Mountain City’s Council Meeting this week started seven hours after my deadline, so please look elsewhere in this week’s paper for a follow-up to last week’s front page story that reported from the Kyle City Council a draft Letter Agreement for the City of Mountain City, proposing a swap that would transfer the “Anthem portion” of Mountain City’s ETJ to Kyle’s jurisdiction.

Many know, in 1984 a subdivision previously known as Mountain City Oaks incorporated under the name Mountain City and elected a mayor and city council in order to make impossible a takeover by encroaching cities (particularly Austin). With incorporation came the added protection of a ½-mile buffer out from the city limits, our “extraterritorial jurisdiction”.

It’s safe to say that most in Mountain City do not know that Mountain City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction extends way west on FM 150, past Indian Hills and a narrow panhandle extends from FM 150 northward almost to FM 967.  Shortly after our incorporation, contiguous ranches westward went through the legal process to voluntarily place themselves into Mountain City’s ETJ to gain protection from a takeover by encroaching cities.

Beth Smith, resident of Mountain City who served as mayor of Mountain City at the time, explained the ETJ last week on NextDoor.com, “We have limited control, but another city cannot just take it away or annex.”

Mountain City’s ETJ became even larger in December 2014, when those associated with the proposed Anthem development requested that the entire acreage come under Mountain City’s jurisdiction, which added 432.93 acres.

As a private citizen of Mountain City, Beth commented on NextDoor.com, “I’ve emailed the council already with my objections to giving up any ETJ. I’m sure there would be a bit of a benefit to MC, but nothing could outweigh the long term benefits of keeping the ETJ.”

Beth Smith, who now serves as Justice of the Peace, tells a bit about herself and Mountain City history on judgebeth.com, “Because of my love for people, solution finding, and interest in the community, I was instrumental in helping Mt. City incorporate in 1984. I was elected the same year as the First Mayor of Mountain City, and served until 1998, when beginning my career as a JP.”

During Beth’s service as Mayor, a citizen developed the idea of establishing the first Saturday in June as “Mountain City Garage Sales Day”.  This year, that’s June 6.  Throughout the City, individuals and neighbors find it beneficial to sell what they clean and glean from their closets, cupboards, and storage. 

I find tidbit collection beneficial each week when I work to piece together this Montage. Please contribute! Ptom5678@gmail.com (Subject: TIDBIT) or 512.268.5678.   Thanks!  Love, Pauline

P.S. (through FaceBook) Marjie Kelley shared on Monday, “We’ve spotted (pun!) a fawn under the roots of the oak tree that’s lying (not laying) down in the front yard. There are bees in that hole — stay tuned to see how this turns out…”