By Jennifer Stanko
Hays County could provide Kyle a helping hand with flood related drainage issues.
By a 7-0 vote, the Kyle City Council on Dec. 1 passed a measure that will allow Hays County to assist the city.
But Kyle council member Shane Arabie wanted more information on what Hays County could provide.
“I want some clarity of the nature of assistance,” Arabie said on the dais.
Hays County’s potential involvement stems from council member Diane Hervol, who informed council about an offer of assistance she received from two Hays County Commissioners regarding flood damage cleanup.
Those two commissioners, Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe and Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones, approached Hervol to see if the city of Kyle needed any additional assistance from the county. The council was not provided with many details about the extent of assistance the county would provide
All that was needed was a majority vote of the council to begin to move forward with the major details of the assistance.
But for Hervol, the mindset was focused on drainage issues in the city. She said the reason she put the item on the agenda was to move forward with an interlocal agreement between the entities. She said the city should “at least do the research to see if it will work out for the city of Kyle.”
“The thing that came to mind and hits me every day is drainage,” Hervol said.
Mayor Todd Webster said the county has been helpful to the city thus far, which is why he didn’t think the measure would have an issue.
But Hervol said she didn’t hear of any fees charged by Hays County for the help, or the “in depth nature of the assistance.”
Council member David Wilson held concerns over the quality of repairs to drainage, if Hays County plans to help.
“What will be the quality of repair. Is it really going to take care of the issue or is it going to be cosmetic?,” Wilson asked on the dais. “I know the quality of work will drive the cost up and I want to make sure that the issue is taken care of.”
Kyle City Engineer Leon Barba said there is a flood study underway with the GBRA and other engineers. The study would outline the areas that are the biggest threat for flooding.
But citizens claim a poor drainage system became one of the major issues during the Oct. 30 flood event. Some believe the drainage system is not only inadequate, but the drains apparently are not being maintained.
A Moreno Street resident who spoke during citizens comment on November 4 submitted photos to council nearly a month before the flood.
The citizens said debris was blocking culverts. They said clearing the blockages could have helped.
“The city should care enough about its citizens to keep (drains) clean and take the initiative to help its citizens,” the resident said. “That would have, or could have, helped people.”
