May 2, 2021 At home, watching Lakeway ELECTION RESULTS and 4 Council meetings, plus coronavirus info, NASA news, wildlife photos, panda videos, and much more.

Lakeway ELECTION RESULTS

Heartfelt CONGRATS to MAYOR TOM KILGORE! No one deserves the win more than Tom, but the REAL winner here is City of Lakeway. Truly, Happy Days are Here Again….

More good news is that Gretchen Vance was re-elected to Council. The other 2 Council winners are Sanjeev Kumar and Keith Trecker.

The Coronavirus

Worldwide, we are as sick as we have ever been. While the US and some nations are vaccinating and doing better with the pandemic, other nations (India and Brazil being the worst-hit) are now on fire with Covid. The result is more new cases (close to 1 million documented per day) worldwide than EVER recorded. Deaths are also at record levels. Aside from the human tragedy, this means that the virus now has unparalleled opportunity to mutate, threatening our precious vaccines.

In the US, the 4^th surge seems under control. Over the last 2 weeks, new cases have dropped 27%. The country is averaging around 55,000 new daily infections, and the daily rate tends to be well under 1,000 people. Still, the death total is now over 590,000, so we creep toward the mind-boggling milestone of 600,000 dead of Covid-19.

The CDC updated mask guidelines last week. Now, people who are fully vaccinated can be OUTDOORS WITHOUT A MASK, except in heavy crowds like concerts or sports events. Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People 4/27/21 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity

Worldwide, over one billion vaccine doses have been administered. Sounds impressive, but that is only 14 doses for every 100 people. Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World 4/29/21 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html

In the US, over 100 million Americans are fully vaccinated. That is 40% of the adults in the country, while 55% of the adults have gotten at least 1 shot.

The Biden administration delivered a heroic 220 million shots in its first 100 days. However, the pace has slowed recently; the country averaged less than three million shots a day over the last week, down from a peak of more than 3.3 million per day. This was due in part to the recent issues with the J&J vaccine. Also, we have largely covered the elderly and the other at-risk groups, as well as those people eager enough to fight for limited appointments and travel to large hub centers for a shot. Now, unvaccinated adults include the busy, the inattentive, the unconcerned (mostly younger adults), the politically contrary, and the die-hard anti-vaxxers.

The government, businesses, and private groups are targeting these various holdouts in different ways. Pres. Biden announced a new federal program to give workers paid leave to receive their vaccination, saying: “No working American should lose a single dollar from their paycheck because they chose to fulfill their patriotic duty of getting vaccinated.” West Virginia is giving a $100 savings bond to people who get vaccinated. Many businesses, as well as colleges and universities, are hosting on-site vaccination clinics; in addition, they are REQUIRING employees/students to get vaccinated, to guard against outbreaks that could cripple operations. So far, it has not taken this step, but the federal government may require the military to get vaccinated; currently the Covid vax is optional, since it is under emergency approval, but the military has long required its personnel to take myriad vaccinations, depending on location. Even non-military federal employees and contractors could be required to get vaccinated. Some are suggesting it is time for widespread cash incentives, in order to get enough adults vaccinated to reach herd immunity and stifle Covid. (Approved vaccines for those under age 16 are in process, but movement there is not expected before fall.)

In Texas, about 8 million people/34% of the adults are fully vaccinated.

In Travis County, roughly 400,000 people/40% of the adults are fully vaccinated.

Recent Covid articles I recommend….

–How Pfizer Makes Its Covid-19 Vaccine 4/28/21 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/health/pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine.html

—Got vaccinated? Here’s all the free stuff you can get 4/26/21 https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/24/business/vaccine-freebies/index.html

—Answers to All Your Questions About Getting Vaccinated for Covid-19 updated 4/25/21 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/well/covid-vaccine-questions.html

—Patients With Long Covid Face Lingering Worrisome Health Risks 4/22/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/health/covid-patients-health-risks-long-term.html

—What Do You Do When the Kids Are Still Unvaccinated? 4/22/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/opinion/unvaccinated-kids.html

—The Years We’ve Lost to Covid 4/21/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/well/covid-statistics-years-life-lost.html

—Irrational Covid Fears 4/19/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/briefing/european-soccer-league-mars-helicopter-navalny.html

—There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing 4/19/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html

Daring Mighty Things

Ingenuity, the adorable mini-helicopter on Mars, made several successful flights, starting on April 19. NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter makes maiden flight on Mars in a “Wright brothers moment” 4/19/21 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mars-ingenuity-helicopter-maiden-flight/

In fact, Ingenuity is such a success story, its trial has been extended another 30 days. NASA extends Mars helicopter Ingenuity’s high-flying mission on Red Planet 4/27/21 https://www.space.com/nasa-mars-helicopter-ingenuity-mission-extended

**Ingenuity on the surface of Mars, then flying–NASA/JPL-Caltech**

Somewhat closer to home, NASA and Space-X successfully launched 4 astronauts to the International Space Station on April 23. This was the first flight ever to re-use both the capsule AND the rocket for the trip. Watch here– SpaceX Crew-2 Launches 4/23/21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq-FwAEcrWI

In Lakeway

There are 4—yes, 4—Council meetings to cover here, 2 regular and 2 special.

Follow up on Council’s April 19 meeting

Council voted unanimously to approve a planned development (PUD) on Flint Rock Road, allowing developer Legacy DCS to build 126 detached single-family homes on 22 acres, plus 3 acres of commercial/park space, with several variances. Legacy agreed to add a right in/right out to the complex and to landscape the entire commercial area as a park in Phase 1. The next step will be drafting a Development Agreement governing the project, but this solidifies settlement of the land owner’s long-running lawsuit with the city.

