Regular Meeting Transcription

Type	Regular Monthly Council Meeting (7:00 PM)
Location	Village of Briarcliff, 302 Sleat Drive, Briarcliff, Texas
Present	Mayor Allen Hostetler; Aldermen Johnston, Elliott, Charlesworth, Aldrich, Richmond
Absent	None confirmed
Clerk	Amber Rowe
Source	Feb 26 2026.mp4 (~35 minutes)
Video by	Mark De Zeeuw
Official Minutes	Not yet posted · briarclifftx.com ↗

---

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. New citizen communication rules adopted — Resolution 2026-02-25-07 formalizes public comment procedures including a 24-hour advance sign-up requirement, 3-minute speaker limits, and decorum rules modeled after 21+ sister cities in the Hill Country chapter. Adopted in the same meeting it was introduced.
2. New legal counsel retained — The village authorized hiring the Horkwist Law Firm (Resolution 2026-02-25-09), replacing longtime attorney Ken Campbell after ~25 years of service. Aaron Higginbotham will serve as deputy city attorney and primary lawyer/prosecutor.
3. Major water infrastructure project underway — A 12-inch transmission line from the water plant to storage tanks at the golf course has broken ground along Timberline, ending ~23 years of planning. Will provide direct water supply, fire hydrants, and service to a potential future ISD elementary school.
4. Alderman election called for May 2, 2026 — Three alderman seats are up for election; citizen Jason Conley publicly announced his candidacy during the meeting.
5. City Secretary designated as Public Information Officer — Resolution 2026-02-25-08 formally designates Amber Rowe as PIO under the Texas Public Information Act.
6. Residents pressed council on roads, constable service, grants, and transparency — Multiple citizens raised pointed questions about road maintenance funding, constable coverage hours, lack of grant funding since the 2023 BPOA road transfer, and the need for meeting recordings.
7. Hotel occupancy tax revenue limitation clarified — City Administrator corrected a citizen’s proposal, explaining that by Texas law, hotel occupancy tax revenue can only be used for promoting tourism, not roads or general fund purposes.

---

📋 Agenda Items & Discussion

1. Call to Order / Opening Remarks 🕐 [00:00–01:30]

• Mayor Hostetler opened with an announcement about forthcoming changes to citizen communication rules
• New procedures previewed: Speakers must be recognized by the mayor; comments directed to the council as a body, not individual members or staff; public may not approach the dais unless invited; documents should be handed to the deputy for distribution
• 24-hour advance sign-up form will be required for future meetings (not yet in effect this meeting)
• 3-minute time limit per speaker enforced for this meeting
• Mayor noted: “I’m going to change the rules formally tonight. I don’t know if the council agrees.”

2. Citizen Communications 🕐 [01:30–14:30]

🗣️ Mark De Zeeuw (2000 Shotts Drive)

• Followed up on four questions posed at the January 28 meeting, for which the Mayor had promised answers:
  1. Constable hours: ~40 hours per week of service for village residents
  2. Travis County Sheriff contracts: None — the village has zero contracts with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office for full-time or part-time service
     • De Zeeuw noted: “That’s different from the information I received”
  3. Grants obtained since BPOA road transfer (April 15, 2023): None — zero grants successfully obtained for road maintenance or repair
  4. Construction at 21823 Briarcliff Drive: No firm completion date; Mayor said “As soon as they get done. I can’t answer that question.”

🗣️ Jason Conley (moved to Briarcliff in 2021)

• Described his experience attending a prior meeting regarding a friend’s fence permit issue as “deeply concerning”
• Observed the council “struggle to answer basic questions” and appeared “disconnected from ongoing issues”
• Asked whether aldermen were elected against opponents or appointed — all confirmed they were elected
• Criticized the BPOA road transfer: Argued the village promised grant access and piggybacking on Travis County contracts but then revealed insufficient funds and a ~33% surcharge from Travis County
  • “Having that agreement in place first before you mentioned that to the community and have them vote would have been its future thought”
• Proposed a hotel occupancy tax on the ~15 short-term rentals (Airbnbs) in the area, estimating ~$560,000 in rental revenue and citing Austin’s 11% occupancy tax as a model for generating $60,000+ in revenue
• Announced candidacy for Alderman in the May 2026 election
  • Has a background in comparative government and development
  • “I love this community… there’s not a lot of future thought that goes into what we’re enacting”

