Aug. 31, 2024 Lakeway activities and events heading for fall plus Council meetings on the budget and tax rate, as well as space news and images, women’s rights update, new deer photos, Covid updates, and more.

May Ukraine Have Peaceful Skies Again.

Here is what is happening in Lakeway.

Looking for a way to help local families? Consider 12:31.

12:31 is a LOCAL, registered, 501(c)(3),with over 7,000 members serving students and families within LTISD. (Tax ID number–EIN: 88-2279325.) Along with their usual causes, right now the group is helping a mom with a newborn plus 2 little girls; the family just left an abusive home situation. Email mike.dahlhauser@twelvethirtyone.org or go here to join the Facebook group and see what you can do for our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/twelve31

SEPTEMBER

Council Meeting–Budget/Tax Rate on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 6:30PM, City Hall.

Consequential Agenda items include:

ITEM 4 (part of the Consent Agenda): This is approval of the lower of 2 bids received for traffic signal installation at the intersection of Wild Cherry and Flint Rock Rd. As the staff report notes, this work was estimated to cost $391K, to be paid out of the recent Transportation Bond. However, the low bid now up for approval came in at a whopping $626K. “The higher cost was due to the Non-Typical intersection for a traffic signal and the terrain surrounding the project.”

ITEM 5: Presentation of the 2024 Art Contest Awards.

ITEM 6: 2024 Proposed tax Rate.

NOTE: At the Aug. 19 meeting, Council passed a maximum tax rate of 0.1625 per $100 property valuation. This rate is well over the current rate of 0.1440, costing the average Lakeway homeowner an extra $221. Also, it is the highest tax rate allowed by state law WITHOUT getting voter approval of the increase. Council may stay with 0.1625 or reduce it, before adopting the final rate on Sept. 16.

ITEM 7: Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.

NOTE: At the Aug. 19 meeting, Council was looking at a $20,695,746 budget, a 3.8% increase from the current year. That may go down, before being finalized on Sept. 16. Expenses under discussion are likely to include merit raises and COLA for staff, as well as proposed spending by Parks, Finance, Administration, Police, and Communications departments. The worksheet image above was in the staff report.

ITEM 9: Executive Session on Legal Intervention as to West Austin Business Park.

MY TAKE on the budget and tax rate process to date is BELOW, in the recap of Council’s Aug. 19 meeting.

View the Agenda, Meeting Packet, and/or Presentation (scrolling down to City Council documents) here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or later): https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

CANCELLED. On 9/6, the City issued this statement: Due to unanticipated circumstances, the event that was planned for this Saturday at the Lakeway Swim Center has been CANCELLED.

College Gameday at the Swim Center

Celebrate the start of the NCAA season on Saturday, Sept. 7, 11AM (note the time change), at Lakeway Swim Center. Watch the Texas Longhorns play in Michigan against the Wolverines, streamed live on a massive LED screen. FREE event! Enjoy food and activities for all ages, including yard games, inflatables, face painters, and more. Info here: https://lakeway-tx.gov/2077/College-Gameday

BeeWomen Style Show Benefiting Lakeway PD Victim Services

On Sunday, Sept. 8, 3-5PM, at the Sonesta ballroom in The Galleria, join BeeWomen at their Style Show to support abused women in the Lakeway/Bee Cave area. BeeWomen members and local models will be walking the runway, showcasing Dillard’s latest trends in fashion and style. The event supports victims of abuse and difficult life circumstances through the Lakeway PD Victim Services Unit. Enjoy food, beverages, and opportunities to win fabulous prizes. Info and tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beewomen-style-show-tickets-986894567217

To learn more about the Lakeway PD Victim Services unit, visit their website: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1815/Victim-Services-Unit

Comprehensive Plan Community Dialogue Public Meeting

Attend the second public meeting on the new Comprehensive Plan, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5:30PM, at Lakeway City Hall. Get an update on developments and provide your input. Go here for more info including a link to see the project’s timeline, goals, status and more: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1547/Comprehensive-Plan

Garage Sale at Lakeway Activity Center

The next community garage sale is Saturday, Sept. 14 from 8AM to noon. Admission is FREE, but in the LAC lobby you can drop off non-perishable or canned food items, to be donated to local food banks and charities. You can also donate new or gently used children’s books, for the Free Little Books bin at the entrance. Want to sell stuff? LAC members-$30 per booth; Non-Members-$35 per booth. Call 512-261-1010 to reserve a booth, or go here and click on Garage Sale tab: https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog

