******Weather*****
Isn't it great living in Texas? 74° on January 6 and looks like 50's and 60's for a while with maybe a little rain later on in the week - we really need it! Lake Travis is at 671 (681 is full) and is slowly rising - yep, they are sending some water down and reducing the level upstream so folks can fix their damage from the last big flood. We really haven't had any significant rain for quite a while so an inch or two would really help!
*****Free Stuff*****
There are still some great things in Lakeway and some are still free. Don't forget the Brown Bag Lunches put on by the Arts Committee. The first one on January 9th is a surprise - there was a cancellation, but I bet Janet will get something good to fill in. Here's a link to the whole schedule. Check it out, bring a lunch and a drink and enjoy a free concert!
Don't forget the Big Band Bash on January 13, 2020 from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. If you haven't been, this is a free session that the 17-
*****Editorial*****
Ever heard the words / term "Old Guard"? They've been used a lot by the new progressives to disparage some of the senior elected officials and Commission / Committee members. If you live in Lakeway and like the community, it's here and it's a special place because of the "Old Guard". These folks put a lot of sweat and work into making Lakeway different, a good different. They put years of their lives (some still are working for the city) on one mission - to make and keep Lakeway a place that is welcoming and a great place to put down roots and enjoy life.
Take a moment to think about it. The "Old Guard" has a real connection to the founders of Lakeway. They have / had NO mission other than to enhance and to continue the vision of the founders. They in almost every case worked on committees and commissions to help and learn about that vision - they had / have a real connection.
Look at some of the officials working to make big changes. Many lack that connection to our history. Looks like we are changing to be like everyone else. Is the city going to change? Of course, it has grown larger than the founders ever imagined. Growth has overtaken us, good schools, good community and the desire to live in the Hill County and by the lake has brought literally thousands of new residents. But changing the foundation that made Lakeway great and lured people her seems like overkill to me.
The "Old Guard" found ways to live within the budget. They were in tune with the needs of the community and didn't feel the great need to hire consultants to tell them what to do. Council used to spend a few hours a month in meetings and many hours a month in service and learning about needs. Now they spend many hours in meetings and very little connecting with residents.
Just an opinion of one of the "Old Guard"!
*****Upcoming Meetings*****
The City has scheduled a Special Work Session on January 13, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. I guess they are getting tired of meetings that go past midnight. No agenda yet, I'll post it as soon as I see it. What are they going to change now?
ZAPCO meets Wednesday, January 8, 2020 (tomorrow) at 9:15 a.m. in the City Hall - here is their agenda. Should be a reasonable meeting.
The Public Engagement Committee meets Wednesday also at 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall. Here is their agenda.
The Wildlife Advisory Committee meets Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the City Hall. Here is the agenda. Should be lively. The City was able to obtain a TTT (Trap, Transport and Transplant) permit for this year.
CBC (City Building Commission) meets Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall - here is their agenda.
There is progress at the Lakeway Church Sanctuary construction project. As you can see from this picture, they are laying out the parking area and the first wall (includes elevator well) has been constructed. Click on the picture for a larger view. This is an example of construction progress pictures that are available through Sky Pictures. My neighbor just rescued a Doberman - their first stop was the good folks at Lakeway Vet for a check up. I continue to hear great stories of the exceptional service my friends there give to the area animals. Dr. Doyle and his staff are doing good for the community, think about them if you have a pet!
That's all for right now. I'll post agendas for the meetings as they are available.
As always, input and questions are always welcome. I appreciate all the positive emails and support from the blog followers. If you would like to be added to my email list, send a note to lakeway@bain.us and I'll get you added. I also post new blogs on Face Book and Twitter if you want to friend me or follow me.
Thanks again for reading! Share on Facebook to your friends - lets get people informed!
Joe Bain
lakeway@bain.us
Great words about the Old Guard and you can rightfully be proud of your being a major part of it.
ReplyDeleteThe battle for Lakeway is the same battle that is being fought all over America. "Old guard" is not about age, it is about a way of thinking and ideas about how to live life. Lakeway hired liberals at the highest levels of city government and now wonder why we are going in the same direction as Travis County and Austin. Old guard thinkers in Lakeway must learn to fight just as others are learning all over the country. Calling people "old guard" is a tactic, one designed to embarrass people who want to live in a certain way. The only way to win is to fight those who wish to turn Lakeway into a liberal suburb of Austin. Thank you for fighting it.
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