Alpine council approves a package of ordinances and resolutions, hires new city manager

Alpine City Council approved a group of ordinances and resolutions during its Jan. 1 meeting, including a budget amendment to fund an incinerator for the animal services department and the formal hiring of a new city manager.

The council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 2026-01-02, a fiscal-year 2025–26 budget amendment to appropriate funds for purchase of an incinerator for the animal services department, which staff said will allow procurement to proceed. The vote followed a brief staff presentation noting the amendment's purpose and procurement timeline.

Council also approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-01-01, establishing regulations for the operation of golf carts, pocket bikes and mini motorbikes within city limits and authorizing penalties up to $500 per occurrence. City staff and the city attorney noted separate scooter ordinances exist in other jurisdictions and that small electric scooters may follow different rules.

Other actions approved unanimously included a resolution accepting donated improvements to the Coconut Little League field from the Big Bend Little League Association and authorizing fee waivers and manager-level agreements to complete the donation; a resolution opposing any federal legislation that would increase semi-truck size or weight and authorizing letters to the federal delegation expressing the city's position; and a ministerial resolution to release approximately 11.73 acres from the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction after a landowner petition met statutory requirements.

Administrative items included a resolution updating bank check signatories after staffing changes, and a resolution identifying Coconut Park and Manuel Payne Field as historic community resources to support potential future funding or planning efforts.

Council also approved an employment agreement with Henry Arredondo to serve as city manager, with a planned start date of Jan. 20. The city attorney explained contractual language addressing automatic renewal concerns, severability and a termination-for-convenience clause that preserves council discretion. After an executive session, council unanimously approved an additional 7% pay increase (on top of an earlier 3%) for the interim city manager/city secretary and authorized up to $7,500 in relocation assistance for Arredondo.

Most items passed unanimously; council recorded votes and took no public comment on several matters that moved rapidly through first- and final-reading processes. The council adjourned at 9:46 p.m.