Full house at Horseshoe Bay town hall
Horseshoe Bay residents visit with city employees during a town hall meeting on Sept. 13 at the Horseshoe Bay Yacht Club. Courtesy photo
More than a hundred Horseshoe Bay residents filled the ballroom of the Horseshoe Bay Yacht Club to capacity during a Sept. 13 town hall meeting.
Attendees were given copies of Mayor Cynthia Clinesmith’s State of the City presentation and Nov. 7 city election information as they entered the hall. The mayor and two City Council seats are up for election this year. Running for mayor are Donald Beeman and Elsie Thurman, who is currently mayor pro-tem. Running for the council are Larry W. Morgan and incumbents Jeffery D. Jones and Frank Hosea. The top two candidates will be seated.
City Manager Jeff Koska began the afternoon meeting with brief opening remarks before handing the microphone over to Mayor Clinesmith.
Her 40-minute presentation highlighted the city’s financial status. Currently, Horseshoe Bay has an AA+ credit rating and low tax rate, she said. She also noted that 1.3 miles of street have been upgraded with plans for 1.5 miles slated in 2024.
An internet tower was installed earlier in 2023, increasing citywide broadband access. The city also secured a contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority for a more stable water supply. Employee satisfaction is also stable, according to Clinesmith, who based that conclusion on a less-than-2-percent staff turnover rate.
The city’s challenges include population growth and its effects, traffic, and an aging infrastructure, Clinesmith said. The 2023 population is estimated at 8,500, about 1,000 more than Marble Falls.
The mayor’s presentation also included the city’s long-range plans for department staffing, capital outlays, and budget forecasts for a flat or lowered tax rate.
Several information tables were set up in the ballroom, allowing attendees to interact with department personnel before and after the mayor’s presentation. A registration table to sign up for emergency messaging systems CivicReady, Warn Central Texas, and WaterSmart was also available.
Koska characterized the event as a “great opportunity for citizens to connect, get informed, and to get engaged.”
For more information, contact the city of Horseshoe Bay or call 830-598-8741.
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, a typo listed the number of attendees at 1,000. It was actually just over 100. DailyTrib.com regrets the error.