Editor’s note: The following are highlights from the top Rollingwood stories of 2009.

January

Jay Plotkin took the reins from Jason Jarrett as the publisher of the Westlake Picayune when Jarrett was promoted to group publisher of Austin Community Newspapers.

Sales tax revenues in Rollingwood rose by a little more than 4 percent over January 2008.

Rollingwood staff began paving the controversial parking lot adjacent to Rollingwood Park on Gentry Drive.

February

Rollingwood police charged Travis Thornton, 20, with burglary and evading arrest after a foot chase through the city.

A district judge ruled Rollingwood resident Pam Opiela’s lawsuit against the city attempting to prevent the Rollingwood Community Development Corporation from spending money on the Gentry Drive parking lot moot, saying the city had already taken the project and RCDC funds were not being used.

The Rollingwood City Council approved plans for a steering committee to drive the comprehensive plan process in the city.

March

Rollingwood experienced a rash of burglaries, with three in one weekend.

The Rollingwood Police Department implemented its new computer-aided dispatch system to make communication between officers and dispatch easier.

City council members denied a request by Alderwoman Shanthi Jayakumar to freeze all projects from the budget last fiscal year and approved $82,700 on City Hall improvements.

April

Rollingwood police obtained a warrant to arrest a man for assault after an alleged road rage incident on Bee Cave Road. The warrant charging William Downes, 39, with a Class A assault, was issued after a victim reported him flashing the lights of his Mercedes and exiting his vehicle to berate him with curses.

Police officers came to the aide of resident Alma Menn when a badger took up residence near her swimming pool on Riley Road. The first few attempts in April, were unsuccessful as the badger was able to evade their baits each time.

The Rollingwood City Council voted to cut wastewater rates by 15.6 percent.

All candidates for the Rollingwood City Council cited fiscal spending as a key issue in the election. Joe Ramsey Basham, Barry Bone, Pete Fajkowski, Bill Hamilton, John Hinton, Sara Hutson, and Roxanne McKee all spoke to the Picayune about their hopes for the future.

May

John Hinton, 320 votes, Bill Hamilton, 314, and Roxanne McKee, 272, were elected to the Rollingwood City Council. Other candidates in the at-large election in which the top three are declared winners were Barry Bone, 266 votes, Joe Basham, 242, Sara Hutson, 173, and Pete Fajkowski, 74.

City council members attempted to ensure that the city could spend funds collected through a special sales tax on residential water projects with state legislation.

June

The vehicles of Mayor Dale Dingley, City Administrator Vicky Rudy and Police Chief Dayne Pryor were vandalized during a Rollingwood City Council meeting. Dingley and Rudy’s cars were keyed, while Pryor’s truck was found with offensive wording on it.

The Rollingwood City Council voted to create permit-only parking along Pickwick Lane and raised the pavilion fee for non residents from $50 to $75.

Alderman John Hinton called a special meeting to discuss the spending deficit. He called into question the ability of bookkeepers to count money transferred from the general fund as revenue, saying that it made it difficult to see spending deficits.

An amendment that would ensure Rollingwood could spend revenue collected from an economic development tax to fund water system improvements did not gain support in the Texas Legislature by the end of session.

The Rollingwood City Council approved a water project to replace the city’s aging water lines.

July

The City Council approved a variance for Sprouts grocery store, allowing it to prepare for its grand opening by using more, and bigger signs than typically allowed

The issue of City Administrator Vicky Rudy’s much alluded to, but never publicly debated, employment sparked a contentious debate at a regular city council meeting in which Alderman John Hinton moved to hire an employment attorney concerning her contract.

Rollingwood City Council members discussed the possibility of buying their wastewater system from the Lower Colorado River Authority. They also heard arguments on both sides over the issue of using Rollingwood Community Development Corporation money to fund water projects.

August

The Westbank found itself subject to strict City of Austin water restrictions when a Stage 2 drought went into affect. Residents could only water their lawns one day a week.

The City Council voted 3-2 to enter into negotiations to settle the employment contract with City Administrator Vicky Rudy.

The Rollingwood City Council proposed a 2009-10 budget while questions over Vicky Rudy’s employment and RCDC funding of local water projects loomed.

September

After months of speculation and vitriolic public hearings, the Rollingwood City Council voted 3-2 to enter into a “release agreement” with City Administrator Vicky Rudy, with her last day set for Sept. 25.

Rollingwood celebrated two full theft-and-burglary- free months.

Rollingwood City Council members voted 3-2 to reject the proposed Rollingwood Community Development Corporation budget, even though the newest version included the requested and hotly debated $250,000 specifically for water lines.

The Rollingwood City Council approved its budget, tax rate and a November election item that would allow residents to vote on whether to use half of the half percent of sales tax dedicated to the RCDC and dedicate it to a street maintenance fund.

October

Sprouts Farmers Market held a weekend-long, grand-opening celebration of its new store in the Shops at Mira Vista.

Bids for three major water projects in Rollingwood, combined, came in at approximately $320,000, which is less than half the budgeted amount of about $690,000.

Lindy and Larry McGinnis’ Rollingwood Drive residence was the first stop on the Inside Austin Gardens Fall Tour on Oct. 24.

While many expected a discussion on the hiring of a new city administrator at the first regular meeting after the departure of Vicky Rudy, the only firm decision the council made was to discuss whether they would be hiring a new city administrator at a future special City Council meeting.

November

The Rollingwood Proposition to use half of the sales tax funding dedicated to the Rollingwood Community Development Corporation for street maintenance passed by a narrow margin of 30 votes.

With the end of budget season, Rollingwood City Council members spent a significant portion of a monthly meeting discussing new initiatives to help the city through the recent recession and drought.

The Rollingwood City Council voted unanimously to raise water rates by 8 percent and wastewater rates by 6 percent, with the possibility of more to come, at last week’s regularly scheduled meeting.

In their continued effort to bolster local businesses, Rollingwood City Council members listened to a presentation from Capital Area Council of Governments executive director Betty Voights on strengthening existing businesses.

December

Members of the Rollingwood Police Department and Westlake Fire Department added a line to their job descriptions this year: Brown Santa Helpers.

When a handful of Rollingwood residents complained about a decoration on the City Hall lawn reading, “Have a Beary Merry Christmas,” steps Mayor Dale Dingley took inevitably led to complaints from a second group.