North Lake Travis Log

Library Lagniappe: What’s on our bookshelves?

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:14:50 +0000

The “New Book” shelves are full again with a recent arrival of best sellers, popular authors and requested titles.
For sci-fi/fantasy fans, J. L. Bourne’s “Day by Day Armageddon” and “Day by Day Armageddon: Exile” tell the story of a man’s struggle to stay alive in the midst of armies of the undead. Dean Koontz’s “Frankenstein: Lost Souls” joins Frankenstein with the modern world of stem cells and nanotechnology to create a chilling tale, while Stephen King introduces a baseball catcher with a dark secret in his novella, “Blockade Billy.”
Novels that received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly include Glenn Taylor’s “The Marrowbone Marble Company,” the story of a World War II veteran that carries the reader through three decades of trials and triumphs. Peter Carey’s “Parrot and Olivier in America” is a tale of friendship between a French Revolution survivor and an English tailor’s son. James Lee Burke’s newest twist in the life of New Iberia Deputy Sheriff, Dave Robicheaux and his buddy Clete Purcell, Randy Wayne White’s 17th Doc Ford thriller, “Deep Shadow,” and Lisa Gardner’s “Live to Tell,” is her fourth novel featuring Boston Police Detective D.D. Warren as she pursues a killer involved in a grisly murder.
Karin Slaughter’s murder thriller, “Broken,” is another favorite of book reviewers. Fans of Alan Furst will enjoy his latest novel, “Spies of the Balkans,” a tale of mystery and intrigue involving a British travel writer, the German Secret Service and the Turkish legation in WWII Macedonian Greece.
“Ice Cold: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel” is Tess Gerritsen’s newest mystery. You may be a fan of TNT’s new television series, Rizzoli & Isles, based on Gerritsen’s series about police detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles as they use their friendship and expertise to solve crimes.
James Patterson’s “Private” is a thriller involving a CIA agent and an Los Angeles detective agency. Former Navy SEAL and Homeland Security Agent Scot Harvath investigates the death of American students in Rome in Brad Thor’s “Foreign Influence.”
“The Last Pope” by Luis Miguel Rocha is a thriller set in the Vatican involving murder and a papal election.
“Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History” is S. C. Gwynne’s account of the son of Cynthia Ann Parker and a Comanche warrior. Other non-fiction titles include American Idol contestant Mandisa Hundley’s “Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame,” Drew Brees’ “Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity,” Laura Ingraham’s “The Obama Diaries,” journalist Barry Petersen’s “Jan’s Story: Love lost to the long goodbye of Alzheimer’s,” and “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen.”
For adventurists who enjoy spelunking, we have “Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth,” James M. Tabor’s exhilarating story of two teams, one American and the other Russian, who search for the deepest supercave.
For a list of other great titles or to see what’s going on at the library, visit our Web site at www.lagovista.lib.tx.us.

—Jan Steele, LV Public Library

Letters to the editor: July 29 issue

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:13:32 +0000

About Lago Vista being a
progressive community

I noticed many views in letters about the opening of Cody Park to the public for the AquaPalooza events. One in particular caught my eye about the area becoming more progressive by holding such events. Now I don’t have any particular objection to such events, but if your desire is a more progressive community—move to Austin.

James O. Henry,
Lago Vista

‘We are unique’

I was out the other day after Lagopalooza when I over heard a conversation between two people. They were talking about how all the uproar was crazy.
“We need to have people come to our city or we’ll never be able to have glitzy hotels or fancy restaurants.”
“Excuse me,” I said. It was now time for me to join the conversation. “I moved out here five years ago because we don’t have things like that. What we do have are beautiful views, lakefront homes, private parks and private marinas. If you want the glitzy and the fancy amenities, move to Austin, Dallas, Houston, or—here’s a better idea—move to Las Vegas. They have lots of glitzy hotels and fancy restaurants.”
They both stood there, staring at me, not saying a word for about 30 seconds. They then went their separate ways.
Lots of places have what they want to create, but very few have what we are trying to preserve.
We are unique. In the last few weeks there have been comments about if we don’t like what’s going on we should move. Here’s a better idea. If you don’t like what we do or don’t have, why don’t you move?
By the way, Mr. Gates, I’m not sure what LVPOA board meeting you attended when Ginger was attacked. The last board meeting that was held, Ginger verbally attacked three people. In fact, Ginger was so in their face close to one of them she might as well have been sitting in her lap. Is this your perceived interpretation of the attack just as the perceived burden of the LVPOA since the city doesn’t have parks?

