NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas -- The New Braunfels city council met Monday night at a special council session to give the public another chance to voice which projects they would like to see funded.
• 2019 bond target cost is $120 million
• Bond advisory committee creating list of projects
• Street and sidewalk improvements top the list
The council has a target cost of $120 million for the 2019 bond. According to Mayor Barron Casteel, anything more than $120 million would likely trigger a tax increase, which is something he doesn't want to see. A bond advisory committee has met numerous times to create a list of priority bond projects for the city to consider.
On the top of the list is citywide street and sidewalk improvements. Around 40 percent of funding would go to these improvements. Mayor Casteel said this is something the council is no stranger to. The community wants better roads, and the mayor agrees tackling the issue of street improvements needs to be a priority.
A project that will likely get funding is Phase 2 of the Klein Road Improvements Project. Phase 1 was approved on the 2013 Bond and construction started this past summer from Farm to Market 1044 to South Walnut Ave. Phase 2, which is currently proposed on the 2019 Bond, will impact between Walnut Ave. and Farm to Market 725, the opposite end of Klein Road Phase 1.
The overall project includes widening Klein Road to two lanes each direction, and creating 10 foot travel paths on both sides for pedestrians and bikes. The project is impacting the district greatly as Klein Road is home to an elementary and middle school and eventually, the district's second high school, according to a spokesperson for New Braunfels ISD
"Where we are in this Klein Road area, 10 years ago, none of these streets were here, none of these houses were here so as New Braunfels has grown, we've had to put in new schools, new housing and as you can see with the city bond, they're putting in new road and new infrastructure, and improvements to accommodate all that growth," said NBISD spokesperson Rebecca Villarreal.
Another 40 percent of this bond is dedicated to the city's public safety buildings, which would include replacing two fire stations, and rehoming the police department. Mayor Casteel said the council has planned for these investments over the last five years so that they can be supported by the community members.
"When you have a ballot that approves a bond, that bond investment, whatever it is, that bond is going to be a more successful project because there isn't discord from the very beginning. It was supported by the citizens, you achieved their approval and now you can go about making that investment," Mayor Casteel said.
The council has until February 15 to call for a May bond election. The city is still hoping to reach its goal of a $120 million total.