🗣️ Andrew Estes (21823 Briarcliff Drive)

• Provided an update on his construction project (the “monstrosity” referenced in previous meetings)
• Anticipated completion: ~April 15 pending LCRA approval of a second plan
• Once approved, construction will include digging in the courtyard and front yard areas
• A resident asked about dumpster removal — expected to be removed upon project completion

🗣️ Matthew Aitchison (636 Newport Drive)

• Asked about road documentation on the Briarcliff Texas website — noted the only document visible was the $40,000/year maintenance agreement between the village and the BPOA
• Mayor acknowledged there should be more documentation and committed to checking: “I’m pretty sure there’s something else on there. Sometimes hard to find.”
• Asked about the citizen communication resolution (Agenda Item 7) and whether citizens could speak on agenda items during discussion
• Mayor clarified: Citizens can only speak during the Citizen Communications period; agenda discussion and action items are for council deliberation only
  • “I have to have a motion before I allow a discussion” — explaining rules of order

🗣️ Resident (613 Southland Drive)

• Referenced a prior request about recording and transcribing meetings
• Acknowledged the council responded on the legal requirements but argued: “There’s a difference between what is the minimum requirement and just about transparency”
• Noted that several surrounding municipalities do record/stream their meetings, contrary to the council’s previous claim that none did
• Noted that “Mark” (likely De Zeeuw) is already recording meetings and sharing via social media
• Urged the council to reconsider its stance on meeting recordings

3. Approval of January 28, 2026 Minutes 🕐 [14:30–14:45]

• Motion to approve — carried
• Second — confirmed
• All in favor — passed

4. Election Equipment Adoption Agreement — Resolution 2026-02-25-06 🕐 [14:45–18:25]

• Purpose: Required by Texas state law to certify that legitimate election equipment (provided by Travis County) is available for the May 2, 2026 election
• Mayor noted this is procedural: “It’s a dumb resolution that we have to pass”
• Discussion points:
  • The village itself is not a polling place — Travis County runs the election
  • The BPOA community center was confirmed as the election day polling location
  • No early voting will be held at the village office
  • Travis County had not yet designated all voting places for the May 2 elections at the time of the meeting
  • Equipment is the same as used in any Travis County election
  • An alderman initially confused whether voting would occur at the village — Mayor clarified multiple times
• Alderman motion to approve Resolution 2026-02-25-06
• Second confirmed
• All in favor — passed

5. Citizen Communication Policy — Resolution 2026-02-25-07 🕐 [18:25–24:00]

• Purpose: Formalizes rules for citizen communication at council meetings, modeled after policies from 21+ sister cities
• City Secretary Amber Rowe presented research conducted with 41 city clerk counterparts in the Hill Country Chapter
  • Cities that contributed directly: Llano, Bertram, Burnet, Schulenburg, Liberty Hill, Lakeway, and others
  • All 41 cities surveyed had formal communication policies — none operated informally like Briarcliff had been
  • Research spanned cities of comparable population as well as larger municipalities
• Key provisions (per Resolution and Exhibit “A” from the meeting agenda):
  • Speakers must complete a request-to-speak form prior to the meeting (24-hour advance notice)
  • 3-minute time limit per speaker
  • Comments directed to council as a body
  • No approaching the dais without invitation
  • Decorum rules apply — rude, disparaging, or defamatory language prohibited
  • Violations may result in speaking privileges being terminated
  • References Texas Penal Code §38.13 (Hindering Proceedings by Disorderly Conduct — Class A misdemeanor)
• Citizen concerns raised after the vote:
  • Will speaking requests always be granted? — Mayor clarified: “It’s not a request to be granted… it’s a notice”
  • Will the form be available online? — Confirmed it will be posted to the website
  • A resident expressed concern that the policy was voted on without public input in the same meeting it was introduced: “There’s no actual discussion about it because we didn’t hear anything about it. We just heard it.”

