City surveys residents on infrastructure

Officials want input on community’s desire for public pools, parks, roads.

Bastrop city officials are looking to glean what’s on the community’s mind when it comes to high-dollar infrastructure. So, the city has launched an online survey asking people what capital improvement projects they’d like to see the city build.

A public pool? A new park? A road that needs fixing? An improved wastewater system? “Anything a citizen thinks is important,” City Manager Lynda Humble said. The only parameters are that suggestions must be of a cost greater than $100,000, and must have a lifespan of more than 10 years.

The survey is posted online at cityofbastrop.org/survey. Residents can also print out the form and submit it via mail.

Residents without computer access can request the city send a copy.

Residents also will be required to include their name and address to verify they are city of Bastrop taxpayers. The survey will be available online through April 20.

The survey’s results will be one factor among several in how the city will create an overall priority list for capital improvement projects. Other considerations include environmental impact, cost feasibility and economic development.

Once the city has collected all responses, they will be reported on a project sheet and given to the City Council before the fiscal year 201819 budget cycle. The council will then decide in 2019 on a selection of the projects to fund.

“This first year is fact-finding; we’re putting together a plan that makes sense and helps us invest in the right things at the right time,” Humble said. “It’s going to give us direction.”

Humble said she is choosing this method to afford residents more input on how the city spends its dollars before the City Council begins entering the annual budget process in fall.

“Often times, when citizens engage in the budget process, we’re already so far along that it’s too late,” she said.