The Hurst City Council convened on August 12, 2025, to address several key agenda items, highlighting the city’s commitment to community service and financial transparency. The meeting commenced with an invocation led by Council Member Brotherton, emphasizing gratitude for the city’s leadership and dedicated employees.

A significant moment of the evening was the presentation of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Assistant City Manager Clayton Fulton, along with Budget Director Shelly Klein, announced that Hurst has received this prestigious award for the 37th consecutive year. This achievement places Hurst among the top 5% of cities participating in the program, which evaluates budgets based on standardized criteria.

Fulton explained that the award recognizes the city’s budget as a comprehensive policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communication tool. He noted that the budget undergoes a blind review by third parties to ensure it meets rigorous standards, including the incorporation of performance measures. This year, Hurst received special recognition for its performance measures, underscoring the city’s commitment to transparency and accountability in financial management.

The council expressed appreciation for the hard work of the staff involved in preparing the budget, particularly acknowledging the contributions of Klein and Paul Brown. The collaborative effort across departments was highlighted as essential to the success of the budget presentation.

In addition to the budget award, the council postponed a presentation honoring Commissioner Fickas due to a scheduling conflict with the family. This item will be revisited in a future meeting.

Overall, the Hurst City Council meeting underscored the city’s dedication to maintaining a sound financial position while recognizing the efforts of its employees. The continued receipt of the GFOA award reflects Hurst's commitment to effective governance and community service, setting a standard for fiscal responsibility in local government.