COTTONWOOD SHORES — City leaders have given the go-ahead for a new city park off Cottonwood Drive behind the Public Library. The move came at Thursday’s regular meeting, where officials also approved an extensive road-maintenance and drainage improvement plan by Public Works Manager George Perry.

Parks Commission member Marley Porter — who is also the architect behind the nearby CastleRock community — gave a presentation on the new play area, dubbed “Community Park.”

Porter said the new park, which is funded through grants from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will include a large pavilion, a water-play area and an amphitheater.

Porter said he re-worked his earlier plans for Community Park based on concerns from council and Parks Commission members.

“The new plan now has a large area with a flat grassy space for a playground,” Porter told the council.

He also followed up on a request from parks commissioners to change the filling of a so-called “play pit” from sand to cedar chips.

“There were concerns that having sand would attract feral cats,” Porter said, adding there were fears the pit would become a litterbox.

The new park also includes a rain-collection   system able to store up to 8,000 square feet of water that will be used to power the water-play area, Porter said. The park also will have two large “bio-retention” ponds that will include oil-consuming plants, he said.

“That way, the water will be cleaner when it soaks back into the aquifer,” he said.

The council unanimously approved the park design.

Also Thursday, the council approved Perry’s plan for phased improvements to city streets.

Perry said the project will include work on drainage ditches near the road, along with some resurfacing work designed to keep water flowing from the roadway and into the ditches.

“We have a motor-grader now, and because of that, this will go much faster,” he said, adding the grader can be used to repair roads and dig ditches necessary for drainage.

Councilman Deavon DeLancey said most of the city’s road problems — including potholes, bumps and cracks — are connected to the deteriorating drainage system, which leaves some parts of the city a swamp during heavy rains.

“I think if we can fix the roads, until we can pave them, that’s what’s going to need to happen,” he said.

Perry had a loftier goal.

“I want you to be able to drive down the road holding a cup of coffee and not have it spill all over you,” he said.

During the project, which is expected to begin on the city’s northeast side, Perry said some residents may be asked to upgrade to 12-inch culverts to facilitate drainage.

Currently, some homes have only 2- to 4-inch culverts, which can lead to a backup of water during heavy storms, Perry said.

In other action, the council approved a $145,000 grant-funded plan to lay a series of trails around the city connecting city parks.

Council members also called an election for May 8. Seats held by DeLancey, Councilman Frank Chavez and Councilwoman Martha Logan are up for grabs.

The next council meeting is 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Public Library, 4111 Cottonwood Drive.

chris@thepicayune.com

COTTONWOOD SHORES — A cherished “whodunit” board game that has delighted millions and was later turned into a musical and a movie is coming to the Highland Lakes. “Clue: The Musical” runs Feb. 18-March 7 at the Hill Country Community Theatre, 4003 FM 2147.

“Just imagine stepping back into your childhood for a moment,” said Jim McDermott, the theater’s executive director. “You are seated at a table with four of your friends trying to deduce, by eliminating the clues given to you,  who the murderer is, in what room and with what weapon. That’s right… the suspects are back, only now they’re on stage in an HCCT production.”

The classic detective board game, which is owned by Hasbro (the makers of GI Joe), calls on players to move from room to room in a mansion to solve a murder mystery. As they try to learn who did what to whom, the killer may be lurking in their midst.

The cast includes David Sweigart as Col. Mustard, Chris Porter as Mr. Green, Maris Lynne Long as Mrs. White and Toni Rysdam-Shorre as Mrs. Peacock, with newcomers Lacey Smith as Miss Scarlet and Gary Kesler as Mr. Plum.

Kesler’s wife Michele portrays The Detective, while Anson Hahn takes over hosting duties as Mr. Boddy. The stage direction is by McDermott, with musical direction by Melody Pauling, choreography by Virginia Shoemake and stage management by Priscilla Castaneda.

Stage, light and sound design are by the team of Steve Reily and Stephanie Ellis.

