By Andy Sevilla

Buda city leaders and residents have both voiced urgency in building a new police department as a top priority as officials plan the roll out of $55 million in voter approved infrastructure fixes.

“I think all of us, when we ran for office, ran on public safety as one of our concerns,” Buda Mayor Todd Ruge said at a Nov. 18 meeting. “We owe it to our police force to get that (construction of a new police department) done sooner than later.”

Also making the short list of priority fixes were the building of a new municipal complex — which would include the construction of a new city hall, library and community room — roads and drainage.

“I think they’re all very important,” Ruge said. “What I would like to see is what two or three projects are most compatible to be built out at the same time.”

In the November general election, Buda voters approved all five Buda bond propositions requesting a total of $55 million to build a new municipal complex, police department, and fix roads, drainage and city parks and trails.

Buda city staff is in the process of developing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to hire a project manager to oversee the implementation of the Buda bond improvements. Assistant City Manager Brian LaBorde told council at the Nov. 18 meeting that staff is hopeful to have a project manager hired by year’s end or in early January.

“We want people to see progress as soon as possible,” City Manager Kenneth Williams said. “We don’t want to lag behind on that.”

Part of the progress city staff would like to have residents see will include updates on social media. LaBorde said staff is developing a social media plan.

Among the many residents that sounded off on their personal bond priorities on the Hays Free Press’ Facebook page several voiced support for a new police department building.

“The police department. Have you seen it?” Tatum Davis asked.

“Police department, drainage issues then road improvement. Everything else should follow,” Kristine Santana commented on Facebook.

But, city officials are hamstrung, for now, in beginning designs for a new police department. Land must first be acquired to make way for the proposed 14,000 square-foot police facility.

Council member Eileen Altmiller said her priorities first lie in negotiating land acquisition for the police department and municipal complex. 

Buda resident Colin Strother suggested on the Hays Free Press Facebook page that city officials should begin with improvements to roads and drainage throughout Buda as land acquisition is expected to be lengthy. 

Officials have said they are in talks with potential prospects, and that it would be likely that the municipal complex and police department would both be constructed on the same piece of land. 

“That to me was kind of what led this charge — was to get the new city hall, and to get the library and to help out the police department,” council member Bobby Lane said of his Buda bond priorities.

Lane said when he first joined council in May 2000 the common theme was the need for a new library in the city. 

“So here we’re sitting 14 years later and we have no new library,” he said. “So if it was me, I’d like to see the library on the ground as soon as possible; we’ve outstripped every resource we have in that facility.”

And with building a new library, the construction of a new city hall is inclusive in the project.

“And as you can see tonight, without too much of an irregular meeting, we’re almost maxed out at the city,” Lane said of the Nov. 18 meeting, which featured the canvassing of the November election results.

Many elected officials suggested dovetailing projects to minimize construction and administrative costs.

“We need to be smart about the project management, and try and incorporate as many of the projects concurrently as far as debt issuance will allow us,” council member Jose Montoya said. “We can’t do all five projects at the same time, but if we schedule them out and phase them in, I think that’s the wise thing to do.”

Officials are leaning toward issuing out the bond debt in two phases. Each issuance would be for $27.5 million. The total estimated property tax increase is 14.69 cents per $100 of property valuation, based on a conservative growth rate of five percent, and an interest rate between 3.75 – 4.25 percent.

Proposition 1: 

Municipal Facility ~ $21,000,000

• City Hall, Library and shared meeting space

• Proposed approximate square footages

– City Hall 23,000sf 

– Library 16,000sf 

– Meeting space 14,000sf

• Designed to provide for emergency preparedness

• Land acquisition cost included 

Proposition 2: 

Public Safety Facility~ $6,750,000

• Proposed 14,000 square-feet 

• Designed to provide for emergency preparedness 

• Land acquisition cost included 

• Can be on the same property as the Municipal Facility

Proposition 3: 

Transportation ~ $12,250,000

• Intersection improvements at FM 967 and Main St. 

• Main Street widening from Cabelas to Cedar St.

– Preliminary scope: Widen to four lanes with bike lanes, sidewalks and center turn lane.

– Minimize tree impact 

• Old Goforth Improvements

– Preliminary scope: Reconstruct, add center turn lane and sidewalks

– Project limits: inside city limits -.8 mile (from FM 2001 to south end of Stoneridge subdivision)

– Talk with county commissioner on possible joint-effort to extend to the end of Hillside Terrace

• San Antonio Street vehicular and pedestrian improvements 

Proposition 4: 

Drainage ~ $7,000,000

• West Goforth area 

• Fire Station area 

• Bluff Street area 

• Houston Street area 

• Oxbow Neighborhood 

• Lifschutz Headwaters

Proposition 5: 

Parks & Trails ~ 8,000,000

• City Park Improvements 

• Improvements to parks and trails on east and west side 

• Maintenance building