Tracy Alexander,
Lago Vista

Making a memory

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:12:36 +0000

It’s an arduous process, but finally setting foot into a newly bought home is an experience I’ll never forget.
There are a lot of factors involved that could make it easy to forget. After months of planning, searching, researching and visiting houses, sometimes you are simply happy with the fact that no more of any of the above must be done.
My journey as a future homeowner started last summer. Being an apartment dweller since college, I didn’t have the slightest clue as to how the complete process of buying a home actually worked. I knew it would be difficult, and I knew it would be emotional. Plenty of stories from friends and family corroborated to that truth.
I met with several Realtors, trying to find a balance of the right fit for my personality and the type of service I needed. It turned out to be the biggest decision I made toward buying a house—except for the final decision of buying a home, of course.
I eventually met a young, professional man who made his way into the real estate business almost by chance. Through small investments with friends, he slowly built up his experience and understanding of the market.
In our first visit, he immediately dove into the complexities of the housing market. Though it seemed a little overwhelming, I appreciated how the Realtor introduced me to his world and acted as more of a director than a dictator.
The first couple weeks were exciting. I toured about three or four houses a day the first several outings, and we later slowed down to three or four houses every couple days. Pretty soon, the well seemed to be running dry. That’s when worry set in.
Any ideas of Texas not having a strong housing market quickly vanished. It seemed there were not enough for everyone, me included.
My mornings became more stressful as only a few houses popped up in my daily search listings. I put a little pressure on the Realtor, but he could only tell me to be patient and stay aware of any houses of any interest.
That point finally came, and my first visit to the house made me feel I had hit the jackpot. After a home inspection, those feelings began to change. The inspector handed me a long to do list, and a fat bill to pay for all of it. The current homeowners had no plans to help in repairing anything, so I was left with walking away.
After finding what you think is your new home—and having to walk away from it—is not an experience worth remembering. But, fortunately, my luck would soon get better.
A couple weeks later, a house listing caught my eye. Because I knew it was priced right, I called my Realtor and we were touring the house that afternoon. That night, I made an offer.
As an example of how aggressive the housing market was in the summer of 2009, someone offered a price immediately after my offer. In a matter of hours, one house had two strong offers. But luck was on my side, and the sellers chose my offer.
My first steps into that house as a homeowner happened in late October. I remember the boxes in the corner and the disheveled furniture, waiting to be organized. But mostly I remember the feeling that taking a step into the house marked another chapter in my life.

Obituary: William Payton Whitener

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:11:49 +0000

William “Bill” Payton Whitener, born Jan. 19, 1953, went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, July 20, at his home in Lago Vista.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Martha Lou Drake, and little sister, Lonna Tipton.
Survivors include his wife Kathryn Furr Whitener of Lago Vista, father Troy Whitener of Houston, sister Kimberly and husband Steve Daylor of Houston, sister Ronna and husband Joe Bennett of Detroit, Mich. Bill also is survived by nephews Josh, Tyler, Cody, Ryan, Evan, Scott and Ian, and nieces Mary, Jordan, Victoria and Taylor.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes you to consider donating to Hill Country Community Ministries, 1005 Lacy Dr., Leander, TX (512-259-0360) or Capital Area Food Bank, 8201 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78745 (512-282-2111).
Bill attended First Baptist Church of Jonestown and Rolling Hills Community Church in Lago Vista, where he was a member.
Leave comments at www.beckchapels.com.

Jonestown Council approves road repair funds

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:10:20 +0000

The City Council approved city staff July 22 to add $88,800 to its infrastructure improvement project, which includes repairing roads across the city.
City Manager Dan Dodson said Old Burnet Road—known as one of the city’s busiest roads and in most need of repair—will cost more than original estimations. He gave the Council several options, each with a different cost. He said Option 2 was the closest to the original improvement plan.
Alderman Bill Nichols agreed with using Option 2, but said any improvements on Old Burnet Road past Calcutta Run was a waste of funding. Other Council members agreed, and added it into the motion for approval.
David Simons of Jay Engineering said the Council should receive a list of repairs in the next couple weeks.
In April, Simons presented a map showing several types of street repairs needed within the city. The report showed the city having 170,000 linear feet, or 32 miles, of paved public streets. Almost half of the roads, 44 percent, are considered in fair condition, while 4 percent are considered to be in poor condition, according to the report.

