APRIL 18, 2018 SHRINK
SEMI-PRO SOCCER
Small lot home development coming to Sledge St., Kyle.
CenTex Lobos tie Houston team in pre-season scrimmage.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
75¢
Vol. 123 • No. 3
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
JAGS Student panel recommends Jaguars for Johnson High BY MOSES LEOS III
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Overtaken by flames
Buda Fire Department firefighter Johnny Hyde watched helplessly April 11 as fire raged through the roof of a residence in the 9000 block of Camino Real near Uhland. Crews from seven area fire departments, along with the Hays County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), helped to extinguish the blaze which destroyed the home. Luckily, none of the five occupants inside of the structure were injured. Authorities ruled the fire accidental and determined its cause was a homeowner working on their deck.
Managing Short Term Rentals
Kyle considers software to monitor, regulate STR Kyle is looking at regulating vacation rentals using a new software technology that was presented to the Planning and Zoning Committee on April 10. The software comes from a company called STR Helper, which works with 70 other cities nationwide to oversee vacation rental licensing and compliance. STR Helper also works with Fredericksburg and South Padre Island, and is looking to expand to Austin. According to a preliminary report by STR
Kyle is considering software called STR Helper which works with 70 other cities nationwide to oversee vacation rental licensing and compliance. Helper, Kyle has a total of 51 STR listings on Airbnb and HomeAway, major vacation rental websites. The software platform has a range of services that the city could choose from, including a service that would register all STR in the area, charge permitting
To locate STR, the software uses a combination of Geographic Information System (GIS) data from vacation rental sites and public information from sources such as Facebook, voter registration, Whitepages, and architecture recognition software. The software monitors more than 40 sites and can dynamically calculate when rentals are put up or pulled down. If P&Z and city council decide to move forward with the vacation rental regulation company, Spencer estimated it would cost the
fees, enforce permits, ensure tax compliance and collect complaints, among other services. John Spencer, with STR Helper communications, presented the software and described it as being more than 99.5 percent effective at accurately pinpointing STR in client areas.
city an estimated $5,000 annually, depending on the amount of STR that become registered on the platform. Spencer says the city can use permit registration fees for STR to pay for the annual fee. Fredericksburg started using STR Helper on April 1 and pays an annual fee of $22,000. There are an estimated 900 STR in Fredericksburg and each rental pays a $150 annual permit fee. While the software could be the city’s answer to STR regulation concerns, one issue with
STR MANAGEMENT, 6
Council reviews structural issues, drainage at historic Kyle city hall BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Structural problems at historic Kyle City Hall is leading officials to eye an engineering assessment they believe could pinpoint issues. The issue arose at the March 24 preliminary budget meeting for the 2018 fiscal year where staff budgeted $50,000 for an engineering assessment of the building. The roof on the north-
UP TO PACE
east side of the building is experiencing issues with water drain off, said Kim Hilsenbeck, Kyle communications specialist. City Engineer Leon Barba received an estimate from the architect to come to Kyle and assess what improvements needs to be made, she said. However, staff at the budget meeting discussed the implications of a potential caved-in area on the roof that
Hays County considers program for eco-friendly business improvements. – Page 8
needed to be assessed. Upon the city’s initial review of the building, staff deemed the structure to be safe for use, but a study needed to be conducted in the near future. “I am extremely worried about the condition of the current building,” said Councilmember Daphne Tenorio. “The chimney seems to be barely hanging on, and that brings questions in my head about the
INDEX
BY KATERINA BARTON
potential liability.” Tenorio said the building’s condition is even more concerning since it is used for senior citizens and family events and would like the city to be proactive with public safety. “With Market Days on the square, we want to make sure our citizens are safe,” Tenorio said. “I look forward to the assessment and I hope we can get any issues resolved.”
News………………… 1-2, Opinion……………… 3 Sports…………………… 4 Education……………… 5 Community………… 6-7
Business……………… 8 Classifieds ……… ... 10 Service Directory…..... 11 Public Notices…… 10, 12
Moe and Gene Johnson High could take on a spotted look when it opens in 2019. On Monday, Hays CISD’s Student Advisory Panel (SAP) recommended the Jaguars as the MoeJo High mascot, along with the color scheme of black and gold. The recommendation will now go before the Hays CISD Board of Trustees April 23 for adoption. The unveiling capped off eight months of work for the SAP, which included students in the 10th-12th grade from Lehman High, Hays High and the Live Oak Academy. Students who are part of the SAP apply and then are selected by the student body as a representative to the panel, which was tasked with creating the process for mascot selection. That process began in October when the SAP allowed the community to nominate mascot and color options for MoeJo High, which is located on FM 967 near Buda. The SAP reviewed the nominations and named five mascots – Jaguars, Cardinals, Broncos, Nighthawks and Dachshunds – as well as color schemes to the next round. “We really wanted public buy-in and as many ideas and opinions as possible,” said Lehman High junior Ashley Rosendo. Mascot and color selections were then placed into the hands of Hays CISD secondary school students, who voted on the final options. Rosendo said the SAP not only wanted input from those who might attend the campus, but from all middle and high school students “because this decision would affect them most.” Results showed 35 percent of the 1,090 students who participated in the survey selected the Jaguars as the mascot. More than 50 percent of students who voted for the Jaguar mascot opted for the black and gold color scheme. Releasing the results lifted a weight off the shoulders of SAP members, who for several months were “operating in the shadow,” Lehman High senior Joshua Torres-Whitmer said. The group also worked through a variety of opinions cast by the community through social media. But for Lehman High junior Matthew Nino, a sense of accomplishment
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