Update on the church/government center – still a rip-off, and another sign of more taxes to come

County taxpayers can’t understand why Conley still wants to rescue the LLC church property investors with a $2.1 million taxpayer financed bailout, and spend another $600,000 so half of the church space can be made into a new Wimberley city hall that puts county taxpayers at risk

Send your comments and news tips to online.editor@valleyspringcomm.net or to codell@austin.rr.com

Editor's Note: Wimberley residents and business owners take note – the handwriting is plainly visible on walls everywhere of a soon-to-come city property tax. Just what we all need, right – a brand-spankin' new tax, brought to you by the very same crowd who promised it would never happen, not on their watch. "Read my lips!" On a 3 to 1 vote Monday night March 30 (Thurber voting no), the city council gave its blessing to pursue a plan sponsored by Pct. 3 County Commissioner Will Conley & Co. that nudges the city's fair residents closer to a city tax showdown.

All arguments aside that Conley's plan is on its face a total fly by night deal, down range it will play right into the list of excuses city hall will use to impose a property tax – no voter approval needed. (Small wonder Mayor Haley will not be seeking re-election at the end of his term.) In case you missed it, come October, the town's community center is to be handed over to the city for full management and operational responsibility. Everyone knows that community/convention centers are notorious for not paying for themselves. Who will pay for the losses the center incurs – currently operating at a $40,000 to $50,000 annual deficit? Road maintenance is a growing concern and an expensive enterprise, and city hall staff and support certainly is not shrinking. What it all adds up to is more expenses than the city's meager revenue base of sales tax and franchise fees will be able to handle. There's only one source left to close the gap. That would be you, dear taxpayer.

So, remember the Alamo! And down the road, remember this latest log on the pile brought to you by the miracle worker himself, Commissioner Conley.

By Charles O'Dell

It was a strange Wimberley City Council special meeting this past Monday night, March 30, “To Discuss and consider action on the possible development of a joint governmental services facility in Wimberley.” By all appearances it was just another public orchestration by Commissioner Will Conley and Mayor Tom Haley to resurrect the failed purchase of former Wimberley First Baptist Church property at an inflated price, under the guise of a joint governmental services facility. Wimberley would play, county taxpayers would pay.

In 2006, a group of church insiders formed the Wimberley Crossroads LLC and purchased the WFBC property for $1,350,050…$350,050 in cash and a $1,000,000 note held by the WFBC. Last year, Conley was promoting county purchase of the LLC owned property for $2.4 million, spending another $600,000 converting it into a government center and leasing half of it to Wimberley for a new city hall. The Hays County Central Appraisal District appraised the property at $1,350,050. The LLC insiders would net a quick $1 million profit.

There were as many officials present at the meeting Monday night as there were folks in the audience which, surprisingly, included Hays County Tax Collector Luanne Caraway, and County Pct. 3 Constable in uniform.

Commissioner Conley began the meeting with a twenty minute history of how in late 2005 or early 2006, commissioners’ court had decided to switch from leasing to owning county office facilities, and how he had met with the Wimberley school district and members of the library to discuss a joint facility. Both dropped out but Conley kept looking, and now was seeking a council resolution of interest for a joint facility that he could take back to commissioners’ court.

Conley pointed to the $2.1 million sitting in the county’s capital improvement account that, if not spoken for now would be used for a new county Justice Center being planned in the next two years, and asked if the city agrees in a joint facility, what did the council think about the WFBC as a site?

Mayor Haley responded on queue that an early study indicated WFBC would work. This study was news to us since a site comparative study wasn’t produced last year in response to our open records requests.

Councilman Flocke observed that when the project went silent several months ago he assumed it was dead. Conley said the November 2008 election and death of sheriff Bridges had consumed his time.

Mayor Haley kept bringing the council back to the need for a resolution of interest that included the WFBC. Haley insisted that WFBC be included in the letter.

In the end, that’s what the council passed 3 - 1 . . . sort of, and despite objections from Councilman Thurber who supported a joint facility but opposed WFBC being named in the rambling motion by Flocke. City Administrator, Don Ferguson said not to worry, he would take the council’s intent and formulate a letter of interest for a joint facility naming the WFBC site.

Mayor Haley behaves as though he has a vested interest in seeing the county purchase the church’s former property. The $1,000,000 note held by WFBC just came due on March 21, 2009.

After this suspicious insider deal was exposed last year, the LLC insiders had financed construction of the new church facility with a $350,050 cash down payment; and were left with a $1,000,000 note due March 21, 2009; owing back taxes on the former tax-exempt church property, and owning property with a county appraisal value of $1,350,050, in a declining real estate market. What were these insider investors thinking?

Commissioner Conley to the rescue!

(See Roundup archives, published October 3, 2008: A Tangled Tale of Church, Taxes and Local Politics)

Conley is back and wants to use $2.1 million of taxpayer funds from the county’s capital improvement account that could reduce the amount of county bonds needed for planned capital improvement projects, including a new Justice Center.

County taxpayers can’t understand why Conley still wants to rescue the LLC church property investors with a $2.1 million taxpayer financed bailout, and spend another $600,000 so half of the church space can be made into a new Wimberley city hall that puts county taxpayers at risk.

The County pledges its property tax revenues to secure its revenue bonds, including interest costs, but Wimberley can’t guarantee any long-term lease for the proposed joint government facilities because the City has no property tax.

Conley never votes for tax increases…but he sure works hard for tax increases.

Now's the time to share your views with commissioners’ court members:
County Judge Liz Sumter: (512) 393-2205 lizsumter@co.hays.tx.us
Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe: (512) 393-2243 debbiei@co.hays.tx.us
Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton: (512) 262-2091 jeff.barton@co.hays.tx.us
Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley: (512) 847-3159 will.conley@co.hays.tx.us
Pct. 4 Commissioner Karen Ford: (512) 858-7268 karen.ford@co.hays.tx.us