Important decision looms for city sewer

The city of Wimberley is waiting on a response from the Texas Water Development Board on the change in scope for the city’s proposed sewer system.

The TWDB must approve the change from a cityowned treatment plant to the current plan of piping effluent to Aqua Texas for treatment.

Councilmember Gary Barchfeld said that he had met with the TWDB and the city had provided necessary information to the board.

“We gave theme everything they asked for, including the financial feasibility and Aqua Texas contract in draft form,” Wimberley Mayor Susan Jaggers said. “We are just waiting to hear back from them.”

It was stated that a response from the TWDB was expected in “the next couple of days.”

Barchfeld said that he hopes the contract with Aqua Texas can be signed soon and that lawyers for the city and the company have been working on a draft.

Two amendments were made to the contract with Capital Excavation for laying the pipes of the sewer project. The largest change was for specialized cement stabilization required by the Texas Department of Transportation for the piping along Ranch Road 12. City Administrator Shawn Cox said that even with the two additional costs, which amount to more than $90,000, the project is still under budget.

“With the reduction in quantities (of sewer pipes), we do still have a project savings,” Cox said.

Construction continues along Old Kyle Road. As of late last week, the line had been laid from the intersection of Ranch Road 12 past the parking lot for the Lumber Yard. Old Kyle Road construction is planned to be finished by the end of October. Crews will then move to construction along Ranch Road 12 between the Wimberley Square and the Blanco River bridge. Construction will take place at night because the space needed for equipment will cause the road to be narrowed to one lane of traffic while work is taking place. Both lanes will remain open during the day.

The city council also requested that the city’s lawyers look at the previous contract with the Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for the use of Hotel Occupancy Tax funds. The city requested that the chamber return the $38,000 spent earlier this year. The chamber declined to do so.

Council members lightly discussed the possibility of a lawsuit occurring over the issue, but some cautioned against the idea. The council voted 4-1 in favor of asking the city’s attorneys for their opinion on the dispute before deciding if they would like to take any action. Allison Davis voted against the motion.