The construction contractor for the San Gabriel Crossing apartment complex got the green light Wednesday from the Liberty Hill City Council to continue its work at 155 Hillcrest Lane without paying any additional permitting fees.
City Building Inspector Pete McKinney issued a Stop Work Order on July 21 informing the contractor that construction could not continue until building and site plans were resubmitted and approved and applicable fees were paid. If city ordinances were followed as adopted, he estimated those fees could have topped $84,000.
Developer complains of confusion at City Hall
City orders San Gabriel Crossing
developer to stop work
(Posted: 2:45 p.m. July 27, 2010)
The developer of the San Gabriel Crossing apartment complex said he received conflicting messages from city staff regarding a stop work order issued last week by the Building Inspector, and is concerned about what he perceives to be a lack of communication and general confusion at City Hall.
Mark Mayfield, chief executive officer of Texas Housing Foundation, Inc., told the Liberty Hill City Council Monday that he received an order via email from Inspector Pete McKinney, but hours later received another email from City Planner Mel Yantis that he believed rescinded McKinney's directive. As a result, he said work continued at the job site at 155 Hillcrest Lane until some time Monday.
Citizens Committee suggests $85 million bond
for high school complex, other renovations
(Posted: 10 a.m. July 20, 2010)
A citizens committee appointed last spring to study the facility needs of the school district recommended Monday that Liberty Hill school trustees place an $85 million bond proposal on the November General Election ballot -- $71 million of which would be used to build a new high school and athletic facilities to serve 1,600 students.
"We are 100 percent in agreement with this vision," said Marty Massey, chair of the 20-member Citizens Committee for School Facilities. "We are more than satisfied with this plan. We think it's the right thing for this community. And the comments we've been hearing from people in the community are positive."
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Both sides share fault in fee forgiveness flap
While City Building Inspector Pete McKinney and Mayor Pro Tem Charles Canady continue to disagree about Canady's role in the permit fee forgiveness controversy, the attention turns to the process itself where it appears that both the City and the developer failed to follow the rules.
Two weeks after a revelation by McKinney that $42,000 in building permit fees were waived for the developer of an apartment complex catering to lower income residents, documents were released that map the timeline when records were submitted and processed. The documentation prepared by McKinney at the request of Mayor Michele "Mike" Murphy indicates organizational problems on the City's part may have contributed to delays.
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P&Z recommends purchase of building,
use of duplex as Hope House group home
(Posted: 4 p.m. July 14, 2010)
The City's Planning & Zoning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend the Liberty Hill City Council begin negotiations to purchase a downtown building that could be demolished to create room for a parking lot.
The Commission also voted to recommend the City Council approve a Conditional Use Permit to allow group living at a duplex at 106 Nita Cove. The property will be used by adult residents of Hope House as sleeping quarters with up to four male residents on one side and four female residents on the other. Hope House is a permanent residence for teens and adults with severe mental retardation.
Plenty of discussion, but few decisions
by Council this week
(Posted: 9:15 a.m. July 14, 2010)
An air conditioner malfunction that caused the temperature in the City Council Chamber Monday to climb to 87 degrees did not cut short the Council's discussion of a number of hot issues, but in the end, few decisions were made.
As the hot air circulated, Council members fanned themselves with pages from their meeting notebooks and between disagreements, voted to pay a sewer change order, purchase a hand dryer for a restroom at City Hall, and appoint a new member to the Parks & Recreation Board.
ESD Board receives 2009 audit report
(Posted: July 13, 2010)
Commissioners for the Williamson County Emergency Services District #4 heard a report from an auditor during their regular meeting July 8 regarding finances for the fiscal year ending September 2009.
James Medack, a certified public accountant from Giddings, said the audit did not require him to examine every financial transaction of the District. Instead, the purpose was to determine whether the financial statements have supporting documentation and are free of misstatement.
Liberty Hill's sales tax revenue
down 3.79% from June 2009
(Posted: July 9, 2010)
A report issued June 8 by the Texas State Comptroller shows sales tax revenue for the City of Liberty Hill during the month of June is down 3.79 percent compared to June 2009, a trend the Comptroller says is impacting cities across the state.
Council fires back at former engineering firm
(Posted: 3 a.m. July 8, 2010)
After meeting behind closed doors for 90 minutes Wednesday, the Liberty Hill City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to an engineering firm that it fired last fall listing amounts the Council says the firm owes to the City.
"There were problems with David Allen that led to his termination in October (2009)," City Attorney Kerry Russell told Radio Free Liberty Hill after the meeting. "After his contract was terminated, he made demands for additional funds. When the City investigated, it found he (Allen) really owed the City money."