Granite Shoals discusses road repairs, welcomes elected officials

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

GRANITE SHOALS — On a night when new and old council members were honored and welcomed, the Granite Shoals City Council also accomplished plenty during its regular meeting May 26.

Outgoing Mayor Dennis Maier handed the gavel to new Mayor Carl Brugger, who took the oath of office along with re-elected Councilwoman Anita Hisey and newly elected Councilman Todd Holland.

Afterward, council members learned three main roads — Kingwood Drive, Prairie Creek and East Granitecastle Drive — and minor road Hummingbird along with other minor dirt roads will be prepped for paving and repairs.

City Manager Ken Nickel said these streets were chosen because of the amount of traffic, use and wear and tear to the roads.

Prairie Creek’s paving will begin at RR 1431 and end at Forrest Hill Drive, while East Granitecastle Drive’s pavement will start at Phillips Ranch Road and end at Prairie Creek Road. Kingwood Drive is located between Prairie Creek and Valley View.

The projected cost is $100,000.

“Most of (the repair work) is from wear and tear on some of our major streets in the city,” Nickel said. “We’re able to have Burnet County work with us for two days. We’ll use their equipment and people, and we’ll pave the roads.”

The city and county will work together beginning in September. Until then, city crews will prepare the roads, which will take two months.

City staff members will continue to repair potholes, Nickel said.

Nickel also announced he received a new report from Standard & Poor’s Rating Service that has rated the city as a triple B plus. A year ago, the city was at a triple B minus.

“They have raised us two notches,” Nickel said. “The outlook is positive. That’s the second highest the city has ever been.”

Nickel said the rating is important because it gives officials better interest rates if the city decides to apply for loans.

One of the challenges is Granite Shoals doesn’t have a large business tax base, which Standard & Poor’s officials noted, Nickel said. Still, he believes there are plenty of positives.

“That was a pleasant surprise,” he said. “I thought we’d get one bump, not two. It’s another indication the city is moving in the right direction.”

The council also:

• received an update on the interpretive center/wildflower and butterfly garden from Nickel. He said the center is complete except for display cases. Staff members will contact the beautification committee to select cases. In addition, Nickel announced a grant from the Native Plant Society of Texas for less than $200 to purchase plants to create a waystation for monarch butterflies. “It’s an area where butterflies will come and have something to eat,” the city manager said.   

• decided to advertise the position and go through the selection process of naming a new municipal court judge now that Edward Cutchin is retiring after 10 years. “He’s someone who helped the city move forward over the years,” Nickel said. The city charter states a municipal court judge must be an attorney.

jfierro@thepicayune.com