“‘Clue: The Musical’ brings the internationally popular board game to life on stage. At times both humorous and darkly sinister, this is an interactive musical starting with three audience members selecting one card each from three decks and placing it in an envelope marked ‘Confidential,’” McDermott said. He added: “The envelope is then left untouched until the end of the production. The chosen cards will determine the ending of the show, which has 216 possible conclusions. These card selections also determine some interchangeable dialogue between certain characters which are delivered as the play unfolds.”

The musical ran Off-Broadway at the Players Theatre, after a run in Chicago and a world premiere in Baltimore. It was also made into a movie in 1985, with Tim Curry,  Madeline Kahn and Michael McKean.

Local performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and a 2:15 p.m. matinee on Sundays. Tickets are $20 for adults and $9 for children.

Order online at hcct.org or visit the box office in the lobby, which is open noon-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The phone number is (830) 798-8944.

Porter is a reporter for The Daily Tribune.

COTTONWOOD SHORES — A couple’s repeated complaint that a badly damaged road forces them to take a detour to their home through government land has caught the attention of the City Council. “If we had a tank, I could get across it,” resident John Parker said, referring to Dogwood Drive.

He and Billie Parker can’t get a car or truck to their house from that street, which needs significant repairs, they said.

“Dogwood Drive is the right name for it,” quipped John Parker, who added they have to go through Lower Colorado River Authority property to get home.

City officials at the Thursday night meeting agreed something needs to be done.

“As a city, we are required to provide access,” Councilwoman Martha Logan said.

Mayor Pro-tem Bill Plumley added: “It doesn’t matter if it’s Fir (Lane). It doesn’t matter if it’s Dogwood. They’re all city streets, and they need to be made passable.”

Mayor Bentley Martin said current road projects are scheduled through midsummer, but after that repairs to Dogwood are possible.

The council agreed to revisit the issue during a March 18 meeting.

This was the fourth time the Parkers complained to the city, and Martin apologized.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to come back and back and back,” he said.

In the meantime, the Parkers have been getting home by Ridgeview Road, but that route takes them through an LCRA-owned area where the authority is building a security fence. If it’s extended, it will cut off access to the Parker residence, the couple said.

Crews have indicated to him that the fence will eventually be completed, John Parker said.

“Basically, our property is condemned,” Parker said. “We can’t access it if they build that fence.”

In case of an emergency, police, fire and EMS would be unable to get to the residence via Dogwood Drive and at night, they couldn’t even see the residence, he added.

“We can easily become a victim of crime,” Parker said.

In other action, the council approved a plan and specifications presented by architect Marley Porter for the P Squared Skate and Bike Park. The skate and bike park is one of nine projects the city hopes to complete thanks to state and local grants.

Porter, who is on the Parks and Recreation Committee, said the park would be split  into two portions — one for skating and one for bike riding. The bike portion would include a track that features jumps and a hairpin turn, along with rest areas for bikers to take a break and bleachers for spectators.

The skate portion would be separate from the bike portion, and it would feature a half-pipe, grinding wall and bleachers.

The park also would have lights.

Also, the council approved a plan and specifications for a Town Trail linking all the city’s parks together.

Before the meeting ended the council also:

• Tabled an action on approving plans and specifications for a nature preserve
• Approved a proposal for an interlocal agreement between the city and the Cottonwood Shores Area Volunteer Fire Department to apply for a Federal Communication Commission license to put a repeater and antennae on the city’s water tower.

andrew@thepicayune.com

MEADOWLAKES — It’s the economic equivalent of a hole-in-one. The Hidden Falls Golf Club posted its first profit since the city took it over in March 2008, officials announced Wednesday. The club earned a net profit of $30,141.50 for October, November and December, city officials added.

IN PHOTO: Meadowlakes City Administrator Johnnie Thompson (left) signs a contract  with Hidden Falls Golf Course manager Jeffery Wilson during a City Council meeting. Wilson took over the duties at the golf course and restaurant facility in September of 2009. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton

New General Manager Jeff Wilson and his staff are credited with the turnaround.

