Present Board Members:
Lee Bass (LB)
Ken Beck (KB)
Eileen Glover (EG)
Erika Mott (EM)
Jerry Mills (JM)
Leo Slaton (LS)
Catriona Smith (CS) (second half)
Walt Thompson (WT)
Absent Board Members:
Connie Curtiss (CC)
Guest:
Janet Crosby
WT called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM.
WT polled board members for additional agenda items, and KB added discussion on recycling.
It was discussed that possibly a “no response” being determined as an approval from a board members on the minutes each month on email was not appropriate. LB made a motion that each board member should respond with changes or approval each month. EG seconded the motion, and all were in favor. The deadline for those responses would be the 15th of each month, then they are sent to Lonnie Moore to be put on website.
· Treasurer’s Report: EM reported $4,169.61
· Membership Committee: EM reported 15 paid members for 2002, and several board members paid dues at the meeting.
· Roadways/Safety Committee: WT reported that Navajo Pass at FM 2769 has been patched again. LB reported that she called Gretchen Vaden at the County Commissioner’s office, and was waiting for a return call from the appropriate department at Travis County. She will continue to pursue this issue.
· Community Relations Committee: LB reported that the park has been cleaned, and there is a man who is going to draw up a plan for landscaping it which will be turned into Ranger Dan for approval. Bob Freeman is going to help LB measure the area so the man can do the drawing. WT said Robert Nelson has agreed to help with his backhoe for some of the work planned. LB also reported that the crime reports are being sent to Lonnie and put onto web.
· Lake Travis Committee: JM said he is getting excess silt in his water filters from the lake water. He called LCRA and asked if the lake could have turned. They said it very well may have. This is caused by the water temperature on the surface being cooler than the water on the bottom, and it “turns” or shifts vertically and stirs up the silt for up to several weeks).
· Recycling: WT opened the discussion by saying from his understanding about 10 years ago there was an effort made to collect recyclable at VJ’s, but it got unmanageable for various reasons. Sue Spicer has also helped in the past by collecting recyclables and taking them herself, but it got to be a big hassle too. LB suggested putting an article in the next newsletter informing the people of where they can take their own recyclables. JM said he called the county about the litter on the side roads in Volente, and they said they don’t routinely pick up the litter, but will come out if you call and request it.
· Business & Development Committee: WT stated that there is a petition posted by SOV at VVFD, VJ’s, Sandy Creek Yacht Club and Volente Realty. It is requesting for the City of Austin (COA) to annex the area they have determined on a map attached with the petition. There is also a letter from the COA dated November 2000 denying their previous request to be released from Austin’s ETJ. WT said he is unsure as to what the statement made by Mattie Adams, in an email dated 1/4/02 addressed to several government officials, and employees, attorneys and a distribution list of some residents in Volente, referred to. KB said he thinks they should have been left out of it. He is planning to contact Mattie, and will ask her what she was referring to.
WT said the SOV has set the timetable, and has been very strategic in it. There has been disregard to informing Volente as a whole, and there was an email announcing a meeting at VJ’s on a day that it is closed for business and public access. The last VNA newsletter asked for residents to send in their incorporation questions, none have come in yet. WT feels certain that signatures for the posted petition are lined out and pre-planned, and will likely be collected rapidly after the 14th. He feels that greater Volente has been intentionally left out of this process, EG agrees, as do other board members. A large percentage of people who consider themselves to be residents in Volente have never received a piece of information from SOV.
KB said he thinks we should participate in the small meeting they are planning to have throughout their proposed area to be incorporated. WT said he thinks we should all attend those meetings. KB pointed out that SOV didn’t decide how much land could be included, that was pre-determined. EM pointed out that the proposed boundaries were determined by SOV, and the community had no say in it. WT said it is very strategic to include the VG property, since John Shipley said at a May 2000 presentation to the VNA that he had requested permission from the COA to incorporate as the Village of Volente and that it would save him millions. WT pointed out that the area proposed does not have the highest tax base or the highest population.
EM suggested that a flyer be mailed right away to Route 3 residents informing them of the petition. She also said she thinks there should be a public forum for residents to ask questions and have both side of incorporation represented. WT said he doesn’t see a need to rush the public forum, but to have it later. Janet Crosby said she know of residents who live in the proposed boundaries that didn’t have any idea this was going on, and were not getting the SOV newsletters either. WT said that is the big problem with this process, that information has been selectively distributed within the proposed area.
JM said he wouldn’t mind being annexed by someone who can provide the services. He said SOV says $.25 additional is a reasonable tax, but what do I get for it. He thinks COA’s or Cedar Park’s tax rate along with the water service, fire department, etc. is worth it over the uncertainty with incorporation. LB pointed out that the $.25 tax maximum could be changed to a maximum of $1.50 if the council voted to change the type of municipality.
EM made a motion to send notification to Route 3 that SOV has posted a petition asking COA to annex the area they have determined. CS seconded the motion, and all were in favor. EM will email the proof to the board members before printing.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM