About 65 people were evacuated from Motel 6 in Marble Falls on June 16 following a fire inside an interior wall.
The cause of the Sunday evening blaze was unknown at the time of this story’s publication.
“We’re still in the early stages,” said Amanda Langley, assistant emergency management coordinator for Marble Falls Fire Rescue.
Marble Falls firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the blaze at 1400 Ollie Lane at around 7:15 p.m.
“It was confined to the wall,” Fire Chief Tommy Crane said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of fire. We found where the fire was inside the wall and had to take out some of (the wall) to get to it.”
Crews remained at the motel for several hours, searching the building for other potential areas of concern.
A blaze ripped through first- and second-story walls on the east side of Motel 6 in Marble Falls on June 16, 2024. Staff photo by Nathan Bus
“We had to check that whole facility for any extensions,” Crane said. “That took up a lot of our time.”
Officials are hopeful Motel 6 will reopen to patrons in the coming days.
“There is a plan to get everything fixed and taken care of,” Langley said. “We are hoping within a few days, if not sooner.”
Safety officials transported one man to the hospital out of an “abundance of caution.”
“They took one man who was handicapped just so they could check on him,” Langley said.
No other hospital transports or injuries were reported.
Marble Falls Fire Rescue was aided by the Granite Shoals Fire Department, Burnet Fire Department, Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, Texas Department of Emergency Management, and Travis County ESD No. 1. The Marble Falls Police Department and Marble Falls Area EMS were also on scene.
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Buchanan volunteer firefighters pulled six boaters out of Lake Buchanan at around 10:45 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, after their vessel sank about 200 yards from shore. Among the rescued were four adults and two children, who survived the ordeal thanks to their life jackets and quick thinking.
“(The boaters) did the right thing,” Buchanan VFD Fire Chief Chad Mitchell told DailyTrib.com. “They all had life jackets on, and they stayed together. They didn’t scatter off and swim to safety, so it made them simple to locate.”
According to Mitchell, the ski boat was swamped by a wave after the captain powered down the engine too quickly. After the initial wave, the craft took on more water and sank.
The boaters had a cellphone and were able to call 9-1-1 at around 10:20 p.m., but they weren’t aware of their exact location on the lake. With the help of two bystanders on the shoreline and pinging local cell towers, the firefighters were able to find the stranded boaters.
The firefighters launched from Black Rock Park on the west side of Lake Buchanan and made the rescue near Flag Island.
“Everybody made it back safe and sound,” Chief Mitchell said. “There were no injuries and no issues other than being scared, tired, and wet.”
At the time of writing, the boat is still on the bottom of the lake. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens have taken over the investigation of the incident.
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A nationwide broadband map from the Federal Communications Commission shows most of Burnet County with 100 percent access to high-speed internet. That’s not 100 percent true, say many local internet users and county officials, who are working to get residents up to speed.
“We plan on partnering with private sector companies to get state funds so that they can expand into more rural parts of the county,” Burnet County Commissioner Joe Don Dockery told DailyTrib.com.
As a resident and internet user, Dockery knows firsthand the county does not have adequate coverage.
The commissioner lives southeast of Marble Falls, off of FM 2147 east, and uses local service provider Zeecon Wireless Internet. He pays $80 per month and gets roughly 7 megabits-per-second download speeds and 5 Mbps upload speeds, far less than the Federal Communications Commission’s new definition of “broadband speed,” which is 100 Mbps download and 25 Mbps upload.
That definition was adopted in March 2024, a change from the previous standard of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds set in 2015.
“I can send an email from my residence, and that is about it,” Dockery said.
He isn’t the only Burnet County resident with broadband blues.
Jeannie Cook lives with her husband at the corner of U.S. 281 and Texas 71 south of Marble Falls. The retired couple, living on a fixed income, pay Viasat satellite internet $120 per month.
“Despite paying this much, we cannot stream video content without severe buffering,” Jeannie Cook wrote to DailyTrib.com. “Subscribing to streaming video is out of the question. Every time there’s heavy rain we lose the connection. Last year, after strong winds, the satellite pole snapped. To have it repaired was about $150 and time without internet.”
Holly Morris works from home in eastern Kingsland as a clinical research nurse and needs reliable internet to do her job. She did not wish to share who her internet provider was, but she did say her bill is $180 a month and the connection is extremely unreliable. She has also had to purchase multiple signal boosters at $300 each to improve service.