“That’s the only profit since the city bought the club,” Meadowlakes Public Facility Corp. board President Charles Burleson said. The corporation oversees the club for the city. “That’s a significant accomplishment at this point.”

The city purchased the 18-hole golf course at 220 Meadowlakes Drive — which includes a restaurant, tennis courts, a swimming pool and pro shop — for $2.9 million.

Since then, the city has struggled to turn a profit on the operation despite enhancements to the restaurant and improvements to the course.

In October 2009, the corporation, which the City Council created in August of the same year, assumed operational responsibility for the club and course.

Those corporation’s leaders said the club’s turnaround began with the decision to hire a general manager to oversee day-to-day operations.

Wilson was named the new general manager, replacing interim manager Steve Hatch — who said from the outset he would only serve one year.

“The search committee did a great job putting together a good incentive-base package,” Wilson said. “This way my salary is tied to how well the club does. It really makes you strive harder every day.”

The club’s turnaround is even more impressive considering it came during the months when fewer golfers hit the links.

“You have to remember during those three months, golf drops off,” Wilson said. “Also consider that October was a bad month because it was so wet. November was all right, but it still wasn’t a great month and December was so-so. It’s pretty exciting when you show a (profit-and-loss statement) of plus $30,000 over those three months.”

Wilson, however, said the credit must be shared with the city, the corporation, employees and community members.

Strategic changes also have helped increase the club’s profitability, Wilson said.

The staff began keeping a tight rein on inventory — not just the restaurant and pro shop, but also on the course itself.

“We only were up maybe 170 rounds over the same period the previous year,” Wilson said. “That extra amount of golf isn’t enough to see that type of profit. What it tells me was people weren’t necessarily paying for all the rounds they were playing.”

The restaurant, which at one time featured full-service dining several times a week, has been scaled back to a “bar-and-grill” operation, Wilson said. The club still can handle luncheons and special events.

Wilson also cut back on the staffing, hiring people “who really care” about the success of the club, he said.

“It really comes down to managing this like a business, because that’s exactly what a golf course is — a business,” Wilson said.

Jamie Kizer, the golf course superintendent, and his staff are working on creating a more dramatic 18th hole to give golfers a stronger finish, Wilson added.

The club is also in the midst of a membership drive, offering former members a chance to re-join without paying an intiation fee while new members get half off.

“Part of my job is developing those relationships and letting people know that we’re here,” Wilson said. “As a public course, I don’t see us as isolated out here. We’re a member of the Marble Falls community as well. And I think we’re a great resource for the community.”

Though the recent success is exciting, Wilson said there’s still more work to be done.

“We’re fighting for the entertainment dollar in the golf business — not just the recreation dollar,” he said. “We want Hidden Falls (Golf Club) to be something that’s talked about on a daily basis. I think we have a great resource here for the Marble Falls community, we just need to be more visible.”

For more information, call (830) 693-3300.

daniel@thepicayune.com

MEADOWLAKES — Though a businessman has withdrawn a protest that threatened to halt the construction of a small office, the developer now says he’s not in any hurry to finish the project. Jim Ryno of Ryno and Associates Real Estate said he has pulled his protest of the building committee’s approval of a building plan submitted by Roberto Saenz.

Saenz wants to build a 400-square-foot office building on property at the intersection of Meadowlakes Drive and  Colorado Street.

“It’s time to move on,” Ryno said. “I thought it was a good idea to get it out of the public eye. I hope that there can be some compromise made on the property so something can be done on it.”

While this clears the way to file a building permit and begin construction on the office, Saenz said he’s not breaking ground anytime soon.

“In turn with Jim pulling his protest, I’m in no hurry to build that office,” Saenz said Monday. “I have a tenant who’s signed a letter of intent (to rent it when completed). But he understands the situation.”

Saenz said he’s willing to work with the city on coming up with a suitable use for the property.

