The city remains committed to helping the WCA locate appropriate land for a new cemetery and to facilitating the formation of a new on-profit organization to own and operate such a facility
Note: Wimberley Mayor Bob Flocke writes and edits City Hall Briefs as a public service to inform citizens of city activities. It is neither an official nor an authorized publication of the City of Wimberley. Anyone who wishes to be added to the distribution list should send their email address to Mayor Flocke (below). The RoundUp has edited the Briefs for length and style.Send your comments and questions to Mr. Flocke at rflocke@austin.rr.com, 512.847.5421, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the report. Visit the city's website, www.vil.wimberley.tx.us, for more news and updates
Sewer system, water alternatives are top 2
on list of Council-approved goals and priorities
on list of Council-approved goals and priorities
At its June 23 retreat at Texas Disposal Services' Creedmore facility, the city council developed a list of goals and priorities for the next two years, a process the council has undertaken annually since 2010. The goals and priorities were reviewed and approved at the council's regular meeting on July 5. In order of priority, the goals are as follows:
1. Develop sewer system for the Wimberley central business district
2. Develop and secure alternate water supplies for Wimberley
3. Acquire and install a lighted information sign
4. Development of a sidewalk on RM 2325 from the "Y" park to Carney Lane
5. Implement a way-finding signage program
6. Develop a capital improvements Program and funding (drainage, street lighting, sidewalks)
7. Complete development of the regional hike and bike trail
8. Maintain citizen involvement
9. Develop the "Y" park in partnership with adjacent business
10. Implement a community radio station
11. Initiate an underground utility program in the central business district
12.a. Development of a master plan for the downtown area
12.b. Initiate work on the development of a community development master plan
12.c. Implement a historic preservation and awareness program
13. Acquire Oak Drive property for enhanced public access and restroom location.
Downtown group's plans to bring sewer system to Wimberley
A group of business and property owners formed last year to bring a wastewater system to the downtown area. The following information is from the Wimberley Central Improvement Area and is intended to bring addressees up-to-date on the group's plans and activities. The group's email address is mailto:wcia@austin.rr.com.
Wimberley has sought for decades to solve the economic and environmental problems caused by septic systems in Central Wimberley bordered by Blue Hole Regional Park to the north, FM 3237 to the east, the Blanco River to the south, and Cypress Creek to the west. In 2010, the City was granted a low interest loan for the project, but had no way to guarantee that loan.
In 2011, number of property owners formed the Wimberley Central Improvement Area (WCIA) to methodically seek out and thoroughly study all of the information relative to acquiring the required sewer infrastructure.
- Funding options were thoroughly studied and the decision was made to seek a solution wherein only the property owners within the defined district would bear the financial burden for the improvements.
- The formation of a Municipal Management District, which can receive assessed fees and taxes from within the district, became the best avenue to guaranteeing a low interest loan from the Texas Water Development Board.
- The WCIA entered into an agreement with the City of Wimberley to fund professional feasibility studies regarding engineering and rate structures for the system
Thankfully, we are nearing the point of being able to bring forward well-analyzed options for the property owners within this area to consider. It is important to note that no options have been eliminated from consideration at this time, including partnering with neighboring private service providers.
Property Owners’ Forums are held every two months (notice of each Forum is sent by post to each Owner’s address of record). Once all of the required information is in hand, the WCIA will gather signatures from property owners in favor of forming the MMD, and will then petition the City and State respectively for the formal formation.
Following the formation of the MMD, the system will be designed, monies collected, and construction scheduled for 2013-14.
Council approves Friends of Blue Hole position for Parks Board
The city council approved unanimously a Parks and Recreation Board recommendation that the consensus position on the board be held by a representative of the Friends of Blue Hole. With the new policy, Friends of Blue Hole will provide the city council with the name of a representative to serve a two-year term as the consensus member of the board.
Appointments
Lance Cawley appointment to Planning and Zoning Commission-Place 3 Councilman Matt Meeks
Jesse Brown reappointed to Building Code Board of Review-Mayor Bob Flocke
Bob Bullock reappointed to Building Code Board of Review-Consensus
Mike Stevens reappointed to Ethics Commission-Mayor Bob Flocke
Paul Polhemus reappointed to Ethics Commission-Consensus
Christine Byrne appointed to Parks and Recreation Board-Mayor Bob Flocke
Dell Hood reappointed to Parks and Recreation Board-Consensus
Tracey Dean reappointed to Planning and Zoning Commission-Mayor Bob Flocke
Beth Mitchell reappointed to Planning and Zoning Commission-Consensus
Dorothea Dare reappointed to Transportation Advisory Board-Consensus
Craig Mooty reappointed to Water Wastewater Advisory Board-Mayor Bob Flocke
Joe Malone reappointed to Water Wastewater Advisory Board-Consensus
Dick Larson reappointed to Board of Adjustment-Mayor Bob Flocke
Bill Cline reappointed to Board of Adjustment-Consensus
Council votes "No" to city owned and operated cemetery
In a 3-1 vote at its July 5 meeting the Wimberley City Council voted against the city owning and operating a cemetery. In recent years, representatives of the Wimberley Cemetery Association have requested the city's help in finding the land needed to expand the current Wimberley Cemetery or, if that's not possible, the land needed to develop a new cemetery. Those same representatives have suggested that a city-owned cemetery could generate significant revenue for the city.
