News

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH/THE HIGHLANDER

The Marble Falls Economic Development Board of directors on Wednesday, Aug. 3, committed $6.2 million to the $25.3 million waterfront hotel conference center agreement with Novak Cobalt Partners, LLC.

The action came after approval of the formal term sheet between the EDC and the developer for a 90-year lease of property between Lakeside Park and the Hampton Inn. The lease, with a purchase option after three years. Specified is a $200,000 annual lease payment, as well as an additional rent payment of 25 percent of annual room revenue exceeding $2 million.

Through a long process of EDC and stakeholder meetings and public forums, the project has evolved to the statement that became part of Wednesday's agreement for: “a select service level resort hotel of approximately 150 keys and adjacent full-service conference center, restaurant and bar” (approximately 16,000 square feet on two levels).

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

The Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 2, voted to hold the line on the ad valorem tax rate.

They voted to maintain a rate of $0.6483 or 64.83 cents per $100,000 valuation.

“This proposal keeps the rate just under the effective rate,” said Finance Director Margie Cardenas. “That would have been .6485. The roll back rate would have been .6656. This will be our fifth year in a row to maintain the same tax rate. And, as you are adopting the same rate, two hearings are not required.

“Taxpayers will see no increase unless they have an increase in valuation.”

Cardenas noted that tax payers within the freeze category--65 years of age or older or handicapped--has continued to increase. Nonetheless, the total revenue expected from property taxes is $4,361,498.

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

The Cottonwood Shores City Council on Aug. 4 made finance decisions for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 that will require informed citizen support and presented the second Annual Outstanding Citizen Award to Carlos Naumann.

Based on long deliberation June 16 and budget workshops, the council adopted the proposal of a $1.653 million balanced budget and a tax rate continued at the current $0.54380 per $100 valuation.

“That rate is higher than the effective rate (the rate that would produce the same current revenue: $0.5144) or the rollback tax rate ($0.48390),” said City Administrator Sheila C. Moore.

BY GLYNIS CRAWFORD SMITH

THE HIGHLANDER

The Meadowlakes City Council meets next on Aug. 16, but most of their hard end-of-year is done, with the budget hearing and tax rate adoption not set until Sept. 20.

In a special session on July 27, the council adopted a proposed ad valorem tax rate for 2016 of $0.3186 per $100 valuation. That is about six-tenths of a percent less than last year's tax rate.

In her digital newsletter to citizens, Mayor Mary Ann Reasoner compared that decision to a similar choice in Marble Falls to propose continuing their rate, scraping just under the effective rate.

By Alexandria Randolph

Highland Lakes Newspapers

Llano City Police have released additional information on a rape case in which a Gatesville man was indicted last month.

Shane Nolan Taylor, 36, was indicted on July 5 on charges of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit other felonies, aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree felony, and sexual assault, a second degree felony, after an incident in a Llano County home on April 11.

Llano Police Chief Kevin Ratliff said Taylor was arrested after authorities said he broke into a woman’s home and raped her on April 11 between 9 and 10 a.m. Ratliff said Taylor made forcible entry into the woman's home in a duplex in the 700 block of East Sandstone Street.

“We believe he knew her, or had just met her,” Ratliff said. “He thought his girlfriend was in her house.”

By Alexandria Randolph

Highland Lakes Newspapers

Firefighters were called back to the site of a house fire in Smithwick Mills on Friday morning, Aug. 5, after the blaze from the night before rekindled.

First responders said Friday morning that the cause of a house fire in the 100 block of Bonnie Lane on Thursday night, Aug. 4 just after 8 p.m. is still unknown.

“We didn't turn it in to the State Fire Marshals for investigation,” said Michael Phillips, Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief, adding that since the owner didn't have insurance, it was unlikely he would have “burned up his belongings for nothing.”

Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Asst. Chief George Tennison said the call came out through dispatch at 8:13 p.m. that evening, leading first responders down County Road 343a to the community of Smithwick Mills.

“I was just getting ready for bed. Little did I know I wouldn't be going to bed,” he joked.

School supplies, shoes, hair cuts and health screening are free Saturday~

Getting ready to go back to school is a flurry of activities for all families, but for some a financial is a dark cloud over the preparations.

A break in that cloud—the Back-to-School Blast (B2BS) sponsored by Highland Lakes Health Partnership—takes place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Marble Falls Middle School, 1511 Pony Drive.

The event began an continues as an effort by area churches to be sure children have the backpacks and school supplies they need, but a selection of free shoes and socks has been added. This year a health fair with free vision and hearing tests is new. And, back-to-school hair cuts are free.

Vendor booths offfer some give-aways and lots of information about community services.

BY CHRISTI BERTELSON
HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS
With school supplies and new clothes hitting the shelves, local residents can enjoy the Texas sales tax holiday this weekend, starting Friday, Aug. 5, and extending through Sunday, Aug. 7.
Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 will be exempt from state and local sales and use taxes. The break can save consumers plenty while shopping for back-to-school necessities.
The tax break includes any qualifying items that are purchased not only in stores but also online, or by telephone or by mail.
Specialty athletic equipment and accessories such as jewelry, luggage, computer bags and duffle bags, will not qualify for the sales tax break.
Also excluded are textbooks, computer software and computers.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

The Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees took no action on naming a new Place 7 trustee on Thursday night, Aug. 4, but wasted no time in hiring a new assistant superintendent.

Jeff Gasaway was hired during a special called meeting to be the new assistant superintendent of administrative operations. He succeeds Wade Stanford, who became the new superintendent at Westwood ISD in Palestine last month.

Gasaway comes to Marble Falls from Waco Midway ISD, where he was principal at Midway High School and worked closely with current Marble Falls ISD Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen, who was a principal, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent at Midway ISD from 2008 to 2012.

Gasaway said he is excited to be taking on a new position in MFISD.