Lago Vista residents face Stage 5 water limits Thanksgiving week

City staff told the Lago Vista City Council on Nov. 5, 2026, that Stage 5 water restrictions start the week of Thanksgiving. The limits come ahead of repairs at Water Plant 3, and staff gave no cost for that work.¹ The city's 2023 drought plan bans irrigation with city water in Stage 5 and listed a $45 monthly fee for each living unit equivalent (LUE).² A 2024 ordinance says the council approves any drought fee as needed, using a formula.³ Staff did not mention a drought fee.¹ The council approved the minutes of its Oct. 15 meeting by a voice vote the mayor announced as unanimous.⁴ The mayor also proposed using the council's Dec. 17 meeting date for a charter work session instead of a regular meeting.⁵ A draft ban on fireworks in the city is waiting on the city attorney's review.⁶ The agenda packet lists no cost for the minutes, the holiday dates, or the fireworks draft.^7,8,9

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A dry outdoor faucet on a pale limestone house wall, a green garden hose coiled on a hook beside it, and a galvanized watering can upside down on the gravel below a dusty flower bed. AI illustration. — AI illustration. Image credits.

When we wrote this story, the city had not posted minutes for this meeting, so this story is based on the meeting video.¹⁰

What this story covers

This story gathers the shorter items from the council's Nov. 5 regular meeting, in the order the council took them up. The bigger items that night have their own stories. They cover the Lakeside at Tessera water system, the Cedar Breaks effluent study, the Garver sewer plant contract, and the state sewer loan forms. Others cover the federal sewer grant split, the Pond 17 to Pond 2 pipe, and the curfew repeal. Still others cover the city logo policy, the charter review, the development code subcommittee, and contract safeguards.¹¹

The council met in its chambers at 5803 Thunderbird for a regular meeting set for 3 p.m. City Secretary Robin Smith certified that the agenda was posted at City Hall by 6 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2026.¹¹

Opening and citizen comments

Mayor Shane R. Saum opened the meeting with six of the seven council members there.^11,12 He said Council Member Amanda Chavarria was on her way.¹² When he asked about other agenda items for the closed session, Council Member Karen Van Ness was named, and item 9.6 was added.^11,12

At citizen comments, the mayor noted that the council could not act on or discuss topics that were not on the agenda. He called on former Council Member Pat Dixon. Dixon said "the staffing turnover is alarming." He named long-serving staff from his own time on the council, including two police chiefs.¹³

He said he did not think pay was the cause this time. "I'm concerned it may be more institutional," Dixon said. He said a fix "needs to be a priority."¹³ Our Oct. 22 story covered the new city structure, which adds three executive director jobs.¹⁴

City Council meeting, Nov. 5, 2026, from 7:53 to 9:09 in the city's video. Trimmed only at the start and end. Watch the full meeting from this moment. Video credits.

Paul Prince's last regular meeting

The mayor then presented a certificate to Council Member Paul Prince. He said it was Prince's "last regular council meeting" after serving since 2020. The certificate thanked Prince for his service on the council from 2020 to 2026.¹⁵ Several council members thanked him, and more than one praised his work on the budget.¹⁶

The city's elections page lists Prince's Place 6 term as expiring in November 2026, with an election on Nov. 3.¹⁷ Prince said Rob Durbin once called him "the budget guy," a label he adopted. He told the council that "budget is core to what this council does." He said spending the city's money wisely to make the city better is now their job. He also said he was glad to have a break ahead of him.¹⁸

City Council meeting, Nov. 5, 2026, from 15:37 to 16:13 in the city's video. Trimmed only at the start and end. Watch the full meeting from this moment. Video credits.

The Oct. 15 minutes

Item 8.4 asked the council to approve the minutes of its Oct. 15 meeting.¹¹ City Secretary Robin Smith submitted the draft minutes.⁷ Chavarria moved to approve them, and Prince seconded.⁴

Prince said he had already given the city secretary a name correction for the person who gave the invocation. The mayor called for discussion, heard none, and announced the minutes "approved unanimously." It was a voice vote, and the mayor did not call the roll.⁴

City Council meeting, Nov. 5, 2026, from 1:50:54 to 1:51:43 in the city's video. Trimmed only at the start and end. Watch the full meeting from this moment. Video credits.

