At 5 p.m. May 13, the Lower Colorado River Authority closed public comments on a Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance permit application for a proposed rock quarry in Burnet County, just southwest of the city of Burnet. The LCRA will now decide whether to grant the permit, taking into account the thoughts and concerns of residents who attended a public meeting in Burnet on Tuesday.
Several LCRA representatives were at the Burnet Community Center to record in-person comments that will be added to the ones submitted online.
“(Local) input is important to us, and we want to make sure that we are respectful of that and provide an ample opportunity for them to provide their comment,” LCRA Executive Vice President of Water John Hofmann told DailyTrib.com at the meeting.
With residents’ concerns in hand, the LCRA will determine if the quarry permit application requires more scrutiny.
“We don’t have the market cornered on intelligence or information,” Hofmann continued. “Somebody might come in with (an issue) that we haven’t anticipated or something that we haven’t seen.”
The LCRA is specifically focused on regulating water quality as it pertains to the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance. This policy is primarily related to stormwater runoff, which the LCRA considers the largest source of pollution in the Highland Lakes. The ordinance requires proper management of erosion, buffer zones to impede run-off, and permanent systems to minimize sediment migration from the site.
The permit applicant, Asphalt Inc. (which does business as Lone Star Paving in the greater Austin area) has gone back and forth with the LCRA on its permit application since Jan. 2 when it first applied. As part of the process, LCRA staff review applications and raise concerns that must be addressed before a permit can be approved.
The public correspondence between the LCRA and Asphalt Inc. can be found here.
According to a May 2 letter from the LCRA to the company, the application is mostly complete, save for questions about water storage, sediment control, and management of a proposed 40-acre processing facility on the property.
The proposed quarry in question would be built on about 700 acres at 3221 FM 3509, better known as Hoover Valley Road. The project first reared its head for Burnet County residents in September 2024 when Asphalt Inc. applied for an air-quality permit with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Despite heavy public protest, the TCEQ approved that permit on May 7.
RESIDENTS’ CONCERNS
Several members of the grassroots environmental activist organization Save Burnet were at the LCRA open meeting to offer information and context for attendees and voice their own concerns about the proposed rock-crushing facility.
“I won’t be able to sit on my porch and drink a coffee or have a cold beer in the evening, and my wife is highly allergic to dust,” said Save Burnet member John Braun, a potential neighbor to the quarry. “It’s important that people understand that it’s not just affecting the neighbors exactly by it. It’s going to affect the Longhorn Caverns, Inks lake, and it’s also going to affect Camp Longhorn.”
Save Burnet member John Braun told DailyTrib.com he is worried about his and his wife’s quality of life if a proposed quarry were to come online a quarter-mile from his home on Hoover Valley Road. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Braun, who lives a quarter-mile from the proposed quarry site, was referring to the close proximity of Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake State Park, and Camp Longhorn, which are all within 5 miles of 3221 FM 3509.
“This is our last opportunity to voice our concerns to the LCRA,” said Save Burnet member Fermin Ortiz. “We can’t replace these treasured sites. There will not be a second Longhorn Caverns if this blasting above the caverns drops them in.”
Protests extended beyond the Save Burnet members. While the Burnet County Commissioners Court has little to no say on the quarry, the court unanimously filed a resolution asking the LCRA to deny Asphalt Inc.’s permit application during its regular meeting Tuesday.
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Long-awaited work and safety improvements began in early May on the Texas 71-Burnet County Road 401 intersection south of Marble Falls. The $6.3 million job could take a year to complete.
Plans include added left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes, and a signal at the notoriously dangerous intersection, which lies about 1.8 miles east of the U.S. 281-Texas 71 intersection. CR 401 is also known as Shovel Mountain Road.
According to an emailed statement from the Texas Department of Transportation to DailyTrib.com, the multimillion-dollar project is a joint effort between TxDOT and Burnet County. It should be done by the spring of 2026. Traffic delays are expected throughout construction.
The general location of road work near the Texas 71-CR 401 intersection. Google Maps image
The intersection lies within Burnet County Commissioner Joe Don Dockery’s Precinct 4. He has been advocating for the safety improvements since 2019.
“That (intersection) work is imperative,” Dockery told DailyTrib.com. “We’ve had several, violent major collisions there, and we always appreciate TxDOT’s contributions.”
A three-vehicle collision shut down Texas 71 near the intersection on March 31, the latest in a list of serious accidents as noted by the DailyTrib.com stories below:
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The Cassie Volunteer Fire Department and EMS will purchase a new automated external CPR device with a $19,543 Community Development Partnership Program grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Pedernales Electric Cooperative.
The volunteer department, which serves the western Burnet County community of Cassie and beyond, contributed $4,886 in matching funds toward the purchase.
The equipment will enable first responders to deliver continuous resuscitation efforts in cardiac emergencies.
“We’re in a rural setting where EMS response can take more time and only one firefighter may be able to respond to a scene,” said VFD Chief Derrick Curtis in an LCRA media release announcing the grant. “When someone is in cardiac arrest, every second counts. Having this device on hand gives that person the best possible chance at survival by ensuring they receive high-quality CPR from the moment we arrive.”
Curtis said the department responds to calls in locations where traditional CPR isn’t always straightforward, such as on moving boats. In addition, he said, the small, all-volunteer team often handles extended emergency calls with limited staffing, which can lead to responder fatigue.
“We have 10 responders in the department, and they’re all volunteers with varying availabilities,” he said. “In an extended CPR situation, a responder may be providing compressions for 20 to 40 minutes, which is physically exhausting. This equipment doesn’t tire, so we know we’ll be able to deliver consistent, effective care throughout the call.”
