By Michele Weisman The Belton Journal Hundreds will participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s walkathon in Belton on Sept 27. The walkathon funds go to the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit 501(c)3, for research, support, and care for Alzheimer’s. Participants will gather at Liberty Park, 700 Veteran’s Way Drive. Registration begins at 8 a.m. followed by a ceremony at 9 a.m., with the one-mile walk beginning at 9:30 a.m. Adults can register online at www. alz.org. In the search bar, enter the Belton zip code, 76513, to find the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s - Bell County.. Register children offline or online. Every participant needs to register and sign waivers.

Special to the Journal Freshville Market invites the Belton community and surrounding members to a grand opening celebration on Wednesday, Sept. 17, starting at 1:30 p.m. The new fuel and truck stop is located at 7370 U.S. Hwy. 190 in Belton. They will have special promotion pricing for fuel, food, snacks, and beverages during the grand opening. In addition to being a fuel stop, Freshville Market features a fullservice deli operated by JDS kitchen, known for its homemade meals. In addition to food, Freshville Market offers a wide selection of snacks, cold drinks, beers, groceries and everyday essentials to meet the needs of the community. As a family-  owned business, the market stands as a proud part of the town dedicated to serving neighbors, travelers and commuters alike.

A pup gives its owner a high-five during the annual Soggy Doggy Day held at the Harris Community Center splash pad.  – BELTON JOURNAL/ Shanna Grote

By David Stone The Belton Journal Following weeks of discussion and a public hearing, the Belton city council unanimously adopted the Fiscal 2026 budget during Tuesday night’s meeting. The new budget will raise more total property taxes than the Fiscal 2025 budget by more than $1.2 million — 9.91 percent — and of that amount $443,526 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll, according to Mike Rodgers, Belton’s director of fi nance. City Manager Sam Listi presented the city council with the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget in July. The budget includes total resources of $52.8 million and expenditures of $47.9 million. The Fiscal Year 2026 budget incorporates an increase to total property tax revenue in the amount of $1.2 million based on a tax rate of $0.5225 cents per $100 of taxable value. Prior to council’s vote on the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, a public hearing was held on the tax rate. The rate will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by about $16.20. The average taxable value of a Belton residence was $295,184 last year. This year’s average taxable value of a residence is $309,386. Under the Fiscal Year 2026 tax rate, taxes imposed on the average home will be $1,616. Also Tuesday, Council adopted a new Fee & Rate Schedule for Fiscal Year 2026. The new plan includes six “pillars,” including connectivity, business development, quality of life, infrastructure, engagement and public safety. There are 41 initiatives within the six pillars that emerged from the May 30-31 retreat. Rodgers said most of the changes in the new Fee & Rate schedule will have a minimal impact. Connectivity pillar initiatives include critical street, trail and sidewalk projects, including work on Interstates 14 and 35, Loop 121, Sixth Avenue, FM 39, Texas 317, Connell Street and the Spring Street bridge. Business development initiatives include Imagine Belton projects, utility work at Belton Economic Development Corporation properties, updated building codes, and landscaping, murals and sidewalk work. Quality of life initiatives include developing a new parks master plan and various partnerships to improve historical and cultural districts. Listi said infrastructure initiatives include work on water and wastewater master plans, a Central Texas Water Alliance and street maintenance programs.  Exceptional customer service, marketing and educating Belton residents are key initiatives to the engagement pillar, and public safety initiatives include occupancy of the recently purchased Miller Heights Elementary School, cybersecurity, location of a new fi re station and community safety.

Courtesy Photo Jonny Watts stomps trash in a Dumpster to make room for more debris collected during last year’s Lake Belton Trash Clean-Up. This year’s event is Sept. 13 at Cedar Ridge Park.

Courtesy Photo Belton firefighters Jose Reyes-Rios, Eric Morales and Barak Cloe participate with other fire, police and Emergency Medical Services personnel in a climb of 110 fl oors in the Comerica Bank Tower tohonor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on New York’s Twin Towers.

Special to the Journal Students at Charter Oak Elementary are learning the science of gardening by getting their hands dirty. Every grade level — including special education classrooms — now has its own garden bed to care for, with third graders specifically growing cabbage through the Bonnie’s Cabbage Program. Thanks to their efforts and the vision of Principal Ashlie Thomas, the campus now has a dedicated garden. Thomas shared her idea with PTO President Mickayla Lewis last year, and together with PTO members and support from local businesses, they gathered materials, secured donations and put in the hard work to bring the garden to life.