“Right now we’re looking at all avenues,” he said. “My son and I want do what’s right for the city of Meadowlakes and the community.”

On Jan. 18, the building committee voted 3-2 to approve Saenz’s plan for the building  just outside the main gates but still within the city limits. But the plans hit a snag when Ryno submitted a protest.

At the time, Ryno opposed the plan because he said the building didn’t fit with Meadowlakes’ standards.

Now that Ryno’s protest has been dropped, it won’t go before the City Council during the regular meeting at 5 p.m.  today at Totten Hall, 177 Broadmoor.

Saenz earlier had plans to build a long-term storage facility on the site, but those died when the council didn’t approve a zoning change for the property in January.

However, the council had given Saenz permission to build the facility in the fall, but had to nullify that order when the city attorney said a public hearing should have been held first.

daniel@thepicayune.com

MEADOWLAKES — Worried about the safety of children driving with other children, the City Council Tuesday approved several new restrictions for golf cart drivers on streets. At the top of the list: Nighttime golf cart operators are now required to have a driver’s license. And daytime operators without a driver’s license must have someone 21 or older in the cart with them.

“I’m mainly concerned with 10- and 12-year-olds operating a golf cart without adult supervision,” said Councilman Joe Summers.

Under previous rules, minors without a valid driver’s license could operate a golf cart on city streets as long as there was licensed driver in the vehicle. But that created a situation where a 10-year-old could operate a cart accompanied by a licensed 16-year-old, something that didn’t sit well with the council.

“Instead of being a licensed driver, it should be a parent or grandparent,” said Councilwoman Christine Forsyth — or at least someone 21 or older, she added.

Summers said several communities such as Lakeway have adopted similar rules.

Councilwoman Franzella Jones said while she unde rstood her colleague’s concerns,  when her grandchildren visit she likes to “treat” them by letting them drive a cart on the road with her in it.

The new rules would take the “treat” away from her grandchildren, she said.

Anther requirement approved by the council calls for all occupants in a moving cart to be seated.

Forsyth said the ordinance protects juveniles who ride in carts while hanging off of them.

Golf carts on streets must also have a city-issued decal so code enforcement and law enforcement officers can determine who owns the vehicle in case of a violation.

“So if somebody is misbehaving with (a golf cart), we have a way to track it back to the owner,” said Mayor John Aaron.

There will not be a charge for the decal, he added.

Golf carts operated at night must have head lamps, taillights and brake lamps, council members said.

“You may not believe it, but we do have people who drive their golf carts at night with no lights,” the mayor said.

In other business, the council approved the city’s financial audit completed by Neffendorf, Knopp, Doss and Co.

Keith Neffendorf told the council that the city is in sound financial shape.

The council also approved a special election May 8 to allow residents to vote on a city manager form of government. The election will be held in conjunction with the general election for the mayor’s and two council spots.

daniel@thepicayune.com

LLANO — A pair of 16-year-old Llano High School students were sent to a juvenile detention center in Kerr County this week after sheriff’s deputies accused them of desecrating graves at the historic Six Mile Cemetery. Chief Deputy John Neff of the Llano County Sheriff’s Office said the boys were arrested Jan. 15 after investigators Laurie Brock and Sgt. Bucky Boswell received a tip the students were responsible for damage discovered at the cemetery Dec. 16.

Sheriff’s Investigator Glenn Williams said vandals kicked over several headstones and damaged doors and windows at an old school building at the burial grounds off RR 2323 southwest of Llano.

Williams said the damage occurred sometime overnight.

“Criminal mischief of a human burial or public monument is a state jail felony,” Neff said.

According to state statutes, state jail felonies are punishable by up to two years in a state jail and a fine not to exceed $10,000, though the suspects likely face punishment under juvenile-justice laws.

Six Mile Cemetery was started in the early 1880s on land donated by the farming family of William and Jane E. Stephens, according to state historic records. The earliest marked grave belongs to a 5-month-old infant who died in 1883.