Spikeball Day at City Park

On Saturday, Sept. 14, 10AM-noon, head over to Lakeway City Park to play Spikeball—the new sport taking over the country. Fun for the whole family, spikeball is a high-energy game requiring very little equipment; a net, a ball, and four players is all you need. FREE event! Plus–prizes, giveaways, free sports drinks and waters, as well as FREE LUNCH at noon for the first 25 people. Spikeball is easy to learn. Go here for the rules and more info, and to sign up: https://lakeway-tx.gov/2076/Lakeway-Spikeball-Day

Sunday Afternoon Concert at LAC

On Sunday, Sept. 15, 4-5:30PM, enjoy Debussy String Quartet/Schubert Cello Quintet at the Lakeway Activity Center. FREE event! Info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1862/Sunday-Afternoon-Concert-Series

Shred Day

Lake Travis Senior Services is sponsoring a FREE shred opportunity, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 9-11 AM. Just drop off your papers at Lakeway Commons (corner of Lakeway Blvd. and 620), in the parking lot of Lakeway Aquatic PT. Info here: https://www.ltseniorservices.org/event-details/shred-day-5

Lake Travis Democrats Club

–MONTHLY MEETING: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6:30PM at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek), with a presentation by Joshua Blank, Research Director of the Texas Politics Project and polling expert.

–BOOK CLUB: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6:30PM at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd.). The book is The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.

—Want a DEM campaign sign for your yard? Go here and follow the prompts to request signs (while supplies last): https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/

–We have a hugely important election in November. LT Dems are working with Western Travis Democrats (a group of local Dem Precinct Chairs) to organize activities including mailings, block walks/lit drops, phone banks, texting, campaign signs, and more for this fall. Go here (at the link, scroll down to GOTV and click on More Info) to sign up and help GET OUT THE VOTE this fall: https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/copy-of-club-activities

–These activities take money. Printing, postage, signs—it adds up. Donations are needed. ACT BLUE makes donating easy and secure. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/western-travis-democrats-1

–Check https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/ for club activities each month.

Give Blood at Lakeway Activity Center on Sept. 21.

The next blood drive at LAC is on Saturday, Sept. 21, 8AM-noon. This recurring event is well organized, clean and friendly. You will be done and out the door in 30 minutes. It is an important cause and helps countless people. Plus—FREE JUICE AND COOKIES! While walk-ins are welcome, those with appointments have priority. You can see upcoming dates and make an appointment to donate by entering your zip code here: https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/

Cornhole Tournament at Lakeway Swim Center

Bring family and friends to the Lakeway Swim Center Field (3103 Serene Hills Drive) on Saturday, Sept. 21, 10AM, for City of Lakeway’s 2024 Cornhole Tournament. FREE event! Enjoy a fun-filled day of tossing bags, with college football on the Jumbo Screen, delicious food from local vendors, and exciting activities for all ages. Info here: https://lakeway-tx.gov/2015/Cornhole-Tournament

Aging Well EXPO at LAC

Join Lake Travis Senior Services at its annual Aging Well Expo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 10AM-1:30PM, at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). Attendees will learn about services and products promoting health and happiness during the aging process. Enjoy a breakfast snack, lunch and presentations by outstanding speakers, plus door prizes, flu/Covid shots, goody bags, and more. https://www.ltseniorservices.org/aging-well-expo

Taste Lake Travis Food and Wine Festival

On Saturday, Sept. 28, noon-4PM, enjoy an afternoon of samplings, tastings and market opportunities from local chefs, artisans, wineries and distilleries. Location is Meadow at Safe Harbor Emerald Point Marina, 5973 Hiline Rd. Tickets at $75-adult, $20-under age 21, $125-VIP. EARLY BIRD discounts until Sept. 2! All ages welcomed. Go here for info and tickets: https://tastelaketravis.info/

Council met on Aug. 19.

RESULTS: Five Members attended, with Szimanski and O’Brien absent.

ITEM 10: Citizen’s Participation for items not on the agenda. I person spoke.

ITEM 11: Financial Report.

–Ten months into the fiscal year, Revenue is $450,000 under projections, due to less fees and permits than projected. Expenditures are $1.68MIL under projections, due to staff vacancies. So, the net variance is $1.2MIL to the good.

ITEM 12: Discussion and direction to staff re: Lakeway pools built 2017-2023 and damaged by ASR.

