Megan Navarro
DRIPPING SPRINGS — During its June 17 meeting, Dripping Springs City Council approved the selection of a bidder for the 2025 Roadway Maintenance Project, signed a resolution of support for the Sawyer Ranch Road Shared Use Path Project and changed the Founders Day Commission to a committee.
Roadway Maintenance Project
Two bid proposals for the 2025 Roadway Maintenance Project were received at the bid opening May 8 from Lonestar Paving Company and Bennett Paving, Inc. After proposals were evaluated, the lowest bidder was Lonestar Paving at $487,631.30.
According to agenda documents, the construction budget for the project is $635,000. Due to bid prices from Lonestar Paving coming in below budget, a value engineering process was conducted with the company in order to utilize the budget and provide needed maintenance improvements for additional length of roadway.
Value engineering resulted in an extension of maintenance improvements of another 1,500 linear feet of roadway, allowing the entire length of Post Oak Drive to be maintained with a combination of full depth repair and mill and overlay. The increased length of roadway maintained resulted in an increase in the total bid amount.
“City staff is recommending the awarded contract for the total amount of $599,558.30 to Lonestar Paving Company, based on the evaluation of the bid package and the value engineering pricing,” maintenance director Riley Sublett said.
Mayor Bill Foulds asked if the extension that the city is able to pave now would be the second priority or if the money would be better served in other areas where the roads need work.
Sublett responded that with the price of mobilization, it’s the most efficient use of the funds.
Then, the mayor asked if there are roads in worse shape that need to be repaired that the city is currently not able to do by spending “all of this money.”
“The extent of the Post Oak that we are extending into is in terrible condition, so we do think it’s the best use of the funds,” Sublett said. “We did an evaluation with several alternates and we determined based off this budget and the condition of the roadway, that is the best use of the funds, especially with the condition of the roadway that section is in.”
Following some confusion across the dais, Sublett clarified that the specific section of Post Oak Drive is the one that is in the worst condition: “We’ve seen the most degradation to that asphalt in the last couple of years. It actually doesn’t even compare to our five-year roadway maintenance plan right now because it has failed so rapidly.”
The council unanimously approved the selection of Lonestar Paving Company as the bidder and authorized staff to finalize the agreement related to the 2025 Roadway Maintenance Project.
Sublett said hopefully, the project will begin within the next few weeks.
Sawyer Ranch
Council also unanimously approved a resolution of support for Hays County's Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Transportation Alternatives Grant Application for the Sawyer Ranch Road Shared Use Path.
This comes after the county requested the approval from Dripping Springs City Council for this project. The resolution request is associated with the county’s grant application to TxDOT for the 2025 Transportation Alternatives Program. If awarded, this grant would help fund construction of a pedestrian and bicycle connection on the east side of Sawyer Ranch Road, from Meadow Creek Drive to Darden Hill Road.
This project is a proposed 1.3-mile, 10-foot-wide concrete path with ADA-compliant design features, including retaining walls, handrails and driveway regrading. It would provide a continuous non-motorized route connecting existing shared use facilities and area schools, including Cypress Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle schools — this corridor currently lacks safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, according to the city.
“The location of the project is on the east side of Sawyer Ranch Road from Meadow Creek Drive down to Darden Hill … on the north end is where it’ll connect to the existing shared use path,” said planning director Tory Carpenter.
This project, targeted to be completed by September 2026, aligns with goals in the city's Transportation Master Plan and broader regional mobility efforts, Carpenter said.
According to Carpenter, there would be no cost or financial impact to the city. The total estimated cost of the project is $3.6 million. The TxDOT grant request is for $2,889,600, or 80%, and the Hays County committed local match is $722,400, or 20%.
“I think it’s important that we continue to finish out that section of Sawyer Ranch,” said council member Geoffrey Tahuahua.
Founders Day Commission
Following a request made by the advisory body and city staff, council unanimously approved an ordinance updating the Founders Day Commission (FDC) Ordinance, which would change the body from a commission to a committee.
Currently, the commission is a 14-member advisory body that is tasked with managing the city of Dripping Springs’ Annual Founders Day celebration, held every year in April. The commission is responsible for planning, promoting, arranging and organizing Founders Day.
According to city staff, the commission chair and vice chair requested advice from the mayor and city administrator on how to streamline the process. The commission formed a fact-finding committee, with the assistance of city staff, including city attorneys and community events coordinator Johnna Krantz.
“Some of the reasons why they were looking for this is increased flexibility in festival planning, streamlining communications between the Founders Day Commission members and also flexibility in topics of discussion during public meetings,” said Parks & Community Services assistant director Emily Nelson.
Changes within the updated ordinance include the following:
Commission to a committee
The committee would not be subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act — provides the flexibility to hold operational discussions on short notice, but are still open to the public and records are subject to the Texas Public Information Act
Clarification of responsibilities
Increase possible number of members by one — this could be a representative from Dripping Springs ISD as an at-large member for 2026
Other changes to standardize the ordinance with other commission/board/committee ordinances
To watch the full meeting or view the agendas, visit www.drippingsprings-tx.municodemeetings.com. Dripping Springs City Council meets next at 6 p.m. July 1.
