Madeline Connor, Lost Creek Neighborhood Association president, meets with city officials.[/caption]City of Austin staffers met with Lost Creek residents on Oct. 26 to welcome them into the city’s boundaries prior to the area’s annexation Dec. 15.
The meeting featured city representatives, including Mayor Steve Adler, Parks Department Director Sara Hensley, Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros and Austin City Council Member Ellen Troxclair, who will represent the neighborhood in District 8.
Most residents said they attended the meeting to obtain more information about the annexation, the city and its departments. However, many attendees voiced concern over their higher water bills after Austin Water assumed control of the neighborhood’s water and wastewater utilities as well as the development of the Marshall tract, a 37-acre site located within Lost Creek and slated to become office space.
“What I want is to make sure Lost Creek residents have the strongest vote possible in the city of Austin and the fullest opportunity to participate,” 30-year resident Carla Doyne said. “I’m aware there are many changes involved [in annexation]. Right now I’m concerned about inconsistent information about water usage.”
She said the community is also focused on how the Marshall tract will be developed as well as traffic congestion issues along Loop 360.
“There is nothing we can do to stop [the] growth other than making this community a place [where newcomers] don’t want to live,” Adler said.
Troxclair, a resident of South Austin, said one of the reasons she ran for her office was that she experienced frustration over some of the same issues facing Lost Creek residents. She said she opposes Austin’s policy of transferring revenue from the city’s utilities into the city’s general fund.
“[Retaining the funds within the utility’s budget] would help us get to a rate structure that is more affordable for you,” Troxclair said. “The city has been [transferring revenue from utilities to the general fund] so long, they are dependent on it.”
She said Austin officials need to be transparent with their budgets, showing funds that are transferred from utility revenues—collected from ratepayers—and then used for general purposes in the city. Many ratepayers reside in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and do not benefit from the city services that are funded by these monies—much like not getting a dividend on an investment, she said.
“It is not uncommon for owners to get a dividend on things they own,” Troxclair said. “To me, the dividend would be lowering your water rates.”
