During a special City Council meeting Feb. 6, Bee Cave council members unanimously voted to extend the declaration of disaster, first issued Feb. 2, through the end of March.
“Cleanup is going to take a long time,” Bee Cave Mayor Kara King told Community Impact.
She said the entire process was moving at a “snail’s pace” from what officials had predicted even a few days ago.
The declaration will give Bee Cave City Manager Clint Garza authority to contract out and hire various cleanup services without having to wait for council’s approval, Communications Director Jenny Hoff said.
“Where he could normally only get something done every two weeks, now he can do it at his own pace,” King said.
The mayor also said during the emergency declaration period, people will have the opportunity to work with their insurance companies on claims for damages caused by the ice storm.
According to Section 418.004(l) of the Texas Government Code, a disaster is “the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from any natural or man-made cause, including fire, flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, oil spill or other water contamination, volcanic activity, epidemic, air contamination, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, riot, hostile military or paramilitary action, or other public calamity requiring emergency action or energy emergency.”
