Horseshoe Bay council passes budget, discusses FEMA, development

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

At the Horseshoe Bay City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 16, a city budget was passed with the same property tax rate as last year, members discussed the FEMA floodplain study, extended the deadline for a proposed strip mall and focused on the possibility of a long-range planning committee.

“It took six months to put the budget together, now it’s up to staff to stay on budget,” said Mayor Steve Jordan. Residents will continue paying $0.25 per $100,000 property valuation. City officials expect more than $18.9 million in expenditures and more than $12.9 million in revenue, according to the budget, which is posted on the city's website.

The 2015 Fiscal Year plan includes more money for a technology initiative, for health insurance for city employees and $70,000 more for the ongoing water reuse effluent project, according to council discussions.

City officials are awaiting notice of approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after Horseshoe Bay challenged the agency’s floodplain maps in 2013 with a letter of map revision (LOMR). The FEMA maps received by the city in 2012 led to increased insurance costs for around 400 homeowners who were notified they were in the floodplain.

“I wish I had good news,” said Eric Winter, development services manager. “The review period has ended and there’s still no official notice.” 

For the full story, see Tuesday's Highlander.