By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Steiner Ranch Master Association board invited representatives from the Travis County Constable’s Office and a security company to the June 26 meeting to give updates on how to keep the community safer.

The board also passed a measure to spend up to $202,000 on front entrance improvements, voted in two new directors, and covered a lengthy discussion on pool contracts.

There was a brief discussion on the agenda item that focuses on third party management ideas or “professional onsite management services”. Board members expressed needing more time to discuss further and needing more details before they could vote on the measure. A meeting was scheduled for the board to meet in mid July.

Homeowners

The SRMA meeting kicked off with a homeowner forum. Two community members spoke.

“(SRMA board) called three town hall meetings last year and the attendees at all three overwhelmingly rejected your for-profit management proposal, now called POMS, and told the board to work with the existing HOA staff. Again you are saying there will be $1.1-$1.5 million savings over three years with still no proof and no evaluation,” said Bill Menzies, local resident who used to be on the SRMA board.

The second homeowner, Dan Venuto, then spoke to the board.

“I support third party management. I’ve wondered why an entity this large is not going with a third party management, and put the savings toward amenities that are needed. I fully support third party management,” Venuto said.

New directors

The first order of business was to vote on two new at-large directors — Lawrence Spinetta  and Chris Langevin. Both were approved by the board, replacing recently re-elected Robby Roberts and Erika Fletcher who resigned and walked out of the SRMA board meeting on May 22. Both cited they did not feel they could effectively carry on their service to the Steiner community by being on the SRMA board.

Security

Mike Jennings, captain of Travis County Constable’s Office Precinct 2, and Michael De Leon, senior deputy, spoke to homeowners on ways they could help keep the community safer with added officers dedicated only to Steiner.

The officers did not talk about the costs of the added police presence since that varies depending on how many officers and what hours they would work the community.

“This area is growing and more and more people are moving out here, and with that our call volumes go up,” DeLeon said. “Steiner Ranch criminal statistics are on the rise. How can we partner with you to make the community safer?”

Additionally, Compound Security Specialists shared how security cameras can be put at the entrances and/or in other key places within the community to record the vehicles coming in and going out.  

Entrance

A front entrance landscape contract was approved to spend up to $202,000 for the entrance of Steiner at Quinlan Park Road and RM 620 N.

Pool contracts

There was lengthy discussion on the pool contracts Steiner has with Vandegrift HS, Steiner Stars Swim and  Lost Creek Aquatics.

The board discussed revising Lost Creeks’ recently signed contract since numbers in the program have dropped significantly.

The board voted on adding one more swim meet for the Steiner Stars program, and one more swim meet for the VHS swim department.

Speed, parking, path, staff

The board is investigating further the ideas of adding parking at Westridge Park, and adding a bike path along Country Trails Lane for school children safety    

The University of Texas Golf Club community has been wanting to drivers to slow down. A vote was taken on a speed table study.

One more Steiner staffer is gone. Part-timer Meredith Hamrick, communications coordinator, resigned and shared her notice on on June 26.