• Alderman “Mark” motion, Alderman “Joy” second — All in favor, passed

6. City Secretary as Public Information Officer — Resolution 2026-02-25-08 🕐 [24:20–26:30]

• Purpose: Formally designates City Secretary Amber Rowe as the Public Information Officer (PIO) under the Texas Public Information Act (Government Code Chapter 552 ↗)
• Mayor noted this formalizes what Amber was already doing: “This is just kind of a no-brainer since she’s our public information officer anyhow”
• Council discussion:
  • An alderman asked whether the PIO designation extends to emergency communications (e.g., wildfire response)
  • Clarified: This designation is specifically for public information requests under state law, not emergency spokesperson duties — the Mayor or City Administrator would serve as emergency spokesperson
• PIO duties per the resolution: receive/track/process all public information requests; coordinate with staff and legal counsel; ensure compliance with deadlines and redaction requirements
• Motion made, seconded — All in favor, passed

7. Retaining New Legal Counsel — Resolution 2026-02-25-09 🕐 [26:30–29:00]

• Purpose: Authorize the Mayor to sign an engagement letter with the Horkwist Law Firm to replace outgoing city attorney Ken Campbell
• New counsel structure:
  • Alan Barth — President of the firm, designated as City Attorney
  • Aaron Higginbotham — Deputy City Attorney and primary lawyer/prosecutor who will handle day-to-day legal work
• An alderman asked clarifying questions about who would be the primary contact — Mayor confirmed Higginbotham would handle day-to-day work despite the firm president being named City Attorney
• Mayor noted he had spoken with Ken Campbell about the transition a month prior and it was not a surprise
  • “He was not disappointed… I think he felt he was over the line” (likely meaning ready to step back)
• Mayor committed to sending Campbell a personal letter thanking him for ~25 years of service
• Motion made, seconded — All in favor, passed

8. Calling the May 2, 2026 Election 🕐 [29:27–29:45]

• Mayor Hostetler formally called the election for May 2, 2026 for the purpose of electing three Aldermen to the Village Council
• Noted this is a procedural requirement — “I’m supposed to call for the election”
• Mayor quipped: “Now comes the easy shit” (followed by “Sorry about that”)

9. Village Financial Report — January 2026 🕐 [29:48–30:20]

• Amber Rowe reported: “Nothing unexpected. Everything’s still on track for income.”
• Revenue on target; no anomalies reported
• No questions from council

10. Ongoing Village Activities Update 🕐 [30:20–30:28]

• Mayor noted no updates beyond items already discussed during the meeting

11. Security Report 🕐 [30:28–31:25]

• Deputy (likely Constable or deputy on duty) reminded residents:
  • Call 911 for suspicious activity — do not just post on the Nextdoor app
  • Response time should be approximately 3 minutes when the constable is on duty
  • The Travis County Sheriff’s Office has endorsed this approach
  • “Y’all get online and try to get together… then call the Sheriff’s Office 15–20 minutes later”
  • “I don’t care how many of you… if it looks suspicious, sounds suspicious, call 911”

12. City Administrator Report 🕐 [31:30–35:10]

🔵 Water Transmission Line Project

• Aaron (City Administrator) reported the major water infrastructure project has broken ground
  • Construction has begun along Timberline — “After 23 years of planning, we’ve finally got it in the ground”
  • Current phase is described as “the easy part” — the route up through Briarcliff and across to the front entrance will take longer
• Project details:
  • 12-inch transmission line from the water plant directly to the storage tanks at the golf course
  • Currently the tanks are fed through the normal water distribution system, which is inefficient
  • The new direct line will improve pumping capacity and provide:
    • Fire hydrants along the route
    • Direct supply to the fire department
    • Water service to a potential future ISD elementary school at the front entrance corner
  • The “blue pipes” visible around the village are the transmission line materials

🏨 Hotel Occupancy Tax Clarification

• Aaron corrected the earlier citizen comment about hotel occupancy tax revenue:
  • By Texas law, hotel occupancy tax revenue can ONLY be used for promoting tourism — it cannot be used for roads, infrastructure, or general fund purposes
  • “I’m not really fond of doing that [promoting tourism to Briarcliff]”
• Additionally noted that most of the ~15 permitted short-term rentals don’t appear to be actively listed
• Some residents actively oppose vacation rentals in the neighborhood
• The Mayor acknowledged he had forgotten this legal limitation: “That’s a good point. I forgot about that.”

