Boyd, Cagle tie up over budget preparation

After Killeen City Councilman Michael Boyd questioned the budget preparation process on Tuesday, a special meeting was scheduled for July 18 so he and others can offer input on the proposed $112 million budget for the next fiscal year.

“The budget process is an important responsibility for council members,” Boyd said Wednesday in an email. “It is a process that takes time, consideration of available resources and input from the citizens of Killeen. I look forward to working with our city manager to accomplish this task.”

Boyd, the District 4 representative, took office just over a year ago. At Tuesday’s meeting, during which City Manager Kent Cagle provided an overview of the 2022-23 budget, Boyd took exception to how the budget was drafted.

“I am not pleased with this budget process at all,” he said. “The strategic planning session was not a budget workshop for the council. We have priorities for our constituents. We have priorities for the city as a whole. And now, once again, I’m having to choose packages that will come down the line based on what options are available. I don’t think that’s fair.”

That strategic planning session, Boyd said, was in March.

“We did not have an opportunity to (revise) this budget. We have to hope ... we can stick things in there. It’s unfortunate. Again, we are having to pick and choose on what options are available to us.”

But Cagle said that neither Boyd nor other council members “have to choose” anything.

“All I’ve got to say is that was not clear at all,” Cagle said. “We had a strategic planning session, and I guess there’s a terminology difference. To say the council had no input on the budget is simply false.” Boyd continued his argument.

“The strategic session that we planned, that we asked for ... had discussions outside the budget,” he said. “It was not a focused conversation on the budget. We were told we’d have another meeting ­— a subsequent meeting at some point to give input on the budget. Now, we’re looking at a preliminary budget. I’m uncomfortable with it. It doesn’t make me happy.”

But when Cagle said that he hadn’t hard “a word from you,” between March and Tuesday’s meeting, Boyd interrupted the city manager.

That’s when Mayor Debbie Nash-King thrust herself into the conversation, telling Boyd to “let him finish.”

“Thank you, and I don’t need to be policed — my speech in particular,” Boyd said. “With all due respect, Mr. City Manager, you are the city manager. You take that proactive approach with the council. You check in and make sure that you are doing exactly what is important for us as a council.”

Nash-King corrected Boyd again.

“Mr. Boyd, as mayor of the city of Killeen, I’m going to respect you,” she said. “All these sly remarks to me (are) unacceptable. You can be upset. You can be mad. But you will be respectful.”

The special meeting on the budget is scheduled for 5 p.m. July 18 in the conference room at Killeen City Hall.

Council members agreed to end the meeting by 8 p.m. following a motion by Councilman Riakos Adams.