Austin man drowns in Lake Travis

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:09:30 +0000

An Austin man drowned Sunday afternoon after his life preserver slipped from his body as he jumped into Lake Travis, Travis County officials said.
Paul Mathis, 32, of Austin was on a party barge with several other people at about 4:18 p.m. when he jumped off the barge. His flotation device apparently slipped off as he went underwater, and he did not resurface, according to a release from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
Divers from the Lower Colorado River Authority and EMS responded to the scene and later recovered Mathis. Attempts to resuscitate Mathis were unsuccessful, and officials pronounced him dead at 5:01 p.m. Officials estimated Mathis was underwater 50 minutes when he was recovered.
TCSO Cpt. Art Cardenas said it is uncertain whether or not the consumption of alcohol was a factor in the accident. Findings of the autopsy were not released pending the results of a toxicology report.

BCRUA Phase 1 under budget

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:08:31 +0000

The Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority took the first step—at the request of the city of Leander—toward creating a process where each city could apply savings from the first phase to the second phase of the tri-city water project.
At the July 21 BCRUA meeting, Leander Finance Director Robert Powers said Leander’s share of the $29 million in savings to date is $14 million.
He asked the board to consider allowing Leander to use its savings to fund the Leander Reserve Fund, which could then be used to cover Leander’s costs for the second phase of the water project.
The overall savings accumulated during Phase 1 of the BCRUA project due to lower-than-expected construction costs.
BCRUA president Mitch Fuller said the cost calculation and subsequent funding of the project by the Texas Water Development Board was “based on best estimates at the time.”
Leander’s cost share of the project is about 50 percent. Cedar Park shares 14 percent and Round Rock an estimated 36 percent of the cost.
“It’s not inconsequential to us to use those funds sitting in New York,” Powers said, referring to the Bank of New York.
Last July, the TWDB funded $182 million in bonds for Phase 1 of the BCRUA project, which will eventually provide water from Lake Travis to customers in Leander, Cedar Park and Round Rock.
The water plant will have a capacity of up to 142 million gallons a day.
Powers said Leander city staff considered how the city could use the money.
“Internally we decided that the biggest bang for the buck is to use it to fund the reserve fund,” Powers told the BCRUA board.
Powers said TWDB said the initial idea for using the savings seemed “doable.”
In order to proceed, the BCRUA board approved updating the real savings and costs of the project.
The second step will be to create a new interlocal agreement between the three cities that lays out the process for using the savings and get it approved by the BCRUA board.
“I think it’s a great concept,” Fuller said. “It’s good news and sets the stage for Phase 2.”
It was unclear whether the BCRUA would need to go before the TWDB for the agreement.
BCRUA General Manager Chris Lippe said the state water board “has been asking for info” regarding the status of the project, including the due diligence study of the proposed locations for the deep water intake site.
The discussion on how to use the savings followed on the heels of the presentation by Linda Patterson of Patterson & Associates on the bond market and the board’s financial investments.
She said conditions in the overall national market showed depressed growth scenarios and high unemployment numbers.
Much of the funds used to cover construction costs had been kept liquid, Patterson said, and short-term rates were stuck in neutral. To deal with the volatility of the market, the weighted average maturity was extended by as much as 97 days.
The board approved the operating and maintenance budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 20, 2011, and is $189,477.62. The debt service budget for the same time period is $8,485,296.56.

Construction update
Construction on the first phase of the project is underway. Several miles of a 78-inch pipeline has been laid along Trails End Drive that will draw raw water from Lake Travis up to the new water treatment plant under construction on the west end of Cedar Park.
Construction on the underwater transmission pipeline is scheduled to begin. J.R. Tolles & Associates will provide construction observation for the 3,000-foot long, 36-inch wide pipeline that will run from the intake barge and connect with the raw water transmission line.
The contract with J.R. Tolles & Associates is for 50 hours of dive labor and 1,200 hours of non-dive labor. The contract is not to exceed $117,000.
Construction Manager Mike Thuss said construction on the raw water pipeline was slightly ahead of schedule, while the water treatment plant construction was almost four days behind, which can have a lingering, compounding effect on the overall progress of the plant.
Thuss said four complaints on the construction were logged in June, with eight made in July.

