The questions are, how much will the taxpayers be in for, and is this just another one of those late-coming developer bailouts?
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By Bob OchoaRoundUp Editor
Things are bubbling just below the surface over at Woodcreek North (WN) and Wimberley Springs subdivision (WS). The subject is roads and whether the county will take over maintenance of the private roads in those two populated enclaves, with the always generous assistance of Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley.
Conley recently told the RoundUp talks are being held with the respective property owners associations but no agreements have been made. "They have all kinds of (road) issues that could be addressed by the county," he said.
"Those people don't pay county taxes? Why should they not get county services? That's why we have a procedure and policy discussions at the court . . . we'll go over those details and possibly come to the point of coming to the (commissioners) court."
Another source confirms that a meeting took place a few days back between Conley and representatives of WN and WS. The parties reportedly are looking at which roads might transfer to county maintenance, which will not, and how POA road maintenance fees and maintenance work will get divvied up. Some of the roads, especially those with low water dips, will require expensive upgrading, we are told. Whether property owners will get a rebate on their annual fees if the county picks up part of the tab is something to be decided later by the respective POAs.
We're not going to suggest that county taxpayers taking on road maintenance of two large private subdivisions is good policy or bad. The more important questions here are: Why now, how much will the taxpayers be in for, and is this just another one of those late-coming developer bailouts?
If Commissioner Conley is signaling to the POAs at WN and WS that the county can handle the added expenditures, we'd sure like to know. Lately he has gone through great pains to publicly explain his attempts to cut $1.5 million in expenditures from the new county budget to forestall a tax increase. He wasn't successful with the cuts and the tax increase is coming. So where will he get the money to take on additional, very costly road maintenance?
Mr. Conley has a history of courting particular constituents of his with generous deeds utilizing our county road crews and taxpayer paid contractors and materials. One thing Conley is good at doing, and that's piling on expenditures, distributing the goods, and then looking the other way when budget writing time comes along. We're hoping this is not another one of those cases.
Perhaps going forward, commissioners court should consider adopting a fair, honest and objective cost-benefit model for when the taxpayers are being "asked" to take on more roads and more spending.
While he's out assessing whose private roads he wants the county to adopt next, Conley should take a trip up Dara Lane in his precinct, off RR 32. He'll need an all terrain vehicle to traverse it. No kidding, it's the kind of road our EMS and fire personnel have anxiety attacks over. You suppose he'll come to the aid of those economically less fortunate citizens on Dara Lane?
Voila! One sign, two roads
TxDOT has made good on its promise to place a new sign along FM 3237 with turn arrows for both Red Hawk Rd and Woodcreek Ranch Rd.It's a happy ending for all concerned, and a tremendous victory over bureaucratic red tape. At one point, TxDOT was insisting that they just don't do two turn arrows on one sign pointing in the same direction.
Never underestimate the power of persistence, in this case one particular Red Hawk resident who saw this one through to the end. Folks on Red Hawk know who he is, but we don't have his permission to print his name. Thanks C. L. for being a stand up citizen and correcting something you felt needed a fairer outcome. Thanks also to Steve Floyd in the county's GIS 9-1-1 mapping department and Pct. 4 Commissioner Karen Ford for their creative intentions, and to Commissioner Conley, who came around late in the game in realizing that at times a little imagination can go a long way.
4 comments:
So then, Conley is taking the dollars of all the taxpaying citizens of Hays County and championing the needs and wants of the well-to-do in Woodcreek North and Wimberley Springs. Sounds just like a Republican's tax and spend plan.
Not just the well-to-do, but specifically Wimberley Springs Partners represented by Winton Porterfield and Will Conley.
Dunno who's "well-to-do" in Woodcreek North. Seems to me as a resident, folks here are hardworking people, trying to keep it together like most people in Hays County. Scraping by in a lot of cases. Definitely NOT a political or partisan issue!! Any Woodcreek North/POA member reading this article, knowing how Conley has deceived his constituency in the past, will agree that he is paving his way to a big NO vote to a road takeover in this community. It is a COMMUNITY decision NOT a Will Conley decision!! One more government takeover? NO THANKS!!
The previous post is obviously by a WPOA Director. They are worried about losing power over the Woodcreek subdivision. Road maintenance is the really only thing that justifies their existence. They really do little else. I guess they don’t understand that if the county takes over the maintenance of the main roads in Woodcreek North it will free-up the WPOA’s maintenance funds to do work on the smaller roads. Funny how the WPOA will smooze Will Conley to get what they want and then bad-mouth him behind his back. If Will can make this happen, I will be very grateful. BTW, I live in Woodcreek North and we pay taxes too.
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