During its regular agenda, Marble Falls City Council recently ap - proved a hefty amount for construction of sev - eral local infrastructure improvements, part of an ambitious park develop - ment plan. All seven council members were present during the Nov. 5 meeting, when they voted unani - mously to award the low bid of more than $699,000 to Wellcraft Builders for construction of sever - al features near the area known as Park View Park near Mormon Mill Road, Park Ridge Drive and Park View Drive. "We feel confident awarding the bid to them (Wellcraft)," Director of Parks and Recreation Lacey Dingham told the council. Completion of the en - tire development could take up to 10 months, Dingham said, adding its total cost could amount to about $1.9 million, includ - ing a grant of more than $700,000 from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Depart - ment and the city contri - bution of more than $1.2 million. "We are excited to get this project started," Ding - ham said. Also during its regular agenda, the council ap - proved an agreement be - tween the Marble Falls Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No.1 and Schaum - burg & Polk Inc. to engi - neer drainage, parking and sidewalk improvements within a busy downtown area near Avenue H, Yett, Second and Third streets. "There will be traffic control in the area (when the improvements begin) but not all at the same time," Downtown and Marketing Manager Erin Burks told the council. City Attorney Josh Brockman pointed out the agreement may cost the city about $233,000, rath - er than the figure of more than $160,000 published by mistake in the in the council members meeting packet. Too, the council ac - cepted unanimously the first amendment to an improvement and escrow agreement between the city and Ellison Roper Land Corporation for de - sign and construction of a 500,000 gallon elevat - ed water storage tank at the Roper Ranch Devel - opment along U.S. 281, East FM 2147 and Panther Hollow. The amendment in - cludes the reduced cost of $2.3 million (down from $3 million) for 1,966 liv - ing unit equivalents, rath - er than the original esti - mate of 2,487 LUEs. After much discussion, by a 5-2 vote, the coun - cil approved payment of $228,000 to convey more than 1 acre at 2101 Mus - tang Drive from Marble Falls Independent School District to the city, mainly because the city operates one 500,000 gallon ele - vated water storage tank on the property. Apparently, Mayor Pro tem Craig Magerkurth and council members Lauren Haltom, Karlee Hubble, Bryan Walker and Rich - ard Westerman voted for the payment of $228,000 as the product of fair ne - gotiation between city and district officials. However, Mayor Dave Rhodes and Coun - cil member Griff Morris dissented.
"I don't see anything about it (the payment of $228,000) that matches re - ality," Rhodes said during discussion before the vote. Originally, the city offered the district about $140,000 for the 1 acre, which later grew to $160,000, Rhodes recalled. In turn, the dis - trict asked payment of $350,000 for the land and then lowered its asking price to $228,000, the mayor added.
"So, something (the storage tank) that is not commercial, it is not res - idential, it does not have a zone, and they (the dis - trict) cannot use it for any - thing else and neither can we (the city), so, how do you get an appraisal (of $228,000) almost twice the amount (of the original city offer of $140,000)?" During her update, Marble Falls Library Di - rector Amanda Rose re - ported the library draws an average of more than 5,000 patrons each month. During its consent agenda the council: Approved more than $186,000 for a restroom facility at Park View Park; Approved the bid of more than $79,000 by Play Well Group Inc. for the purchase of shade structures and the bid of more than $29,000 by PlayWorks Inc. for the in - stallation of shade shelters at Park View Park; Approved a grant application to the Texas Department of Motor Ve - hicles for the purchase of 10 Flock Safety Falcon cameras; and The council accepted the city Fiscal Year 2024 third quarter investment report that indicates inter - est earnings of more than $687,000 at an average yield of 5.41%, as report - ed by Finance Director Jeff Lazenby.
