The first annual meeting conducted by the reconstituted Board of the Horseshoe Bay Memorial Association was a comprehensive historical review of the development of the HSB Mausoleum, a thorough report of the financial position of the association, and a positive prediction of its future growth.
Association President Steve Jordan welcomed the 60-plus members in attendance. The majority of those attending had made new purchases of crypts and niches in the proposed Mausoleum II. Groundbreaking for Mausoleum II will take place on April 2 at 3 p.m. at the Eileen Hurd Nature Reserve.
HSB Pastor John Duncan gave the Invocation and spoke briefly about how a well-designed Memorial Park with peaceful surroundings contributes positively to the grieving process.
Treasurer Jim Jorden made a comprehensive presentation of the financial history of the association since the new board assumed responsibility. Jorden emphasized the importance of the generous anonymous gift that had funded construction of the new mausoleum. He explained, “The key here is because we have the money to build Mausoleum II, all the sales of crypts and niches can go into reserves for long term care of the mausoleums.”
Jorden then introduced Sonny Jaramilla, trust officer of Cadence Bank, who briefly explained the FDIC insured money market account where the funds are deposited. The advantages at this point is the money is insured, liquid and easy move. The current yield is a competitive 4%. At a later date the funds can be moved to greater income producing instruments that are still conservatively invested.
Jorden said the association currently has $325,000 in its money market account. He anticipates that sales through the remainder of this year should bring that account to over $600,000. Jorden concluded, “At sell-out, and we do not know when that will occur, it could be two years or five years, but that account should have something like $1.3 million. That amount of invested funds should carry the operation of this organization for as long as we can think ahead.”
Jorden reviewed the history of the original mausoleum of 72 crypts only 48 niches constructed in 1990 with a low interest loan. A wall of 80 niches was added in 2003 and an additional wall of 64 niches in 2016. Since 2020, the mausoleum was effectively sold out and the association operated with a deficit. The HSB POA board agreed to step aside in favor of a new board in April of 2024.
Vice President Chuck Bard explained how the new Board inherited an “opportunity rich environment” of a sold-out mausoleum needing TLC, a dated waiting list of those needing memorial space, no viable business plan, a limited source of income, limited room for growth, a bank account of $60,000, and a community with needs.
The bylaws were first amended to allow membership from any and all property owners in HSB, not just HSB POA members. A fundraising letter was sent to present members of the association producing sufficient funds to bring the mausoleum into a state of good maintenance and repair. Land was acquired from both the city (3.3 acres) and the HSB Resort (6 acres). Seeing this positive progress, the generous anonymous gift provided the funds to underwrite construction of the new Mausoleum II.
Ron Mitchell will be involved in guiding the landscaping for both the new and existing mausoleums. Mitchell added that eventually water and sewer services will be needed to the site to support future growth. Ultimately there may be a chapel as well as bathroom facilities on the ten acres.
Mitchell also indicated that a master conceptual plan is needed for future growth including well placed benches with niches along walking trails creating the serene “spiritual space” for grieving people, as Duncan reminded everyone.
Board member Carol Rose reported that since early January, 25 crypts and 66 niches have been sold, creating revenue that has gone into the money market account for future care of the entire property.
Sandra Connors of 130 year-old Coldspring Granite reported on the construction plans for the new Mausoleum II. She has 37 years of experience with mausoleum construction. She anticipates that construction will begin in April and completion is anticipated by October. The new Mausoleum II will be constructed from locally quarried sunset red granite just like the original Mausoleum I.
Mausoleum General Manager Dede Hodge announced that the new website hsbmemorialassociation. org should be up and running by April and that she will respond promptly to all inquiries made to [email protected].
Jordan ended the annual meeting by announcing the next annual meeting is already scheduled for March 24, 2026. With a little tongue in cheek humor he concluded, “Hope you will all be here.” Automated landscape irrigation is limited to 10 hours only, from midnight to 10 a.m., on your watering day. Watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. is prohibited. No watering is allowed on Monday or Friday.
target of 20% demand reduction as required by city ordinance in Stage 2.
Even though the mausoleum is only for POA members, you can walk along the Horseshoe Creek Trail and see this beautifully designed sanctuary. Photo from HSBPOA Instagram.
New watering schedule
Drought conditions
The lack of substantial rainfall over our winter and early spring seasons has not replenished the levels of Lakes Buchanan and Travis as predicted and drought conditions persist. Normally, rainfall saturates the ground and flows through the Colorado River Basin and into the lakes. For more information on drought conditions, you may search the internet for Texas Drought Status.
Optimal irrigation practices
With these new restrictions comes the issue of how to irrigate your yard with your current equipment. If you have a fully automatic irrigation controller, there are programming settings you can use to keep enough water in your yard and still comply with the new schedule. Instruction manuals for irrigation controllers are available online from your system’s manufacturer website. You may also contact a licensed irrigation company to set up this schedule.
Cycle soak is a method of watering where you take the overall amount of water needed per week during the hotter months and split that into two watering cycles per zone during the allowed 10-hour period. For example, landscapes that utilize drought tolerant turfgrass and native plants require about one inch of water each week to keep the root systems healthy. This applies the water at a rate that allows maximum percolation (soak time) without applying it at a rate too high to reach saturation (which can cause run-off from your yard), assuming your collective run-time does not exceed the cut-off time of 10 a.m. Landscapes with noticeable slopes will need to apply their water at a much lower rate to minimize run-off.
More information
If the typical “heat dome” returns this year along with triple-digit temperatures, it is important to be realistic about your lawn’s appearance. Preserving the root systems of your drought tolerant turfgrass and plants is the focus. Drought-tolerant plants may not look lush and green during high heat periods, but they will survive and come back with an acceptable loss. Drought-tolerant and native plants have “adapted” to survive drought events by declining on top and preserving their root systems, which is the part that really matters. Once rain returns, they can push out replacement green growth within a couple of weeks.
Further outdoor water use restrictions apply. Please view the Stage 2 Drought Contingency Plan for other important outdoor water use rules in the City of Horseshoe Bay Ordinance Chapter 13, Sec. 13.10.076 (C) ( www. ecode360.com/39029808), Restriction (retail customers). A water variance may be approved for native, drought-tolerant plants and lawn grass only. See City Code Section 13.10.082 for more information.
You may also contact City of Horseshoe Bay Water Conservation Specialist, Derek Warren, at 830-5989973 for specific questions regarding your existing landscape and irrigation system or for new or future projects. For water-saving rebates, tips, tools and resources, visit www.WaterSmart.org.
