LG Council Meetings Packed With Citizens’ Comments – Part Two

The Feb. 23 La Grange City Council meeting included quite a few public comments from citizens during the public participation portion of the meeting.

In last Friday’s newspaper we included several of those comments. Here’s more: Theresa Von Rosenberg, a regular speaker at the City Council meetings, asked for an update on drainage improvements that the City plans to begin this year.

“Actually, you’d be glad to know that we did open the bids on February 19,” said City Manager Jack Thompson. “And at the next council meeting will be rewarding a contract to one of the construction firms.” Thompson said construction could begin as soon as April.

Next up was Dylan Schlotterbeck, who ran unopposed for a Ward 2 seat and will join the City Council in May.

“I’ve been to the last few meetings and the biggest concern I’ve seen is money spending,” Schlotterbeck said.

Schlotterbeck questioned the proposal for a $16,000 study into stop and yield signs in the City, which the Council tabled earlier in the meeting, especially since the City has a civil engineer on staff.

“The guy who does public works, he’s a civil engineer, graduated from Texas A&M,” Schlotterbeck said. “We have plenty of good employees who work here, plenty of good people in this town to ask about stuff. I don’t think we’re utilizing it the way we should.”

Schlotterbeck said he looks forward to working with the other Council members after his term begins.

“I just want to make sure we can keep the city lights on because we’re not doing a good job with spending money at the moment,” Schlotterbeck said.

Last to speak was retired local architect Brad Cutright, who described his speaking topic as “D.O.M.E. - Department of Municipal Efficiency.”

“In the last five decades, I’ve worked on about every project from the City of La Grange, seemingly much of which is being rehashed now with an additional expense,” Cutright said.

Cutright mentioned the City’s recent inquiry into improvements at various city facilities, including City Hall, the Randolph Recreation Center and the Fairgrounds.

“We met extensively with the prior city manager and the mayor at that time,” Cutright said. “We came up with a great idea. No one’s asked me about it.

“I don’t know if the consulting firms that have 34 offices in the United States have ever been to a county fair, certainly maybe not ours,” he added. “So how do they know what the issues are now?”

Cutright brought up the recent discussions about a hiking trail along the Colorado River. He said he worked with the City many years ago on a similar plan, but City leaders at the time abandoned it over concerns about taking private property through eminent domain.

“So as an emeritus architect with a closed business, I’ve got no skin in this game, except I’m a taxpayer,” Cutright said. “And so I welcome this city to come to me. Reach out. If you want me to help you with something in the past, just ask. I’ll be here.”