Ernie Burns
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 6
- Total speaking time
- 42:16
- Avg per meeting
- 7:03
- Segments
- 858
Want every word Burns has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Burns said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
Business grant programs (sign and facade grants)
Unknown — the grant amount was not disclosed in the record.
Water Well No. 3 replacement and utility capital planning
The winning bid came in below the engineer's estimate, saving the city versus other bids that were up to 50% higher on some line items.
Speed limit on West Florida Street
Keeping the limit at 30 mph avoids enforcement costs that a lower limit would create.
Stop signs at West Kansas and Cherry Streets
No cost impact since no signs are being removed or installed right now.
EDC FY2026-2027 budget and grants
$12,500 from the EDC's economic development funds.
Election cancellation
Saves about $5,000.
Potential purchase of the Denny Rucker property
A purchase price hasn't been made public, so the cost to EDC funds is unknown.
Strategic Planning Workshop
Costs of any workshop or planning effort weren't published.
Repeal of open-records limitation ordinance
Saves staff time previously spent logging every records request against a running tally.
Official newspaper designation
Publication costs for legal notices continue under the existing arrangement.
Interlocal road agreement with Van Zandt County Precinct 4
City residents pay about $240,000 a year in county road tax; the deal would return one repaved city road per year in county labor and materials.
E-bike and golf cart safety regulation
Possible small costs for signs and a bike rack; state-funded police training is free.
November 3, 2026 city election
FY 2027 tax rate and budget
Sales tax is pacing ~7% up, but new construction only adds ~$100,000 in taxable value; the proposed budget keeps the same tax rate.
Hazard Mitigation Plan action items
New Emergency Medical Services provider
Terms not fully detailed, but the incoming provider would not require a subsidy and would honor existing memberships.
City hall remodel
Likely a significant multi-year capital expense, with a possible USDA grant helping offset costs.
Development and sales tax growth
Growing sales tax bankrolled this year's unbudgeted water and sewer projects.
FY2026 budget adoption
About $3.85 million for general government operations plus roughly $5.8 million across water, debt and other funds.
FY2026 property tax rate
No overall rate increase; the M&O portion on a $100,000 home is approximately $30, and the total levy drops about $9,806 due to lower appraisals.
Decisions during term (66)
Recorded while Burns was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.