Granite Shoals seeks cleaner water from Lake LBJ, addresses golf carts on main road
A conceptual drawing of the Granite Shoals raw water intake structure presented by Mike Gibbets of Hayter Engineering of Paris, Texas, at the Granite Shoals City Council meeting, Tuesday, July 27. Courtesy image
Granite Shoals is looking to move its raw water intake farther out into Lake LBJ to cut down on treatment and improve the quality of the city’s drinking water.
At its regular meeting Tuesday, July 27, the City Council approved hiring Mike Tibbets of Hayter Engineering in Paris, Texas, to come up with a plan for extending the current intake to where the water is 30 feet deep. Currently, it is drawing from a position that is only 9 feet deep. Lake LBJ reaches depths of 90 feet in places.
“We’ve only got one straw in the lake,” City Manager Jeff Looney said. “Tibbets is going to see how far out we have to go. We want to get into 30-foot depth. That’s a pretty good ways out there.”
GOLF CART ORDINANCE
Changes to the golf cart ordinance were approved on first read, bringing it up to speed with how fast vehicles can drive on Phillips Ranch Road. The speed limit on the city’s main throughway was increased to 35 mph along the entirety of the road in 2019.
The golf cart ordinance now needs to comply with that change to make it official and legal for the smaller, slower vehicles to use Phillips Ranch Road.
Residents drive the road to get to the convenience store and Highland Lakes Elementary School, which are across from each other on RR 1431 West, Looney said.
A final vote will be on the agenda for the regular meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10.
COFFEE WITH THE COUNCIL
Coffee with the Council is 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Quarry Park multisports complex. Donuts and coffee are free.
Mayor Pro Tem Ron Munos and councilors Samatha Ortis and Phil Ort will join Police Chief Gary Boshears and the city management team to answer questions or just chat.
“It’s a chance to come out and talk to council members and the city management,” City Secretary Elaine Simpson said. “Three council members will be there, so no quorum. They can field questions as a group or individual. It’s going to be very casual.”
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
Forest Henson was named to both the Planning and Zoning and the Airport Advisory committees. He replaces the late David Dittmar on the Airport Advisory committee. One vacancy remains on Planning and Zoning.
“The council customarily never appoints anyone to more than one committee,” Simpson said after the meeting, “but they looked at his credentials and decided he has the qualifications and appointed him to both.”
Henson is a Realtor, a licensed pilot, and a certified flight instructor.
The next meeting of the Granite Shoals City Council is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, at City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road. Meetings are open to the public or can be viewed via Zoom. The necessary links are found on each meeting’s agenda.