Special to the Journal The Bell County Historical Commission has issued four grants for the 2026 county fiscal year. The goal of the small grants is to promote and/or preserve Bell County history. The funding is provided to the Commission by the Bell County Commissioners Court. Josh Hogan on behalf of The Al Edwards Central Texas Juneteenth Association 7 Star Cemetery Restoration Eagle Project, will receive $2,820. This historic African American cemetery has 480 graves, with three being soldiers. One of these includes a Buffalo soldier. The project goal is to replace some, if not all, of the 400 faded and deteriorating concrete paver gravestones. The old stones have UNKNOWN spray painted on them. These pavers will be respectfully replaced with garnet markers. The Killeen Area Heritage Association will receive $665. The aim of the project is to update and print brochures that identify historical places and promote Killeen history. The Railroad and Heritage Museum in Temple will receive $1,800. Funding for the project will provide for the purchase of frames. The frames are for interpretive exhibits that highlight historical images around Temple, Texas. The frames will be used for present as well as future exhibits.  The Bartlett Activity Center will receive $2,715. The project will replace the missing flooring on the 2nd floor, 5th grade classroom. This 1909 structure was originally the Bartlett School. Community efforts are going to preserve this jewel of architectural history.

By David Stone The Belton Journal The Belton City Council heard presentations last week on the 20262030 strategic plan, a proposed fee and rate schedule for 2026 and the proposed Fiscal 2026 budget. No action was taken during last Tuesday’s meeting, but all three items are expected to be adopted Sept. 9. According to City Manager Sam Listi, the five-year strategic plan has been updated and there are several key changes expected. The new plan includes six proposed “pillars,” including connectivity, business development, quality of life, infrastructure, engagement and public safety. “There are 41 initiatives within the six pillars that emerged from the May 30-31 retreat,” Listi said in a report to Council. Connectivity pillar initiatives include critical street, trail and sidewalk projects, including work on Interstates 14 and 35, Loop 121, Sixth Avenue, FM 39, Texas 317, Connell Street and the Spring Street bridge. Business development initiatives include Imagine Belton projects, utility work at Belton Economic Development Corporation properties, updated building codes, and landscaping, murals and sidewalk work. Quality of life initiatives include developing a new parks master plan and various partnerships to improve historical and cultural districts. Listi said infrastructure initiatives include work on water and wastewater master plans, a Central Texas Water Alliance and street maintenance programs. Exceptional customer service, marketing and educating Belton residents are key initiatives to the engagement pillar, and public safety initiatives include occupancy of the recently purchased Miller Heights Elementary School, cybersecurity, location of a new fire station and community safety. A draft of the strategic plan was placed on Belton’s website on Aug. 30 with an invitation for public input at last week’s Council meeting. A public hearing was held last week on the proposed Fiscal 2026 fee and rate schedule. As part of the annual budget process, city staff analyzes all fees and rates for services. The proposed schedule, which is expected to be approved Sept. 9, includes increases on several permit and inspection fees, adding a fee for appealing a case in Municipal Court, increasing fees for city-installed fire-line taps, and increasing fees for meter box and meter box lid replacement. According to Scott Hodde, director of Public Works, most of the changes will have a minimal impact. Inspection fees, fence permits, above-ground swimming pool permits, irrigation permits and roof permits all will increase from $35 to $50. The fee to appeal Municipal Court cases will be $25 plus the cost of transcription. Also last week, a public hearing was held on the Fiscal 2026 proposed budget, which will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $1.2 million or 9.91 percent. Of that amount, $443,526 is tax revenue to be raised from new property that will be added to the tax roll this year, said Mike Rodgers, director of Finance. “The city manager presented the proposed annual budget to City Council on July 8, and on Aug. 12, Council proposed a property tax rate of $0.5225 per $100 of taxable value,” Rodgers said in a statement. “The Texas Local Government Code requires the governing body to conduct a public hearing before the budget can be adopted.” Compared to the FY 2025 originally adopted budget, total resources for FY 2026 increase by 3.6 percent to $52.87 million while total expenditures decrease by 1.6 percent to $47.9 million. “The budget for Fiscal 2026 is intended to be lean without significant changes from FY 2025,” Rodgers added. Some highlights of the Fiscal 2026 proposed budget includes no change to the total property tax rate; no change to utility rates; no new positions; modest sales tax revenue growth; limited pay increases for employees; rising health insurance costs; data center and software upgrades; and higher debt service costs.  The Sept. 9 meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Wright Room of the Harris Community Center.