Update, 3:45 p.m., the plot grows thicker – An alert citizen forwarded this e-mail he received yesterday from a TxDOT official:
I can appreciate your concern that there is currently no school zone designation for the new Jacobs Well Elementary School in Wimberley on RM 2325.
Since the school is now open, we are able to assess the traffic in and around the school better for consideration of a school zone.
Our course of action:
- We are going confirm that the current speed limit of 55 mph is appropriate by performing a speed study over the next couple of days.
- Once the speed study is completed we will submit the speed study and proposed school zone to the TXDOT Transportation Commission for approval. This step has to be done to make the speed limit and school zone enforceable by law enforcement. This may take up to 2 months as the commission meets on September 24th and again on October 29.
- Once the speed zone and school zones are approved by commission Minute Order we will install the appropriate signs reflecting the speed limit and school zone.
This whole process may take a couple of months. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us via e-mail or at the number listed below.
Chris Bishop
Public Information Office
Austin District -TxDOT
512-832-7110
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School board says yes to rainwater
We received an e-mail this morning, now confirmed by the WISD administration office, that the school board voted unanimously Tuesday night at a called meeting to install a rainwater collection system at the new elementary school.
From Dottie Busby, administration secretary: "A motion made by Melissa Young to move forward in installing rainwater harvesting at Jacob's Well Elementary using moneys from the contingency (fund) and/or interest money from the Jacob's Well construction project; seconded by Matt Polhemus; approved 5-0."
Sometimes a community speaking up can make a difference.
The e-mail mentioned that TxDOT had acceded to appeals from the school district to install school zone signs and thus help reduce the chances for a serious accident at the school's dangerous approaches. Ms. Busby said there was some discussion of this (traffic issues) at the school board meeting but no announcements were made. We have a call in to school board president Dave Williams to see what the scoop is.
4 comments:
Rain harvesting is of course a good thing. But, but you want to use water collected judiciously between rain events; collected rainwater to be used for watering the school's front lawn should not even be considered. Of course green green grass would need much water and will attract deer, so since WISD didn't XERISCAPE I guess they just need to keep the new lawn brown- like the rest of us.
Too bad about the XERISCAPE dabacle. When we moved here a dozen years ago we used Texas A&M's advice and planted only plants that were both drought and deer resistent. Much cheaper in the long run. But a massive 23 acre site? Should have thought about 23 acres, WISD, stripped of anything native- well before you built this grandiose institution.
BTW, no more bonds.
Reportedly, the district is looking for volunteers to supply the labor to install some sort of rainwater system. I guess an amateur designed and built system is better than none at all, but the district passed up a great chance to lead the community on this. Now they are playing CYA.
Everybody in this area was aware of our dry climate and the fragile aquifer we get or ground water from, for years. It is obvious that the district never intended to install such a system back in 2006/2007 when they planned the school. I’d like to hear from the architect for the school. The fact that the Board named this school after Jacob’s Well is a further insult to the citizens of the area. At the next election let’s name them “Gone”.
I thought "The plot grows sicker."
Xeriscape? They've never heard of it at WISD. This is the crowd that had to have a half million dollar astro turf football field. They found a way to fund that but want to float a bond to pay for rainwater capture? No. what they really want a front lawn that looks like the Augusta Country Club. PEC must be happy too...the district is leaving the lights on all night at Jacob's Well Elementary--all lit up like a roman candle. Duane York is as out of touch as they get. Perhaps he and his board could use some of that excess water in the road to dampen the cement between their ears.
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