The city does not have land that can be used for a cemetery expansion or for the development of a new cemetery. The city's limited financial resources also make it difficult for the city to consider buying land for a cemetery or to operate such a facility. The city remains committed to helping the WCA locate appropriate land for a new cemetery and to facilitating the formation of a new on-profit organization to own and operate such a facility.
Councilman Matt Meeks voted against the motion, and Mac McCullough, Steve Thurber and John White voted in favor. Councilman Tom Talcott was not present.
7 comments:
Hey, Mr. Mayor,
Could you give us an update (no, it actually would be initial info) about the Mariposa at RR 12 project? Wimberley City Council talked with Bonner Carrington about it way back in February, but no sharing of info with citizens.
Is the 80-unit apartment complex going to be built behind Brookshire Brothers? Will BC (Stuart Shaw) get tax breaks once again?
Please check with your boss, Don Ferguson, and get back to us, willya?
1. Sewer only for business district? What about the rest of the city? Fortunately, only the business district will pay for it in the MMD.
2. Alternate water supplies? You will have to deal with all the no-growth, no-change "environmentalists" whose objective is to prevent growth by stopping the water. Since the not-so-wise Wimberley council passed their 5 foot drawdown rule, they'll have to get surface water. How about a big fat surface water line - and how are you going to pay for that?
3. Lighted information sign - please do. Recommended placement at Winters Mill Parkway to highlight the Wimberley Bypass
4. Sidewalk? Okay, who pays for it?
5. Way-finding signage? Please see #3.
6. Capital improvements? How are you going to pay for them?
7. Regional hike & bike trail. How are you going to pay for them?
8. Maintain citizen involvement? Well you really only mean involving their bank accounts, right? See #4, 6, 7, 9
9. Y park? Y?
10. Community radio station. Okay. K-Wimp
11-12a, b, c, 13. See #8
Seems like it is time for an increased ad valorem tax in Wimberley. Add a Municipal Management District over the whole city that will benefit exclusively the downtown businesses.
You have to have residents within the district to vote it in. Wonder what nearby homeowners will get to make that decision?
1.
Well said Anon 2!
How about the pack of lies Mr. Mayor and Don Ferguson told about the necessity of increasing the budget by $35,000 for “The purpose is to activate the existing well on the property for the purpose of temporary irrigation,” said Mayor Bob Flocke. “I want to emphasis ‘temporary.’”
Flocke said, “Back in April, we sought and received a two-year permit from the Hays-Trinity Groundwater District to pump six acre feet of water per year from the existing well that is located on the northeast corner of the park site,” Ferguson said. “The decision was made at the time when we got that permit was to use potable water until such time when we couldn’t continue to use potable water. Well, we’ve reached that point.”
The View article said, "The reason is because the Wimberley Water Supply Corporation has initiated Stage 1 drought restrictions, which took effect July 1."
Bull! They always intended to use the well to pump groundwater onto the soccer fields and they originally asked for 3 times (15 AF) that much water and 4 major variances. This latest chapter had nothing to do with WWSC initiating Stage 1 drought restrictions; that was a convenient excuse to obtain funding to fix the decrepit old failed well. The cost will certainly exceed $35K, just wait and see.
The Wimberley F&F pair lied through their teeth to the HTGCD about the reason and need for resurrecting the old well and tried to deflect the claims that the last time the well was used it drew down several wells nearby. They cold have used WWSC (drinking) water to pour on grass for a soccer field forever but the cost was the issue they never owned up to. Their alternative is to pump it out of the aquifer!
Where is the indignation from WVWA and C.A.R.D.???
Could it be that a deal was made???
What has soccer got to do with Blue Hole anyway???
Funny how Ferguson and Flocke made a big issue of not wanting to use "potable water" to irrigate the Saint Augustine grass they foolishly planted at "Blue Hole".
Yet before Wimberley city council, Tweedledee and Tweedledum claim they want to use potable water as long as possible.
Which is it boys? Can you keep your story straight? When you prevail through misrepresentation and think you'll never get caught there isn't any reason for you to stop, right?
What about the discrimination that the zoning commission showed the Lanes last thursday. They are running a legal community/assisted living home, under Texas Human Resources Code 123. I looked it up on the web and if the city council tries to shut them down they will be in violation of that code.
I counted the cars that come and go there and saw 4 visiting cars there a week. The rest of the cars were family cars that are always there. There is less traffic at their house than is at Old Baldy on a daily basis. I counted as many as 10 cars a day visiting Old Baldy. You busy bodies who don't even live in the neighborhood should butt out and go back to your street and bug some one else.
Oh by the way I live up there and am not related to or work for the Lanes. I just think they are getting a raw deal.
The lies told by and for the Lanes are legend. Monta Lane testified before the Zoning Committee that she had never sued anyone and had never been sued,. According to the Alaska Courts Website she was both sued and did sue others along with some Domestic Violence cases.
Search for her name at;
http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/eservices
Of course the issue is now moot since she was denied the CUP, therefore shut down by a unanimous vote of the City Council last Thursday night.
The list of appointments to the City's committees looks like the same old self-serving group of crony business people.
Why don't we just cut past the charade and each city dweller pay 10 cents a day to a local business development fund so these people can do their thing and quit pretending they are looking out for the "citizen's interest."
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