Your Village News in 3 minutes, 27 March

Friends,

1.  Over 30 Texas A&M students and instructors were in town Friday to tour downtown Salado as well as neighborhoods. As a semester project, they will create and present proposals on how to refurbish downtown.  The Municipal Building was filled with local residents expressing their ideas and suggestions.  For over an hour, the students heard and took notes on how Salado Main Street might look in the future.  In a few weeks, there will be another opportunity for the students and residents to ask questions and discuss the progress of the project.

2.  At the suggestion of Representative Jimmy Don Aycock, the Whitis Land Development Company, LLC, has requested a meeting with the SISD School Superintendent, Michael Novotny, County Commissioner Tim Brown, and the Mayor.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the concerns of Salado for the creation of Bell County Municipal Utility District #3 outside the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction and any Bell County city but within the boundaries of Salado I.S.D.  The Bill to establish the Utility District has not gone before the Texas Legislature for a vote.  A good understanding and description of what MUD Districts are can be found in the Salado Village Voice, Thursday, March 26, 2015.

3.  What do you do not know is that earlier in the week,  a TXDOT Representative called and discussed the possibility of placing the deck (concrete and asphalt) the last week in March on the 2484 bridge that was hit Thursday.  The discussion centered on when would be the best time to close I-35 Highway so that the least inconvenience would be experienced by Salado residents.  It is appreciated that TXDOT is working with Salado on road closings. The sooner we know, the sooner the information can be departed to our residents.  Meetings are being planned with TXDOT to discuss the bridge, construction, and an earlier completion date.  As of this date, it is not known how much damage was done to the bridge other than the obvious.

4.  Coming to work Friday morning, our City Administrator was listening to radio station, AM 1400. The DJ discussed the economic impact on Salado due to construction and the 2484 bridge being hit.  The DJ said the State owed the City to get in and complete the project as soon as possible.    

The DJ is absolutely correct, the construction must be ended this year, 2015, and not 2016.  Thank you, AM 1400, for supporting Salado.

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