This is a portion of the Austin annexation map from 1960 to 2012. It shows that River Place was declared to be annexed like others in dark blue between 2000-2009. Also other sections along RM 620 and RM 2222 in Four Points were claimed for annexation at that time. Source: City of Austin

By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

River Place leaders are asking their neighbors and other Four Points residents to support proposed Texas Senate Bill 715, which would give property owners the right to vote for or against municipal annexation.

River Place leaders believe annexation will bring higher taxes and fewer services to their community, and they also want to draw attention to the fact that other local communities may be next on Austin’s annexation list.

The River Place Homeowners Association intends to have representatives at the bill’s public hearing and hopes others will register and testify.

The Senate hearing is Wednesday, April 5, starting at 9 a.m. in room E1.028 at the State Capitol building. The House hearing is the same day starting at 2 p.m.  in room E2.026.

It is an urgent matter for River Place, which is scheduled for annexation by the city of Austin on December 15, as set forth in a 2009 Strategic Partnership Agreement between the city of Austin and the River Place Municipal Utility District. The SPA was originally negotiated to delay annexation as long possible, said Scott Crosby, a 13-year River Place resident and board member for both MUD and the River Place HOA.

If passed as now proposed, SB 715 would go into effect September 1 making the SPA’s future unclear. “I do not know if the SPA would be void or whether it would require a vote. Either way, the annexation would require a vote,” said Crosby.

“The bill as written would give River Place residents a vote on whether or not to be annexed by the city of Austin. I believe that residents should have a vote in this important decision,” said Tim Mattox, a 17-year River Place resident and HOA board member.

Sen. Donna Campbell, R-San Antonio, filed SB 715, also known as the Texas Annexation Reform Act, on Feb. 2. She co-authored the bill with five other Republicans, including Sen. Dawn Buckingham, Lakeway, and Sen. Charles Schwertner, Bryan.

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Local resident Nicole Patel and her Delysia Chocolatier shop was recently named a Top 10 Chocolatier & Confectioner in the Americas by the International Chocolate Salon and Taste TV for 2017.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Nicole Patel, local chef and owner of Delysia Chocolatier — an award-winning chocolate company with over 60 handcrafted chocolates on the menu — is expanding the business she started nearly a decade ago.

“In 2017 we are trying to grow more here in Austin and become a household name and push more nationwide,” said Patel, a Steiner Ranch mother of two and former corporate America engineer.

She is well on her way. Delysia was recently named a Top 10 Chocolatier & Confectioner in the Americas by the International Chocolate Salon and Taste TV for 2017. This is the second time she has gotten this accolade.

Delysia has expanded its offerings to retail customers over the past year. It offers complimentary chocolate tastings hosted every weekend at its Culinary Center & Chocolate Boutique at 2000 Windy Terrace Suite 2C Austin 78613, near RM 620 N and Anderson Mill Road.

Patel is also introducing chocolate tasting classes this year as well as special events like its free Easter egg decorating competition, which is Sunday, April 9 from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Families are invited and kids can decorate a chocolate egg, and then Facebook followers will vote on their favorites. The winners will receive Easter themed chocolate treats.

Patel went to college at Texas A&M University and has a master’s degree in industrial engineering. She never imagined how her experience working at a Fortune 100 company as a supply chain and business process improvement expert would prime her for distributing her own products across the country.

“I made my first batch of truffles in 2006 when I was pregnant with my oldest,” she said.

She didn’t have a lot of extra money to go shopping and was watching TV when she came across a show on how to make candy truffles. “I thought, ‘this looks fun and easy, and I can do this,’” she said.

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Residents urged to give testimony

By TIM MATTOX
River Place Resident

The Texas legislature is considering a bill (Senate Bill 715) that would allow communities targeted for annexation, including River Place, to vote on whether or not the community should be annexed.

The River Place HOA board supports this bill and the efforts to prevent River Place from being annexed by the city of Austin.

The main reasons for the HOA board’s opposition are high taxes and diminished services. The average home in River Place would pay over $2,000 dollars in higher property taxes and significantly higher electric bills. River Place is already paying significantly higher water rates under the SPA agreement between the River Place Municipal Utility District and city of Austin.

Hearings on SB 715 will be held in the next three weeks on a Wednesday. There is only a 24-hour notice of when the bill will be considered by the committee and testimony allowed at the state capitol building.

All Four Points residents who support the bill should attend, sign in, and testify in support of the bill, as physical support influences legislatures.

If River Place is annexed, the city of Austin will look for the next target in the Four Points area which could be Steiner Ranch.

More information on the bill can be found at Texas Legislature Online, at www.legis.state.tx.us. Also setting up a MyTLO account will allow alerts sent when SB 715 is being considered in committee.

Vanessa Budde, a Vandegrift senior, finished the Austin Marathon in February and qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon after less than two months of “serious” training.

By HADLEY HUDSON
Vandegrift Voice

Vandegrift senior Vanessa Budde — who trained for less than two months — finished the Austin Marathon just 25 minutes behind the winner and she qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon.

Budde began training in January for the Feb. 19 Austin Marathon.

“When I first started training for it, I figured that I would just try to finish and I wasn’t going to try to qualify for anything or do anything great,” Budde said. “But then after I started training I realized that maybe I should actually try and set a goal for my time.”

To qualify for the Boston Marathon, the qualifying time for women aged 18-34 is 3 hours and 35 minutes. Budde set her sights on this goal for her first marathon.

“I started training a lot more when I made a goal, and then at the Austin Marathon I ended up getting a 3:29:05, so I qualified by a few minutes,” Budde said. “I’m pretty proud, when I first started I honestly didn’t think I was going to finish the run so I’m glad that I ended up qualifying.”

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