Granite Shoals Texas

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

An introduction to Hill Country Children's Advocacy Center (HCCA) was on the Granite Shoals City Council agenda Tuesday night and HCCA Executive Director Kelly Forister received a warm welcome.

HCCA was created in 1992 to resolve inconsistencies inherent in investigations of child abuse and to stop the re-victimization of children being seen in agencies around the country responsible for protecting them. The center, through its Sunshine House in Burnet, provides forensic interviews and exams, trauma-informed counseling, as an interface among agencies and as an education provider for families, communities and law enforcement.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

In November Granite Shoals will be the first city in the 172-year history of the State of Texas to call an election to re-affirm a bond issue.

That is what citizens heard at the Town Hall Meeting for Road Improvement Bond Update held Saturday, July 29, in Granite Shoals.

“The city attorney (Brand Young) had to go all the way to the secretary of state to see if was allowed,” said Eric Tanner, chairman of the new Arterial Road Bond Committee. “But the city council decided to seek voter re-confirmation before issuing the $3 million in bonds approved last November.”

Tanner's committee was created just because of questions that were bound to arise when a city council hesitated before spending money essentially in hand.

The meeting on road improvements may have drawn only half the crowd that turned out for a recent urban deer update, but they were citizens with plenty of questions.

The time has come for lakefront property owners to finish their projects and pull equipment from lakebeds.

The Lower Colorado River Authority made its official announcement Monday, Jan. 6, that the six-week drawdown of lakes Austin and LBJ will end later this week.

The refill of Lake Austin will begin Thursday, Feb. 9, and the refill of Lake LBJ will begin Friday, Feb. 10. Both lakes will be back in their normal operating ranges by Monday, Feb. 13.

The lakes were drawn down for six weeks beginning Jan. 2 to give lakeside property owners an opportunity to repair and maintain docks, retaining walls and other shoreline property. The goal was to curb the growth of nuisance aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla and Eurasian watermilfoil. Lake LBJ was lowered about 4 feet, and Lake Austin was drawn down about 10 feet.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Waterfront property owners will begin a flurry of activity Jan. 2 when the drawdown of Lake LBJ promised by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) begins.

Until about Feb. 13, property owners will be able to work on docks and retaining walls, perform dredging, debris removal and other maintenance work. There are limitations on work, including a prohibition against burning debris in the lakebed or dumping dredged material in the lakebed or along the shoreline.

The problems were rife in the City of Granite Shoals during the last lowering of Lake LBJ, in 2008, when parks and, most egregiously, the Granite Shoals Airport became dumping grounds.

In response, Granite Shoals citizens will find dumpsters in a dozen city parks for refuse disposal.

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH
HIGHLAND LAKES NEWSPAPERS

Two local clubs of Lions International began roaring together this month.

On July 1, the Marble Falls Noon Lions Club and the Spicewood Lions Club merged to form the Spicewood & Highland Lakes Lions Club.

The merger gives both clubs greater resources to serve the residents of more than 200 square miles now encompassed by the new club.

The City of Granite Shoals will be able to capture rainwater and use it for landscape irrigation thanks to a $23,063 community development grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
Granite Shoals will use the grant to build a system of pipes, downspouts and gutters to capture and reuse rainwater runoff from City Hall and a repurposed building that now houses two covered tennis courts.
 
“We are excited about the grant from LCRA,” said Ken Nickel, Granite Shoals city manager. “During our hot summers and droughts, we look forward to the positive economic impact of saving water by using this water conservation technique.”
 

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Proclamations were the first order of business for Mayor Carl Brugger at the Tuesday night meeting of the Granite Shoals City Council.

Foremost was proclaiming April 23-24 the 50th Anniversary Weekend for the City of Granite Shoals, an occasion to be marked by a festival welcoming the entire Highland Lakes area in to share in the celebration.

He had high praise and commemorative pins for members of the committee who have planned the 50th Year Bash events underscored in the proclamation: