No interesting election for Mountain City government this time around, that’s for sure. The Council will cancel the November election – because only two submitted applications. With three seats open, the Council will appoint an alderman.

Phillip Taylor filed to serve as mayor and Ray Patterson filed for an alderman position. No one’s interest reached the point of filing an application.

Should you have a willingness to serve your little city, let a council member know of your interest.

The submission of responses to the trash service survey was drastically different. Close to 100 households returned the online survey.

Used to be only a handful or fewer who attended Council meetings knew what was going on and availed themselves of the opportunity to give input. With Mayor Tiffany Curnutt’s implementation of electronic surveys, the Council quickly touches the pulse of the citizenry.

Within minutes of the August council meeting, Mayor Tiffany designed and sent out the survey.  Within minutes of the close of the survey,  Curnutt sent out the complete results, including comments. Now our city’s efficient system of gathering input is something we can brag about. 

Again, if you are not on the city’s email distribution list, obtain instructions by sending an email to mountaincitytx@gmail.com 

With Texas Parks and Wildlife , you can participate in detailed “Amphibian Watch.”  Romey Swanson, a reader not in Mountain City, tidbitted that he and his son recently documented five species of frogs, by listening one night at a detention pond, after he was inspired by a Texas Master Naturalist in northern Hays County who identified nine species in one night. 

Without a doubt, Mountain City has several toad and frog species. RonTom and I have seen as many as three species squashed on city streets as we walk KissMe.

I thought it would be fun to go to Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Amphibian Watch page to hear the five herps Romey heard: Gulf Coast Toad, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Green Tree Frog, Western Narrowmouth Toad, and, Rio Grande Chirping Frog. Listen and learn.

If you’re wondering where in Mountain City to listen for frogs and toads, once you learn some sounds, try walking along Maple near Live Oak at night.  The Garraways built ponds in their backyard. They built them and the frogs did come.

The Amphibian Watch page directs folks with incidental observations to the Herps of Texas project in inaturalist.org.

“Herps” includes all reptiles and amphibians. Can you the groups? Toads, Frogs, Turtles, Salmanders, Lizards, Snakes, and Crocadilians. (The single Crocadilian in Texas is the American alligator.)

One thing leads to another. From the Frog and Toad page, up hopped the inaturalist.org page for incidental Bee and Wasp observations. It’s another project of Texas Parks and Wildlife. And, there you can see photos of recent sightings of bees and wasps, along with their identity.

One thing leads to another when tidbits come in. Please send to ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: Tidbit) or 512-268-5678.  Thanks!  Love, Pauline