Local jazz musicians will perform in Johnson Hall at the Community Center one Sunday each month
The Briefs has been edited for length. Send your comments and questions to Mr. Flocke or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story
City Hall Briefs, written and edited by Bob Flocke to inform the citizens of Wimberley about city activities, is neither an official nor an authorized publication of the City of Wimberley. The Briefs is distributed by e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive it. Please forward it to anyone who is interested. Anyone who wishes to be added to the distribution list should send Mayor Flocke their email address: rflocke@austin.rr.comNew Texas law could force city elections to move to November
The Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 100 during its most recent regular session, and Gov. Rick Perry signed it into law in May. SB 100 was enacted to bring Texas into compliance with the federal Military Overseas Voter Empowerment Act.
Among the new law’s requirements is the designation of the fourth Tuesday in May of even-numbered years as the runoff date for the March primary elections. Because Hays County election administrator Joyce Cowan will no longer be able to conduct elections for Wimberley on the second Saturday in May, the city will be forced to move its elections to the state’s November uniform election day—Tuesday after the first Monday in November–or to May of odd-numbered years. The city also has the option of acquiring voting machines and conducting its own elections.
May elections for Woodcreek city council, Wimberley Independent School District and the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District also are affected by SB 100.
Wimberley voters currently elect five council members and the mayor to staggered two-year terms. Two council members and the mayor will be elected in 2012, and three council members in 2013. If the city opts to move its elections to November, the terms of the two council members and the mayor will be extended six months from May until November 2012. Wimberley has until December 31, 2011 to adopt a resolution changing to November elections.
The second option is that beginning in 2013, Wimberley would conduct unstaggered elections, in which one election would be held in May of each odd-numbered year for all council members with all being elected for two-year terms. The two council members currently scheduled for elections in May 2012 would hold over for one year so that all elections occur at the same time—in May 2013.
If Wimberley could enter into agreement with a sufficient number of local government entities to rent or purchase election machines and adequately share other costs, there is the possibility that the city could continue its current election cycle in May of each year.
A possibility exists that council member terms could be extended to three or four years, but this type of change would require Wimberley to hold a special election to decide on extending the present two-yer terms.
Council adopts zero-based budgeting in preparation of future city budgets
In a unanimous vote at its Thursday July 21 meeting, the city council adopted a proposal by Place 1 Councilman Tom Talcott to phase in zero-based budgeting in the preparation of its annual operating budgets.
The first phase, to be adopted in preparation of the fiscal year 2012 budget which takes effect on Oct. 1, will be to include a detailed explanation of all budget line-items. This will make the budget more transparent with more easily understood individual expenditures.
The second phase will begin early next year with the Budget Advisory Board’s work to draft a budget for FY 2013 by first determining exactly how much money will be needed for each item rather than using what was spent the previous year and increasing it by a predetermined percentage.
According to Talcott, zero-based budgeting is “a technique of planning and decision-making which reverses the working process of traditional budgeting." In traditional incremental budgeting, managers justify only increases over the previous year budget and what has been already spent is automatically sanctioned. By contrast, in zero-based budgeting, every department function is reviewed comprehensively and all expenditures must be approved, rather than only increases. No reference is made to the previous expenditures. Zero-based budgeting requires the budget request be justified in complete detail starting from the zero-base. The zero-base is indifferent to whether the total budget is increasing or decreasing.
Citizens invited to participate in review of ordinances
The city council voted Thursday evening to undertake a comprehensive review of Wimberley’s code of ordinances. The task force will consist of two city residents and at least one business owner who does not have to live within the city limits. Anyone wishing to serve on the ordinance review task force is invited to complete an application at City Hall or download a copy at www.cityofwimberley.com.
Council adopts FY 2012 budget preparation calendar
At its July 21 meeting, the city council adopted a calendar to guide in the preparation of the city’s fiscal year 2012 budget which takes effect on Oct. 1.
