New public hours for the Old Burnet County Jail and museum were announced and money changed hands for two major projects during the regular meeting of the Burnet County Historical Commission on Tuesday, July 2.
The meeting was held at The Falls on the Colorado Museum in Marble Falls rather than the usual location, the Herman Brown Free Library in Burnet.
Meetings might soon move to the old jail, 109 S. Pierce St. in Burnet, which became the Historical Commission’s new home as of July 1. Commission members are training to be museum docents and helping to keep the jail open longer hours.
The public can visit the historic jail from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays as well as on Saturdays when the Hill Country Flyer tourist train comes to town.
The BCHC’s stock of “Burnet County History” Volumes 1 and 2 and other local history books is now available at the jail and the libraries in Burnet, Bertram, and Marble Falls. The books’ prices have been cut in half, and further discounts are available for packages, including other books.
The Burnet County Historical Commission meets at 1 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. Check the Government Meetings story on DailyTrib.com the Friday before the meeting to find out where.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined 16 other state attorneys general to support rehearing an appeal in the Llano County library lawsuit case before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
A three-judge panel split 2-1 on June 6 in support of a preliminary injunction issued last year by Judge Robert Pitman in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin. The case of Leila Little et al. v. Llano County et al. has been on hold since the appeal was filed last summer.
The day after judges Jacques Wiener, Leslie Southwick, and Stuart Kyle Duncan, who wrote the dissent, issued their ruling, an unnamed judge asked for an en banc hearing. The court’s mandate is being withheld until a decision can be made on the rehearing request.
The defendants in the case filed two motions for rehearings: one before the three-judge panel and the other en banc (before the full court).
On July 1, the plaintiffs filed a response arguing against a rehearing, either before the original three-judge panel or en banc.
The 20-page amicus brief was submitted by Paxton and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. The other states involved include Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia.
“The Court should rehear this case en banc because it raises issues of exceptional importance concerning the First Amendment’s application to library-curation decisions … (that will) leave every public librarian in a state of confusion over whether or when they can be sued for weeding a book,” reads the brief.
The defendants in the case argue the books were removed from library shelves and the Llano County Library system digital catalog in a standard process known as weeding, which rates books based on their physical condition, the number of times they have been checked out, and the length of time since they were last checked out.
The District Court rejected that argument and determined the books were removed because Llano County government officials did not agree with their content. Head Librarian Amber Milum, who is a defendant in the case, was given a list of 57 books that the defendants claimed were “pornographic filth” and should be removed.
Only 17 of the books on the longer list were eventually removed, triggering the lawsuit.
“These books included ‘They Called Themselves the K.K.K: (The Birth of an American Terrorist Group’ by Susan Campbell Bartoletti) and other works that had nothing to do with pornography,” reads the plaintiffs’ response. “ … The panel applied longstanding precedent that government officials cannot remove public library books if their aim is to deny the public access to ideas they personally do not like.”
U.S. District Judge Pitman issued a preliminary injunction ordering the books back on the shelves, which was done. The defendants then filed an appeal. The appeals court heard the case early last summer, issuing a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs 364 days later. That ruling is on hold while the court considers a rehearing.
The plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit in April 2020 are Leila Green Little, Jeanne Puryear, Kathy Kennedy, Rebecca Jones, Richard Day, Cynthia Waring, and Diane Moster. All are Llano County residents and library system users.
Defendants in the suit are Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham; county commissioners Peter Jones, Linda Raschke, Mike Sandoval, and Jerry Don Moss; library system Director Amber Milum; and Library Advisory Board members Gay Baskin, Bonnie Wallace, Rochelle Wells, and Rhonda Schnieder.
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Spring downpours revitalized Lake Buchanan and greened the Highland Lakes landscape, but the Lower Colorado River Authority is asking residents to continue water conservation efforts into summer.
The LCRA reduced the drought stage from 2 to 1 on June 3 after the combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis rose above 55 percent. This change was automatically triggered by the authority’s drought management plan, but LCRA customers are being asked to voluntarily continue stringent water conservation measures.
“Thanks to rains in May, our water supplies are in better shape than they were a year ago, but lakes Buchanan and Travis are still not full,” LCRA Executive Vice President of Water John Hofmann said in a July 2 media release from the authority. “The lakes remain stressed from years of serious drought, and we all should do our part to conserve and stop water waste.”
The combined storage of Buchanan and Travis was 55 percent as of Tuesday, July 2, up from 50.4 percent in July 2023. The lakes made most of their gains in May, jumping from 42 percent combined storage on May 1 to 56 percent full by June 3.
