Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Increase

 

The CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 25.65 percent (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or effective tax rate calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code). Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.

 

The first public hearing will be held on August 26, 2008 at 7:00 PM at City Hall, 410 N.

Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals.

 

The second public hearing will be held on September 9, 2008 at 7:00 PM at City Hall, 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals.

 

The members of the governing body voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase as follows:

FOR:

Bessie Jackson

David Dittmar

Dennis Maier

Shirley King

Peggy Edwards

Frank Reilly

Merilyn Nations

 

AGAINST:

 

PRESENT and not voting:

 

ABSENT:

 

The average taxable value of a residence homestead in CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS last year was $139,183. Based on last year's tax rate of $0.4000 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed last year on the average home was $556.73.

 

The average taxable value of a residence homestead in CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS this year is $161,118. If the governing body adopts the effective tax rate for this year of $0.3431 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $552.80

 

If the governing body adopts the proposed tax rate of $0.4311 per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $694.58. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearings and express their views.

PUBLIC  NOTICE – date of publication May 15, 2008, The River Cities Daily Tribune

 

The CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS has been notified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that the water this system supplies has exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes (TTHM’s), as set in the Commission’s Drinking Water Standards.

 

The MCL for TTHM’s is 0.080 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Compliance with this level is based on a running annual average of quarterly sample results. The CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS’s running annual average for quarter 1 of 2008 was 0.091 mg/L.

 

Trihalomethanes are a group of volatile organic compounds that are formed when chlorine, added to the water during the treatment process for disinfection, reacts with naturally-occurring organic matter in the water.

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidney, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

 

You do not need to use an alternative water supply. However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.

 

We have implemented a new process that has substantially reduced TTHM’s in your water. The sampling period shows the TTHM reading was 0.034. It is our ultimate goal to provide you with safe drinking water.

 

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).

 

You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

 

If you have any questions concerning this notice, you may contact Ron Harris at 830-598-6129.

PUBLIC  NOTICE  - publication date February 26, 2008 – The River Cities Daily Tribune

 

The CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS has been notified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that the water system supplies has exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes (TTHM’s), as set in the Commission’s Drinking Water Standards.

 

The MCL for TTHM’s is 0.080 milligrams per liter (mg/L).  Compliance with this level is based on a running annual average of quarterly sample results.  The CITY OF GRANITE SHOALS’s running annual average for quarter 3 for 2007 was 0.082 mg/L.

 

Trihalomethanes are a group of volatile organic compounds that are formed when chlorine, added to the water during treatment process for disinfection, reacts with naturally-occurring organic matter in the water.

 

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidney or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

 

You do not need to use an alternative water supply.  However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.

 

We are working to correct the problem.  The City modified the disinfection system to add ammonia immediately after the chlorine addition point.  The modification was completed on July 16, 2007.

 

Please share this information with all other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).  You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

 

If you have any questions concerning this notice, you may contact Ricky Rowe at 830-798-4378.

 

The City of Granite Shoals is committed to providing its residents and guests with a water supply that is safe, refreshing, and plentiful, and the City is proud of its new treatment plant that started operation in June of 2007.  Even prior to construction of the new plant the City produced water that consistently met the state and federal drinking water standards for quality and quantity, but the new plant uses a state-of-the-art membrane process to provide still better water quality.  Part of the treatment process involves adding a small dose of chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses that could be in the raw water or that could enter the water after it leaves the treatment plant and travels through the City’s distribution system.

 

Disinfection with chlorine does have a potential drawback, which is the formation of compounds called total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) when the chlorine reacts with trace organic matter in the water.  Laboratory research indicates that, over an exposure period of many years, TTHMs may contribute to cancer or other health problems; therefore, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sets a limit of 80 micrograms per liter (μg/L, or parts per billion) for TTHMs in drinking water.  To put this in perspective, a part per billion is roughly equivalent to one drop of ink in a gasoline tanker truck.  The 80 μg/L limit is for the annual average of quarterly samples, not for individual samples. 

 

To provide necessary disinfection and also minimize TTHM formation, water treatment plants either delay addition of chlorine until later in the treatment process when much of the organic matter has been removed, or they add a small amount of ammonia to convert the “free chlorine” to chloramines.  Chloramines react more gradually than free chlorine and they do not form TTHMs.  Granite Shoals has relied on chloramines for disinfection and historically has produced water with TTHM levels low enough (11.3 μg/L) that the TCEQ has waived its normal requirement for quarterly sampling.  Following start-up of the new plant, the TCEQ measured one TTHM sample that raised the annual running average to 82 μg/L. City staff immediately modified the disinfection to add ammonia right after the chlorine injection point and bring the TTHM levels back to their historical low values.  Because of the TTHM excursion, the TCEQ requires the City to provide the following written notice to its customers for the next four calendar quarters, while lower quarterly samples bring the annual average back below 80 μg/L.  

