City Council defends Lakeway Civic Corporation in lawsuit

The City of Lakeway is coming to the defense of the Lakeway Civic Corporation in a lawsuit that Mayor Dave DeOme called "outrageous."

During a July 16 meeting, Lakeway City Council authorized the city to contribute up to $8,000 to the LCC's legal defense. The LCC and City of Lakeway have been sued by Lakeway resident George Blume for the potential sale of parts of Rebel and Sailfish parks.

The lawsuit aims to prevent the city from selling the parks in the future, City Manager Steve Jones said.

City Council authorized a special election that would have allowed the sale of parts of Rebel Park and Sailfish Park to adjacent landowners. The LCC, which donated Rebel Park and Sailfish Park in addition to other parkland to Lakeway, had not taken a stance on the proposed sale, Jones said.

"I think this is a tragedy that [the LCC is named] in this lawsuit," he said."They did absolutely nothing."

Voters in the May special election rejected the sale of Rebel Cove and Sailfish Cove.

The portions of Rebel Park and Sailfish Park that were for sale are often submerged by Lake Travis and are largely unused by the greater community, Jones said. Landowners adjacent to the parks' coves wanted to buy the land so they could build boat docks that go to the middle of the cove.

Under the proposed purchase agreement, the surrounding landowners would have still been allowed to use the coves.

City ordinance requires voter approval for the sale of any parkland.