Cassie VFD responds to emergencies across Burnet County and supports the broader region through mutual aid agreements.
“We’re grateful to LCRA and PEC for their continued support,” Curtis said. “These grants make a real difference for our responders and our communities.”
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders, and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water, and transmission service areas. The Pedernales Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
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A Highland Haven resident was killed in a boating accident on Lake LBJ on May 10.
According to Granite Shoals Fire Chief Tim Campbell, first responders were called to the scene at around 5 p.m. Saturday. The incident happened while the boat was docked in a small cove. The victim was killed by blunt force trauma after falling into the water. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
“They were docking (the boat), and it was a complete accident,” Campbell told DailyTrib.com.
He went on to explain that no charges had been pressed due to the accidental nature of the incident.
Granite Shoals Fire Rescue, Marble Falls Area EMS, Lower Colorado River Authority rangers, Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, and Burnet County Sheriff’s Office deputies were among the first responders on the scene.
The name of the victim was not officially released by authorities.
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The Sunday event starts at 2 p.m. and is open to the public.
Goodwin is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, currently serving her fourth term representing District 47, which includes parts of Travis County. She has been a vocal critic of Gov. Greg Abbott’s $1 billion private school voucher plan.
Goodwin’s campaign centers on protecting public education, defending human rights, increasing affordability and access to healthcare, childcare, and housing, and ensuring responsible stewardship of state resources. She champions the Empowering Texans Ballot Initiative Act, which would give voters a direct voice in shaping Texas laws and policies that affect their daily lives.
Goodwin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and an Master of Public Administration from UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs. She is also a small-business owner and real estate broker with deep community ties.
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Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
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An investigation into a 2024 conflict-of-interest complaint against Burnet County Commissioner Damon Beierle is not moving forward after an outside prosecutor found no evidence that state statutes were “knowingly violated.”
The investigation started late last year after an anonymous letter, submitted to former Burnet County Judge James Oakley, accused Beierle of failing to properly fill out paperwork when recusing himself from Commissioners Court votes that were tangentially connected to his private business, Double Eagle Entertainment. The company provides musical acts for county-sponsored events like Jackson Street Jams in Burnet and the Marble Falls Summer Concert Series.
The Burnet County Attorney’s Office referred the matter to Burnet County Court-at-Law Judge Cody Henson, who requested an unaffiliated prosecutor look into it. San Saba County Assistant Attorney Russ Baker conducted a six-month investigation before determining the allegation had no merit.
“Having reviewed the relevant audio recordings and the report of the special investigator, I am declining to prosecute Commissioner Beierle for an offense under (Texas Local Government Code 171.003),” wrote Baker in a May 6, 2025, letter to the Burnet County Attorney’s Office. “At this time, there is no evidence that (Beierle) knowingly violated (171.003) by failing to file the required affidavits on these two occasions.”
Historically, Beierle has recused himself from Commissioners Court votes on matters relating to his personal business, but he failed to file the required affidavits (an official written statement for court records) to accompany them on two occasions in May 2023: once for a vote to allocate $3,600 to the Jackson Street Jams concert series and another for a vote to allocate $5,000 to the Marble Falls Summer Concert Series.
“I appreciate the investigation and time that was taken by the San Saba County Attorney’s Office to look into the anonymous letter with the accusation of the statute violation,” Beierle told DailyTrib.com following the conclusion of Baker’s investigation. “I’m glad to put this behind me. I hope the anonymous person as well as anyone else who had questions can put their mind at ease knowing this was investigated outside the county, which resulted in a finding that no violation occurred and prosecution was declined.”
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The Lower Colorado River Authority is hosting a come-and-go public meeting May 13 to collect comments on a permit for a proposed rock crusher off of Hoover Valley Road near Burnet.
The meeting is from 8-11 a.m. Tuesday in the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. Attendees will have three minutes to share their comments at a designated station. There will be no presentation or question-and-answer session from LCRA representatives.
Members of the public are invited to share their thoughts on the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance permit application from Austin-based Asphalt Inc. While no topic is off limits, only those addressing stormwater runoff from the project site and water-quality impacts are within LCRA’s authority to consider.
Asphalt Inc.’s permit application, filed Jan. 2 with the LCRA, has undergone multiple revisions during technical review. The LCRA has flagged unresolved deficiencies related to hydrologic modeling, erosion-control costs, and stormwater management. The most recent May 2 letter from the LCRA to Asphalt Inc. notes the applicant has until May 11 (or July 2, if Asphalt Inc. requests an extension) to correct outstanding issues or risk permit denial.
The LCRA permit application has received over 2,000 comments since the comment period opened in January. The proposed site’s location is near Camp Longhorn, a youth summer, as well as Longhorn Cavern State Park and Inks Lake State Park.
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The city of Marble Falls hired Wade Nickerson as its finance director to replace Jeff Lazenby, who left in February. Nickerson brings more than 20 years of experience to the table. He officially began work on Monday, May 5.
As finance director, Nickerson oversees the city’s full financial operations, budgeting, fiscal planning, and collaboration with other city leaders on the strategic growth and sustainability of Marble Falls.
“I’m honored and excited to join the team at the city of Marble Falls and contribute to the city’s continued success,” Nickerson said in a city media release. “I look forward to working with city leadership, staff and residents to ensure Marble Falls continues to grow on a solid and sustainable financial foundation.”
Nickerson’s career includes:
16 years in finance with the city of Lafayette, Colorado;
four years as finance director for Milliken, Colorado;
four years as finance director for Baytown;
and service in the Colorado Government Finance Officers Association.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
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