The Lampasas City Council on Monday approved an increase of $15,363 to the Schneider Engineering agreement for the city's South Feeder electric line project.

The increase in total project design costs raises the overall contract price to $61,363 and reflects several changes in the contract, such as alignment, line routing and right of way clearing.

The council voted 6-0, with Mayor Pro Tem John Cole absent, to approve the contract amendment and to contract with Techline, under the city's LCRA Services Agreement, for the cost of materials.

Developing a material list and preparing documents for a competitive bid would have cost an additional $11,500, Public Works Director Randy Clark said.

Techline already has been through a competitive bid process with the Lower Colorado River Authority, Clark added.

In other business, the council took no action on an insurance claim by Carrie Corbin. Ms. Corbin said her home at 32 Hollywood Dr. sustained about $4,000 in water damage when the house flooded, which she said resulted from city maintenance crews not cleaning a culvert behind her property.

The home first flooded during heavy rains in May 2007, Ms. Corbin said, but it flooded again after a 40-minute rain on May 15, 2008.

"The water raged like a river, and it came up about two feet high," Ms. Corbin said.

After the most recent flooding, Ms. Corbin and Streets Department Supervisor Shane Brown noticed a four-foot section of gravel in a culvert behind her property. Brown told the homeowner the culvert had not been cleaned in more than five years, Ms. Corbin said.

He also told her water likely had backed up to the house when it hit the gravel in the culvert, Ms. Corbin said.

Ms. Corbin's home value has dropped from $114,000 to $74,000 as a result of flood damage, she said.

"I just don't think it's fair," she said. "I don't think I should have to pay for this."

Mike Rains, claims manager for Texas Municipal League's risk pool, said the city of Lampasas does not have any liability for damage to Ms. Corbin's property. The city is insured by Texas Municipal League.

Rains said he would research the matter further, and he invited Ms. Corbin to phone him if she has additional questions.

"I want to make sure we got it right," he said.

In another item, the council voted 6-0 to accept MW Hail Construction Inc.'s bid of $6,500 to build two concrete headwalls at the second-hole green at Hancock Park Golf Course. A footbridge is stored in the City Barn and will be placed later.

The bridge will be longer than the one damaged by flooding last spring, City Manager Michael Stoldt said, and footings will be set outside the creek to reduce the chance of future flood damage.

Also Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a three-year lease of 40 Yamaha carts for the golf course at an annual price of $25,689. Cart rentals generate $85,000 to $95,000 yearly in revenue, golf course manager Van Berry said.

The lease includes a rebate of $30 per cart and also allows the city to obtain new carts every 30 months, Berry said.

In addition, the City Council voted 5-0, with new member Evan Stubbs abstaining, to allow the Lampasas County Appraisal District to transfer $10,000 in excess funds from the district's 2007 budget into a reserve account and $4,000 into a vehicle reserve account. The remaining $48,337 in excess funds will be refunded to taxing entities.

The council also:

• voted 6-0 to reappoint Paul Wilborn, Sid Ball and Judy Hetherly to the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. board of directors.

• voted 6-0 to approve a resolution pledging support for Raise Your Hand Texas, a group dedicated to strengthening Texas public schools.