MARCH 6, 2019 FINE ARTS
KYLE ELECTION
Fuentes Elementary seeks budget increase for fine arts programs.
Four vie for Kyle City Council, Dist. 3 seat in special election.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
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Vol. 123 • No. 49
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
County opposes controversial pipeline Voting BY MOSES LEOS III
The fight over Kinder Morgan’s proposed 430mile Permian Highway Pipeline has now reached Hays County’s courthouse. On Feb. 26, Hays County Commissioners approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote a resolution opposing the Permian Highway Pipeline, a
HCISD OKs new safety measures
On Tuesday, Hays County Commissioners approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote a resolution opposing the Permian Highway Pipeline, a $2 billion project that is expected to cut through Hays County.
$2 billion project that is expected to cut through Hays County. Passage of the resolution follows a similar action taken by Kyle city leaders and offi-
cials in mid-February. Lon Shell, Hays County Pct. 3 Commissioner, said his personal concerns include environmental issues, which are
“very real,” as well as private property rights of residents, which is “extremely important to Texans and the county.” Shell said the county
takes eminent domain issues very seriously and has never had to use the tactic for any project. Kinder Morgan, a Houston-based company, is using eminent domain proceedings in order to acquire land needed to install its underground pipeline, which will extend from
PIPELINE PROJECT, 11
CHUTE-OUT 2019
BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
SAFETY MEASURES, 5
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
STAFF REPORT The days of Hays County residents having to vote at their specified precincts on Election Day could be coming to an end. On Tuesday, Hays County Commissioners approved a resolution in support of participating in a countywide polling place program, which, if approved, would allow voters to cast their ballots at any polling site in the county on Election Day. Jennifer Anderson, Hays County Elections Administrator, said county officials must submit an application to the state that includes a plan and methodology for implementing the program. Anderson said she hopes the county receives state approval prior to the November 2019 election period.
POLLING PLACES, 11 Hundreds of law enforcement officials burned rubber and hit the pavement last week for the 6th annual Capital of Texas Police Motorcycle Chute Out held at Cabela’s in Buda. The event, which drew motorcycle officers from multiple states and Canada, had riders go through a variety of challenges. A police officer rounds the bend during a run at the Feb. 27 Chute Out.
Buda bond projects still moving slowly BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Slow but steady is the progress of infrastructure projects under the 2014 Buda bond, with officials estimating completion of Propositions 3, 4 and 5 by 2020.
Approved by voters almost five years ago, the infrastructure projects include improvements to roads, drainage and parks. The Buda city council was briefed Feb. 19 on the progress of those project.
PROPOSITION 3- ROADS
Transportation (TxDOT) is scheduled for March Proposition 3 projects include improvements to 13. Crozier said pending TxDOT reviews, he Old Goforth Road, Main Street, Main Street at RM anticipated letting of the project this summer. 967 and San Antonio Meanwhile, PedernaStreet at Garison Road. Allan Crozier with HDR les Electric Cooperative Engineering said the Go- (PEC) is conducting forth Road improvement underground utility relocation for the Main Street project, which includes project, which should be dedicated left and right completed by late March turns at Tom Green Eleor early April. Frontier mentary, is still ongoing. Communications has “If you’ve been out submitted an agreethere, you’ll notice they ment in the amount of have the entire north$253,091.66 for the utility bound side of the road relocation. The approval torn up and they are of that agreement will preparing, weather come to the city council permitting, to lime treat the sub-grade…,” Crozier in the near future. The Main Street said. improvements, which inCrozier said improvecludes addressing drainments on San Antonio age issues at Ash and Street have been comMain streets, along with pleted as of November correcting an adverse 2018. grade issue on an existing However, the Main sanitary sewage line, is 90 Street at RM 967 improvement project is still percent complete on the in its design phase, which design phase. But a proposed conis 95 percent complete. nector that is slated to A 90 percent review bridge west Goforth Road meeting with HDR and the Texas Department of to Cabela’s Drive is on
FYOU
Local businesses take advantage of First Year On Us incentive.
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INDEX
Resistance film 12 millimeter thick will soon be attached to windows across a number of Hays CISD campuses, adding to an extensive list of recently installed safety measures within the district. The film, which has a price tag of $292,974, was approved Feb. 25 by the HCISD Board of Trustees. The film will be installed at 18 district campuses. To a school board that has prioritized school safety in light of national tragedies, the cost, although significant, will assist the district in an emergency. Tim Savoy, Hays CISD chief communications officer, said the technology is a strong film that will add an additional safety measure to the campuses. If the glass is tampered with, the film will buy some additional time. In the case of an emergency, precious seconds and minutes can make the difference for emergency responders called to a campus, he said. “(The film) makes it harder for anyone to break through the glass, no matter what means they have to do that,” Savoy said. “We
where you want? Maybe
sition of a Union Pacific Railroad permit. Two PEC utility poles have been relocated so far during work on improving drainage in the Oxbow subdivision, which began in August 2018. That project is slated to be done by August 2019. hold after funding was The Fire Station/Bluff not approved by the CapStreet Area drainage projital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization in ect was recently approved for a FEMA grant in early 2018. February. However, utility The geotechnical coordination is still ongoand prevent studies are complete for the Cabela’s ing with AT&T. One hundred percent Connector project, and of the plans and specs for the city is in discussion the west Goforth Street with property owners regarding the right of improvement plan is entry and acquisition of complete. right-of-way. However, the advanced Projected cost for all funding agreement road projects is around (AFA) for the project is $3.4 million, which was still delayed by TxDOT. updated in February. The advertisement for Crozier said the curbidding is scheduled for rently projected savings is September 2019. around $250,000, but that According to the upis contingent on future dated financial standing, bids. the projects will total around $1.3 million. CroPROPOSITION 4 – zier said the projects are DRAINAGE running around $390,000 Construction on drain- below the initial program age improvements along budget. Mayor George Haehn Houston Street is currenttold HDR officials he is ly at 70 percent, according to officials. Estimated still worried about the delays for the project. completion is slated for “Again, we’ve dodged late March. Crozier said there are a a bullet about as long couple of issues still linBUDA BOND PROPS, 2 gering, including acqui-
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Open meetings act provision struck down BY EMMA PLATOFF/ TEXAS TRIBUNE In a major blow to the state’s government transparency laws, Texas’ highest criminal court has struck down a significant provision of the Texas Open Meetings Act, calling it “unconstitutionally vague.” That law, which imposes basic requirements providing for public access to and information about governmental meetings, makes it a crime for public officials to “knowingly [conspire] to circumvent this chapter by meeting in numbers less than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations.” That provision aims to keep public officials from convening smaller meetings – without an official quorum present – to discuss public business outside the view of the taxpayers and the media. Craig Doyal, the Montgomery County
TEXAS TRIBUNE, 12