CWS adds a 'no' to rock crusher question
The City of Cottonwood Shores budget and tax rate have had final approval and the council is moving on to other business.
By Glynis Crawford Smith
The Highlander
The Cottonwood Shores City Council threw their support into opposition to a gravel and concrete crusher operation in South Burnet County but again set aside a contentious debate in a meeting Oct. 5.
The council was in accord Sept. 21 when members approved the proposed property tax rate of $0.5438 per $100 valuation. That will be divided 33.21 cents for maintenance and operation (M&0) and 21.17 cents for the interest and sinking fund (I&S).
Also approved in that meeting was the 2017-2018 budget--$898,728 in general fund expenditures and $837,686 in utility fund expenditures—totaling $1,736,414.
The council has been divided over the need for an ordinance banning the feeding of deer and has looked at program proposed as an alternative that would educate residents on the need. That was set aside Sept. 21 and did not reappear on the agenda of the first meeting in October.
Now, council members seem to have agreed to disagree over the possibility of a K-9 unit for the Cottonwood Shores Police Department. The item came up Sept. 21, but was set aside after debate then, as well as on Oct. 5.
Opposition to the Asphalt, Inc. rock and concrete crushing operation in south Burnet County was adopted unanimously by resolution.
Also, approved by ordinance, the council changed the rules for setbacks in the manufactured housing/mobile home zone (M1).
Most manufactured housing that complies with the city's required minimum size of 1,200 square feet has grown in industry standards to 76 feet in length. In response, the council changed the front setback from 20 feet to 18 feet and at the rear from five feet to four feet.
The council also approved a Public Utility Development (PUD) agreement with Brohart, LLC, for the construction of a parking lot behind Julie's Cocina, 4319 Farm to Market Road 2147.
They delayed payment from the fund balance for Motorola radios for the Cottonwood Shores Police Department, pending updated purchase estimates.
The question of constructing a school bus shelter for the city's children was deferred to the Parks Committee and, on the question of an Ordinance Review Task Force, the council got no further than a consensus that such a body would include two council with appointed citizens at large.
Following an executive session to evaluate the city administrator and city secretary, Sheila C. Moore was retained in those positions on a unanimous vote for a motion from council member Brigitte Thomas, recorded simply as: “Let's keep her.”
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 19, when deer feeding and the deer education program are listed as possible agenda items.
