Lack of payment could halt sewer
The collection system project is moving right along, but a major “hiccup” may stand in the way of continued construction.
Wimberley Mayor Susan Jaggers said that Capital Excavation, which is building the collection system, has not yet been paid for the months of work they have done. She said the city gave notice to proceed to the company in April before it was granted by the Texas Water Development Board in late July, which means the funds from the TWDB loan could not be released for use.
“These gentlemen have been working for three months and haven’t received any pay and the last letter we got from them said they may have to stop work until they get paid,” Jaggers said.
Capital Excavation has billed the city a little over $1 million thus far.
As of early this week, the construction was continuing as scheduled. The sewer lines were recently completed on Henson Road and lines are now being laid on the “south” Wimberley Square, which was described as between Bent Tree Art Gallery and Ranch Road 12.
The work for at least the rest of the week will be done at night. Portions of the Square will be closed from 7:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for the construction. Traffic may be impeded during some portions of the night.
The newly appointed Wimberley Wastewater Ad Hoc Committee is asking those within the sewer system service area to reach out with contact information to receive updates. They can be found on Facebook by searching for Wimberley Wastewater or by email at [email protected].
Former Mayor Steve Thurber also alleged that Jaggers was “trying to unwind” the $1 million EDA grant after reading an email from Jaggers to the EDA where she questions the validity of the grant application. Jaggers said that she ran the numbers that qualified Wimberley for the grant and was concerned the city may have committed fraud. She said after speaking with the EDA that the grant was given because the agency wanted to “help with (our) economy” after the flood. She said she requested that the EDA give the city a letter stipulating the city was given the grant because of a waiver, but has not received one.
Throughout the meeting, Councilmember Allison Davis posed numerous questions about the potential plan for the city to contract with Aqua Texas for wastewater treatment. Jaggers repeatedly said that she would bring the information to those questions to a working session of the city council within two weeks. Jaggers announced in the Mayor’s Corner column (on page 10) that the initial council workshop will be held August 14.
The city also voted to begin the process of repealing an ordinance that bans both open and concealed carry at city hall and tabled a vote on enforcing the sign ordinance questioning the legality of signs against Aqua Texas. The city was not sure whether or not it had the power to enforce the sign ordinance clause banning the “trashing of businesses on another business property,” as Jaggers stated. It was stated that the city does not have the authority to regulate the content of signs.