Michael Endres, Cedar Park City Council

09/12/2026

I remember sitting in math class 25 years ago when we watched the Towers fall and heard news of the crash into the Pentagon and the crash of flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Today, my wife Laura and I got to watch my son Jacob, who was born on 9/11, spend a wonderful evening with his friends celebrating his birthday. Each year on this day, I think of all the brave first responders and others who stepped up to help others, even when all felt lost.

We’re thankful for every day we have on this earth, and I hope you all had a memorable day with the people who matter the most to you.

09/11/2026

Yesterday, Council passed the 2027 budget for the City. Bottom line up front, the average homeowner will see a $49, or 2.5% increase, to their property tax bill. For reference, US inflation for the year ending August 2026 was 3.4%.

One person who came to speak asked about how our city's budget has trended over the past many years. The below photos are some comparisons over the past 15 years from the FY27, FY17, and FY12. You can find more historical budgets in the Archive Center at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=44

One thing I note when looking at historical budgets is that Cedar Park's efforts to grow our local economy continues to show progress. The percent of general fund revenue from sales tax grew 10% from 24% in 2012 to an expected 34% for 2027.

Yesterday, we further continued this trend by approving two economic development agreements with Machine Sciences Corp and Elite Metal Finishings. Combined, they are expected to bring 240 full-time jobs to the city as well as a boost to sales tax revenue. Kudos to our Economic Development staff for their fantastic work this past year attracting new business and employment to the city.

Expenditures by category has remained remarkably stable, with public safety as the largest category between 51-54% over the past 15 years.

Reducing the per-family tax burden while still improving our quality of life in Cedar Park is absolutely a goal Council wishes to work towards, and the City's next Strategic Plan is on track to include plenty of ways to do this. We had our first Strategic Plan workshop a few weeks ago, and the next will be at the end of October. Stop by the next workshop to hear the options being discussed and talk with Council Members about your thoughts of what we should focus on in 2027. You can see upcoming meetings on the City Calendar page at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=26

Interested in getting more detail about upcoming Council agenda items? You can view the same entire agenda packets that Council members receive at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/596/City-Council-Agendas

08/30/2026

What were you grateful for this week?

Attending the Day of Gratitude Gala, hearing Nihal Charmani’s father speak about his son’s life, and describing how focusing on the things his family was grateful for brought peace to their lives made me reflect on the things I’m grateful for.

There was a lot to be grateful for this week. Residents stopped to talk with Darron and I about their concerns and thoughts about the city’s future. Sheels opened, bringing a big boost to economic activity in the City. My fellow council members and I completed the first round of updating the Strategic Plan. Laura and the kids and I went to see Spider Man.

Overall, a fantastic week, and I’m grateful for everyone I got to spend time with.

Help spread Nihal’s legacy by sharing the Day of Gratitude post below and letting people know what you are grateful for.

A Major milestone for The Day of Gratitude movement - National Day Archives has officially declared August 20 as the National Day of Gratitude! 🙏💛

This is a meaningful step forward in our journey to inspire more people to embrace Gratitude, Kindness, and Compassion in their everyday lives.

National Day Archives Announcement:
https://www.nationaldayarchives.com/day/national-day-of-gratitude/

Read our story – From Legacy to a National Movement:
https://thedayofgratitude.org/the-latest/from-legacy-to-a-national-movement-august-20-declared-national-day-of-gratitude

08/18/2026

Another fantastic way to learn about how Cedar Park PD operates is doing a ride along with a patrol officer. You can sign up to ride out at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/844/Ride-Along-Request

08/18/2026

Need more leg room? If you’ve driven West Park Street in the past few days, you may have noticed that the white edge lines were moved inwards a bit away from the sidewalk.

Each lane on this street used to be 15 feet wide, putting cars dangerously close to people on the sidewalks. With the new resurfacing and restriping, the lane lines removed inwards by 3 feet where possible to give people on the sidewalk more space.

This was a good step in the right direction, and I’m looking forward to seeing more safety improvements on our roadways!

What improvements would you like to see on your streets to feel safer?

08/18/2026

City Council is currently in the process of discussing the budget for 2027. These images are a snapshot of what our proposed city budget looks like for 2027. You can see the whole presentation from last Thursday's meeting at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/1294/Proposed-FY-2027-Budget

Bottom line for how it impacts you?

- Average of $49 increase on your property tax bill, slightly below the rate of inflation.

- Maintained existing level of city services offered by first responders, the Library, parks and trails, and other city amenities.

- Funds the ongoing improvements already in the works.

Where can you learn more? Drop a comment below and I'll do my best to answer it. Our next budget meeting is September 3rd. Our meetings calendar is located at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=26

Many of the council members arrive 30 minutes early before the meeting and are happy to talk with people before the meeting starts. Hope to see you there!

08/06/2026

Stop by the Rec center tonight to hear information about the upcoming city budget! This meeting is taking place at 6:00pm at the Cedar Park Rec Center, in the Community Rooms, located at 1435 Main Street, Cedar Park, TX 78613.

07/10/2026

Stop by tomorrow at 4:00pm for the first day of the RE|Create building! It’s a fantastic space and will be a great place for people of all ages to enjoy.

07/08/2026

Heads up, Cedar Park!

Beginning Aug. 3, we're making a temporary change to how we disinfect your water. You might notice a slight chlorine taste or smell for about a month.

No worries. Your water is still completely safe to drink, bathe in, and use every day. Get the details: www.cedarparktexas.gov/ChlorineRinse

06/11/2026

What's on the agenda for tomorrow's Council Meeting?

- Proclamations recognizing Juneteenth, America250!, Responsible Fathers Month, and Pride Month.

- A public relations and marketing campaign agreement for the Economic Development (Type A) Board.

- Proposals to rezone parcels at 1200 W Whitestone Blvd and 3115 Kenai Drive

- Updates to the food trucks ordinances

- Updates to city ordinances to align with the Transportation Criteria Manual

- A new appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission

- An agreement with a firm for the design of the Buttercup Creek Blvd shared use path

- ...and much more!

You can review tomorrows's complete agenda packet here https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/596/City-Council-Agendas

Watch or listen to the meeting live on CPTV-10 at https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/526/CPTV-10

Have a great idea for Cedar Park? We'd love to hear it! To submit a comment for Council to read at the meeting, or come to speak and/or share a presentation during the meeting, sign up here https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/354/City-Council-Meetings