The council discussed and approved a resolution to designate an address, email, and website for submitting open records requests. The Police Chief presented the 2025 racial profiling report, which was subsequently accepted. Additionally, the council conducted first readings and held public hearings for a new vacant building registration ordinance and a scrap tire ordinance, both aimed at improving city appearance and code enforcement.

The meeting featured a presentation from East Texas A&M University students regarding the Big Event, a local day of service. Council members discussed the Rotary Club's residential flag program, which supports student scholarships through veteran commemorations, and confirmed the city hall closure for Good Friday. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the second reading of the vacant building registration ordinance. Staff recommended removing the insurance requirement for property owners due to the inability to secure coverage for vacant structures. The discussion further addressed definitions of vacancy for rental and commercial properties, clarifying how storage usage impacts these definitions, and provided an update on the city's tax foreclosure status regarding the Ponderosa apartments.

The Commission addressed multiple code enforcement cases concerning junk vehicles, rubbish, and debris, issuing orders for abatement and removal with specified timelines for property owners. Additionally, the commission reviewed and un-tabled previous cases related to substandard structures and property maintenance violations. Staff also provided updates regarding completed demolitions and the acquisition of a specific property by the city.