A $19,848 grant from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority will allow Round Top to install energy-efficient outdoor lighting on its historic town hall and the public square that surrounds it.
 
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $7,000 in matching funds, will pay for eight vintage-style fixtures that will house LED bulbs. Four of the fixtures will be placed above entrances to the town hall, and four will be attached to poles to light sections of the square. All eight fixtures will fit with the design of Round Top’s mid-1920s town hall and be dark sky compliant, directing their light downward.
 
“Round Top is a dark sky community, and we have deliberated about how to accomplish this project and meet the dark sky requirements for about five years now,” said David Stall, a special assistant to Round Top’s mayor. “This was not really driven by the city council, but by community organizations. Those groups selected the poles and the fixtures and made their recommendations to the town.
 
“Our population is about 90 people, so funding is always a challenge,” Stall added. “We looked out and saw this grant opportunity – so this was very, very welcome and allows us to get this project completed in a timely matter.”
 
Stall said the new lighting will boost the daytime and nighttime look of the public square while also improving security for civic meetings at the town hall or outdoor events on the square. Located in Fayette County, Round Top draws visitors annually to its series of Antique Weeks, during which many vendors set up on the public square. The square also is central to Round Top’s annual Fourth of July celebration, which began in 1851.
 
The community grant is one of seven grants being awarded by Bluebonnet and the LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors unanimously voted during its April meeting to return $4.7 million in capital credits to member-owners of the cooperative. Beginning in May, Bluebonnet’s members will receive a credit on their electric bill for their share of $4.7 million in capital credits, a $500,000 increase over last year.

“Approving the amount to return in capital credits is one of the best things we get to do as Directors on behalf of our members,” said Ben Flencher, board president. “The credit our members will see on their bills in May is one of the many benefits of being a member-owner of Bluebonnet. During the last few years due to growth and our financial success we have been able to return record amounts to our members.”

Capital credits are excess revenue above what it takes to run the co-op. Every April, Bluebonnet’s Board of Directors approves the capital credits payment during its April meeting. When determining how much to return to members, the Directors consider the impact that the amount returned to members will have on electric rates and the co-op’s financial strength.

The amount each member gets back depends on how much electricity they used in previous years through 2020 and how long they have been a Bluebonnet member. Current members will see a credit on their May electric bill for their share of this year’s capital credits retirement. Former members who are still owed a capital credit will receive a check in May or June.

Since 2005, Bluebonnet has returned $66.7 million to its members in capital credits.

“The ability to return millions of dollars to our members is possible because of prudent financial decisions and responsible daily operations,” said Matt Bentke, Bluebonnet’s general manager. “Bluebonnet’s Board of Directors and all employees have great respect for our fiduciary duty to our members. That in turn has led to the financial capacity to provide record capital credits to our members in 2021, and to reinvest more than ever in the Bluebonnet electric system, employees and the communities we serve.”