Also, Stratus was back for another presentation on The Oaks and Main Street. (See previous blogs for more info and links to plans and written statement.) The developer reiterated that if we stick with the current PUD requiring 70-100 patio homes (that Stratus hopes to sell for up to $1 million each) and possibly a hotel, construction would NOT happen in the foreseeable future. While it might be possible to hurry this along with bond funding via a PID, Stratus has never used that option and hinted of delay. Its preference is clearly building 275 apartments on 8 acres on one side of the road, leaving the other 26 acres as dedicated parkland. Stratus said it could start on THAT option by end of 2021 and complete it all in 24 months, with occupancy of the apartments tied to completion of the road. (NOTE that the configuration of the road was never mentioned. Is Stratus building all 4 lanes of the road, or only 2 lanes, with Lakeway responsible for expanding it?) The few citizen comments made favored this option, due to the benefit of a large park in the heart of town. Council members also loved the park option, especially since it includes the existing ponds, as well as deeming apartments and a park to be good transition areas between the commercial use at one end of Mail Street and the R-1/single family homes already approved for the Legends tract at the other end (emptying out onto Lohman’s at Wingreen Loop). Community input was requested, but Council directed staff to work with Stratus to better define the apartment/park option.

Council decided to move forward with pre-design, conceptual design and funding support phases on a proposed YMCA recreation center. Information obtained should facilitate a decision on whether this is something that works for Lakeway. The city will split the $48,000 total cost of this investigation with LTISD.

Council also reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan, approving 3 Parks and Recreation projects, utilizing $484,000 previously set aside for the department in 2021. These projects are replacing the playscape at City Park for $300k, replacing the projection trailer with an LED mobile screen trailer for $130K, and installing a sidewalk near the Hurst Creel Sculpture Garden for $54K. Other proposed Capital Fund projects for 2022 and 2023 include: landscaping at various parks for $100K; Hurst Creek Sculpture Park Bridge for $445K; various park trails for $130K; new CAD/RMS software system for the police department at around $600K; an enclosed modular shooting range for the police department at $470K, to allow on-site arms training and certification for police officers; crosswalk at Lakeway Blvd. and Lakeway Drive, at $90K; Lakeway Drive pavement overlay at $411K; and Lakeway Blvd. milling and overlay at $3.3 million. (The 3 road projects will likely be added to the transportation bond needed to fund Lakeway’s share of the 620 retrofit project.) Go here to watch this Council meeting online–https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/119656

Follow up on Council’s April 26 meeting

The Mayor scheduled a surprise special meeting, held in person on April 26. Lame ducks go quack, quack, quack….

Council approved reviewed a roster of bills for the city to support or oppose, from the predictably sordid melange now pending at the Texas legislature. (This item seems to be the reason for this extra meeting.) It voted to SUPPORT assessing internet sales tax by location, requiring county approval for purchase of a facility to house the homeless, making it easier to annex a right of way, and continuing alcoholic beverage sales to go. It voted to OPPOSE requiring candidate party affiliation to appear on ballots in local elections, assessing penalties on cities for defunding the police, allowing disannexation of properties not receiving all city services, allowing zoning variances based on the owner’s financial hardship, removing territory from emergency services areas, and stopping cities from using lobbyists at the legislature.

Council also approved an ordinance terminating the city’s employment contracts, other than its contract with the City Manager or as specified by statute, and making everyone else at will employees. (As the city attorney stated, they tried to clean up related language in the ordinances, but it got unexpectedly complicated as to the prosecutor, judges, etc. They also specified when the City Manager can hire/terminate personnel and when Council gets involved.) This was teed up at the last meeting following an Executive Session; the publicly given reason was that the city has multiple employee contracts with varying terms. Various comments hinted that the police chief got the short end of this stick.

Go here to watch this Council meeting online—https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/119994

Council next meets on Monday, May 3, 6:30pm.

This is an in person meeting at City Hall. Masks are required, and distancing means there will be reduced seating available. Comments can be submitted to Council beforehand, but no one can call in to participate. Citizens Participation requires attendance.

The new Mayor and Council member/s will NOT yet be certified or sworn in, so anything accomplished will be more lame duck action. However, the Agenda is largely house-keeping items.

The city’s lawsuit over the Cherry Knoll development is formally resolved, due to the PUD being adopted at the last meeting.

The city’s new Emergency Management Coordinator will be introduced.

Our existing Covid-19 regulations need to be rescinded/revised/extended.

Capital Improvement projects for 2022 and 2023 will be discussed. (Most are mentioned in the April 26 meeting review, above.)

Finally, there are 4 Executive Sessions (police department, personnel matters, economic development project, and legal advice). Go here for the Agenda and Meeting Packet— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

To send comments to Council beforehand (there is a 3pm deadline on the meeting date) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form–https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx

Go here to watch this Council meeting online (live or after the fact)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Finally, ANOTHER extra Council meeting has been set for 10am on Wednesday, May 12.

No Agenda is available yet, but this could well just be the outgoing ceremony/swearing in of new officials.

Back to me….

I got my SECOND vaccine shot (Pfizer) in late April. The side effects were just a little more pronounced than with the first shot—body aches, swollen lymph nodes and a really sore arm—but they only lasted a couple days. I still need a couple weeks to build up antibodies and be fully protected, but the relief I feel now is immense.

Another painting project is checked off my list. I hauled this handy storage chest around for decades, and I barely remember the house whose décor it matched. Now, it looks great in my kitchen and holds extra cases of canned and bags of dry cat food. Plus kitty treats, can’t forget the treats….

Nearly every day now, lucky folks post on Next Door adorable images of newborn fawns parked in their yards. Personally, I have seen NO babies yet. So, here are some of my favorite squirrel photos from over the years. I love squirrels….