Mayor, council races are contested
The filing deadline for the Lakeway mayor’s office and three Lakeway City Councilmember positions on the May 4, 2019 ballot ended Feb. 15 with all races contested.
Candidates for mayor are incumbent Sandy Cox and Thomas Kilgore.
City Council candidates are Lisa Butler, Doug Howell, Sanjeev Kumar, Marvin Mead, Julie Reichert, Sean Sutton, and Gretchen Vance. Of these seven candidates, the top three voter-getters will be elected to office to fill the seats of outgoing councilmembers Bridge Bertram, Ron Massa, and Keith Trecker who are term limited.
Winning candidates will serve two-year terms expiring May 2021.
City updates code enforcement process, right of entry ordinance
The Lakeway Code Enforcement Department is undergoing a makeover and rebranding effort with a focus on voluntary compliance.
The department not only changed in name from Code Enforcement to Code Compliance, but it also is changing in mission, core commitments and values. This makeover also will include updated procedures and communications with a focus on education and community building.
In addition, Lakeway City Council on Feb. 19 amended its ordinances regarding right of entry by city building officials into a property to administer or enforce city building codes.
City Park to get facelift
ahead of 25th anniversary
The city will spruce up Lakeway City Park in advance of its 25th anniversary festivities in April.
After nearly 25 years of event hosting, continued daily use, and historic droughts and floods, the park’s appearance is aged and is in need of timely maintenance and re-imagination.
Lakeway Parks and Recreation Department will replace or refurbish benches, tables, and trashcans, Doggi-Pot Stations, sand volleyball areas, and the kayak launch, after City Council authorized a $38,623 expenditure.
The city also is creating a centralized honorarium for all of the bench plaques.
Speaking of the park's 25th anniversary, mark your calendar, Sundays in April, for celebration events soon to be announced.
In response to citizen requests, the Lakeway City Council amended its solid waste ordinances to allow for expanded hours for placement of trash and recycle carts at the curb.
Previously, the ordinance only allowed carts to be out on the same day of service. 
The amendment permits residents to place their carts out after 6 p.m. the evening prior to their scheduled collection day and return their carts to their screened location any time on the day of service.
This change is effective immediately and will accommodate residents who work long shifts or unconventional hours.
Lakeway City Council is considering an ordinance amendment that would enable residents to enjoy their recreational vehicles and boats while also preserving the appearance of the city.
At their Feb. 19 meeting, councilmembers discussed updating the RV and boat ordinance to strike a balance between affording owners a reasonable amount of time to load and unload these vehicles, yet prohibiting their storage on property.
City Council tabled the item until the March meeting. Thank you to all the residents who provided input and attended the meeting.
12 p.m., Feb. 28
8 a.m., March 2