Political get-togethers
On Tuesday, Fuller, BCRUA vice president George White and BCRUA secretary John Cowman and Lippe were scheduled to meet with Sen. Kirk Watson.
Fuller said Watson had suggested a larger meeting at a later date that would include Watson, Rep. Donna Howard, and representatives from the BCRUA, the Village of Volente and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
Fuller said he wanted to schedule a meeting with representatives of the village in August.

—Heather Bonham, Correspondent

Local resident rallies for North Shore 4-H program

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:07:23 +0000

Lago Vista resident and Austin firefighter Ed Tidwell had a vision in 2008 to create a 4-H program for the North Shore area that would encourage children to develop life skills and get involved in the community. On Sunday, that vision could be realized.
“I have been waiting two to three years to do this, and personally I was just too busy at the time,” he said. “4-H is about a personal project, but a lot of it is geared toward the community, and working to benefit the community.”
After researching the program online, and contacting the county agent, Tidwell put his desire into action by offering his 15 acres of land to make it possible for the program to exist.
“Typically when people think of 4-H, they think of animal husbandry and all animal-orientated, but the program has so many different projects and opportunities,” Tidwell said. “That is the most recognized project, but there are over 400 projects that 4-H has a curriculum for.”
After registering, a child picks a project from under a number of different areas anywhere from gardening and sewing to several sciences, as well as political science and archery.
“The project has different phases in which the kids learn so many different things,” Tidwell said. “They start with an organizing, planning phase, and then go into many different aspects of it, where they keep ledgers of finances, daily journals of their progress. And at the end, they exhibit their project to the community or the group when it reaches completion.”
Members must re-register every year in August according to 4-H rules, but new people interested can register at any time. Though the program has not officially started, Tidwell has at least 17 families interested, and estimates about 25 kids will participate in the start of the program.
“The motto is learning by doing, and I don’t think there is any program that offers that opportunity like 4-H does,” Tidwell said. “I know there is Girl/Boy Scouts, but I don’t think it is as nearly as extensive or requires quite the commitment level of kids and involves and benefits the whole family.”
The program will use community facilities for monthly meetings until the 4-H program fully utilizes Tidwell’s property. The program is a non-profit, and relies mostly on participation and donations to function. For anyone interested in becoming a part of the program, contact Tidwell at 804-832-3759 or visit Travis4h.com.
“If someone wants to do rockets for a project, I don’t necessarily know how to build a rocket, but I will work with them; it’s learning experience for all of us,” Tidwell said. “I hope there is enough knowledge within the community that people can step up and contribute, lead and sponsor these kids and their projects.”

—Kelsey Wesolick, Staff Intern

A football program 10 years in the making

Special to the Log — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:04:31 +0000