“We live in Kingsland, and there’s people all around us who have options, but apparently where our house sits we don’t have them,” she said. “I work from home, and my internet is critical.”
At least 24 internet service providers are active in Burnet County, including fiber titans like Spectrum and AT&T and hyper-local operations such as VGI Technology and Nexstream.
Broadband service for residents of Marble Falls and Burnet is fast and relatively affordable. Spectrum offers its Marble Falls customers 100 Mbps speeds for $29.99 a month.
“The problems (with broadband availability) have a lot to do with different parts of the county needing different kinds of solutions,” said Herb Krasner, a member of the newly formed Burnet County Broadband Planning Committee. “Marble Falls is very different from Naruna.”
In 2022, as a concerned resident, Krasner spearheaded an effort to improve internet availability via Connected Burnet County. He has since merged the organization with the county’s endeavor. A large part of his work centered on identifying the areas most in need of broadband in Burnet County, an effort made difficult when official state broadband maps released in 2023 showed the entire county had access to high-speed internet, which left it ineligible for millions of dollars in state and federal funding to upgrade service. Krasner and the Burnet County Commissioners Court actively challenged that assessment.
The state maps have since been removed from the Texas Broadband Development Office’s website due to their questionable accuracy. The current nationwide FCC broadband map indicates the county does have holes in its broadband coverage but is still close to “100 percent.”
While Burnet County has no solid plan yet in place, its formation of the Broadband Planning Committee has opened up access to valuable consultation services from the Texas Broadband Development Office, which will help lay the foundation for bringing better internet access to residents.
“Hopefully, we can make some ground on this in the near future,” Commissioner Dockery said. “There is a lot of federal and state money out there.”
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Calorie counters can still indulge at D’Lites ice cream shop in Marble Falls. The new business serves scoops that are low in carbs, sugar, and calories but big on flavor. It opened its doors at 2511 U.S. 281 North on Friday, June 14.
The D’Lites menu features a variety of flavors based on popular desserts with special ingredients that boost flavor.
“We use water-based extracts to add flavoring,” owner Prat Parajuli said. “It doesn’t taste super sugary, but you still get a lot of flavor.”
Mexican vanilla is a key addition.
“It adds flavor,” Parajuli said. “It’s kind of like sugar-free coffee syrup.”
D’Lites also sells goods from Wio, a low-carb food and wellness brand that makes “smart foods.”
“Everything in the store is low-carb,” Parajuli said.
D’Lites, 2511 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls in the old Tuesday Morning shopping center, is open daily from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Visit its Facebook page for more information and a menu.
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Music on Main received the biggest share of the most recent collection of Marble Falls’ hotel occupancy tax money, which was divvied up among seven organizations by the city’s Hotel Motel Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee on Wednesday, June 12.
The committee recommended giving the 115-day music series $35,000 of the around $85,000 on the table.
“I love this event,” said Christian Fletcher, executive director of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. and a member of the committee.
The money will go toward paying musicians and marketing costs associated with the free concert series.
“With y’all’s support, we’re able to hire better music, we’re able to advertise more,” said Music on Main organizer Mitch McManus. “We’re in a growth mode.”
The advisory committee meets about twice a year to recommend funding amounts to the Marble Falls City Council for local organizations and events that promote tourism in the city. Its coffers are funded by a 7 percent hotel occupancy tax on hotels, motels, inns, and bed-and-breakfast establishments in the city limits.
Committee members recommended another $25,000 for Highland Lakes Creative Arts. The nonprofit organizes several events and programs, including Paint the Town, Sculpture in the Square, and Sculpture on Main.
During a discussion of this item, Marble Falls Hotel Motel Association representative Jamie Lynn Smith noted that Paint the Town has had little impact on drawing out-of-town visitors to the city’s hotels. Most out-of-town artists stay with locals free of charge during the weeklong event.
“I know the past two years, with Paint the Town specifically, I haven’t seen a significant increase in revenue,” said Smith, a committee member who runs Hidden Falls Inn on Lake Marble Falls.
Committee member and Mayor Pro-tem Craig Magerkurth argued that the nonprofit’s other programs, specifically Sculpture on Main, have a year-round impact on Marble Falls tourism.
“It’s something that can be viewed 365 days a year,” he said.