Late July – Development of proposed budget in draft form by mayor; budget work sessions, if necessary
Friday, July 29 – Distribution of preliminary FY 2012 budget (draft version) to members of the budget advisory board and city council
Tuesday, Aug. 2 – Joint meeting of city council and budget advisory board and community budget forum
Thursday, Aug. 4 – City council budget work session (regular city council meeting); set date for public hearing on proposed FY 2012 budget
Tuesday, Aug 16 – Final draft of proposed budget (mayor’s version) developed by mayor presented to city council and budget board and copy placed with city secretary and at Wimberley Village Library
Wednesday, Aug. 17 – Special budget board meeting and budget work session if necessary
Saturday, Aug. 20 – “Notice of public hearing on proposed budget” published in newspaper
Monday, Aug. 29 – Budget work session at joint meeting of budget board and city council
Thursday, Sept. 1 – Public hearing on proposed budget at regular city council meeting
Wednesday, Sept. 7 – Budget workshop at special budget board meeting
Thursday, Sept. 15 – Budget work session if necessary at regular city council meeting; adoption of budget and appropriation resolution
Tuesday, Sept. 20 – Special city council meeting and adoption of budget and appropriation resolution if necessary
Blue Hole swimming season extended to Oct. 16
The city council approved a Parks and Recreation Board proposal to extend Blue Hole’s swimming season for 2011 until Oct. 16.
Zoning actions
The city council unanimously approved a request by Bren and John Carr to change the zoning classification on three tracts located at 12500 RR 12. A 7.58-acre tract was rezoned from Residential Acreage and Single Family Residential 2 to Scenic Corridor. The Scenic Corridor zoning category allows low-density commercial uses of the property. Two 1.77-acre tracts were rezoned from Residential Acreage to Single Family Residential 2.
Also approved was a request for a conditional use permit for the sale of beer and wine for on-premise consumption at Marco’s Restaurant and Pizzaria on the Wimberley Square. The council voted four to one to approve this request with Place 4 Councilman Steve Thurber voting against.
City receives $5,000 donation for sidewalks
A Wimberley resident who wishes to remain anonymous donated $5,000 for future sidewalk construction on RM 2325. According to city officials, the money will be placed in a special bank account reserved for sidewalk project funds. City Administrator Don Ferguson said that he hopes this “seed money” will encourage other donations from community-minded citizens for sidewalk construction.
Community Center to host Sunday night jazz concert series
The Wimberley Community Center will host a free community concert series. Local jazz musicians will perform in Johnson Hall at the Community Center one Sunday each month. The musicians will donate their time and talent, and the city will provide the room at no charge and generate revenue for the center from concessions. No date has been established for the concerts to begin.
Appointments
Tom Haley to Planning and Zoning Commission by Place 3 Councilman Matt Meeks. Charles Roccaforte to Ethics Commission by Place 5 Councilman John White
4 comments:
I appreciate that Mayor Flocke puts out his newsletter for residents. It tells us what events are going on. However, he doesn't give us any information about what the Council is thinking or doing concerning topics that are truly important to us. Like, what's going on with getting a wastewater treatment plant for the Square? What are Wimberley's long-term plans for supplying water for the city? How does the city plan to increase revenue for the city so that it can accomplish needed projects?
How about you take that first topic -- the septic mess on the Square -- and discuss it in some detail in your next newsletter, Mr. Mayor?
Thank you!
Wow, the Wimberley City County's new motto should be:
"Your tax dollars pay for our business toilets."
Welcome to trash Tea Party Fredericksberg.
"City receives $5,000 donation for sidewalks"
How about each donor have their name and hand prints imprinted on each section of sidewalk, like the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
We could call it the "Walk of Angels" and have the logo of the donor's church on their individual slab as well as their most cherished minor athletic achievement during their childhood.
That would be so Wimberley.
$5000 from Who for what Sidewalk? How can that be when there is no sidewalk? The city better run cash the check before it dries up, or did the city write it?
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