Burnet County Texas news

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Anyone driving by the Burnet Community Center next Friday, Oct. 6, might think a major emergency is in progress.

It will be, but it will be a staged event to make sure response to an actual event goes like clockwork.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

Burnet Bulletin

Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Russell Graeter stunned his colleagues Tuesday morning, Sept. 26, when he announced he would not seek re-election to a fifth term next year.

Graeter made his announcement during public comments at the regular Commissioners Court meeting.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Burnet County commissioners voted unanimously to accept $1.82 million from the Capital Area Council of Governments to upgrade the CAPCOG Western Counties Radio Interoperable Communications System used by Burnet, Blanco and Llano counties.

Also in their Tuesday, Sept. 26 meeting, commissioners also unanimously approved a contract with Motorola for upgrades to the 11 towers in the Western Counties system.

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

Burnet County commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the same tax rate the county had last year — 0.3969, or 39.69 cents per $100 valuation — at their regular meeting at the Burnet County Courthouse on Tuesdy, Sept. 12.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to adopt a $37,634,576 budget for fiscal year 2018. The budget includes a last-minute increase of $1,400 for Veterans Service Officer Bill Worley after commissioners voted unanimously to increase his contractual pay from $13,000 to $14,400.

The Hill Country Humane Society (HCHS) is busy putting the finishing touches on its second annual Wags & Whiskers Gala, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6-10 p.m.

Sponsorship opportunities and tickets priced at $50 each are still available to the public by calling HCHS directly at 512-793-5463.

The gala will take place at the Hill Country Hall, 15675 Texas 29, Buchanan Dam. Festivities will include dinner by Spyke’s Bar-B-Que of Kingsland, dancing to the sounds of the Instigators Band, silent auction items, and door prizes.

The Burnet County Commissioners Court, joined by the Burnet County Hunger Alliance (BCHA), proclaimed September as Hunger Awareness Month during the Tuesday, Sept. 12 court meeting.

The BCHA is a volunteer group of food pantries, churches, school administrators, elected officials, area leaders and active citizens committed to ending hunger in Burnet County. The Alliance provides a forum to build relationships and communication for working together to comprehensively feed the hungry in Burnet County.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Ceremonies were solemn for First Responder Recognition Day Monday, Sept. 11, when Highland Lakes residents took time to remember those who fell while responding to the attack on the World Trade Center and their fellows who continue today to respond to emergencies.

At the Sandy Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, a bell cast from remains of the Twin Towers was toned at 9:46 a.m.

The bell was donated by a supporter of the SHVFD whose cousin, a New York firefighter, lost is life in the towers' collapse.

"As first responders, our volunteers want to recognize the many sacrifices made by emergency personnel and so many others on this tragic day," said Douglas Hindelang of the department.

As cities finalize new tax rates, the Burnet Central Appraisal District (CAD) is already begun 2018 field work.

However, Chief Appraiser Stan Hemphill is bringing city councils up to date on the work of the CAD and, when he spoke Tuesday, Sept. 5, to the Marble Falls City Council, he confirmed what anyone driving down city streets and county roads can see.

“A lot of building has been going on in the county,” said Hemphill, whose office regularly receives notice of building permits from cities and the county. “New construction for 2017 has been $150 million county-wide.

“There are a lot of new subdivisions (and) Marble Falls has already exceeded the ownership changes it had last year. Mustang Ridge in Marble Falls, for example, is mostly sold out and most of the lots have changed hands.”

Editor's Note: The following is the first in an ongoing series of columns covering disaster preparedness and disaster recovery topics from Pat Moore, one of the country's leading disaster recovery educators who lives in Marble Falls.

By Pat Moore

Reprinted with permission