One funding request that turned contentious was Texas BASS Nation’s application to host its annual Bassmaster Open Team Trail State Championship on Lake LBJ at McNair Park, 211 Park Road in Sunrise Beach Village.
“We’re asking for help to put on a team state championship on Lake LBJ,” said TBN Director Brett Stafford.
Fletcher said the request felt more like a “bidding war” to host the tournament than a funding request. The fishing association is reaching out to other cities before making a final decision on the location of its September tournament.
“I love fishing, and it adds diversity to what we’re trying to do here, but it feels like a bid,” Fletcher said.
Committee member Darleen Oostemeyer shared his concern.
“Without having logistics in place, I’m a little uncomfortable with it, she said.
In the end, the committee decided to offer $2,500 in funding to the tournament. Organizers will only receive the money if they move forward with hosting the event on Lake LBJ.
“I would encourage you to pursue funds from Burnet and Llano counties as well,” Metzgar told TBN’s Stafford.
Committee members also recommended $10,000 for FiestaJam, a nonprofit that hosts concerts and seminars each year to boost youth music education.
Organizers unveiled plans to split the event, typically held in October, into two parts.
“We’re going to do a smaller event in October and a large event in the spring,” organizer Richard Westerman said. “We’re having conversations with some major promotional companies to take this to a whole new level.”
Below is a list of all funding amounts granted by the committee:
$35,000, Music on Main
$25,000, Highland Lakes Creative Arts
$10,000, FiestaJam
$5,000, Highland Arts Guild
$5,000, Falls on the Colorado Museum
$2,500, Texas BASS Nation
$1,500, Highland Lakes Chili Pod
The Hotel Motel Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee includes Marble Falls City Manager Mike Hodge, Marble Falls Hotel Motel Association representative Jamie Lynn Smith, Mayor Pro-tem Craig Magerkurth, Marble Falls/Highland Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Director Jarrod Metzgar, Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Christian Fletcher, and residents Ross Johnson and Darlene Oostermeyer.
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A coalition of Granite Shoals city councilors, city staff, and residents is reviewing the city’s property maintenance ordinance. The working group will look over the document line by line and determine what, if any, changes need to be made.
The ordinance is the rulebook for managing all properties in the city, including restrictions on junk cars and unkempt lawns.
The working group was formed during the City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, June 11, after weeks of discussion. Residents had pushed back on what they called “subjective” language in proposed changes to the property maintenance ordinance, and the council responded by forming the group. The city hopes it will result in well-rounded input on potential adjustments to the rules.
The group consists of councilors Catherine Bell and Mike Pfister, Code Enforcement Officer Preston Williams, Fire Chief Tim Campbell, Streets and Parks crew leader Humberto Mejia, and residents Bobbi Deberard, Terri Fletcher, Janet Walden, Robin Ruff, Peter Hutnick, Edna Dunger, and Phil Ort.
“(The working group) will hammer through (the ordinance) word by word, sentence by sentence,” said Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hougen in an interview with DailyTrib.com after the council vote. “It’s a lot of work.”
According to Hougen, the council has talked about changes to property maintenance rules since at least 2021. The main goal is to make the ordinance more enforceable by the Granite Shoals Police Department while respecting the property rights of residents.
“Property rights in Texas should be honored, but with those rights, there are certain responsibilities, kind of like following the golden rule for your neighbors,” Hougen said. “The word ‘aesthetic’ was first used in 2008 (when the ordinance was originally created), but that word is hard to define. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One person’s trash is another’s treasure. We all have different views.”
The purpose of the city’s current property maintenance ordinance is to “provide minimum standards and regulations to help safeguard and preserve life or limb, property, and public welfare by regulating the use and maintenance of the exteriors of all structures, buildings, and properties within the city,” according to the document.
The ordinance is broad, covering everything from what a property “nuisance” is to how much you can be fined for said nuisance. Fencing, trash storage, junk vehicles, landscaping, weed height, and dilapidated buildings are all include.
The working group will meet over the next three months and draft recommended changes to the ordinance that will be presented to the City Council. The group cannot make any changes themselves. The council will have the final say.
“The public is invited to throw their suggestions in,” Hougen said. “When the product is presented, it will come to the city for approval, and there could be some tweaks or changes.”
