Work on golf course bridges to start Monday
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

The Lampasas City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to award a contract for no more than $8,600 to HDR Inc. for engineering oversight, permitting, submittal approvals, inspection and construction close-out on the Hancock Park Golf Course bridge replacement project. A $150,000 budget amendment approved at the Oct. 22 council meeting includes funds for the contract with HDR.

Councilman Jerry Grayson cast the dissenting vote.

"This is no reflection on (HDR vice president James) Glaser," Grayson said. "I'm sure he does good work. I'm just opposed to the project."

Monday

Grayson also cast the lone "no" vote on the second reading of an ordinance amending the 2007/2008 budget to supplement the Golf Course Capital Fund.

Construction on the golf course bridges will begin Monday, City Manager Michael Stoldt said, and construction crews will work six days a week, with the exception of holidays.

Although city staff will remove the bridge washed from the sixth hole during the May flood, Public Works Director Randy Clark said parks crews might find a place for it in a city recreation area.

"We know we've got to get it off the golf course," he said.

In another item, the City Council unanimously approved a zoning change for a one-acre property at 404 East Avenue J.

Lyndel Lucas requested an ordinance for a zoning change, because the front of his nursery is zoned commercial, while the rear two-thirds of the property is zoned single-family residential.

"This is clearing up an oversight that occurred when drawing the zoning district map that did not show the full depth of the nursery in a commercial district," Building Official Lance Carlson said.

In addition, the council unanimously OK'd a $46,000 award of engineering services to Schneider Engineering Inc. for the South Feeder Project. The project will create a feeder from the Naruna Road Substation to serve the new high school and the industrial park. The line will loop from the substation to the Old Georgetown Road feeder installed to serve the Sunrise Hills subdivision.

The project will provide the main electrical feed to the south side of the city to provide for future growth, Clark said.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to award a $10,300 quote to Tidal Power Services of Moulton to perform acceptance testing on the Naruna and Lampasas Substation recloser project. The tests will ensure the recloser breakers meet manufacturer criteria and follow state and federal standards.

In other unanimous votes the council:

• OK'd a $137,000 contract with Dunkin Sims Stoffels Inc. for landscape architectural services at the sports park on Farm-to-Market Road 580 West.

• voted to buy a 50-foot-by- 110-foot lot at the corner of 10th and Ridge streets from the Lampasas Independent School District. The city will trade the property, to be purchased for $7,500 plus closing costs, with Jim Finley, who owns a tract adjacent to the school property. In return, Finley will give the city title to a portion of the Sulphur Creek levee and a 20-foot-wide utility easement at the base of the levee.

• approved 10 percent late fees for overdue membership payments, cart shed rentals and trail fees at the golf course.

• agreed to cast all of its 302 votes for Lawrence Hart in the Lampasas County Appraisal District board of directors election.

• voted to close the Lampasas Public Library Saturday, Dec. 22, and to cancel the council's Dec. 24 meeting.