Wimberley council approves HOT grant to Knights of Columbus
Organization to receive $2K for flag project
WIMBERLEY — The Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree, are one step closer to completing the “Raise the Flag at Eagle Rock” project.
At its Nov. 7 meeting, Wimberley City Council unanimously approved a recommendation from Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Committee chair Helena Hauk to disburse HOT funds and approve a reimbursement grant agreement between the city and the Knights of Columbus for their project. The request from the organization was for an amount of $1,000-$2,000, but the city council ultimately decided on $2,000.
The entrance of the Eagle Rock subdivision on FM 2325 and Woodcreek Drive, which more than 1,000 vehicles drive by daily, has left the community asking, for more than 10 years, why there are no flags on the poles. This has led the Knights of Columbus to partner with the Woodcreek Property Owners Association (WPOA) on the “Raise the Flags at Eagle Rock,” project, which will include the following: beautification of the entrance; safeguarding of the flags; addressing painting/lighting concerns; trimming trees to ensure visibility; and preserving the night sky with solar lighting.
“The project is a renovation of the historic site that has been neglected for the last 10 years,” said Hauk. “The money will be used for flag pole security, heavy landscaping to improve appearance, including the trimming of trees, secure safety of flag poles to prevent vandalism [and more]. This is a restoration of a historic site and will qualify for also the Dark Sky application of the lighting and the flagpoles that will meet the compliance for the Dark Sky.”
The project has an overall cost of approximately $10,000 and, therefore, is a small portion to help the Knights of Columbus complete that, Hauk said.
While this is outside of the Wimberley city limits, the project still qualifies for the HOT funds because “it’s actually a corridor coming into the community,” explained city administrator Tim Patek, who confirmed with legal counsel prior to the meeting to ensure that they are in compliance.
“One thing about the 4th Degree is we are dedicated to patriotism and we are dedicated toward community support. That’s what we are about,” said Mike Schneider of the Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree, following council’s vote. “This is an example of what we do and we really appreciate what you are doing for us.”