Stage 2 drought restrictions call for a once-a-week outdoor watering schedule and 20 percent water use reductions. With the change to Stage 1 restrictions, twice-per-week outdoor watering is acceptable with a goal to reduce usage by 10 percent.
Current LCRA projections show the lakes could drop below 45 percent storage capacity by the end of summer if July and August are particularly dry and hot. The drought stage could be raised to Stage 2 per automatic triggers in the LCRA’s drought management plan.
“As my mother used to say, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should,” Hofmann said. “So in this case, even though watering may be allowed twice a week, we strongly recommend people stick to watering once a week.”
Hofmann explained in the release that up to 70 percent of municipal water use comes from outdoor watering in the summer months, so cutting back on it can significantly reduce overall water use.
The LCRA is not currently sending water to most of its agricultural customers due to the ongoing drought conditions despite a wet spring. The water will not be made available to them again until at least March 2025. However, up to 16,800 acre-feet of water can still be sent to the Garwood Agricultural Division due to a binding contractual obligation from 1998.
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Fourth of July and fireworks go hand in hand, but the festive explosives are not welcome in most cities across the Highland Lakes. Granite Shoals is the only municipality in the area that allows personal fireworks within city limits, but revelers can set them off in the unincorporated areas of Burnet and Llano counties.
Fireworks can be fired off from private property within Granite Shoals from 1 p.m. Thursday, July 4, to 1 a.m. Friday, July 5. They cannot be launched from the road or public parks.
Residents can also set off fireworks from private property outside of any city limits within Burnet and Llano counties. Fireworks can be prohibited during a burn ban, but neither county is currently subject to one.
Granite Shoals passed its updated fireworks ordinance in 2021, allowing for their use to curb the number of calls the police department received on Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve.
While burn bans are not in place, Highland Lakes residents should still be cautious when setting off fireworks near dry grasses and flammable structures.
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Several agencies responded to a structure fire in Hoover Valley that started Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning. The intense blaze highlighted the heroics of local first responders and also a need for more volunteer firefighters.
The fire reportedly began around 8:30 p.m. July 1. Firefighters managed to contain it by 1 a.m. the next morning. However, the fire rekindled at around 3 a.m., and firefighters returned to the scene and continued the fight until after sunrise Tuesday.
No one was injured in the blaze, but the structure was destroyed.
Cassie Fire Chief Derrick Curtis said he didn’t get back to the station until after 10 a.m. Tuesday. He told DailyTrib.com that the fire’s cause was likely accidental.
“Hoover Valley (VFD) was kind of struggling for people so they rely heavily on mutual aid,” he said. “You’re limited with what you can do with a few people.”
DailyTrib.com was unable to reach Hoover Valley VFD before this story’s publication to get exact numbers, but Curtis believes the department only has three or four volunteers.
Hoover Valley Chief Joe Schreiber and Assistant Chief Cody Dickson were on the scene of the fire throughout the night but also had to respond to a medical issue concerning a child between the initial blaze and when it rekindled.
“Last night, we had a structure fire call, a child medical call, and recalled back to the structure fire,” reads a Facebook post from the Hoover Valley department on Tuesday morning. “The same two responders responded to these calls. They were awake all night and still have day jobs to go to now as well. Can y’all imagine how tired they are today?”
The post went on to ask for support from the Hoover Valley community and more volunteers.
“This is why we need help y’all,” the post continued. “We need volunteers. We get it, it’s free. It’s doing something for nothing in a world where time is money. But it is for your community! It is for you when you have an emergency! Do you have it in your heart to help?”
Contact the Hoover Valley VFD at 512-756-4216 or hoovervalleyvfd@gmail.com. The fire station is located at 303 CR 118B, with a Burnet address.
Agencies responding to the fire were the Hoover Valley VFD, Cassie VFD, East Lake Buchanan VFD, Burnet Fire Rescue, Granite Shoals Fire Rescue, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, and Marble Falls Area EMS.
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The Donall Estates POA received a favorable judgment on June 27 in a civil lawsuit brought against it by a lot owner. Judge Evan Stubbs of the 33rd District Court in Burnet granted a “take nothing” summary in the case of Todd Heath v. Donall Estates Property Owners Association Inc.
A decision on one final claim in the lawsuit, that Heath was wrongfully kept from building on a partial lot in the subdivision, is still pending.
“Take nothing” means exactly what it says: Plaintiffs do not get what they asked for, which in this case was a judgment that the Donall POA was not a legal entity and its regulations could not be enforced. Donall Estates, established in 1979, is located on Burnet County Road 104 on Lake Buchanan.
The judge ruled that the POA is a legal entity and its restrictions are valid. Also, Heath has not been encumbered by property association restrictions.
