Granite Shoals City Council

By Lew K. Cohn and Nathan Hendrix
The Highlander

After eight years and investing more than $153,300 in improvements, the Roddick Youth Tennis Foundation has informed the City of Granite Shoals it will no longer move forward with its mission to build an instructional and regional tennis tournament facility on municipal land next to city hall.

By Phil Reynolds
Contributing Writer

It’s not Bob Sylvester Airpark in Granite Shoals any more, though the airport itself hasn’t changed.

From staff reports

The Granite Shoals City Council approved a zoning change for land it annexed into the city last month and corrected the Zoning Ordinance to reflect the accurate maximum height allowance for boat docks on Lake LBJ at their Tuesday, March 26, meeting.

By Glynis Crawford Smith
Contributor
Although the Granite Shoals City Council made several important decisions Tuesday night (Dec. 11), it was a non-action item on the agenda that piqued as much interest as professional contracts.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Johnny Campbell, executive director of the Marble Falls Area Emergency Service (MFAEMS) presented a contract proposal to the Granite Shoals City Council during a regular meeting Tuesday, July 10.

By Lew K. Cohn

and Alexandria Randolph

The Highlander

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Granite Shoals City Council has faced a challenging year of unknowns surrounding costs of road repair, but another issue fanning the flames of financial woes has been rising fire department costs.

At their meeting Tuesday, Aug. 8, it was clear council members and staff consider a new stream of financial support from surrounding communities the only remedy.

Granite Shoals Fire Rescue provides fire protection for the adjacent City of Highland Haven and the large, outlying rural communities of Burnet County Emergency Service District #3 (ESD3), each looking at the end of a contract for services that ends Sept. 30.

“My view is, they need to pay their fair share,” said City Manager Ken Nickel, looking specifically at ESD3. “They collect 7.5 cents per $100,000 valuation from their property owners. They have a fund balance of $400,000.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Granite Shoals City Council on Tuesday, May 23, resolved to name the city airport after its longtime manager, the late Robert T. “Bob” Sylvester.

Now to be known as Granite Shoals Bob Sylvester Airpark, the municipal field, bounded by Forest Hills, Mystic, Green Forest and Sherwood Forest drives, is to be formally changed to a Federal Aeronautics Administration (FAA) public designation.

“That will allow pilots to land without city manager permission,” said City Manager Ken Nickel. “Pilots will be able to turn on the lights for night landings, as well as using it in the daytime.”

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

James D. “Jim” Davant has succeeded Eric Tanner on Place 3 of the Granite Shoals City Council and former council member Merilyn Nations has been chosen for the 2017 John Rinehart Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Davant was one of four candidates who interviewed in open session of the Council on Oct. 10, to the pleasure of the council, before their choice was made by ballot.

“If we hadn't settled on a procedure, I might recommend we throw a dart at a list,” said Mayor Pro Tem Tom Dillard, referring to the interviews with Davant, Will Skinner, Arturo Rubio and Terry G. Scott.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Granite Shoals City Council last week voted final approval for the ordinance that place a bond issue on the November ballot and reached an accord on budget concessions that will likely result in a tax rate lower than the maximum considered.

On Monday night, Aug. 22, the bond election ordinance specified Nov. 8 ballot language allowing voters to choose “for” or “against” the issuance of $3 million in tax bonds for improvements to Phillips Ranch Road, Prairie Creek Road And Valley View Lane.

The bonds amount would represent about 45 percent of the proposed improvement costs. The city is seeking U.S. Department of Agriculture grant support for the balance of the project. It was not only the prospect of grant support for more than half the cost that convinced the council that the time was right for the project.