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February 9, 2010
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County still cold to city's water plans
Published November 24, 2009
Two town hall meetings haven’t won over county officials to a city request for a certificate of convenience and necessity to provide water outside the Kerrville municipal limits.
Kerr County commissioners accused city officials of misleading the public about how the city’s efforts to be the exclusive water purveyor in a two-mile area outside the city limits will affect landowners. Commissioners said Monday that many homeowners in existing neighborhoods outside the city are being led to believe the city will upgrade fire protection in those areas.
“It seems that the city is misleading people in that very way — in trying to get people in the proposed new area to think they are going to provide fire protection,” said Kerr County Precinct 4 Commissioner Bruce Oehler. “The city’s not going to spend one dime in those areas. They’re not obligated to.”
Last week, city officials hosted two town hall meetings on the same day a week after letters went out to some landowners in the proposed area. Those letters, required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, set off a firestorm of complaints including a formal protest from county commissioners.
“What troubles me so much about this whole issue is that not all of the people who need to be notified were notified,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner William “Bill” Williams. “It’s a troubling issue.”
Kerrville officials have said their request for a certificate of convenience and necessity from the TCEQ will allow the city to ensure adequate fire flow in any new subdivision developments within two miles of the city limits. Officials said they could do this by requiring developers to meet city standards in order to connect to the municipal water system or by negotiating with developers who request to use alternative water sources.
The area in the city’s proposed certificate of necessity does not include any areas already covered by an existing certificate, including neighborhoods that already have water service from other providers.
“The only thing the city is going to be able to do is to provide fire protection with red hydrants in dense areas,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Jonathan Letz.
Commissioners took no action Monday about the city’s application to the TCEQ. The deadline for landowners in the certificated area to file a protest to request a public hearing is Nov. 28.
In other matters, commissioners:
• Approved changes to the county’s employee health insurance that will place a $200 surcharge to included spouses who have access to health insurance through their employer for new county employees starting Jan. 1, institute a $125 copay for non-emergency use of the emergency room and a $35 copay for urgent care, require retirees older than 65 to enroll in Medicare and provide coverage for additional stop-smoking drugs.
• Authorized the county attorney to write a letter to the Texas Veterans Land Board concerning a request from a landowner for variance on an easement off FM 480 in Center Point.
• Approved the private road name Jan Dowdy Lane West in Precinct 4.
• Set a public hearing for Dec. 28 to consider raising the speed limit on Skyline Drive in Center Point from 30 mph to 45 mph.
• Removed March 2, Texas Independence Day, from the holiday schedule for this year because of the party primary elections. In lieu of the holiday, commissioners approved a personal day for employees to take between March 2 and Aug. 2.
• Rejected a late bid from Windstream Communication after receiving a written objection from two other bidders.
• Approved a courthouse telephone system contract with Computer Plus for $44,665.
• Heard a presentation from SHRED-IT of San Antonio to provide on-site document shredding for Kerr County. County officials said the service could save staff time and would be more cost effective.
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