FEMA approves more flood recovery funds individual aid still available

By Raymond V. Whelan • Daily Tribune Staff

BURNET - Burnet County officials have closed Camp Creek near Smithwick until further notice for “safety reasons” and because of “extensive damage” to the boat ramp and other areas caused by the June flood.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Ronny Hibler reluctantly announced the Camp Creek closure during the Burnet County Commissioners Court Tuesday meeting.

“It’s not because we want to, it’s because we have to,” Hibler said.

The commissioners during the session also heard that LakeFest gate receipts were up in August over other years; approved the bylaws for a group that will oversee the new jail; agreed to a proposal to accept 587 beds in the new jail instead of 700; and okayed a bid for a new sheriff’s communications tower.

In the matter of Camp Creek, Hibler said work crews should complete repairs to the road that runs off RR 1431 before early spring. The boat ramp is on Lake Travis.

Also related to the continuing recovery from the June 26-27 floods, County Judge Donna Klaeger said the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently approved about $654,000 for repairs to storm-damaged roads and bridges in the Highland Lakes.

“We’re receiving funding (from FEMA) every four to five days,” Klaeger added.

Out of the $654,000, FEMA will pay 75 percent or more than $490,500, and the county will pay 25 percent or more than $163,500, officials said.

Also, county officials said the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management has indicated Highland Haven is third in line on a list of state mitigation grants “likely to be funded.”

The grant would pay for flood-damaged drains and low-water crossings in Highland Haven, the judge added.

Furthermore, the Burnet County Relief Fund is still available for eligible individuals who need financial assistance for flood recovery, Klaeger said.

The fund consists of private donations from Burnet County and Austin residents, she added.

“A lot of times, people who need assistance don’t ask, but the money is there,” Klaeger said.

Individuals may apply for flood recovery assistance 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Family Services Center, 1016 Broadway in Marble Falls, (830) 693-0700.

Also during the meeting, Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Christian Fletcher told the commissioners gate receipts were up 22 percent this year for the LakeFest boat races in August.

“Given this summer’s circumstances, it was quite wonderful for us,” Fletcher said, referring to the June flood.

All of the Marble Falls hotels were sold out during LakeFest this year, and many visitors registered with hotels in other parts of the county, Fletcher recalled,

Also, there was “quite a large audience” from North Texas during the event, possibly because boat races were canceled earlier in Oklahoma.

Recent hotel and motel tax occupancy grants have helped LakeFest officials “reverse a downward trend from the late 1990s,” he added.

Turning to another matter, the commissioners approved the initial articles and bylaws for the Burnet County Public Finance Corp., a non-profit group that will oversee the design, construction and administration of a new jail facility.

Southwestern Corrections LLC will manage and operate the new jail on 75 acres near the Ellen Halbert Unit of Women, a state correctional facility.

Earlier this month, the commissioners appointed Billy Don Everett, Sheriff Joe Pollock, County Auditor Kevin Smith, Precinct 1 Commissioner Bill Neve and Klaeger to the corporation for a six-year term.

“There is no compensation for serving on this board,” attorney Jim Allison told the commissioners. “That is required by law.”

Before the corporation can hold public meetings, the Texas secretary of state must approve their charter, Allison added. Then, the corporation will meet at least once a year, and their meetings will require written minutes and compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

Financial update

Also related to the new jail, C3 business consultant Russell Rau gave the commissioners a financial update, which included a “complicated issue” regarding the number of beds for the new facility.

Earlier this year, the commissioners approved a bid from Southwestern Corrections to build and equip the jail with 700 beds.

Private investors and mutual fund managers would purchase revenue bonds to pay for the jail with no obligation or liability to the county, officials said.

During the Tuesday meeting, Rau told the commissioners a recent independent feasibility study conducted by Harold Geisler from Dallas indicated prospective bondholders would accept only 587 beds in the new jail. Earlier this month, Southwestern Corrections officials indicated they might take on “subordinated debt” and buy bonds to pay for 113 more beds out of their account with the Municipal Capital Markets Group in Dallas.

However, Municipal Capital bankers recently have signaled they are lukewarm on the subordinated debt concept, because it would incur a “different dollar amount,” perhaps four times more than what Southwestern agreed to borrow originally on the jail project, Rau said.

“There are a lot of balls to juggle, and there is always one that lags behind,” the consultant added.

No official offer

Southwestern Corrections has not officially indicated they will withdraw their offer to finance the new jail with subordinated debt, Rau told the commissioners.

However, rather than delay progress on the new jail, the commissioners agreed to adopt the 587-bed target recommended by the feasibility study and proceed with the project.

“I think there is a lot of logic to follow (the) advice of the feasibility study,” Rau said.

In other business, Klaeger said she sent an e-mail to each of the four county justices of the peace requesting to know whether they would participate in video magistration.

“They’ll let us know by Friday,” Klaeger added.

During a meeting earlier this week, the commissioners viewed a presentation from the Arizona-based VIA on video magistration, which would allow for arraignment between a justice of the peace and an accused inmate in the county jail over a secure Web site.

If adopted, officials say the video arraignment will allow for more arraignments and eliminate unnecessary time spent on travel by the justices back and forth from a jail or prison.

VIA licensing fees for eight users per month would equal about $180, technology supervisor Connie Morris told The Daily Tribune.

Cameras, headsets and other permanent accessories could cost as low as $300 per user, officials said.

Before the meeting ended, the commissioners approved a $51,745 bid from the Sabre Communications Co. for a new 150-foot radio tower at the Sheriff’s Office. Capt. Jim Barho indicated a grant from the Capitol Area Planning Council of Governments would pay for the tower. Later, funds from the Lower Colorado River Authority could pay for servicing the tower, as well as approved line-item transfers in the sheriff’s budget, Barho said.

Also, the commissioners approved a $91,333 bid from Nelson Lewis as the contractor for the Smithwick Mills Water System.

And, the commissioners granted W.J. Maddux a variance from Willows subdivision rules to sell 8.28 acres out of 217.95 acres.

raymond@thepicayune.com

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FEMA approves more flood recovery funds
individual aid still available