A vehicle drove through the wall of the Dollar General store at 15355 Texas 29 in Buchanan Dam on the night of Saturday, Dec. 9. Nobody was injured in the incident, but the store is expected to be closed for the next three or four weeks for repairs.
“We got the call at about 11:35 p.m., a report of a car off the roadway into the back of the Dollar General on (Texas) 29,” Buchanan Dam Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Rustey Ward told DailyTrib.com. “When we got there, we saw that it was inside of the building.”
According to Ward, the driver was arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on a charge of driving under the influence.
Firefighters were able to respond to the incident within one minute of receiving the call and spent about 2½ hours helping a wrecker remove the vehicle from the structure. Ward said that the vehicle penetrated through about six shelves’ worth of merchandise.
“It was surprising that the driver was not injured or that one of the store employees was not injured,” he said.
Two employees were in the process of closing down the store when the accident happened.
Check agendas to see if the following government meetings are in person, virtual, or both. Agendas are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this list is published. Click on links for more information.
Monday, Dec. 18
6 p.m. regular meeting
Central Office Community Room, 1800 Colt Circle, Marble Falls
On the agenda:
6 p.m. regular meeting
BCISD Board Room, 208 E. Brier, Burnet
The agenda wasn’t available at the time of publication. Check the district’s website for more information.
Tuesday, Dec. 19
7 p.m. regular meeting
Community Center, 118 Blackbird Drive, Highland Haven
On the agenda:
Thursday, Dec. 21
9 a.m. regular meeting
Second-floor courtroom, Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St., Burnet
On the agenda:
6 p.m. regular meeting
Civic Center, 4111 Cottonwood Drive, Cottonwood Shores
The agenda wasn’t available at the time of publication. Check the city’s website for more information.
A third Burnet City Council hearing to determine the fate of the historic and condemned Reagor building, 300 N. Water St., is at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 in council chambers. Building owner Kenneth Reagor agreed to abide by the council’s decision once members have heard a presentation on the structure’s history and the findings of a historical architect.
The home of Reagor Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, and Electric was damaged in a fire on Dec. 5, 2022, and condemned by city inspectors a few days later. The Burnet City Council approved demolition orders on June 27, 2023, and again on Oct. 24 after the property owner took no action to remove the building. A final date for demolition was set for Dec. 4.
Reagor was granted a temporary restraining order by 424th District Court Judge Evan Stubbs on Dec. 1. Stubbs held a hearing on Thursday, Dec. 14, to consider issuing a temporary injunction of the demolition.
During a recess at the hearing, attorneys for the city and Reagor agreed to put the matter back before the City Council. The negotiations came about as Stubbs reviewed last-minute dueling memos in his chambers.
On Wednesday, Burnet City Attorney Scott Tschirhart filed a motion stating the District Court lacked the statutory authority to issue an injunction. The motion also countered claims by Reagor that he had not been properly notified of City Council hearings and meetings that led to the council’s two previous decisions to demolish the building.
“We just want to be heard,” Rhonda Martin, Reagor’s fiancée, told DailyTrib.com. “They won’t let us be heard.”
Reagor’s attorney, James Minerve of Austin, filed a motion the same day as the injunction hearing asking for a 14-day extension of the temporary restraining order to give him time to study the claims asserted in the defendant’s (city of Burnet) motion the previous day.
“If the plaintiff is not allowed time to brief the jurisdictional issue, the defendant will demolish the building that is the subject of this lawsuit,” the motion for extension reads.
“Plaintiff knew about the hearing and chose not to attend,” reads the defendant’s motion filed Dec. 13. “Plaintiff did not demolish the building and did not appeal the June 27, 2023, demolition order.”
According to the city’s motion, the property was re-inspected on Sept. 27 and again condemned as a “threat to public health, safety, or welfare.” Reagor was informed in a letter dated the same day that he “must demolish the structure and haul off any debris.”
After no response from Reagor, the Burnet City Council held another hearing on Oct. 24 and issued another order to bring down the building.
Demolition was set for Dec. 4 but stopped by the temporary restraining order granted by Stubbs on Dec. 1.
“We want to restore the historical part of the building,” Rhonda Martin said. “We’re trying to preserve as much as we can and arrange for a safe cleanup.”
According to Martin, the Reagor building was constructed sometime in the mid-1930s of scrap granite from Granite Mountain in Marble Falls. Its architectural design was sought after at the time, and she believes other buildings exist in Texas that were built on that model.
“This is the original,” she said. “There are tons of things that are unique about it. We want to shore up the stone facade and do the renovation properly so we don’t do any further damage.”
Burnet City Council Chambers are located at 2402 S. Water St. (U.S. 281 South). The Jan. 9 hearing is open to the public.