Holiday meeting dates

The council took up item 9.4 before item 9.2, out of agenda order.^5,6 The mayor submitted item 9.4 on the council's meeting dates for the holidays.⁸ He said the council has sometimes canceled its second meeting in December. He suggested holding a charter meeting on that date, Dec. 17, instead of a regular meeting. "I still want one in November," the mayor said.⁵

One speaker said they would be away the week of Dec. 17. That speaker asked the council to take up the 5% to 10% question in November instead, but did not explain it further.⁵ Earlier that night, during the charter item, a council member and Robert Owen, secretary of the charter review committee, disagreed over whether the draft kept the recall petition threshold at 10% or lowered it to 5%.^19,20 Our charter story covers that item.¹¹

The council took no vote on the dates. Our two transcripts hear the mayor's closing words differently, so we could not confirm what he said about members' agreement.⁵

Fireworks

The police department submitted item 9.2 on fireworks.⁹ The mayor called on Interim City Manager Ron Joy to present it.^6,11 Joy said the city learned around July 4 that its ordinance banning fireworks "had been removed at some point." He said state laws and fire safety rules still apply, but the city needs its own ban again.⁶

Joy said the city attorney's office wants more time to compare the draft with other cities' rules. The next time fireworks are likely is New Year's Eve, so "we still have time," Joy said. No resident spoke, and the council moved on without a vote.⁶

The draft in the packet would ban using fireworks in the city limits all year. It sets no general holiday exception for the Fourth of July or New Year's Eve. Fines could reach up to $2,000 per offense if the city attorney finds the rule is a fire safety rule under state law. If not, the draft says the usual state maximum fine applies instead.⁹

City Council meeting, Nov. 5, 2026, from 3:30:48 to 3:32:02 in the city's video. Trimmed only at the start and end. Watch the full meeting from this moment. Video credits.

The Dawn Park easement

Van Ness submitted item 9.6 on releasing an easement at Dawn Park.⁸ An easement gives someone permission to use another person's land.²¹ The item's cover page does not say where the easement is or who holds it.⁸

When the item came up, the mayor said the council may have already covered it in its closed discussion. The council moved on without a vote.²²

Reports from staff and council liaisons

The meeting ended with items of community interest and reports from staff and council liaisons. Council Member Jess Hall said the golf course committee had looked at the Pond 17 to Pond 2 pipe the council discussed that night.²³

A council liaison asked that a proclamation for Keep Lago Vista Beautiful's "Governor's Community Achievement Award" go on the next agenda. The liaison also said the Library Advisory Board is looking for grants for English classes. The Building and Standards Commission wants guidance from the council on its work, the liaison said.²⁴

Commission members want to keep working on condemning unsafe buildings, even though "they do not have anything funded right now."²⁴ Our Nov. 5 story reported that a $250,000 request to start condemnations was left out of the budget.²⁵

The mayor said the council will hold two strategic planning meetings to choose its priorities for the year. He said the council would ideally pick its top three. Ordinances outside those priorities "may be delayed," he said. The liaison answered that commission members "do not feel like they're getting the support from council that they would like."²⁶

Mayor Pro Tem Norma Owen reported on the Board of Adjustment.^11,27 That city board hears requests such as special exceptions to zoning rules. Its Nov. 2 agenda had one, asking to allow more than the maximum building height for a planned home.²⁸ Owen said the board will keep getting such height requests. She said the city needs "greater clarity" in its development rules and public materials on those cases.²⁷

The mayor said the first strategic planning meeting is Nov. 13, the vote canvass is Nov. 16, and the second strategic meeting is Nov. 17.²⁹ Prince said the Planning and Zoning Commission will not meet in November. He said three of its seven seats will need to be filled in January.³⁰

Prince also said the Rolling Hills Community Church food pantry "continues to just explode" in demand.³⁰ The mayor asked whether city social media could share the food pantries' work over the holidays.³¹

A staff member then gave department updates. The city swore in a police officer the day before the meeting, the staff member said. The officer had worked for the department before. The officer filled one of the positions the council approved in the new budget, as the new animal control officer.¹ Our Oct. 10 story reported that the new budget again sets police overtime at $0.³²

Lift station repairs were finished that morning, with crews leaving about 2 a.m., the staff member said.¹ Our Oct. 2 story covered a lift station repair the council ratified for up to $139,000 from the Utility Fund.³³ The staff member did not say whether this week's work was that repair.¹

The staff member said the city has been advertising the Stage 5 water restrictions this month. The limits start the week of Thanksgiving, before repairs at Water Plant 3 the week after.¹ Under the city's drought plan, Stage 5 can start when the city "declares a Water Plant emergency," among other triggers. In Stage 5 the plan bans all irrigation with city water and allows no hand-watering. The 2023 plan listed the Stage 5 fee at $45 a month for each LUE.² An LUE is the city's measure of one lot's water and sewer service.³⁴ Since 2024, the city's fee rules say the council approves any drought fee as needed.³ Staff did not say whether the city has declared that emergency, and did not mention a drought fee. Crews have also evaluated 205 of almost 250 roads to plan the third phase of repaving.¹

A council member asked whether the golf course's parking lot could be repaved. The staff member said staff would look at it again.³⁵ At the mayor's request, Prince closed the meeting at 8:12 p.m.^31,35

What we could not find

Minutes of the Nov. 5 meeting, which the city had not posted when we wrote this story.¹⁰
Whether the council will set a Stage 5 drought fee, and what the Water Plant 3 repairs will cost.^1,3
The final fireworks ordinance and the city attorney's review of it.⁶
Where the Dawn Park easement is, who holds it, and what the council discussed about it in closed session.^8,22
Whether members agreed to the Dec. 17 charter work session, which only a listen to the video can settle.⁵

What you can do

Ask the city for the Water Plant 3 repair cost estimate and any revised fireworks draft that comes out of the city attorney's review. Requests go through the city's records request page.³⁶
To speak during citizen comments, fill out the city's citizen participation form and give it to the mayor before the meeting starts. If you join online, email the form as it directs.¹¹
If you have records on these items, you can share them with us.