The group will function independently and does not have to follow the Texas Open Meetings Act. Members will be able to discuss their work at will without the constraints of 72-hour meeting notices, agendas, or minutes.
“The working group could hold a public meeting if it chose to, but the whole concept is for this working group to work together to come up with these changes to present to council,” said acting City Attorney Claudia Russel, who was standing in for the city’s regular attorney, Josh Katz.
The group will first meet on June 19 to select its own chair and get to work reviewing the ordinance. The City Council set a three-month time limit for the job, which should be completed by August.
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The Burnet County Commissioners Court on June 11 reluctantly approved the preliminary plat for a “high-density” subdivision at the intersection of Texas 71 and Parr Avenue near Spicewood.
While Spicewood Gardens is a relatively affordable option, the county is concerned about its impact on groundwater. The subdivision, which will allow site-built and manufactured homes, is expected to have 66 lots on only 43 acres. Lots start at $164,900.
However, the court’s hands are tied by state law as the development meets the requirements set forth by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232. Proposed plans must go through other steps before being finalized, but commissioners won’t have much say in that.
Legally, the Commissioners Court cannot reject a preliminary plat or a regular plat if it meets the standards set forth by Chapter 232 as state codes supersede and dictate county governance.
“The intended use of this subdivision is, I don’t think, a positive development for Burnet County, but it meets state law,” County Judge James Oakley told DailyTrib.com. “Counties are a subdivision of the state, and we march to their beat.”
Oakley said, “It is what it is,” prior to the court’s unanimous vote to approve the plat.
The county’s main concerns are the number of lots planned and where homes will get water. The preliminary plat shows lot sizes hovering between a half-acre and an acre. Sunset Water Utilities will reportedly supply groundwater as it does for the nearby subdivisions of Spicewood Estates and Spicewood Trails.
According to Chapter 232, subdivisions in unincorporated areas can have half-acre lots if they have access to a centralized water system. Subdivisions without centralized water are an ongoing issue in Burnet County. Ten acres is the minimum lot size allowed in subdivisions without suitable access to water.
While Sunset Water Utilities meets the standards that the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District requires to provide water to Spicewood Gardens, officials are wary.
“The biggest obstacle in all of this is water,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery told DailyTrib.com. “They’re using groundwater, and that’s not an infinite source.”
Spicewood Gardens is in Dockery’s precinct.
Burnet County is currently under Stage 3 severe drought restrictions with a 10 percent mandatory reduction on total annual groundwater use.
Dockery did note an upside to the proposed subdivision.
“You obviously have to try and find the positive in things, so, hopefully, (Spicewood Gardens) will provide some affordable housing in our area,” he said. “That’s really the only positive.”
According to the Spicewood Gardens website, 10 residential lots and two commercial lots have already sold.
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Community Resource Centers of Texas is opening a satellite office in Granite Shoals in July to bring its services closer to residents in need.
Those services will be available for one-half day a week at the Granite Shoals Community Center, 1208 Phillips Ranch Road.
Community Resource Centers of Texas is a nonprofit organization that guides and assists people struggling with poverty, hunger, access to healthcare, affordable housing, transportation, and other quality-of-life issues. The CRC’s main offices are in Marble Falls, Johnson City, Llano, and Liberty Hill.
The organization is expanding its reach with the new satellite office in Granite Shoals and one that opened in Kingsland in March.
“We’re really excited about the satellites because we are starting to rely on our people more so than our buildings,” said Dawn Capra, director of Community Impact for the CRC, during a Granite Shoals City Council meeting on June 12. “A lot of times, people in the far-flung areas of our counties aren’t able to get to our buildings. As you all know, transportation is a big issue in rural areas.”
CRC Williamson County Site Coordinator Donna Wheeler, who lives in Granite Shoals, will assist people with referrals, guidance, and finding financial aid at the satellite office.
“No matter the strangeness of the situation, we can help (those in need) through that,” Capra said. “If we don’t know the answer to something, we will work as hard as we can to find it, and we have a lot of partners to draw on.”
CRC works with local law enforcement, churches, healthcare providers, mental health advocates, and a variety of social service agencies to support its clients.
Granite Shoals City Manager Sarah Novo is currently coordinating with CRC and the city’s Parks Advisory Committee to establish consistent dates for the satellite office to be open at the community center. Once those dates are set, the schedule will be posted on the city’s website.
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