Marble Falls voters could decide on tax freeze for elderly

That was the word from City Attorney Patty Akers at Monday’s council meeting, where she confirmed that a 206-signature petition was successful in forcing a referendum to freeze property tax rates for disabled residents and those 65 and older.

Also at the meeting, Akers answered several questions about the hiring practices of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp., which drew fire from two councilmen for the controversial hire of a former EDC board member as the corporation’s sole full-time employee.

Meanwhile, more than 200 registered city voters signed a petition in November asking the council to approve a property tax freeze for elder or disabled residents, a move already ratified by many other area cities.

“Let us show that the city of Marble Falls cares about its seniors and disabled residents by approving this tax freeze,” resident Majery Higdon said. “We have paid our taxes and paid our way for many years. Even with this freeze, we are still going to be paying taxes.”

While many in the audience said they hoped the council would approve the tax freeze at Monday’s meeting, Akers said the agenda did not allow for such action, adding that any tax freeze — whether achieved by the council or by voters — wouldn’t take effect until a new tax rate is set in fall of 2009.

Many of those same residents were present earlier this year, when the council approved a 14-cent property tax increase to help pay for a multi-million-dollar capital improvement plan.

“I can’t afford $250 per month to pay for taxes and insurance,” resident Kay Buckley told the council. “I know I’m not the only person in the city that’s in the same boat.”

Councilman Josh Parker agreed the issue needed to be examined, adding he hoped to see a city study on how the tax freeze would affect the city’s finances.

“We have a lot of things we have to look at before we start throwing up our hands and taking action,” Parker said.

A state law approved in 2003 allows the council to approve the tax-freeze measure on its own, though voters could do the same in May if the measure isn’t already on the books by then.

In other action, Parker and Councilman Bryan Hicks asked Akers to explain how EDC Special Projects Coordinator Olivia Cribbs was hired without a search for candidates or the posting of a job vacancy.

The EDC is a non-profit corporation funded by sales taxes. The corporation is responsible for hiring its own employees, though the council appoints its board and oversees any amendments to its budget.

Cribbs — a former councilwoman, Parks and Recreation commissioner and a sitting EDC director until just prior to her hiring — will make more than $73,000 in pay and benefits, thanks to an EDC budget amendment approved by the council.

Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Pilley, who is a member of the EDC board, said Cribbs did not participate in any of the discussion related to her hiring, adding she resigned before any decisions were made.

Cribbs was hired by the EDC in October, about a month after the corporation’s board approved hiring a new executive director, the second in its history. 

While the EDC’s previous executive director was hired following a lengthy search by a contracted firm, City Manager Judy Miller said that wasn’t the case with Cribbs, who was the sole candidate considered for the position, which was never advertised.

Akers said the EDC’s status as a non-profit corporation means it’s not subject to the same job-posting requirements as the city, adding no laws were broken in the hire.

That didn’t stop Parker and Hicks from speaking out on what they deemed a “bad precedent” set by Cribbs’ hire.

“I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t say that this (hiring) doesn’t seem to have been as open as how we’ve done other job searches,” Parker said. “I’m very disappointed there wasn’t some form of the job description posted. I’m not sure there weren’t some other qualified citizens in our city alone that wanted to do that job.”

Hicks agreed.

“I’m very concerned about the appearance of hiring a sitting EDC board member to a position with a $50,000 salary,” he said. “It doesn’t look right. It’s a bad idea, and it’s a bad precedent to set.”

Pilley said Cribbs was hired by contract, adding that document includes a job description and performance requirements that she’ll have to meet in order to keep her job when she comes under review in six months.

“Right now, Olivia is doing an outstanding job in this position,” he said. “She’s getting out to the local businesses and she’s even gone as far as the governor’s office looking for economic development opportunities. This is money well spent right now.”

The budget amendment was approved 4-2, with Hicks and Parker opposing.

chris@thepicayune.com