Bay City Tribune

Matagorda County Commissioners approved the recommendations of the beach dune committee to be sent for comments by the Texas General Land Office during their regular meeting Monday.

Ruben Gonzales, Matagorda County Environmental Health director, also explained to the court why some residents had to be turned away early from the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day.

George Deshotels, commissioner Pct. 2, told commissioners that the Lower Colorado River Authority had approached the beach dune committee requesting a permit to install restroom facilities at the beach access road in Matagorda.

Deshotels said the permit to construct the restroom facility would include making use of the existing wastewater treatment plant at the beach condos, pouring a slab to park the trailer-type flush toilet system and provide paved parking.

"It requires a permit because it is within 1,000 feet of the mean high tide level," said Deshotels.

He said LCRA chose to use the trailer system because new FEMA building regulations require cost prohibitive measures.

LCRA will build and maintain the restrooms, said Deshotels.

Commissioners also approved the beach dune committee's recommendation to the Texas General Land Office that the beach access fee be raised from $6 to $10 annually.

"We're up (in beach traffic) about 25 percent over last year," said Deshotels.

"We're just getting more and more people down here and the beach is requiring more and more maintenance."

The beach dune committee voted to raise the access fee for the first time since it's inception.

"The long and short of it is that we're looking at between $30,000 and $60,000 per year in the negative as far as beach maintenance goes," said Deshotels.

"The committee feels like we should try to step up the maintenance since we are getting such high use especially in this last year."

Gonzales explained that the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day was well attended, in fact so well attended that some had to be turned away when funds ran out early.

"We had to cut out at about 11:30 a.m. and I'll explain why," said Gonzales to commissioners.

"Prior to this year, Lyondell and OXEA paid whatever was left on expenses for the event," he said.

"This year we were under a strict budget and we had to cut it really close."

Gonzales explained that while the two companies didn't cut their participation with the event, they donated a capped amount.

"What they did this year was instead of just saying whatever's left we'll pay for it, they just donated a set amount and that's the budget we had to strictly follow," said Gonzales.

The event turned out almost 300 cars and 115 volunteers he said.

During public comments, James Arnold, Bay City resident, explained to the court that Matagorda County had just gained about 100 new jobs due to the onset of oyster season.

Arnold admonished the court to reconsider the harmful effect he feels the construction of White Stallion Energy Center would have on the county's environment, water quantity, water quality and agriculture industry.

Arnold asked the court to consider requesting that LCRA not take water from farmers to supply White Stallion Energy Center.