–After discussion, a motion was made to reduce BDS fees when owners rebuild affected pools using the previous plans (or simply demolish the pool) by re-opening their permit, avoiding the $1,000 fee for a new permit; a mix receipt will be added to the permit, but area pool builders will not be listed on the city website. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. (Cost to city estimated at $100,000.)

ITEM 13: Request by Special Olympics Texas for $300,000 from the Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEMS 14 and 15: Request to amend the Future Land Use Map as to 5.36 acres at 300 Birrell Street (behind HEB) from commercial to residential. PLUS: Request to change the zoning of the same tract from C-1 (office/retail) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) with 42 patio homes.

–Item 14 PASSED 4/1 (Sherman). Item 15 PASSED 3/2 (Sherman and Brynteson).

ITEM 16: First reading of proposed change of the ordinance as to solicitors, the primary changes being deleting the current No Visit list and requiring homeowners to post a No Solicitation sign.

—After discussion, staff was instructed to clean up language, proceeding with suggestions to discontinue the city’s No Visit List and instead require residents to post their own NO SOLICITING signs if desired. The City Attorney will review state law restrictions on the fee charged for soliciting permits, now $200 for 90 days. (REALLY? The city makes money off of strangers ringing residents’ doorbells, and we all have to purchase and install NO SOLICITING signs to try to stop them???)

ITEM 17: Discussion as to Baby Box Interlocal Agreement, requiring $800 annually from City of Lakeway to fund continued operation and maintenance of the Safe Haven Baby Box at the Pedernales Fire Station, which provides a safe, legal, and anonymous option for parents in crisis who need to surrender their newborns. Deferred to the September regular meeting.

ITEM 19: FY 2025 Budget Workshop, with proposal of a 2024 tax rate.

Discussion included: increasing the over-65 property tax exemption above the current $25K (covering about 3K Lakeway homes, but it sparked no interest on the dais); personnel costs account for $15MIL/74% of the budget; COLA and/or merit staff raises in the 5% range; and the importance of maintaining a 30% reserve. After discussion Council PASSED 4/1 (Brynteson) a maximum tax rate of 0.1625 per $100 property valuation. (This rate is well over the current rate of 0.1440, costing the average Lakeway homeowner an extra $221. Also, it is the highest tax rate allowed by state law WITHOUT getting voter approval of the increase.) That rate can be reduced but not increased at subsequent meetings on Sept. 3 and Sept. 16 when the rate will be finalized, with the next Budget (currently $20,695,746, a 3.8% increase from the current year) also finalized and approved at those meetings. The city has posted tax rate and budget info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1949

Here are some screenshots from the meeting:

MY TAKE: I urge everyone to click the link below and watch the Budget discussion for themselves. And remember—Council may decide in September to reduce the 0.1625 rate significantly. But, at this meeting I heard a lot of concern for city employees and desire to reward them with COLA and merit raises. Salaries aside, there was little to no mention of cutting this, paring back that, or delaying whatever. I heard very little concern about increasing the residents’ tax burden. This is despite knowing that Travis County has raised valuations again this year, increasing our taxes regardless of rates.

Going for the highest tax rate that is possible without getting voter approval strikes me as insulting to residents. If Council truly thinks expenses justify a big rate hike, they should explain why and let us vote on it as state law provides. But no, instead of going with 0.1626 or 0.1700 or whatever, they shaved the rate to 0.1625 to squeeze under the voter approval line. Just because they can.

Hard to say which is worse—1) Council Members who claim they want a lower tax rate but refuse to say which expenses they would cut to balance the budget; or 2) Council Members who refuse to discuss budget cuts and blithely assume Lakeway’s residents will pay up no questions asked.

I have to wonder how much of the present budget shortfall was caused by the repeated delays in completing Main Street and building all the homes and businesses promised by the several developers of what is collectively known as City Center. In 2021, the roads were contracted for completion by 2023; now, after 2 extensions, the deadline is mid-2025. We’ll see…. But, the result is 2 years delay, at least, of building permit fees (as documented in the Revenue shortfall in the Financial Report above). Even worse, the increased property and sales tax revenue flowing in from City Center is also delayed by years. And, here we are with budget problems.

Finally, when real people have budget problems, we work extra hours, switch to generic brands at the store, skip that pricey vacation, and take the kids clothes shopping at the Thrift Store. But, when city officials have budget problems, do they raise our property taxes as high as the law allows and poof—there’s plenty of money to go around to pay for their priorities? I hope not, but that’s how it looked on Aug. 19. We’ll see the final result soon enough.

