Burnet puts brakes on proposed food truck park at airport
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
The recent popularity of a food truck parked at the Burnet Municipal Airport led city staff to ask City Council if a food vendor park would be a good idea at that location.
“We’re asking for the ability to do a trial period to test the waters. We can see what works, what doesn’t work. It’s a chance to kick the tires,” City Manager David Vaughn said during the regular meeting July 23. “We can see if it’s a good idea for the airport or not.”
The city recently hosted Krab Kingz Seafood food truck at the airport for a successful two days.
Council member Danny Lester voiced his opposition to the proposed plan.
Mojo Coffee, according to Lester, is in the process of adding food vendors to a property on Texas 29 East.
“If he brings in (food trucks), pays city taxes and adds utilities, and we use city property to go into competition with our own people who pay taxes, I don’t think we should be doing that,” he said.
Vaughn said pilots and people who use the airport would welcome a food truck, or trucks, at the airport.
Lester made a motion against the proposed temporary food vendor park, which passed by a 4-2 vote.
In other action from the meeting, the council:
• decided to host a workshop August 13 to discuss incentives or fee waivers for developers after a request by Langley Homes was denied July 23. The council wants to address the broader topic for all developers instead of entering a one-time agreement.
• passed a resolution to move forward with issuing debt obligations for a new police station, construction on the city’s water and wastewater system, and payment of professional services. Vaughn told the council the city expects to issue certificates of obligation during its regular meeting on September 24 in an amount not to exceed $5 million.
• provided $5,000 to the Burnet County Child Welfare Board, which was more than the $3,000 requested by board President Caroline Ragsdill. The money the board collects from cities and Burnet County go to children in the Child Protective Services system as the youth transition into a new living environment. Ragsdill said the number of children served in 2018 increased to 354 from 315 in 2017, and another increase is expected this year.
jared@thepicayune.com