COUNCIL ROUNDUP
BUDA — From ongoing development negotiations to local events, Buda City Council discussed several items at the March 21 meeting.
Persimmon term sheet negotiations to continue
Following a several hours long executive session, the council directed staff to continue negotiations with MileStone Community Builders on the proposed Persimmon development’s term sheet as part of its development agreement. Prior to recessing into executive session, two community members spoke during the public form in favor of the council approving the development, including Bob Parks, a Driftwood resident and chairman of the Hays County Republican Party.
“It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it is now. The people are here and they keep coming more and more every day,” Parks said. “I implore you to do your job. City councils need to look at this growth and think, ‘It is our job to work with quality developers to create a quality of life in a city that all this mass of population really wants to move into’ … This developer that's come to you with the Persimmon project is a quality developer. He’s bent over backwards to offer streets, recreation, fire station, schools, quality of life, great homes. I can tell you, I’ve knocked thousands of doors in your community [and] I’ve talked to thousands of more people on the telephone. That's what your citizens want. They want quality neighborhoods, quality community and they want leadership who does their job.”
Charter Review Committee members finalized
In 2007, Buda residents voted to become a Home Rule City, which means a city charter is adopted through a local election. The city appointed a Charter Review Committee in 2011 and 2016 and elections were held in 2012 and 2017, respectively. A committee is appointed every six years and consists of seven citizens who review and make recommendations on various proposed amendments within the charter.
Following a vote in February to allow each council member to nominate two individuals — one as a member of the committee and a second as an alternate — the following people were officially nominated on March 21:
• Mayor Lee Urbanovsky: Colin Strother; alternate Shane Phillips
• Council member Evan Ture: Ricardo Garay
• Council member Matt Smith: Wendy Scott; alternate Jana Dobson
• Council member Monica Davidson: Colin Strother; alternate LaVonia Horne-Williams
• Council member LaVonia Horne-Williams: Sandra Tenorio; alternate David Tarver
• Council member Paul Daugereau: David Nuckels
• Council member Terry Cummings: Grant Henry; alternate Ray Bryant
From now through June, the committee will propose recommendations to the charter. A report will be submitted to the council to review in July before ordering an election the following month ahead of the November election.
Buda turns 142
Buda is gearing up to celebrate its 142nd birthday in a big way. The city is adding a new component to this year’s celebration with a Friday night kick-off on March 31 with live music at 8 p.m. at Meridian and 9 p.m. at Willie’s Joint; the Greyhounds and Wyatt Weaver Band will be performing, respectively, and the shows are free.
Beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 at the Buda Amphitheater and City Park, the celebration will continue with a carnival and craft/food market, live birthday card art by Jaz Davis and other art activities with Inspired Minds Art Center, story times by Buda Public Library, free cake from Friends of the Buda Library and the Old Settlers’ Youth Talent Show.
The live music lineup for the event includes opener Kathryn Legendre, W.C. Clark and headliner Uncle Lucius. Clark will also be awarded the Local Legend Award during his performance slot; following his induction into the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, the Buda council voted for him to be honored with this community award.
More information, including a schedule of events and parking map, can be found at www.budaamphitheater.com/budasbday.