Also buried at the cemetery are veterans of the Civil War, frontier battles, World War I and World War II.

chris@thepicayune.com

BURNET —  March is Youth Art Month in Burnet County, and that means it’s time to encourage young artists. That’s the word from Burnet County Commissioners, who are asking residents to support “quality art programs” for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students.

“Art is a part of 21st century learning,” said Samantha Melvin, an R.J. Richie Elementary School fine arts teacher. “Art engages youth in critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and the development of discipline and perseverance.”

About 350 original works created by Burnet Consolidated Independent School District students will be displayed during Youth Art Month, sponsored by the Texas Art Education Association and several other nonprofit organizations.

“(Art) pushes students to think outside of the box and provides them with a voice to share what they know and how they think. Art education is the education of the whole child,” Melvin said

Two venues have been designated for the exhibition, including the Galloway-Hammond Recreation Center in Burnet, 1601 S. Water St., and the former hardware store next to the Herman Brown Free Library, 100 E. Washington St.

Also, an artistic piece by Burnet High School student Alyssa Leffler will be shown March 6-12 in Austin at the state Capitol.

“Her work will be one of 100 pieces on display (at the Capitol),” Melvin said.

Youth Art Month has been observed across the nation since the Art and Creative Materials Institute and the National Art Education Association founded the event in 1961.

Other sponsors include the Association of Crafts and Creative Industries, General Federation of Women, Hobby Industries Association and National Art Materials Trade Association.

raymond@thepicayune.com

HORSESHOE BAY — A City Council plan calling for residents to shoulder the cost of upgrading local streets has some neighbors petitioning leaders to reconsider the idea.

Instead, street repairs should be paid from property taxes, say the residents, who will have the petition on display this week so it can be signed.

Former Councilman Buddy Schrader — who served on the council for a year after the city’s incorporation in 2005 — said he’s one of about a dozen residents circulating the petition.

“There’s just a matter of differences on how to solve a problem,” Schrader told The Daily Tribune Friday. “Pure and simple. We live in a neighborhood with various backgrounds, and we formulate opinions and differences. It’s just that simple.”

Last year, Mayor Bob Lambert submitted a plan calling for residents to pay for upgrades to their streets, including new pavement, curbs and gutters.

The city took over the streets from the Horseshoe Bay Property Owners’ Association last year. Previously, the POA collected fees from property owners to pay for street maintenance.

According to Lambert’s plan — available on the city’s Web site — residents could petition the city to have their streets upgraded for a fee based on the street frontage of each lot.

That fee would come to $35 per foot of street frontage, to be paid in a lump sum or through six financed payments.

Councilman Jeff Robinson said some residents have called for the city to use property-tax funds to pay for the improvements.

“Many of the folks who are supporting an ad-valorem tax plan feel that since the other POA residents use the (city) streets, they should share in the cost of the upgrade,” Robinson said. “There are no absolute rights or wrongs in these discussions.”

Using property-tax money to pay for street upgrades could also impact the city’s tax rate during the budget season this summer, Robinson said, adding the current rate of 33 cents per $100 is significantly lower than the 50-cent rate from 2005.

“The tax rate will surely be an important matter in this summer’s budget workshops,” he said. “The accumulated funds will likely be used for various aspects of improving streets, drainage, safety and low-water crossings.”

In the meantime, the city’s plan calls for repairs for high-use streets such as Horseshoe Bay Boulevard, Bay West Boulevard and Clayton Nolen Street to be high-priority upgrades, though it’s not yet known if residents living along those streets will be charged for the improvements.

Neighborhoods on streets branching off from those main roads likely will be queried about possible upgrades, according to the road plan.

In the end, Schrader said he’s confident both sides can reach a compromise.

“We don’t want to divide the community,” he said. “I think both parties are interested in taking the high ground.”

The petition will be available for residents to sign March 1-5 at Quail Point Lodge, 107 Twilight and at the Bottle Shop, 7503 FM 2147.

chris@thepicayune.com