They are defending district champions. They sport a pair of Division 1-bound recruits. They have reeled off three straight seven-win seasons. The Lago Vista Vikings have proven they can field a team worthy of recognition.
Just nine years ago, they could hardly field a team.
In eight seasons under head coach Alan Haire, the Vikings have steadily progressed from district doormat into a strong contender. But the beginning of Viking football can be traced back to a dedicated community effort in the late ’90s to bring a team to one of the few public high schools in Texas that did not have one.
“At the time, there were two public schools in the state that didn’t have football, and Lago Vista was one of them,” said Jerry Sisemore, former NFL lineman and former Lago Vista school board president. “There was a younger group of parents that were concerned that their kids didn’t have the opportunity. It was not just football, but marching band and cheerleaders (too). It’s a proven fact that high school football adds a lot to the educational community.”
The board agreed to sanction football if the community could raise the necessary funds to support it, which Sisemore estimated were approximately $150,000.
Little by little, they raised the money. Boosters formed the Lago Vista Quarterback Club and held numerous auctions and fundraisers. The Lower Colorado River Authority agreed to provide free excavation, and volunteers installed the sprinkler system for free.
“There was a very dedicated group of people that got together and raised the money,” Sisemore said. “That was pretty amazing.”
The Vikings played as a flag football team in 1999 before fielding a varsity squad and joining the UIL in 2000 under former head coach Keith Willis.
“It’s very difficult to start a program at the varsity level,” Haire said. “Generally when a school starts a football program, you start at the middle school, and then those middle-schoolers go to JV and JV goes to varsity. They started just straight varsity.”
In two varsity seasons under Willis, the Vikings went 0-10 and 1-9, including an 83-20 loss to Comfort in 2001. The team finished the 2001 season with only 18 players on the varsity squad, no junior varsity and only one middle school team.
“We were lucky if we still had 11 bodies in the fourth quarter,” stadium clock operator Gayland Landfried said. “It was heartbreaking.”
Players played both offense and defense, and many were forced into entirely new positions, sometimes even midway through a game.
“They fielded whoever was playing at the time no matter what their classification was,” Haire said. “I specifically remember (coach Steve Elder) telling me stories of them moving running backs to offensive line during games or offensive linemen going to running back.”
When players would get dings, or aches or pains during the games, Haire said, there was no backup.
“They would have to move kids around to positions they had never played before,” he said. “That sets up opportunities to get hurt because you don’t know what you’re doing out there.”
After two seasons, Willis moved back to Waco, and Haire was hired to take over the program in May 2002. A former college quarterback at Sterling College in Kansas and a tight end and wide receiver at Tarleton State University, Haire had previously served as head coach and athletic director at Perrin-Whitt High School. He came to Lago Vista looking for the challenge of leading a young program as well as being closer to his hometown of Salado.
“I wanted to be in on the process to help build (the program),” he said. “It’s a challenge, and what better way to start to learn how to help kids than at the basic fundamental approach of being new.”
Haire made an immediate impact with the Vikings.
“The first year, we were 3-7. We had won more games in one year than the program had had in its history,” he said. “We just used those positives to hang onto.”
In sharp contrast to the previous year, that season the Vikings fielded a varsity squad, a JV and two middle school teams. The team began with 55 players at the beginning of the season and had 45, as opposed to 18, make it to the end.
Upon arriving at the school, one of Haire’s first priorities had been to recruit students already at the school to come out for the team to ensure they had enough players so each could play his best position.
“My first priority was just to walk up and down the hallways and let the kids know I’m going to care about them,” he said. “They’re getting a guy who is going to care about them as more than just a football player.”
Sisemore credits Haire with changing the mentality of the team and being able to get the most out of the players’ abilities.
“Coach Haire runs a committed program,” Sisemore said. “He asks the young people to buy into it and if they buy into it, good things will happen. They buy into it every day. It is a wonderful thing to watch. Everyone is encouraged to overachieve.”
The seasons since Haire’s first have been a seeming succession of milestones. The team had its first district win on Sept. 22, 2005—a 22-16 victory over Rogers. The Vikings finished the season 5-5 overall—the team’s first non-losing record for a full season.
“We had some good kids in there that really took athletics seriously,” Haire said. “I started to see the change then, and then it’s evolved over time to where it is today.”
In 2007, the Vikings went 7-3, clinching their first playoff berth with a 29-22 overtime win over Jarrell in the final week of the regular season. The Vikings went on to reach the second round of the playoffs.
The 2008 season marked Haire’s sixth year with the program and the first in which the senior class had been coached by Haire throughout middle and high school.
“I feel like they’re never your kids until a group of seventh graders are seniors,” Haire said. “You need to have those seventh graders come through the system so everybody behind them knows, ‘this is what we’re going to have to do if we’re going to be successful. This is the sacrifice we’re going to have to make to be a champion.’”
The past 12 months have held arguably the biggest milestones of all for the Vikings. The varsity again posted a 7-3 record, this time good enough for the District 25-2A championship.
“It was kind of euphoric to be here when you were a doormat,” he said. “There were 200 2A teams and at times you were ranked 198. We were one of the worst 2A teams in the state. And to see the program become champions, you just felt so excited for them, being able to experience being a champion, being on a championship team, knowing you’re going to advance to the playoffs and setting that up. That’s huge.”
This past summer, incoming seniors JeMarcus Johnson and Austin Terry committed to play for Baylor and Texas Christian universities, respectively, becoming the school’s first Division 1-bound players.
This year Lago Vista moves to a district reminiscent of its early UIL years, including familiar foes Blanco and Comfort, which the Vikings have never beaten. Another 83-20 shellacking seems unlikely, though, as the Vikings are far from the team they were last time they saw those opponents.
“Back then, we were just hoping to be competitive. Now, going in on Friday nights, we’re going to be competitive,” stadium announcer Doug Jumper said. “Back then, we didn’t talk about district championships. We were just trying to get settled. When we walk into the stadium on Friday nights, there is not an arrogance but a confidence that we will match up.”

