West Lake Hills Mavor Dave Claunch identified some of the key decisions West Lake Hills City Council made in 2012 and some of the issues to be examined in 2013.

Meetings

The council meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

Terms and compensation

The mayor and council serve two-year terms with no term limits and without compensation.

Council members

  • Mayor Dave Claunch
  • Mayor Pro Tem Stan Graham
  • Councilman Jean Goehring
  • Councilman Taylor Holcomb
  • Councilman David Moore
  • Councilman Spencer Stevens

Big decisions made in 2012

  • Wastewater system purchase — The city negotiated with the Lower Colorado River Authority to purchase its water and wastewater system and has managed the water system effectively, Claunch said.
  • Dealing with ongoing wildfire risk — Council met with Water District 10 and agreed to update the fire flow of fire hydrants in city limits. The council and WD10 are hoping to have the hydrants produce 2,000 gallons per minute. Council also plans on continuing other prevention methods including brush cleanup and installing a FireWatch America camera system to monitor potential fire risks.
  • Belmont Village — The 114-room assisted living facility has broken ground in West Lake Hills and is estimated to create 120 new jobs for the area. The facility also has 27 rooms for Alzheimer's disease care.

Top issues for 2013

  • Widening Bee Caves Road — The main priority for 2013 is the Bee Caves Road widening project. In order to meet Texas Department of Transportation's timeline for starting the utility relocation process in 2013, all of the right of way acquisition must be completed in the first six months of the year. The city has had some success with donations of rights of way and is working with both homeowners and businesses about acquiring the needed land.
  • New technology in fire safety — Council plans to invest in the FireWatch America camera system, while not losing sight of the importance of minimizing fuel load through brush collection.
  • Managing water and wastewater system expansion — The city is planning on adding 30–50 homes to the system in the Northern Westlake Drive area and is looking at how to best manage that expansion.