Addendum Item A.1: Executive Session on West Austin Business Park.

–After discussion behind closed doors, a motion was made to direct staff to intervene in the litigation Bee Cave has brought on this project. Abbreviated public comments from 34 people supported this action. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEM 21: Executive Session on Hillsong PUD.

–After discussion behind closed doors, a motion was made to direct the City Attorney to respond to the demand letter as discussed during executive session. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ADJOURNED (time of adjournment was not stated).

OCTOBER

SIGN UP NOW for National Night Out.

Police teams and city leaders will visit area gatherings in Lakeway during National Night Out, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Go here for info and to request a visit to your group/area: https://lakeway-tx.gov/344/National-Night-Out

The Lakeway Players: Kitchen Witches coming in October.

The Lakeway Players present the award-winning comedy, The Kitchen Witches, Oct. 3-5, at Lakeway Activity Center. Doors open at 6:30PM; show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are $34. Bring your own food and alcoholic beverages. Go here for info and to buy tickets: https://www.thelakewayplayers.com/

SIGN UP NOW for Historical Bus Tours through Lakeway.

These tours always fill up FAST! Registration is OPEN for Lakeway historical bus tours, happening on Friday, Oct. 25, at 9:15AM, 11:15AM, and 1:15PM. FREE tours start at Lakeway City Hall, so you can also take a look inside the historic Liebelt Cabin. Go here for info and to register: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1171/Heritage-Trail

Daring Mighty Things

Fiji, in the South Pacific, saw the full moon and Earth’s shadow set together on Aug, 20, generating a lovely pinkish glow. (Image credit: Jin Wang.) https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240824.html

Nasa finally bows to the inevitable and makes the cautious and correct decision: Boeing Starliner’s 2 astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been living up on the ISS since June 5, will remain there until well into 2025. (Image credit: NASA.) The troubled Starliner capsule, whose technical problems still have not been fully identified, will be sent back to Earth crewless in September. (NASA plans to undock the craft from ISS on Sept. 6, with personnel on Earth guiding its landing 6 hours later at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.) That will make room for a SpaceX Dragon capsule to dock, crewed by just 2 astronauts; when their mission ends in Feb. of 2025, Dragon will have seats available for the Starliner crew to hitch a ride home. That all sounds good, but the backstory is a fiasco for Boeing, whose debut crewed Starliner flight was delayed several times and then marred with a maiden voyage so dangerous the craft will go home not just way late but empty. NASA also has to face the fact that Boeing—one of its partners in the crucial Artemis moon shot–has major engineering deficits. Starliner’s failure could well delay or change the Artemis program in a major way. Boeing Starliner astronauts will return home on a SpaceX Dragon in 2025, NASA confirms 8/24/24 https://www.space.com/nasa-boeing-starliner-astronauts-will-return-on-spacex-dragon-2025

SpaceX is installing a SECOND launch pad at Starbase, its Boca Chico facility in South Texas, to allow even more frequent experimental launches of its mega craft, known as Starship, via the largest rocket ever built. (Image credit: SpaceX.) This will let Musk pollute and destroy the surrounding Texas wetlands and wildlife habitats TWICE as fast. SpaceX stacks 2nd Starship launch tower in Texas 8/22/24 https://www.space.com/spacex-starbase-starship-second-launch-tower-photos

Another failure for SpaceX’s Falcon 9. On Aug. 28, the craft successfully launched 21 more Starlink satellites but then botched the landing, toppling over after a rough strike onto a droneship, in a bed of flames. (Image credit: SpaceX.) The FAA immediately opened (another) investigation, and Falcon 9 is grounded until the agency is satisfied as to what happened and that it will not happen again. In a July mission, Falcon 9 also suffered an anomaly; that time, it lost 23 Starlink satellites. The FAA is investigating SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket landing failure, launch delays possible 8/28/24 https://www.space.com/faa-investigation-spacex-rocket-landing-failure

Watch a stunning 1-minute video showing a series of clips capturing highlights of the 2023 Perseid Meteor Shower as seen in Inner Mongolia, China. (Image credit: Jeff Dai.) https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240826.html

With liberty and justice for all … except women.