 

More detailed technical information about disinfection and disinfection byproducts is available at the following web site:   http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/icr/dbp.html

 

 

Public Hearing Annexation -  November 16, 2007 press date The River Cities Daily Tribune

Notice of Public Hearing

Annexation

Notice is hereby given to all interested persons, that the City of Granite Shoals, Texas proposes to institute annexation proceedings to enlarge and extend the boundary limits of said city to include the following described territory, to-wit:

 

Tract 1      Sherwood Forest and east ˝ Tract Six Sherwood Forest (unrecorded subdivision), Sunset Woods Subdivision, Sunset Woods Section II Subdivision, Debbie Acres Section 1, Lakewood Estates (unrecorded subdivision)

Tract 2      500 ft strip of land extending approximately 335 feet to the west, parallel to the northern right-of-way of RM 1431

Tract 3      Southwest corner of Phillips Ranch Road and RM 1431, as recorded in Vol. 1294, Page 780, Burnet County, Texas

Tract 4      Tract of land owned by Three Sixty Global Wines, Inc.

Tract 5      500 ft strip of land extending to the eastern city of limits of Highland Haven, parallel to the southern right-of-way of RM 1431, and also including a portion of Circle B Estates Section 2

Tract 6      RM 1431 Right-of-Way

Tract 7      A portion of 183.65 acres adjacent to Circle B Estates Section 1; Circle B Estates Section 1; 2.285 acres owned by Tempe Marque Fox Winters; and the inundated land west of Tract 7 and abutting the eastern city limits of Highland Haven

Two public hearings will be held by and before the City Council of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas the first public hearing will be held on the 27^th day of November, 2007 and the second public hearing will be held on the 29^th day of November 2007, each at 7:00 p.m. at the Granite Shoals Community Center, 1208 N. Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals, Texas for all persons interested in the above proposed annexation of said properties.  At said time and place all such persons shall have the right to appear and be heard.  Of all said matters and things, all persons interested in the things and matters herein mentioned will take notice.

By order of the City Council of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas this 23^rd day of October, 2007.

John Gayle, City Manager                                                ATTEST:  Ronda Reichle, City Secretary

Public Hearing Annexation -  Sept. 28, 2007 press date The River Cities Daily Tribune

 

Notice of Public Hearing

 

Annexation

 

Notice is hereby given to all interested persons, that the City of Granite Shoals, Burnet County, Texas intends to annex property and designate zoning of this property as Single Family Residential District (R-1) which is located in the areas identified below:

 

Sherwood Shores IV Subdivision

 

Kingswood Section of Sherwood Shores I

 

Public hearings will be held by and before the City Council of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas on the 16^th day of October, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. and on the 23^rd day of October at 7:00 p.m., City Hall, 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals, Texas for all persons interested in the above proposed annexation and its proposed zoning of said properties.  At said time and place all such persons shall have the right to appear and be heard.  Of all said matters and things, all persons interested in the things and matters herein mentioned will take notice.

 

By order of the City Council of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas this 28^th day of September, 2007.

 

John Gayle, City Manager                                            ATTEST: Ronda Reichle, City Secretary

 

 

 

Public Hearing Annexation -  November 17, 2006 press date The River Cities Daily Tribune

 

 

 

Notice of Public Hearing

Annexation and Zoning

Notice is hereby given to all interested persons, that the City of Granite Shoals, Texas proposes to institute annexation proceedings to enlarge and extend the boundary limits of said city to include the following described territory, to-wit:

Tract 1 (500 ft strip of land north of RM 1431 – Mezger Ranch) – 61.18 acres being 49.24 acres out of the J.R. Johnson Survey No. 19, Abstract No. 476 and 11.94 acres out of the James W. Slaughter Survey No. 20, Abstract No. 784, Burnet County, Texas.

Tract 2 (500 ft strip of land south of RM 1431) – 63.46 acres being 49.45 acres out of the J.R. Johnson Survey No. 19, Abstract No. 476 and 16.56 acres out of the James W. Slaughter Survey No. 20, Abstract No. 784, Burnet County, Texas.

Tract 3 (RM 1431 Right of Way) – 7.89 acres being 5.79 acres out of the J.R. Johnson Survey No. 19, Abstract No. 476 and 2.10 acres out of the James W. Slaughter Survey No. 20, Abstract No. 784, Burnet County, Texas.

Tract 4 (500 ft strip on northern boundary of RM 1431 & General Business District) – 87.65 acres being 14.90 acres out of Arthur Luckey Survey No. 23, Abstract No. 530, 23.05 Acres F.L. Smith Survey No. 519, Abstract No. 819, and 49.70 Acres out of C.O. Howard Survey No. 21, Abstract No. 399, Burnet County, Texas.

A public joint hearing will be held by and before the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas on the 28^th day of November, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals, Texas for all persons interested in the above proposed annexation and its proposed zoning of said properties.  At said time and place all such persons shall have the right to appear and be heard.  Of all said matters and things, all persons interested in the things and matters herein mentioned will take notice.

By order of the City Council of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas this 19^th day of October, 2006.

                                                                                                ATTEST:

/s/______________________                                                 /s/______________________

John Gayle, City Manager                                                          Ronda Reichle, City Secretary