Regular Meeting — April 2019

Village of Briarcliff Village Council Regular Meeting Minutes- April 24, 2019

Mayor Hostetler called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Present: Aldermen Elliott, Hertel, Johnston and Richmond. Not Present: Alderman Bowles.

Pledge of Allegiance.

Alderman Richmond made a motion, seconded by Alderman Hertel, to accept and waive the reading of the minutes of the March 27, 2019 Regular Monthly Meeting. All in favor, motion passed.

Alderman Elliott read and gave a review of the financial reports for March, 2019. No comments or questions from the Citizens or Council.

Mayor Hostetler updates about ongoing activities:

The inter-local agreement between the Village of Briarcliff and Travis County Constable Precinct 2 to provide a dedicated Deputy to our community has been caused by the Travis County Commissioners Court reacting to the State Legislations attempt to limit property tax income to counties and to the larger cities in Texas. As is happening all over Texas, large cities and counties are reacting by looking at services rendered to residents, one of which is contracts with small cities and with ISDs such as our attempt to get a dedicated Deputy. The county Planning and Budgeting office has increased the purported cost of providing a Deputy to unrealistically high amounts forcing us and other entities in Travis County to re-evaluate the situation. I have increased the workload of our “off duty” Constable Deputies to work significant daytime hours and some nighttime until the situation settles or we go in another direction.

Village elections are set for May 4. Early voting is now thru April 30. Early voting in Briarcliff at the community center will be April 27 from 9 am – 6 pm. Also, voting on election day will be at the community center. Besides Village elections, the ballot for precinct 308 includes a proposition to create a Travis County Emergency Services District Number 16. If this is news to you, I recommend you study the proposition.

Security Report: Family violence earlier in the month Aggravated assault Several oak trimming citations issued

Security cameras at both entrances appear to have survived at least the initial storms today.

City Administrator, Aaron Johnson explained the water department has gone live with the new meters. We can call residents when we get alerts if there is a leak. There has been 13 people sign up on the eye on water. The transition is going smoothly and in the next month we should be 2/3 of the way through. They are being installed by routes. There are a total of 960 active water meters in Briarcliff. Which 413 are now new meters that have been installed.

Citizen Communications: Several questions from citizens generated expansion on the law enforcement issue. Questions centered on “how long this temporary system will last”, and more detail on how much money the County is asking to provide a dedicated Constable Deputy. Mayor responded that hopefully the temporary system won’t go for more than a month however he’s really in the hands of the Commissioners Court now. If it drags out too long, the Village Council will have a meeting to decide where to go next, to include the possibility of hiring a new Police Chief. Mayor Hostetler also detailed the amounts of money that have been discussed between Travis County and us. Mayor Hostetler again stated that the original idea and contract was based on a dedicated deputy to be assigned to Briarcliff with extra coverage provided by off duty deputies primarily during nighttime and weekend hours. The current temporary situation that the Constables office has agreed to provides a deputy during the day and off duty deputies as was done before however the daytime deputy will rotate through their staff.

Adjourned at 7:28 p.m. ATTEST: Tina Linder, Village Clerk