Office of the City Secretary

Contact: 979-337-7375

Jump to: Permitting and Licensing | Unclaimed Property | What is the Office of City Secretary | Staff Biography

Permits and Licenses

Looking for Building Inspections, Health & Food Safety Permits, Non-Consent towing, or Vendor/Solicitor Permits?

Alcoholic Beverage Licenses As allowed in Section 11.38 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, the City can levy and collect a fee equal to, or not more than, one-half of the State's fee for each permit issued by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) for premises located within the city limits of Brenham.

In order to obtain your permit, please contact the local TABC office at 512-206-3333. Once the application process is complete, the applicant will be notified of the amount due for the City of Brenham permit. If you have any questions about obtaining your City alcoholic beverage permit, please contact the City Secretary's Office at 979-337-7375.

Important Update: Texas Senate Bill 1008 – Alcohol Permitting Fee Changes

As of September 1, 2025, Texas Senate Bill 1008 introduces new restrictions on how local governments

assess fees to food and drink establishments. Under the updated law, specifically Sec. 437.01235 of the Texas Health and Safety Code,

"A county, municipality, or public health district, including an authorized

agent, employee, or department, may not charge a fee under Section 11.38

or 61.36, Alcoholic Beverage Code, if the premises is a food service

establishment, retail food store, mobile food unit, roadside food vendor, or

temporary food service establishment that has already paid a fee to operate

to the department or to any county, municipality, or public health district."

the City of Brenham will no longer charge alcohol permitting fees to the following establishments, if they meet one of these conditions:

Food Service Establishments with a valid health permit from the City Health & Food Safety Division.

Establishments that have already paid a fee to operate as a food service establishment to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or any other local jurisdiction.

This means alcohol permits will no longer be issued or renewed for establishments exempt under SB1008.

However, if your business only serves alcohol and does not hold a health or food establishment permit, you will still be required to pay the alcohol permitting fee to the City of Brenham.

What You Need to Know:

If you receive an invoice for alcohol permitting but believe your business is exempt under SB 1008, please contact us before making payment.
If you are unsure about your permitting status or whether your business is exempt, we are here to help. This is a transitional period, and we appreciate your patience as we implement these changes. If you’ve received an incorrect invoice or have questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at (979) 337-7375. We’ll review your situation and ensure any necessary corrections are made.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us comply with these new regulations.

Mobile Home Park Permits The City of Brenham requires the owners of all mobile home parks within the city limits to obtain an annual Mobile Home Park Permit in the name of their park.

Permits cost $5.00 per space and must be renewed every January 1st. To apply for a Mobile Home Park Permit, please contact the office of the City Secretary at 979-337-7375.
Sanitation Roll-Off Franchise Tax Businesses desiring to provide Roll-Off dumpsters within the City Limits of Brenham are required by Ordinance to obtain a Sanitation Franchise Tax Agreement through the City Secretary's Office.
Vehicles for Hire The City requires that all taxicabs obtain a permit before operating within the city limits. Applications for taxicab permits can be picked up in the City Secretary's Office (Suite 206 in City Hall).

Unclaimed Property - How to Claim Your Property

Look for your name or your business name on the City of Brenham's Unclaimed Funds report:
If the amount shown is greater than $100 your claim MUST be submitted to the State of Texas Comptroller's Office. Go to http://comptroller.texas.gov/ or call 800-321-2274 for details.
If you would like to file a claim to retrieve the property being held by the City of Brenham, complete the appropriate claim form and return it along with the required documentation to:

By Mail:
City of Brenham
P. O. Box 1059
Brenham, TX 77834-1059
Attn: City Secretary

In-Person:
City of Brenham
City Secretary's Office
200 W. Vulcan, Suite 206

Once your claim form is received and the supporting documents verified for accuracy, a check will be mailed to you within 90 days. If questions and/or problems arise while processing your claim, the City Secretary will contact you either by phone or U.S. mail.
If you have any questions related to the filing of your claim, you may contact the City Secretary at 979-337-7375.

Which Claim Form To Use?

Original Owner, Claim Form A: Use this form if your name is shown on the Unclaimed Funds Report and you are the person claiming the property.
Business Owner, Claim Form B: Use this form if you are the owner of the business listed on the Unclaimed Funds Report or if you are an authorized representative of the business listed.
General, Claim Form C: Use this form if you are an heir, trustee, executor, administrator, or parent of the person listed on the Unclaimed Funds Report. You must also use this form if you are an officer of an organization listed on the Report.

What is the Office of City Secretary?

The City Secretary is an officer of the City, required by the City's Charter, and is appointed by the City Council.

The Office of City Secretary maintains and preserves the official records of the City, including Council minutes, contracts, agreements, ordinances, resolutions, and deeds. The City Secretary is the designated Records Management Officer for the City. In addition, the City Secretary provides elections services to all voters and candidates. The City Secretary's Office is also responsible for the issuance of certain permits and licenses including alcoholic beverage licenses, vehicles for hire, and sanitation franchise.

In addition to the statutory duties of the position, the City Secretary also:

Provides support, assistance, and information to the City Council
Encourages public participation in the municipal government process; and
Provides daily assistance to all administrative departments of the City of Brenham

If you would like additional information about the City Secretary, please call 979-337-7375.

City Secretary Biographies

City Secretary - Jeana Bellinger, TRMC, CMC

Jeana Bellinger has been with the City of Brenham since November 2006 and was appointed City Secretary by the City Council on October 16, 2008. Prior to her appointment as City Secretary, she was the Administrative Assistant to the City Manager.

In 2010 Jeana obtained her Bachelor's degree in business management from LeTourneau University and received her Texas Registered Municipal Clerk (TRMC) certification through the University of North Texas. In 2016 she received her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) certification through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

She is an active member of the Texas Municipal Clerks Association (TMCA) having served on the Audit Committee, the Scholarship Committee, and Clerk of the Year Committee. Jeana is currently serving as a Trustee on the TMCA Executive Board and will serve as Secretary in 2026.

Jeana and her husband, Eric, live in Hempstead with their fur babies Ellie and Mabel. They are empty nesters and enjoy spending time with their four granddaughters (Lexi, Jayden, Kiana and Harper) and one grandson (Kai).