The deer and other wildlife in Horseshoe Bay are part of the uniqueness of our Hill Country community. It is the goal of your Property Owners Association to preserve our natural resources, while making certain our community is as safe as possible for our citizens. We believe this approach will continue to enhance the value of your property.
Your POA Board spent the last two years studying our deer overpopulation problems, visiting with nearby communities like Lakeway, and consulting field experts. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages deer control for the state of Texas. They advise us that our deer population is presently five times higher than the ideal numbers, and Horseshoe Bay has one of the highest densities in Texas. This subjects our deer herd to disease, and our citizens and deer to vehicular accidents. More than 400 deer were struck by autos in Horseshoe Bay last year.
As we related at our community deer management meeting last spring, the clear answer to deer management is a multifaceted approach, and a continuing effort will be necessary. A deer management committee of Horseshoe Bay citizens was formed at this meeting, and they agree with the following recommendation.The overwhelming majority of experts we have consulted have advised that the logical first step in a deer management program is to build a perimeter barrier fence. This fence is designed to be aesthetically appealing and located so as to be transparent to most owners. Six miles of fence already exist, compliments of our neighbors. Another six miles needs to be constructed. The fence is necessary to separate the deer in Horseshoe Bay, so any reduction in our managed deer herd will not impact the deer population in the surrounding area and visa versa.
The POA gets nearly all of its funding from a portion of your Maintenance Fee. No special assessment has ever been authorized by the POA, and there is no plan to change this practice. The majority of POA funds are used to keep our 110 miles of roads in good repair. This year, we were able to resurface 13 miles of roads, the most ever. Three miles of fence will be built this year from money budgeted in 2002 and proceeds of a land sale. The estimated cost of the entire fencing project is $120,000. The amount to be spent this year represents less than 2 percent of your annual Maintenance Fees.
Since there is no plan to do a special assessment, and your Maintenance Fee rose only 1.5 percent (the lowest increase ever), the funds available to the POA dictate that we need to accomplish this project over several years. We invite you to visit our web site at www,hsbpoa.org to learn more about the total fencing plan. In an effort to expedite this project, we are soliciting voluntary contributions to supplement the small amount of money allocated to this project in our annual budget. Any additional funds that are donated will expedite the deer management program and be beneficial to all owners.
__Yes, I would like to contribute to the Deer Management Fund. Enclosed is my contribution of $25, $50, $100, $500,__ other.
Please return any contribution in a separate check to the HORSESHOE BAY PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. You may include this check with your maintenance fund payment.