Podcast transcript

Read the transcript

Host 1. Welcome to the Lago Vista Watchdog. The two voices you're hearing are AI generated, and everything we say comes from public records.

Host 2. Today we're rounding up the shorter items from the Lago Vista City Council's Nov. 5 meeting.

Host 1. Start with your faucet. City staff told the council that Stage 5 water restrictions start the week of Thanksgiving.

Host 2. Why then?

Host 1. Repairs at Water Plant 3 come the week after. Staff gave no cost for that work.

Host 2. And what does Stage 5 mean at home?

Host 1. The city's drought plan bans all irrigation with city water in Stage 5. No hand-watering either.

Host 2. The 2023 plan listed a Stage 5 fee of $45 a month for each living unit equivalent, the city's measure of one lot's water and sewer service.

Host 1. Since 2024, though, the council sets any drought fee as needed, and staff did not mention one.

Host 2. The council also approved its Oct. 15 minutes, and the mayor proposed using Dec. 17 for a charter work session. A draft fireworks ban is waiting on the city attorney.

Host 1. One note before we go on. When we made this, the city had not posted minutes for the meeting, so this comes from the meeting video.

Host 2. Let's go in order. Mayor Shane R. Saum opened the meeting, set for 3 p.m., with six of the seven council members there. Council Member Amanda Chavarria was on her way.

Host 1. First came citizen comments. Former Council Member Pat Dixon told the council the staffing turnover is alarming.

Host 2. He didn't think pay was the cause this time.

Host 1. He said he's concerned it may be more institutional, and that a fix needs to be a priority.

Host 2. Next, a farewell. The mayor gave Council Member Paul Prince a certificate. It was his last regular meeting after serving since 2020.

Host 1. Prince said Rob Durbin once called him the budget guy, and the name stuck. In his words, budget is core to what this council does.

Host 2. He told the others that spending the city's money wisely is now their job. He also said he was glad to have a break.

Host 1. Then the Oct. 15 minutes. Chavarria moved to approve them, and Prince seconded.

Host 2. The mayor heard no discussion and announced them approved unanimously, by voice. He did not call the roll.

Host 1. The holiday dates came next. The mayor said the council has sometimes canceled its second December meeting.

Host 2. He suggested using that date, Dec. 17, for a charter meeting instead.

Host 1. One speaker said they'd be away that week and asked to take up the 5% to 10% question in November.

Host 2. Our two transcripts hear the mayor's closing words differently, so we can't say whether he called it settled. There was no vote.

Host 1. Fireworks were next. Interim City Manager Ron Joy said the city learned around July 4 that its fireworks ban had been removed at some point.

Host 2. The draft would ban fireworks in the city limits all year, with no general holiday exception.

Host 1. Fines could reach $2,000 per offense if the city attorney finds it's a fire safety rule.

Host 2. The attorney's office wants more time. Joy noted the next big fireworks night is New Year's Eve, so there's still time.

Host 1. Then a brief one. Council Member Karen Van Ness had put on an item about releasing an easement at Dawn Park.

Host 2. The mayor said the council may have covered it in closed session, and they moved on without a vote.

Host 1. Reports closed the night. A council liaison said the Building and Standards Commission wants to keep condemning unsafe buildings, though nothing is funded for it right now.

Host 2. The mayor said two strategic planning meetings will pick the council's top priorities, and other ordinances may be delayed.

Host 1. Staff reported a police officer sworn in the day before, in one of the positions in the new budget.

Host 2. Lift station repairs wrapped up that morning, and crews have checked 205 of almost 250 roads to plan the next round of repaving.

Host 1. And Prince, at the mayor's request, gaveled the meeting closed.

Host 2. Want to weigh in? Fill out the citizen participation form and hand it to the mayor before a meeting starts, or email it if you join online.

Host 1. You can also ask the city for the Water Plant 3 repair cost through its records request page. Thanks for listening to the Lago Vista Watchdog.

Sources and documents

Every fact in this story comes from the records below. The small numbers in the story point to them. Links go to the exact moment in the meeting video or the page in the document.

See something wrong? Request a correction. Have records on this? Share them with us.