What "Don't Austin Our Bastrop" Really Means
When we got involved in the city of Bastrop in 2023, it was to defeat the Gateway Project’s mass “upzoning” from rural (P2) to commercial (P5), to allow a 12-story hotel and 600 apartments at the top of the hill behind Buc’cees. It would have destroyed a small forest and neighborhood next to the Bastrop State Park that survived the 2011 Bastrop Complex Fire, setting a precedent for what happened to Austin: Mass upzoning and density based on the demands of politically connected developers.
We were asked by a former Mayor if the John Kirkland recall assault on Lyle Nelson that was started on the heels of Gateway's defeat, was really about development.
Our answer: Isn’t that what all fights are about in municipalities?
Background:
Right after Jimmy Crouch's* City Council defeat by Kerry Fossler, City Councilman John Kirkland flipped his vote on Gateway. Mind you, Kirkland had been going door-to-door on the hill badmouthing Lyle Nelson and LIV’s Linda Curtis, but with Crouch’s defeat, Kirkland waxed poetic after the election about all the lovely pine trees on the hill and voted against the zoning change for The Gateway project.
BUT that’s when Kirkland also started ramping up his assault on Nelson. He got his votes on Council lined up, with the help from City Manager, Sylvia Carrillo. He continuously clamored about investigating a claim he already knew was false – that there was “misuse of public funds.”
Kirkland and his allies spent $137,080 in taxpayer dollars for useless investigations that came up with nothing.
The irony of all this is that in 2022, Crouch was also investigated by the Ethics Commission. Crouch settled with an admission of guilt for representing a client before a City Board! Yes, the same Jimmy Crouch who, after being rejected by the voters, was just appointed to the Planning & Zoning Board (P&Z).
In September 2024, the Bastrop District Attorney’s Grand Jury ruled there was no misuse of funds, yet Carrillo and her handpicked friend (Irma Parker) placed in the City Secretary’s position, planned to place the Kirkland flawed “Recall Mayor Nelson” petition on the ballot in January 2025.
Mayor Nelson resigned to fight outside the mudhole now known as Bastrop City Hall -- no offense intended to the regular folks who work there. (Be sure to read Lyle's recent Guest Column last week “Citizen Lyle: You can’t protect your property rights without open government.”)
We will be writing in detail about this soon, so please get on the LIV News list at LIVTX.org. It's free.
Who’s Running in the May City Council Election
The good news. It’s a contest!
John Kirkland is running for reelection in Place 5 and is opposed by City Council member Cheryl Lee. In Place 1, Perry Lowe is running and so is Cecilia Serna, both for the first time. The Mayor’s race is between former Councilmember Willie DeLaRosa, Ishmael Harris, and Ward Northcutt. Early voting begins on April 22.
The City Manager's Conduct at the March 4 Meeting
Throughout the March 4 meeting, Carrillo openly belittled people who want more affordable housing. And she belittled those who want a more walkable downtown. These include the many in our community who cannot afford a car or more than one per household.
On March 4, Carrillo also gave a self-serving diatribe about how this process packed into two P&Z meetings and two City Council meetings, in just 4 weeks, and fraught with fear and confusion, was more than adequate for the citizens of Bastrop.
This is yet one more reason – maybe the best! – for a real performance review -- not the sham meeting called by Carrillo herself on November 21 with a mob jeering, and shouting down, Cheryl Lee and Lyle Nelson.
Be sure to read our many posts at LIVTX.org/post/bastrop-independent-news
The Kirkland Gang’s “Bidness” is not Our Business
In 2018-19 the community was asked what they wanted. This time, these pro-development Council people have already decided what answer they want and have little interest in what you have to say.
They refused to slow down the process so the community had time to understand what’s happening.
We’re going into an election on May 3. Really this is about you, Bastrop. It never was about Lyle Nelson, other than getting him -- and open government -- out of their way.
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