The newly formed committee will develop an economic strategy for the city and work to ensure Lakeway remains an attractive location for a variety of businesses, according to city documents.
The committee will consist of nine to 15 members to be nominated by Mayor Sandy Cox and confirmed by a majority of council members. The terms of office will run concurrently with the mayoral term.
After members have been approved the group will determine its regular meeting schedule. Per city documents, those meetings will not be in accordance with Texas’ Open Meetings Act, meaning the public may not participate.
Cox noted this decision was due to the nature of the committee’s business-centered conversations and added the committee does not have the authority to make decisions.
However, the committee will make formal reports to the council regarding methods to strengthen the local economy and diversify the city’s tax base.
The committee may also aid Lakeway in developing a citywide annual event that would attract tourism and promote the region. Though an official event was not decided upon, Cox said it could be similar to the city’s former golf event.
“This event would be very much fitted to the culture of the city of Lakeway, and we think that’s very important that be the focus here,” City Manager Julie Oakley said.
Oakley said this objective would require the expertise of a professional event planner with a docket of business connections.
Council gave the green light to request proposals to hire an individual or firm to develop the event, which Oakley said could take up to four months. The expense will be allocated from the city’s hotel occupancy tax fund, though an official amount was not decided upon.
