News

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Expressing confidence in the ability of Baylor Scott & White Hospital to assess its environmental needs, the Granite Shoals City Council added its own resolution on opposition to a new rock crushing plant in the south county.

It directs city staff to to notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) of the city's opposition and to add the council's voice to requests for a case hearing on the plant proposed near the intersection of Texas 71 and US 281.

A unanimous vote on two annexation ordinances added the subdivisions of Beaver Island (16.27 acres) and Web Isle (6.5 acres) to the city.

A vote on annexation of agricultural property owned by members of the Mezger family, with whom the city hopes to establish development agreements, has been continued to the Oct. 24 council meeting.

City Secretary Elaine Simpson had two important deadlines to share with the council and citizens.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Chanting slogans and waiving signs, more than 100 people picketed on Saturday and Sunday across the highway from the site of a proposed rock crushing plant south of Marble Falls off US 281 at County Road 403.

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

After nearly a week of more or less steady rain, Llano County has lifted its burn ban. The ban was imposed at the Sept. 25 meeting of the Commissioners Court, with the thought that County Judge Mary Cunningham could lift the ban before the next court meeting if conditions warrant.

That happened today, Friday, Sept. 20.

The Texas Forest Service shows Llano County averaged 430 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) on Thursday, Sept. 28. that number is on the low end of the danger area for wildfires. The KBDI is widely used as an index of wildfire vulnerability.

This week is Marble Falls High School Homecoming week and the Marble Falls Ex-Students Association All School Reunion is set for Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Falls on the Colorado Museum (FOCM), located in the Old Granite School in Marble Falls, has special exhibits in place in the Madolyn Frasier Room to remind former students of their days at Marble Falls High School.

“Museum volunteers have scoured museum archives for old pictures to display,” said museum board chair Darlene Oostermeyer. “In addition, former athletes and coaches have responded to our requests to display their personal sports memorabilia.”

Oostermeyer said that additional items for the Marble Falls Sports Exhibit arrive every week at the museum. The Sports Exhibit will be on display until the end of October.

City hits snag on new solid waste contract

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Meadowlakes City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 19, adopted a tax rate and budget and tackled a trash tote problem that challenges the pristine curbside appearance of the city.

Unanimous approval was given for the previously proposed tax rate of $0.315 (or 3.15 cents) per $100 property value. It is comprised of $0.1512 per $100 for the interest and sinking fund (I&S) and $0.1638 for maintenance and operation (M&O).

It will support a budget for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 of $3,920,055 in expenses in the general, utility and recreation funds and debt service.

Burnet County still is not in the target area for the heaviest rains over the next seven days, but with a mid-day downpour, the Highland Lakes clearly are heir to those "locally heavy rains" predicted this morning, Sept. 16.
The National Weather Service says areas of localized heavy rainfall leading to flash and river flooding will be possible through Thursday afternoon with the highest likelihood near the Rio Grande Plains into the southern Edwards Plateau, along and west of US 83.

It must be stressed, says the NWS, that this will be a multi-round event and any time-frame through Thursday could have a local flash flooding risk due to repeating heavy rain cells.

Area of Concern:

Rio Grande Plains into the Southern Edwards Plateau and possibly into portions of the western Hill County. See Additional Rainfall Graphic below for more details.

Threats & Impacts:

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Sitting on a high bluff, overlooking Lake LBJ and the Colorado River in the distance, the Conrad Fuchs House (pronounced Fox) is the oldest structure in Horseshoe Bay. Built of local field stone, this pioneer-style German home served not only as the family's homestead, but also as post office and schoolhouse for a burgeoning community of German settlers in the south end of Burnet County.

The city of Marble Falls voted to fund a new way to deal with an “old way” of doing things.

At their Tuesday, Sept. 19, City Council meeting, the Marble Falls City Council awarded a bid to Tank Builders to replace the Via Viejo ground storage tank. “Via viejo” translates from Spanish to “old way” in English.

The existing 500,000-gallon tank at Via Viejo was built in the early 1960s and now has exceeded its designed lifespan. The new tank will have a 600,000-gallon capacity and is projected to keep up with the city's future growth. The project, which includes new piping and electrical work, is estimated at $800,000 and will be funded by previously issued bond proceeds.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The possibility of a new Asphalt, Inc. rock crushing plant on the far southern outskirts of the city brought the largest contingent of visitors to the Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday night, Sept. 19.

In a meeting that opened with proclamations recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Marble Falls Library's Main Street location and hunger awareness, the agenda included a proposed ordinance establishing the intent of the City of Marble Falls to annex into the city limits 1,242 acres of land that would place the proposed plant in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the city.

“Annexation is not a silver bullet,” said Mayor John Packer. “But it could give us some standing.”

The plant opponents seemed gratified, nonetheless, to witness a unanimous council vote in support of the ordinance.

By Phil Reynolds

The Highlander

Llano County commissioners adjusted the proposed 2018 budget downward by $1,748 before finally approving it, but only after no one showed up at a Monday, Sept. 11, hearing on the budget.

The action sets the county’s budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. It’s $574,042 more than the budget set for this year, an increase of of nearly 3.9 percent.