Here are a few items of interest posted on the court's Tuesday July 12 9am meeting agenda:No. 7 – Accept funds from the City of Woodcreek associated with the Lower Colorado River Authority grant for the Jacob's Well Project in the amount of $53,223.00 and amend the budget accordingly. CONLEY/HERZOG/HAUFF
No. 17 – Discussion and possible action to approve increasing the not-to-exceed fee and compensation cap (our emphasis) on the Loomis Partners Professional Service Agreement for necessary additional services on the RM 2325 project in Precinct 3. CONLEY. The agenda backup explains "it has become necessary to supplement Loomis' work authorization to provide construction phase services. These services were not included in the initial work authorization to permit development of an appropriate scope and fee . . ." The "not-to-exceed" will rise from $788,846.00 to $815,346.00. And that is for "professional services" alone.
No. 18 – Discussion and possible action to authorize the County Judge to execute the Professional Services Agreement for the FM 1626 North Project with Reynolds, Smith and Hills CS, Incorporated (RS&H). JONES
No. 22 – Discussion and possible action to provide financial assistance to the Coalition of Central Texas Utilities Development Corporation for Phase 2 Due Diligence on the final bid for the LCRA Water and Wastewater Assets. WHISENANT.
The agenda backup includes a Coalition financial report. It lists more than 20 contributing coalition members. The two biggest contributors are the City of Leander (about $95,000) and Hays County. Hays County's contribution is reported at $15,000 in the first phase of due diligence and $48,700 in the second phase. First phase deposits totaled $87,245.00. 2nd phase contributions show a total of about $226,000 with $85,360 collected as of June 20.
Contributing entities include City of Bee Cave, $21,700; City of Lometa, $11,280; City of Westlake Hills, $14,500; Travis County, $12,000; Dripping Springs WSC, $2,500; Glenlake, $2,030; Westminister Glen, $2,500; WTC MUD #3 and WTC MUD #5, $3,100 apiece; WTC MUDs #11, 12, 13 and TC WCID #17, $2,500 total. Withdrawals (payments) for due diligence services were made by Murfee Engineering, $11,491.98; First Southwest, $5,000; Specialized Public Finance, $5,000; and Lloyd Gosselink, $38,713.20.
A more than quarter million dollar investment in due diligence and not a dime yet spent on actual acquisition of LCRA's money-losing water and wastewater assets.
No. 24 – Discussion and possible action related to the redistricting of Hays County Commissioner Precincts, including identifying a process for public input and developing a time line for public hearings. CONLEY/INGALSBE
EXECUTIVE SESSION
– Discuss issues of right of way acquisition on FM 1626
– Regarding Civil Lawsuits in the Western Federal District Court: Action No. 1:11-CV-00145 ("Robert Threadgill vs. David Clay Bain, et. al"); Action No. 1-11-cv-233-SS ("William G., et. al. vs. Wimberley I.S.D., et. al"); and Action No. A-11-CA-343-LY (Mark David Simmons v. Hays County Sheriff's Departmet, et. al.").
3 comments:
Commissioner Whisenant keeps saying only the users of the LCRA water system inside Hays County will pay for it. How does he explain the thousands ALL county tax payers are presumably subsidizing for the due diligence? I don't buy his promises for one minute.
Good point, Anon #1.
One reason Whisenant, Conley, and the rest of the Comm. Court are keeping quiet is that they don't want to address our "pesky" concerns.
Whisenant doesn't have an even plausible explanation about how the relatively-few current LCRA ratepayers can pay off the revenue bonds for the LCRA properties. He doesn't want to stumble and fumble in front of anyone, trying to sell his outrageous flim-flam.
Odd: the Commissioners seem to be willing (see tomorrow's Agenda) to meet with the public about precinct redistricting, but they are mum on the LCRA purchases, which are FAR more important to citizens.
I believe Hays County Water and Sewer Authority is one of the members of the Coalition. I'm also pretty sure HCWSA can issue bonds. My bet is that HCWSA will issue bonds to pay LCRA for their properties -- and possibly for repairs and additions to the facilities --, but there is no way in Hades that the current LCRA ratepayers alone can make the payments.
Or the Coalition may issue bonds itself (if that is permitted). It may then be Whisenant's hope that
we taxpayers will never be able to
figure out when or where our tax money is being funneled to pay off the bonds. Your property taxes may go to Hays County Tax Office, to
Hays County Water & Sewer, to a Coalition, to LCRA. If you try to "follow the money," you will be met with resistance every step of the way, probably having to get
Freedom of Information permission.
Having a lot of steps to go through
ensures that few people will bother.
So, little citizen, the Comms & the
Judge may let you peek at how county redistricting is done, but you won't know a thing about the LCRA scam until it's a done deal.
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