Kerens City Council Approves Agenda Items; Public Comment Raises Concerns About KCDC Donations

Resident raises concerns about handling of donations within Kerens Community Development Committee during Tuesday night meeting

By Jennifer Combs | NavCo Chronicle

KERENS, Texas — The Kerens City Council held its regular meeting Tuesday evening, March 10, 2026, at City Hall. Council members approved all items listed on the agenda, including administrative matters, policy updates, and a contract related to the city’s website.

Among the items approved was a three-year contract for website maintenance and updates to ensure the City of Kerens website remains functional and in compliance with applicable standards.

The consent agenda was approved, which included the minutes from the February 10, 2026, council meeting along with budget review adjustments and payment of city bills.

Council members also approved participation in the Oncor Steering Committee and the Atmos Cities Steering Committee, organizations that allow municipalities to work collectively on regulatory matters involving regional utility providers.

Additional agenda items included review of the 2025 Racial Profiling Report, a records management policy update, and a Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment related to municipal telecommunications right-of-way access line rates.

The council also received departmental reports from several city departments, including code enforcement, water and sewer operations, streets, police department activity, animal control, municipal court, tax department operations, grants, and economic development updates.

During the departmental reports, Kerens Police Chief Roy Ivey reported that crime in Kerens remains very low, according to recent police department activity reports.

Public Comment Raises Concerns

During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Briar Greene addressed the council regarding concerns about how donations to the Kerens Community Development Committee (KCDC) may have been handled.

Greene stated that during a recent KCDC meeting he attended, it was discussed that donations had been requested and received from local businesses and later spent without being deposited into the official KCDC bank account maintained with the city.

According to Greene, he asked whether the board had formally voted to authorize donations to be handled outside of the official account and was informed that no such vote had taken place.

Greene also stated that he requested to review a donation log referenced by KCDC Treasurer Suzi Kasemeyer that documents the contributions collected. He said that request was declined.

Because KCDC operates under the authority of the city and its appointed positions carry fiduciary responsibilities, Greene stated that he believes it is important that all funds received on behalf of the organization be properly documented, deposited, and accounted for through established financial systems.

Greene expressed concern that handling funds outside of the official account could unintentionally expose the organization and the city to financial, reporting, or tax-related liabilities.

He stated he was bringing the matter forward in good faith so that the appropriate review could take place and any necessary clarification or corrective measures could be implemented.

Greene has also filed an open records request with the City of Kerens seeking documentation related to the donations and their handling.

City council members did not respond directly to the public comment during the meeting.

Under Texas open meetings procedures, councils generally do not deliberate or respond to matters that are not listed as action items on the posted agenda.

After Briar Greene raised the concerns during public comment, Mayor Jeffery Saunders stated that the Kerens Community Development Committee (KCDC) was originally established as a volunteer board. No further discussion occurred regarding the concerns raised.

Follow-Up After Meeting

After the meeting, NavCo Chronicle reporter Jennifer Combs spoke with Mayor Jeffery Saunders regarding the concerns that had been raised. Saunders stated that the matter had been addressed and that he had spoken with KCDC Treasurer Suzi Kasemeyer about the situation.

In a statement to the NavCo Chronicle, Suzi Kasemeyer said her accounting practices are transparent.

“My accounting is completely transparent. I account for every last penny, and I have never misused money,” Kasemeyer said.

The NavCo Chronicle will continue to follow this story and report updates as the situation develops.

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