The City of Cuero’s regular City Council Meeting was held on Dec. 8 in the Cuero City Council Chambers.
The meeting started with Council approving the Consent Agenda as presented, which included Council Meeting Minutes from November 10, 2025, the appointment of Kay Nagel to the Cuero Main Street Advisory Board, the Municipal Court Monthly Report, and the Building Department Monthly Report.
In the Emergency Reading of an Ordinance section, Council approved two ordinances.
Council first approved Ordinance No. 2025-22, accepting a dedication deed from Cuero 148 Development L.P. for multiple tracts of land within the Quarry Subdivision. The property will be received by the City as is and may be considered for future park or recreational use.
Council then approved Ordinance No. 2025-23, authorizing the purchase of 2.883 acres adjacent to the existing Cheatham property. The land will be added to the City’s current holdings in the area.
In the Presentations and Recognitions sec- tion, Council received the After Event Turkeyfest Report from Sherry Oakes, Treasurer of the 2025 Cuero Turkeyfest Association. She provided attendance and event highlights, noting the strong turnout from visiting Minnesota teams and positive community feedback on this year’s entertainment and festival activities. Council expressed appreciation for the extensive work involved in organizing the event and recognized the continued visibility and success Turkeyfest brings to Cuero.
In the Second Reading of an Ordinance section, Council approved Ordinance No. 2025-21 on its second and final reading. The ordinance authorizes a right-of-way dedication deed from Gobbler Land Company LLC for a 0.66-acre tract located at the end of Rio Grande Street.
In the Resolutions section, Council first approved Resolution No. 2025-32, casting all 69 of the City’s allotted votes for Patricia Koranek for the DeWitt County Appraisal District Board of Directors for the 2026–2027 term.
Council then approved Resolution No. 2025-33, awarding the bid for the City of Cuero Skate Park parking lot (TPWD Project No. 48-01270) to Staff Concrete Construction. Work will begin once Christmas in the Park lighting is removed from the site and utility coordination is complete.
In the Consideration and Action Items section, Council began by reviewing the final design for the new skate park. City Manager Wayne Berger and Grants & Special Projects Director Rhonda Stastny reported that the overall project remains within the established budget. The skate park footprint will remain at 7,700 square feet, with remaining funds earmarked for improvements such as added lighting, irrigation, and covered picnic areas. Council approved the skate park final design as presented.
Council then discussed a Memorandum of Agreement between the Cuero Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Police Chief Steven Ellis explained that the agreement formalizes cooperative work already occurring and applies only to targeted criminal enforcement. The program will provide training, allow eligible officers to assist in locating individuals with serious criminal histories, and permit the City to seek reimbursement for officer time spent on such operations. Chief Ellis clarified that officers will not engage in general immigration enforcement or profiling. Council authorized the Chief to sign the agreement.
In the Reports section, Environmental Services Superintendent Cheryl Merzbacher summarized the Fall Cleanup Week. The event collected nearly 80 tons of debris, filled more than thirteen 40-yard containers, and included 90 brush loads along with metal, batteries, tires, oil filters, pallets, and used oil. She also reviewed the annual recycling totals for fiscal year 2024–2025, which included more than 114 tons of cardboard, 167,000 pounds of metal, 1,800 pounds of aluminum cans, three tons of paper, 740 gallons of oil, and 349 tires.
Merzbacher also noted that the City will soon begin accepting used cooking oil at the Recycling Center and reported an annual illegal dumping total of 3,620 pounds.
Police Chief Steven Ellis provided an update on the Cuero Citizens Police Academy. Class number four is now accepting applications through January 15, 2026. Weekly sessions begin January 20 and run for sixteen weeks, offering residents education on department operations and personal safety topics.
Mayor Emil Garza announced the following Items of Public Interest: This Cuero City Council meeting recap is intended to keep Cuero citizens informed and does not reflect all matters currently before Council. For further information, concerns or public input, please con- tact the office of the City secretary at citysecretary@ cityofcuero. com or (361) 2756114 ext. 101.
For more information and upcoming agendas, minutes from previous meetings, and more, visit www.cityofcuero. com. A short recap video of each City Council meeting can be found on the City of Cuero Facebook and YouTube channels.
For the latest updates on the City of Cuero, as well as Council meeting agendas, minutes, and more, visit www.cityofcuero. com.