—Max McCombs, Staff Intern

Limitless possibilities: UT class maps out city growth

Mike Parker — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:02:33 +0000

In early 2009, the Jonestown City Council and City Manager Dan Dodson received a presentation from an urban design class at the University of Texas School of Architecture. They sat in the center of a room, surrounded by conceptual designs, maps and renderings of their city. The materials did not represent what the city of Jonestown is today. Instead, it showed what Jonestown could be.
The materials showcased a city where people could live, work, shop and play without leaving the community. It showed couples walking down a sidewalk parallel to FM 1431, passing by two-story buildings with shops and restaurants. A zoning layout created a series of conservation areas within the city for hike and bike trails.
In essence, it showed the Council a best-case scenario for future city growth.
“We were terribly impressed,” Mayor Deane Armstrong said about the presentation. “The class had groups that presented all kinds of ideas.”
The UT urban design class, under the supervision of Associate Professor Robert Paterson, spent several months working with the city to create the materials and gave a final presentation of the results. City planning and zoning chairman Alan Yost said those results have allowed the city to get a better picture of how certain plans could come to fruition.
“The quality of the work, and the different perspectives and ideas, are excellent and a great starting point,” he said.
The P&Z held a meeting July 21 to look over the materials. Yost said the commission looked at the ideas proposed within the project and are using them as a basis of how the city could grow in the next 10 to 20 years.
Dodson, who helped the class during its project, said all of the plans and ideas within the project materials represent the city’s Master Plan and input from city staff.
“It was a staff effort, though the Council did give some input,” he said. “We had to give some direction to them in terms of our Master Plan and some of the things we felt were appropriate for this community.”
The class looked at several aspects of the city. Two of the biggest focal points were additions to Jones Brothers Park and creating a safer, more pedestrian-friendly FM 1431 in the city. Yost said the class materials helped spur good ideas and decide which ideas the city should pursue.
The P&Z is looking at options to allow pedestrians to cross FM 1431, Yost said. A couple options include putting trails underneath the highway or creating a crosswalk with a flashing light signal. But he added all of these are simply possibilities and have not been put into action by the city.
“The only thing we’re proceeding with is gathering information,” he said.
City Code Enforcement Officer Marilee Pfannstiel said once that information is collected and ready for a presentation, the P&Z will hold a joint public meeting with the parks and recreation board to receive community input. From there, the P&Z will update the city Master Plan with those ideas in mind.
“We had limited public input the last time we updated the Master Plan,” Pfannstiel said. “We want a whole lot more the next time.”
Using the GIS mapping system, Pfannstiel said she is able to create scenarios relating to the Master Plan and the project materials, which will help city staff and the Council better utilize the materials created by the UT project.
“It’s just a wonderful tool to use the data that’s already out there,” she said, adding doing the work in-house will save the city money.
Dodson said the UT project would have normally cost the city at least $50,000, making it a win-win situation for the class and the city.
“You’re talking some high five-digit money,” he said, “Especially with the time they put into it.”
But Dodson said city staff and the Council understand the limitations involved in city growth, and that the materials do not mean growth will come to the area.
“We realize the roadblocks out there before anything like this will happen,” he said.
The national economy leaves many questions unanswered, he added, which leaves the question of what exactly is “normalcy.”
“We’ve been in such an artificial economy for quite some time, so what is our return to normalcy?” Dodson asked.
The materials do help encourage development interest, Dodson said, but, “There are a lot of pieces of the puzzle that would have to come together.”
The project does bring to light the certainty of how a city’s growth—and how that growth occurs—can be integral toward creating a better place to live.
“This city ages every day, and the aging process is a costly process,” he said. “You got to grow or you basically just … get into a bad situation. You deteriorate. It’s just like you get older and don’t take care of yourself.”