The May 12 meeting of the Blanco City Council was a long one. The meeting included two closed sessions and lasted approximately six hours before the final gavel closed it at midnight.
The first closed session of the meeting lasted approximately 50 minutes, and led to the reinstatement of a member of the Blanco Police Department.
The council voted 4-1, with Matt Lewis as the lone no vote, to reinstate police investigator Jay B. Ablon. Ablon’s lawyer, Zachary Hudler, gave a brief overview of the situation and insisted his client did the right thing and didn’t deserve to be terminated.
“It is particularly shameful to take adverse actions against a good, honest, hard-working man in retaliation of his doing the right thing and making reports of violations of the law,” Hudler said.
After a closed session to end the meeting, which lasted almost two and a half hours, the council moved to accept Blanco Police Chief Mike Ritchey’s resignation and have the end date not extend June 1. It carried unanimously. Lewis moved to promote Will Daves to interim office manager at full-time rate with duties to be determined. Keith McClellan seconded and the motion carried.
Also after the closed session, Lewis proposed to create a resolution for a special events permit, update the personnel manual on the complaint process, and appoint a liaison for the trail riders. Smith seconded and it carried.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin Sauceda called the Blanco City Council meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. with council members Lewis, McClellan and Martha Gosnell present. The new council members, Mike Smith and Deda Devine, were sworn into office. Sauceda presented outgoing city council member Gosnell flowers and thanked her for her dedication to the city during her time on the council. Sauceda also stated appreciation towards Tony Vela’s service as a council member. Both Gosnell and Vela did not run for re-election. Next, the council appointed Sauceda as Mayor Pro Tem.
A pandemic update was provided; the Lavender Festival has been canceled due to COVID-19. The second testing site for Blanco County took place earlier that day at Blanco High School, with over 40 tests completed before bad weather hit.
J.T. Morgan, Protect Our Blanco (POB) president, took the floor during the public comments and informed the council members that POB is available to help.
“I truly feel that Protect Our Blanco and the other neighbors of the City of Blanco would make a great better partners then we do adversaries, and we for two years have offered substantial engineering help and other resources and we have plenty of lip service, but we just don’t get to sit at the table. And truly the time is come in my mind for the city to accept some of the help that we’re offering,” said Morgan.
The public hearings began at 7:58 p.m. to discuss several topics. The first item was to consider an ordinance to adopt and approve new fees for water, sewer and waste collection in the City of Blanco and Blanco’s EJT. The rates have been worked on by city staff and former council member Gosnell. A brief discussion regarding the non-profit rates took place.
The Los Altos Subdivision Preliminary Plan was the next discussion. The Planning and Zoning (P&Z) commission will have another public hearing before submitting recommendations to the council. Neighbors to the subdivision have been informed, but there were no public comments at this time.
The notice of application and preliminary decision on the water treatment plant discharge was the last item discussed during the public hearings. Ronnie Rodriguez, public works director, explained that the city is renewing the water treatment plant discharge permit; the wastewater treatment plant discharge permit was not discussed during this meeting. The water treatment plant discharge permit expired in February and TCEQ prefers that information be provided to the public in a timely manner.
“What this is a permit for the city to discharge 95,000 gallons per day of treated waste that was used during the treatment process at the water treatment plant,” he explained. Rodriguez also said that the city averages about 12,000 gallons a day in discharge, and not the 95,000 gallons that is allowed by the permit.
The public hearings concluded at 8:11 p.m. and the council continued with the regular meeting. First, the council members reviewed the budget amendments; no action was taken. Most of these items have already been approved by the council but no line item transfers were made.
Bob and Carolyn Boydston’s property at 320 2nd Street was discussed. A second survey will need to be completed to exchange the city’s portion of Lot 12 for part of Lot 11, which is Boydston’s 0.183 acre tract of land. This survey will not exceed $600 and was approved by council.
The annual renewal of a memorandum of understanding between the city and Canyon Lake Water Service Company was tabled. The council discussed the abandonment of easement in the Pittsburgh subdivision was also tabled. TxDOT has asked the council to consider the resolution of a speed limit reduction on U.S. Highway 281 northbound and southbound from mile point 30.025 to mile point 29.175. The speed limit would change to 55 mph. An ordinance must be approved by council so the police department can enforce the speed limit. The council members would like the speed limit to be reduced starting at the Hwy 281/FM 32 intersection.
Devine expressed concerns about the speed limit on 4th Street near the U.S. Post Office and would like to see this lowered as well. Lewis motioned to accept the resolution from TxDOT and Smith seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
The police department grant for the canine cage fell through, so they are requesting the funds. Only one bid of $5,000 was presented to the council members to consider. The council tabled this item to gather more bids and to look into purchasing a movable cage.
Next, new fees for water, sewer and water collection in the city and Blanco’s ETJ were discussed. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) would like to see rate increases because the rates have not been changed in many years. The garbage rate to increase by 2 percent has already been approved. A $12 per month increase was recommended for the sewer rates, which will allow the city to break even with plant expenses. The residential base meter fee and water rate would remain the same. Proposed commercial water rates are a $30 meter fee and a $50 meter fee. An industrial meter fee was proposed for $75. Smith voiced concern over the $30 meter fee for non-profits, churches and schools. The rate changes were tabled for the two new council members to review further before making decisions.
Tom Turk, project manager, spoke briefly on the Water Treatment Plant and the new task order No. 5 amendment with the agreement with Freeland Turk Engineering Group, LLC. Devine asked for additional information about the irrigation plan. Discharge is defined as what comes out of the plant and it doesn’t necessarily go into the river. The city will only discharge into the Blanco River as a last resort and there has not been any discharge into the river since November 2019. Growth is coming and the upcoming developments must be planned for, it was reported. Smith moved to approve the amendments and Lewis seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
Susan Moore was appointed as the city’s P&Z committee chairperson. David Smith was the previous chair, but will be moving for graduate school; the council members thanked him for his service.
The proposal for service to Blanco ISD and the city pertaining to installation and utilization of the Blanco City Water Tower for internet infrastructure was tabled.
