The Aledo Ledger Friday, September 4, 2026

Aledo Council Chambers, 200 Old Annetta Road

Council adopts the FY 2027 budget and a $0.352415 tax rate, a 0.77% increase, after hearings at which no one spoke

A separate vote ratified the property tax revenue increase in the budget, as state law requires, and the council approved the FY 2027 employee benefits package.

The Aledo City Council met Aug. 20, 2026, at 200 Old Annetta Road with Mayor Shane Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Summer Jones and Councilmembers Ben Clark, Todd Covington, Matthew Poston and Melanie Allen present. During citizen appearances, Richard Nelson introduced himself as the new reporter for The Community News.

No one came forward at the public hearings on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, opened and closed at 6:05 p.m., or the proposed FY 2027 tax rate for tax year 2026, opened and closed at 6:17 p.m.

After City Manager Candice Edmondson's overview, the council approved Ordinance No. 2026-O-21 adopting the FY 2027 budget on a unanimous roll call vote. It then approved Ordinance No. 2026-O-22 setting the FY 2027 tax rate on a unanimous roll call vote, on a motion by Poston, seconded by Allen, that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a rate of $0.352415, which is effectively a 0.77% increase in the tax rate. Because the adopted budget generates more property tax revenue than the previous year, Local Government Code Section 102.007(c) requires a separate vote to ratify the increase, which the council took unanimously.

The council also unanimously approved the FY 2027 employee benefits package and authorized the city manager to execute the plan documents. Davis recognized patrol officers and public works employees for working in extreme heat and thanked staff for getting the meeting's live stream working; Poston recognized Chief Carol Riddle and the police department for the Bike Rodeo and for traffic and safety work during the first week of school.

The council met in executive session from 6:35 to 7:12 p.m. on Aledo and Fort Worth v. Willow Park, the Dean Ranch development, Capital Lane Advisors federal funding support, a real property deliberation, downtown development and the Bailey Ranch development, took no action, and adjourned at 7:13 p.m.

Sources: City of Aledo: approved minutes, Aug. 20, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo: agenda, Aug. 20, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo meetings portal

How this was sourced: Primary documents: the approved minutes and the posted agenda of the Aug. 20, 2026 meeting on the city's CivicClerk portal. Every vote, number and name above appears in those documents; the Ledger did not review a recording of the meeting. Public commenters who are not officials are not named. Written Sept. 4, 2026, for the archive.

Filed under Aledo City Council ยท Topics: What has Aledo decided about the Dean Ranch development?; What has been decided about the Bailey Ranch development?; What is the City of Aledo's tax rate and budget?; What has the Aledo council done in the Willow Park lawsuit?

LedgerAt a glance
FY 2027 budget
Adopted, Ordinance 2026-O-21, unanimous roll call
FY 2027 tax rate
$0.352415, effectively a 0.77% increase (2026-O-22)
Property tax revenue increase
Ratified by separate vote under Local Government Code 102.007(c)
Employee benefits package
Approved

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More from Aledo City Council

All meeting reports

Aledo Council Chambers, 200 Old Annetta Road

Council adopts the 2026 certified tax roll, proposes a $0.352415 rate, and tables the Friends of the Library agreement

The certified taxable value is $1,057,685,374; the roll carries $41,014,945 in new improvements and no value under protest; the TIF zone's incremental value is $69,846,799. The tax-rate hearing was set for Aug. 20.

Sources: City of Aledo: approved minutes, Aug. 6, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo: agenda, Aug. 6, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo meetings portal

Aledo Council Chambers, 200 Old Annetta Road

Work session: new state law strips the city's power to permit or inspect food trucks, and the ordinance will be rewritten

The city attorney recommended dropping permits, moving zoning rules into the development code and reconsidering bathroom and hours requirements; the council asked for amendments and clarity on fire inspections.

Sources: City of Aledo: approved minutes, July 16, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo: agenda, July 16, 2026 (CivicClerk); City of Aledo meetings portal