“This is a major ruling on our behalf,” POA President Bill Witt told DailyTrib.com. “The judge said we are legitimate, we do have deed covenants, and we have not committed any fraud or negligence. This is a massive victory, not only for Donall Estates but also for every POA in Texas.”
Heath filed the suit in March 2020 when his request to build a house on a half-lot he purchased two years earlier was denied. His attorney, Scott Cooley, said he could not respond to questions from DailyTrib.com because he has not had a chance to speak to his client since the ruling was posted on Monday, July 1.
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A person reportedly drove their vehicle into a moving train on Monday morning as it was crossing Texas 29 just east of Burnet. The driver survived the July 1 crash and was taken to Ascension Seton hospital. Details about their current condition were not available at the time this story was posted.
According to Burnet Police Chief Brian Lee, the railroad crossing and lights were functioning properly at the time of the collision. He told DailyTrib.com the incident is under investigation and officers suspect it might be a case of distracted driving.
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The city of Granite Shoals has rolled out a digital payment option for its eight public boat ramps into Lake LBJ to make it easier for visitors to pay.
Non-residents must pay $10 to use the boat ramps at Granite Shoals parks. Until June 28, that payment could only be made in cash. Now, visitors can take care of the fee by scanning a QR code posted at a kiosk near each of the ramps.
“Our number one goal in law enforcement is compliance,” Granite Shoals Police Chief John Ortis told DailyTrib.com. “I would much rather give somebody the opportunity to pay online versus hitting them for $200 in our court system.”
By city ordinance, you can receive a $200 citation from the city for using a boat ramp without paying the fee. When you pay a fee, you obtain a sticker from the kiosk that you put on your windshield. But if you pay using the QR code, officers can also see that you’ve paid online.
Every Granite Shoals residence receives two free boat ramp passes for the year.
The fees collected from non-residents go directly into Granite Shoals’ restricted parks fund, which can only be used for maintaining and improving the city’s 19 public parks.
“This is not about usage of the lake; this is about the usage of city-owned land and parks,” Ortis said. “We have more public boat ramps than any other city or community on Lake LBJ, and the majority of the people who use our boat ramps are out-of-towners.”
The digital upgrade was made mostly for convenience because people don’t carry much cash on them since the COVID-19 pandemic, Ortis said.
The city’s eight boat ramps are located at the following parks:
Castle Shoals Park, 503 N. Shorewood Drive
Blue Briar Park, 103 N. Sherwood Drive
Woodland Hills Park, 1110 Hill Circle E Drive
Crockett Park, 702 Sherwood Forest Drive
Robin Hood Park, 415 Robinhood Lane
Clear Cove Park, 715 Clear Cove Drive
Timberhill Park, across from 504 S. Timberhill Drive
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Sarah Novo has officially dropped the “interim” from her Granite Shoals city manager title after signing a new $158,000 contract with the city.
The City Council offered her the full-time job on May 29, and after a month of negotiations, she accepted. The council discussed her contract in executive session during its regular meeting on June 25 and voted unanimously to accept the terms after reconvening in open session.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Granite Shoals community and am optimistic about the bright future we will build together,” Novo wrote in a statement to DailyTrib.com after her job became official. “Serving as interim city manager since the end of February has given me the unique privilege of getting to know our wonderful community, the dedicated staff, and the supportive council to ensure that this was the best fit for all involved.”
Novo was offered the job of interim city manager in January following the resignation of Peggy Smith earlier that month. After some negotiating, Novo accepted the role in February at a $145,000 salary.
In May, the council conducted a 90-day performance review and offered her the full-time gig, citing her stellar communication skills, rapid accomplishment of goals, and the support of the community as three of the major factors in its decision.
Granite Shoals Mayor Ron Munos said Novo had accomplished nearly every 90-day goal set forth by the council when she was hired within 63 days. He also took the positive response to Novo from residents seriously.
“We’ve never had that (kind of support for a city manager) before,” he said in a May 28 interview with DailyTrib.com. “Usually, people are wanting us to fire the city manager, and now they’re singing her praises.”
Novo’s new contract is more than Smith’s $150,000 salary but less than that of the previous city manager, Jeff Looney, who made $162,000.
“She is worth every penny,” said City Secretary Dawn Wright in an interview with DailyTrib.com. “Yes, she has a large salary, but she is always the last one to leave and she gives 100 percent.”
Wright said Novo has made a huge impact on the city’s culture and systems in the short time she has been at the helm.
“I feel like the city is in great hands,” she said. “I see the city moving beyond what it once was and moving forward in a very positive direction.”
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