City of Rusk to honor local teen

RUSK – From finances and city ordinances to fair access to city property for conducting surveys, local city leaders will work through a meaty action item agenda during their Sept. 10 regular meeting.

Before getting down to business, they will declare a proclamation recognizing the life and heroism of Rhilynn Michael Meyers, a Rusk teen who died rescuing a young relative at Lake Jacksonville earlier this summer. 

Meyers, a 15-year-old sophomore at Rusk High School, died June 27, 2026, after helping the child return to safe waters after drifting into deeper waters while on an inflatable flotation device while at the lake.

Thursday’s meeting agenda includes the following action items:

• A consent agenda featuring meeting minutes for Aug. 13, Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, along with financials focusing on a check register report and account balances for August 2026 and credit card statements from May and June of 2026

• Receive/discuss/consider a monthly financial report from CPA Anita Woodlee-Roach, including an update on the city’s current financial position, internal controls and the status of current budget planning

• Discuss/consider possible action on internal financial controls

• Discuss/consider possible action authorizing Southern Pine Locomotive Company Inc, to access separate tracts of land located south of US Highway 84, between SPLC’s 4.556-acre tract in the William Anderson and John Hudnly Surveys and FM 1248, solely for the purpose of conducing a survey at the company’s expense, with any future conveyance, lease or agreement to be considered separately

• Discuss/consider adoption of an investment policy for the City of Rusk and authorization for the interim city manager, in consultation with the city’s financial consultants, to invest city funds in the LOGIC and/or TexSTAR governmental investment pools in accordance with the adopted investment policy and applicable law

• Discuss/consider/possible action regarding electric service provider options for the City of Rusk

• Discuss/consider ordinance amending the City of Rusk Code of Ordinances concerning the use and installation of propane or liquefied petroleum (LP) gas containers within the city

• Consider/take action on ordinance amending the City of Rusk Code of Ordinances relating to the city’s schedule of fees and charges, including retaining certain existing fees, amending the amount of certain fees, repealing certain fees and adopting an update schedule of fees and charges; amending Chapter 150, Section 150.105, to remove the separate building permit fee schedule contained therein and incorporate applicable building and permit fees into the city’s consolidated fee schedule; providing repealer, savings, severability, publication and effective-date provisions; and authorizing the Mayor to execute the ordinance

• Discuss/consider partnering with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to establish a community committee focused on promoting community engagement health and wellness initiatives

The Thursday meeting agenda also features four specific topics to be discussed by the council in executive session: Governance, executive session procedures and organizational authority; personnel policies, duties and job descriptions; contracts; and employee evaluation procedures and schedule.

Any action to be taken as a result of these discussions will be done when the council reconvenes into open meeting, as per state government code.