WIMBERLEY, Texas '025 ' The Wimberley City Council on Aug. 21 approved an agreement with architecture firm Lake Flato to begin the discovery and concept-design phase for the Blue Hole Nature Center, approving a negotiated fee of $58,840 for the initial scope.

Richard Shaver, the city's parks director, told council the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had reviewed an initial discovery fee schedule of approximately $122,000; after negotiation and scope reductions (removal of an integrated design workshop and streamlined public engagement relying on park staff), the cost was reduced to $58,840. The reduced discovery scope still includes data collection, assessments, programming and conceptual-level cost estimation.

Shaver said $3 million for the project was allocated through county dollars; he also said $250,000 of that allocation is immediately available for reimbursement to cover initial costs, and staff expects reimbursement to take weeks or months. The council approved the Lake Flato agreement and emphasized the expectation that staff will pursue grants and other fundraising to reach any additional funding target discussed by council.

Councilmembers asked about public engagement; staff said the planning team will leverage material and data from the city's master plan and rely more on park staff to facilitate stakeholder outreach. Shaver said he had a meeting scheduled with Lake Flato the day after the council's vote and that work would begin promptly.

The council approved the agreement unanimously; no additional project funding beyond the negotiated fee was adopted at the meeting. Staff said they will return with further design deliverables and cost estimates as the discovery work is completed.