The Lincoln Project’s political ads are not subtle, but they do drive home the point. Their newest ad is called STATE LINE, and here is how they introduce it:

The writing’s on the wall. Trump and Vance are already backing states that want to surveil pregnant women. MAGA has already blocked a bill that would protect women who travel to get an abortion. The Texas interstate system has already become a hot spot for “busting” women who are traveling to seek an abortion. Does any of that sound like small government? Of course not. It sounds like Trump’s version of Big Brother. This is what’s on the line in November. If this election goes the wrong way, Americans will suffer the consequences.

As the above indicates, this 1-minute ad was written with Texas in mind:

Vote BLUE, to protect women’s health and freedom over their own bodies, keep Mifepristone available, protect our rights to contraception and to fertility options like IVF, and block the far right from coming after other personal freedoms like who we marry, when we divorce, and how we raise our kids.

Abortion is Healthcare. Banning abortion over the last 2 years has resulted in bad healthcare or no care at all, in waves across America, and it is getting worse. We know that women living in red states who have problem pregnancies are dying or losing fertility. But a wider issue is that doctors afraid of running afoul of the law are moving to blue states, leaving behind “medical deserts” where no one has any type of medical care. Widening the lens even more shows that losing bodily autonomy has endless consequences; already, women and girls are monitored and surveilled, and their travel is tracked. Ali Velshi’s 12-minute video (a segment from his MSNBC show) is excellent, explaining the MANY awful consequences of Dobbs striking down Roe v. Wade’s protections. The ‘Jane Crow’ era: why the ‘abandonment of morality’ by SCOTUS is ‘a matter of democracy’ 8/24/24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVkvS_b7fNU

On Aug. 20, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen certified a crucial ballot measure protecting the right to abortion. This means Montana voters will be able to amend the state’s constitution to “expressly provide a right to make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion,” and bar the government from denying abortion access before fetal viability and when abortion is “medically indicated” to protect a pregnant patient’s health. Montana is one of nine states with measures expanding or protecting abortion and reproductive rights on the ballot this fall, as seen in the above image (credit: NBC News). Montana certifies abortion rights amendment for the November ballot 8/20/24 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/montana-certifies-abortion-rights-amendment-november-ballot-rcna167485

In Arkansas, the state Supreme Court recently sided with the secretary of state, rejecting a citizen group’s petition for failing to submit some of the necessary paperwork to get an abortion measure on the November ballot. Arkansas Supreme Court Denies Bid 8/22/24 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/22/us/politics/arkansas-abortion-amendment.html

In Montana, the highest court in the state struck down a law requiring minors to get parental support for abortion, ruling in favor of Planned Parenthood and the state constitution’s guarantee of reproductive freedom. The unanimous opinion stated that a minor’s right over reproduction is fundamental and the state showed no justification for requiring parental consent. Look for an appeal to the US Supreme Court in its 2025 term. Montana’s top court strikes down parental consent law for minors seeking abortion 8/15/24 https://www.reuters.com/legal/montanas-top-court-strikes-down-parental-consent-law-minors-seeking-abortion-2024-08-14/

Back to me….

Congrats to Peanut, the baby of my cat family at 11 years old! Our vet recently heard a heart murmur, so Peanut had to go see a cardiac specialist and get an echocardiogram (an ultrasound checking the structure and functioning of the heart). Happily, the results were all good, and the murmur is very mild and should not cause any problems.

Don’t even THINK about leaving a pet OR a child in a vehicle.

Lakeway’s fawns are suddenly long-legged with rapidly fading spots. Also—very independent, with groups of 2 or 3 youngsters running around on their own these days. Here are some of my fawn photos, taken in Old Lakeway during the last couple weeks. The LAST one is kinda cool; one fawn stood stock-still, while another fawn suddenly raced through the frame.

Coronavirus Update

Covid is still active, but indicators show the summer surge may be plateauing. Of course, the Labor Day holiday’s traveling and gathering could well change that for the worse. In group situations and especially when traveling, consider WEARING A MASK.

As of Aug. 24, the CDC’s Data Tracker shows testing and ER visits declining, while hospitalizations and deaths are still rising. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home

As of Aug. 24, wastewater viral testing still shows VERY HIGH levels, but at least the straight line rise seems to have ended. https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/index.html

This fall’s edition of the Covid-19 vaccine is rolling out now and should be in local pharmacies in September. This new vaccine was formulated to work against recent variants, so everyone is urged to get vaccinated. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for the best timing, if you recently had Covid or recently got vaccinated.