Killeen council to discuss Army program that will help give veterans jobs after military
One of the agenda items at Tuesday’s Killeen City Council workshop meeting includes discussion to potentially authorize an agreement that helps Army veterans get jobs with the city of Killeen after the military.
The program — known as Partnership for your Success — started in 2000 as an enlistment incentive.
It is part of a larger partnership between the U.S. Army and a variety of corporations and public sector organizations that help facilitate guaranteed interviews with employers when the soldiers’ enlistments are over.
No financial commitment is required for the city of Killeen, nor is Killeen obligated to employ anyone through the program.
“Participation in the program will benefit the City of Killeen by expanding the applicant pool for vacancies, attracting individuals who safeguard America as well as provide a stronger American workforce both today and in the future,” the presentation attached to the agenda reads.
City staff recommends the approval of this program.
Tuesday’s meeting will follow a special meeting where the subject of citizens comments will once again be in the crosshairs.
The special meeting will start at 5 p.m. and includes discussion on whether to remove the citizens comments section at the end of the meeting.
This follows an incident at the Dec. 19 council meeting when resident Michael Fornino insulted Mayor Debbie Nash-King by waving a dollar bill and referencing her deceased husband in an offensive way through song.
The citizen comments on non-agenda items were originally supposed to replace citizens’ petitions as a way for residents to speak on issues not addressed on the meeting agenda.
Some city leaders said that citizens’ petitions were resulting in meetings getting hijacked by a few speakers, causing city council members to spend a lot of time on topics that they weren’t even supposed to be discussing during the meeting.
The workshop meeting will begin immediately after the special meeting.
Also being discussed at the workshop meeting is authorizing the sale of the Hack’s Levis building to the Southern Roots Brewing Company.
The item also lists an economic development incentive that would reimburse the company for renovations at a cost of $150,000.
The Hack’s Levis building, 324 N. Gray St., was built in 1915 as the Lodge Hall and later served as the Wyatt Bass Grocery Store from 1937 to 1941.
It then became the home to the Hack’s Army and Western Store from the 1950s to the 1980s. It was deemed historically significant in a 2008 historic resource survey, but it has been vacant for years.
The previous owner of the building, Shirley Husar, died in January of 2023, and her sons approached the city after failing to sell the building on the private market, according to the city.
The Bell County Appraisal District listed the property value of the Hack’s building at $192,231 for 2023.
The Southern Roots Brewing Company has locations in Waco and Waxahachie. According to its website, the restaurant serves craft beer, pizza, wings and other pub fare.
The council workshop meeting will immediately follow the City Council’s special meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers in City Hall, 101 N. College St., Killeen.
For those unable to attend the meeting in person, it will be web streamed live and archived for playback on the city’s website, KilleenTexas.gov. It will also be broadcast live on Spectrum Cable Channel 10.
