Sunrise Beach will cast their ballots for or against a proposition that would potentially require a city manager/council form of municipal government.
The Village of Sunrise Beach currently has a mayor/council form of government where the all-volunteer elected officials stewards paid city staff.
A group of residents successfully put forth the item on the ballot for this year’s election.
Early voting goes from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
John Schwin, co-coordinator of the petition effort, says volunteers went doorto- door and gathered 108 signatures on the petition. The document was turned into the city secretary Aug. 8
The number of signatures reflected state statute (Tex. Code Chapt. 25.022b) required 20% of the votes cast in the most recent city mayor’s election. In that election 370 votes were cast, requiring just 74 signatures on the petition.
Supporters soon applied to create a Specific Purpose Political Action Committee (SPAC), as a funding arm for campaign activities.
The Village of Sunrise Beach has a population of over 800, according to a 2024 U.S. Census Bureau report.
The municipality’s paid staff includes a city secretary, finance manager, police chief and four police officers, water department supervisor and worker and two plan- ning and zoning (development services) employees.
Businesses include a restaurant, hair salon, convenience store with groceries, a marina/motel and three parks with boat ramps that recently started collecting launch fees for non-residents.
With a .11744 property tax rate and a sales tax, Sunrise Beach generates revenue for a $1.2 million city budget. There is no wastewater system.
Residents maintain individual private septic systems.
Schwin explained why a number of residents may support the change.
“The credentials for a mayor and the qualifications to get elected are completely different for the qualifications to run a city,” he said. “We like to say we’re a small city with big city problems. We just feel like it’s time to get to a professional management type situation.
“God bless the people who step up and serve, but they’re part time and they don’t have backgrounds in city management,” said Schwin who is retired from the manufacturing industry. “Our biggest problem is our water system which is going to cost in the neighborhood of $10 million.
“We feel like professional management is really required to make sure the water system project comes in the way that it’s supposed to and that it is managed properly.”
The municipality’s water system consists of four groundwater wells – two of which are being used. The city also has a pumping station, clear well and storage tank (atop Sandy Mountain).
The city bought its water system back from the Lower Colorado River Authority in 2011. Officials
recently reported a series of leaks and breakages. An engineering company reviewed and assessed the issues and recommended a new water system.
“City managers cost money, and that’s probably one of the biggest push backs. How does a small city like us afford it? Well, number one, we may be small in population – 730 roughly – however that is full-time residents that live and vote here,” Schwin said. “There are many more residents that come on weekends and actually have expensive houses and pay high taxes.
“The tax base is larger than you would think from a population of 730.”
He pointed to the last five years’ budgets which reportedly showed a “surplus” of $110,000 per year, which he believes is available to pay for a city manager.
Resident Sam Kepple, who is retired from the public school system, believes the city typically sets aside such funds in reserves or saves the money for outright purchases such as police vehicles and equipment and other infrastructure needs.
“We don’t have the money. We’re two weeks away from the election,” said Kepple, who does not support the proposition. “That money is reserved for something else, already set aside.”
Kepple added the municipality should consider another direction to take care of infrastructure issues.
“Why would you need a city manager; you just need a project manager. You hire somebody to get the project done, you don’t need a whole new employee,” Kepple said. “To change the whole form of government just because the council hasn’t been able to figure out how to pay for this $10 million (water system), I don’t think it’s necessary.
“We knew we had a water problem,” added Kepple, who has lived in the village for eight years. “We have problems with water leaking. Lines are busted. All they’ve done is patch it.
“We have a wonderful guy running our water department but his hands are tied because he doesn’t have the funds.”
He thinks the cost of a city manager may be too much for Sunrise Beach.
“Now we’re going to have to find another $150,000 per year to pay for a city manager; That’s 10 or 15% of our budget,” Kepple continued. “We’re going to have to raise our taxes for that. And raise taxes for this water project.”
He said his water bill is at least $100 for an average residential home using 2,000 gallons a month. “They’re already putting a fee on our water bill to try to raise money (for the water system),” he noted.
Residents have a chance to hear more about the pros and cons of the ballot proposition.
The SPAC is hosting a town hall scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Sunrise Beach Civic Center, 124 Sunrise Beach Dr.
“We need to make sure we’re giving folks good water. We’re keeping up with road maintenance and park development,” Schwin said. “Change or be changed. We’ve got to adapt if we want to stay the same.”
Kepple contends that “We don’t want to bay our beach. There’s no retail, no businesses to help fund this city. It’s all the residents. The tax bill is on the residents.
Visit abetterbeach.org for more details about the SPAC’s efforts to pass the new form of government.
