Teachers say ‘no’ to homework
Tigers steamroll Vista Ridge 45-7
Annual BBQ set for October page 3
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXVI No. 48
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Lower county property taxes may be coming
Memorial rodeo raises money for local youth Bryce Ann Duckett, of Wimberley, speeds around a barrel and readies to round the bend during a run in a barrel racing competition at the Gunner Thames Memorial Rodeo, which was held at the Chester Franklin Arena in Wimberley. Cowboys and cowgirls braved the weather this weekend as they took part in the fifth annual rodeo, which is put on by the Gunner Thames Memorial Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to raise funds for scholarships to deserving youth rodeo athletes, purchase area youth 4H and FFA projects, and raise funds for a crisis fund benefitting area youth. Organizer John Thames said the contestant numbers keep growing every year. He said total prize money between jackpots and the rodeo was $68,750, with $5,000 in vouchers during the calf scramble.
LAGNIAPPE Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a 6-week educational series designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a loved one or friend. Caregivers develop a wealth of self-care tools to reduce stress, communicate their needs while making tough care-giving decisions. Registration is required and class size limited. Classes will be held at Chapel in the Hills, 14601 RR 12 in Wimberley, on Tuesdays from Sept. 27Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Class tuition is covered by St. David’s Foundation and Alzheimer’s Texas. To register, contact Rose Rodriguez at rrodriguez@ txalz.org or (512) 241-0420 x10. For additional info contact Linda Germain, volunteer for Alzheimer’s Texas, at 512 924-3661.
Dripping With Taste
Come out to Dripping Springs Ranch Park Event Center from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 10 for this
LAGNIAPPE, 8
75¢
STAFF REPORT
PHOTO BY NANCY WILKINS, SPUR OF THE MOMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Wastewater connections at a premium in Dripping BY MOSES LEOS III
News-Dispatch Editor
As development moves along in Dripping Springs, the business of adhering to city standards for wastewater collection also continues. For some attempting to develop new businesses in the downtown sector, attempting to enter into the city’s wastewater system hasn’t always been an easy process. Pam Bosco, who owns a piece of property along Old Fitzhugh Road, said in July that she had planned to start a new restaurant on property she had purchased. But during the process, Bosco realized she needed a commercial size septic system to start her business; the property only had a residential grade septic tank. She presented her plans to city staff on the possibility of receiving a Living Unit Equivalent (LUE), or a sewer connection, to the city’s wastewater system. Bosco’s plans were put on hold because of the cost and rules and regulations in place for historic buildings. She said she was told she couldn’t develop the property without following “rigid historic district compliance issues” before starting work. “We were stuck in time in that street and that area in downtown,” Bosco said. She and several other new downtown business owners were concerned that new development nearby might be using up available wastewater service capacity. Bosco, whose property is across the street from a new hotel to be developed in the area, believes the city “gave the hotel all of the LUEs.” “I understand that everything is fair, but you’re not developing a unique city when you allow a wide range of businesses, but put constraints on businesses in the downtown section,” she said. Bosco believes the downtown sector is “stuck in the moment.” “Either you let us develop at the same rate of surrounding areas, or we’ll never develop,” she said. Ginger Faught, Dripping Springs deputy city administrator, said due to the city’s limited wastewater capacity, the city looks at each potential project on a case-by-case basis.
NEWS-DISPATCH FILE PHOTO
“An overwhelming majority of the projects that are currently under construction have had wastewater secured through wastewater utility agreements for many years,” Faught said in an emailed response. But Faught said the existing wastewater infrastructure in the Old Fitzhugh area is capable of serving the existing downtown. She said currently the city has approximately 60 wastewater connections on Old Fitzhugh Road and Mercer Street. Faught said the city has had conversations with residents regarding wastewater availability and the city’s wastewater treatment plant expansion project, which the city submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The city in October 2015 submitted a proposed discharge permit with the TCEQ to expand the plant to a capacity of 995,000 gallons per day. The plant has a current capacity of roughly 348,000 gallons per day. Faught said the city has additional capacity because the staff realized that the typical wastewater LUE is using 175 gallons per day instead of the formerly projected 215 gallons. “This has provided a little bit of extra capacity that we have been able to use for some existing businesses that are remodeling or expanding as well as a few new businesses like the Marriot Courtyard,” Faught said. “The issuance of the discharge permit will provide a large volume of LUEs.”
Dripping Springs wastewater by the numbers 60
Approximate number of wastewater connections on Old Fitzhugh Road and Mercer Street, according to the city of Dripping Springs
215
Gallons per day of water at which a living unit equivalent is rated
175
Gallons per day of water a typical wastewater LUE has, which was found by the city of Dripping Springs
995,000
Gallons per day capacity the city of Dripping Springs is looking to expand its wastewater treatment plant to
$9 MILLION
Approximate cost to expand the city’s wastewater plant, according to city officials in Oct. 2015
162,000
Gallons per day capacity over three permit phases the city of Dripping Springs is currently permitted for its treatment plant
118,000
Gallons per day of treated effluent Dripping Springs provides Caliterra for irrigation
A slight reduction in Hays County’s ad valorem tax rate could be forthcoming for property tax payers in the next fiscal year. As the county’s tax rate is proposed to go down by a little over a half-cent, county officials are also proposing a $179 million budget for 2016-2017. On Aug. 30, the Hays County Commissioner’s Court proposed a tax rate of $.4600 per $100 assessed valuation for the fiscal year 2016-2017 budget. The total rate is a .7¢ decrease from last year’s tax rate of 46.70¢. The change in the tax rate affects the county’s maintenance and operations rate, which is
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Property tax rate on hold in Dripping Springs BY MOSES LEOS III
News-Dispatch Editor
A continued focus on infrastructure is what’s driving Dripping Springs’ proposed budget for the 2017 fiscal year. But as the city continues focusing on road and utility improvements, the city is looking to maintain its ad valorem tax rate at $.17 cents per $100 valuation. Gina Gillis, Dripping Springs city treasurer, said the city will not raise its property tax rate this coming year. “We know that we will not raise the rate. We may lower it, but we’re not sure,” Gillis said. She added the city has one more workshop to work through prior to adoption of the budget later this month. The city’s focus will center on road improvements across the city, which was also the focus for the city during last year’s budget session. Dripping Springs is planning to spend roughly $900,000 on transportation improvements, with more $700,000 going to improvement projects. In addition, the city is also planning to spend $150,000 on improvements to city hall, in order to
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