13. Adjourn 🕐 [~35:20]

• Meeting adjourned

---

Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:35 PM

---

✅ Action Items

#	Item	Owner
1	Post citizen communication policy and request-to-speak form on village website	Amber Rowe
2	Verify road transfer documentation is available and findable on village website	Mayor Hostetler
3	Send thank-you letter to outgoing attorney Ken Campbell	Mayor Hostetler
4	Execute engagement letter with Horkwist Law Firm	Mayor Hostetler
5	Continue water transmission line construction along Timberline	Aaron (City Administrator)
6	Confirm and publish May 2, 2026 polling location details (pending Travis County)	Amber Rowe / Travis County

---

📊 Key Numbers

• ~40 hours/week: Constable service hours for village residents
• $0: Grants obtained for road maintenance since BPOA road transfer (April 15, 2023)
• 0: Contracts with Travis County Sheriff’s Office
• ~15: Short-term rental (Airbnb) properties permitted in the village
• $560,000: Estimated annual rental revenue from STRs (per citizen Jason Conley)
• $60,000+: Estimated annual revenue from a hypothetical 11% hotel occupancy tax (per citizen)
• 11%: Austin’s hotel occupancy tax rate (cited as comparison)
• 41: Sister city clerks surveyed by Amber Rowe for citizen communication policy research
• 21+: Cities in the Hill Country area with formal citizen communication policies
• ~25 years: Ken Campbell’s tenure as village attorney
• 3 minutes: Constable response time target when on duty
• ~23 years: Planning timeline for the water transmission line project
• 12 inches: Diameter of new water transmission line
• 3: Alderman seats up for election on May 2, 2026
• April 15, 2026: Estimated completion for the construction project at 21823 Briarcliff Drive
• 6: Citations issued by Constable Johnson in January (per Jan 28 minutes: 2 ordinance violations, 1 expired registration, 1 speeding, 2 theft of service)

---

👥 People Referenced

Name	Role	Source
Allen Hostetler	Mayor	Transcript / Agenda / Jan Minutes
Amber Rowe	Village Clerk / City Secretary / PIO	Transcript / Resolutions / Jan Minutes
Aaron (last name not captured)	City Administrator	Transcript / Jan Minutes
Ken Campbell	Outgoing City Attorney (~25 years)	Transcript
Alan Barth	Incoming City Attorney, President of Horkwist Law Firm	Transcript
Aaron Higginbotham	Deputy City Attorney / Primary Lawyer & Prosecutor	Transcript
Constable Johnson	Constable	Jan 28 Minutes
Alderman Johnston	Alderman	Jan Minutes / Agenda
Alderman Elliott	Alderman	Jan Minutes / Agenda
Alderman Charlesworth	Alderman	Jan Minutes / Agenda
Alderman Aldrich	Alderman	Jan Minutes / Agenda
Alderman Richmond	Alderman	Jan Minutes / Agenda
Mark De Zeeuw	Resident, 2000 Shotts Drive	Transcript
Jason Conley	Resident / Alderman Candidate (moved 2021)	Transcript
Andrew Estes	Resident, 21823 Briarcliff Drive (construction project owner)	Transcript
Matthew Aitchison	Resident, 636 Newport Drive	Transcript
Unnamed Resident	613 Southland Drive (meeting recording advocate)	Transcript

---

Notes generated via automated transcription (Whisper small model) of Feb 26 2026.mp4, cross-referenced against the official Village of Briarcliff meeting agenda (2026-02-25), Resolution No. 2026-02-25-06 through -09, the January 28, 2026 Regular Meeting Minutes, and the meeting packet including Exhibit “A” (Citizen Communication Policy).

⚠️ Some proper nouns and cross-talk segments may still contain transcription errors. Whisper commonly rendered “Briarcliff” as “Barcliffe,” “Bradcliffe,” or “Barrett” — all references have been corrected. “Horkwist” law firm name verified against meeting packet. The video file date (Feb 26) reflects when the recording was posted/transferred, not the meeting date (Feb 25, per the official agenda).