OCTOBER 10, 2018 LAST CHANCE
UNBEATEN
Deadline for Citizens of the Year comments Oct. 15.
Rebs remain undefeated after 56-21 blowout over Akins.
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Hays Free Press © Barton Publications, Inc.
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Vol. 123 • No. 28
HaysFreePress.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
Expertise, debt focus of county judge debate Diversity is issue for P&Z picks BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Experience, the county’s debt and economic development were primary talking points during a debate between a pair of candidates vying for Hays County’s top elected position Thursday. The event, held by the League of Women’s Voters of Hays County, pitted Democrat Ruben Becerra against Republican
Will Conley in the first debate prior to the Nov. 6 election. The two men are vying for a seat held by longtime County Judge Bert Cobb, who opted to forgo reelection in 2017 due to health reasons. Throughout the night, Conley cited his 14 years of experience as a public official and felt he is someone who can lead Hays County, based on his track record.
Conley spoke on his efforts as a commissioner and chairman of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) to ensure property infrastructure needs for the county as it continues to rank as one of the fastest growing regions in the country. “I have led those efforts and worked with
PHOTO BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Ruben Becerra (left) and Will Conley, candidates for Hays County Judge, addressed attendees at a debate forum held at the San Marcos Activity Center, Oct. 4
COUNTY JUDGE DEBATE, 6A
Buda sets eyes on Aquifer Storage drilling site BY KATIE BURRELL
BUDA AQUIFER STORAGE, 4A
PHOTO BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Two engineers with LJA Engineering deliberate with a Hays County resident about a road on plans for the proposed Dacy Lane improvement project.
Dacy Lane improvement project cause of concern for neighbors BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
As work on improvements on Dacy Lane nears, residents believe more work needs to be done on the planning side of the project before blueprints are finalized. Those concerns were presented by residents who attended an Oct. 3 open house at McCormick Middle School on the Dacy Lane improvement project, which is expected to begin summer 2019. The ambitious
project, for which the county budgeted around $20 million and includes funding from the voter-approved 2016 road bonds, includes the improvement and expansion of Dacy Lane, Hillside Terrace, FM 2001 to State Highway 21, Windy Hill Road and Cotton Gin Road. One of the biggest concerns from residents was at the site of McCormick Middle School and the neighborhood adjacent to the school, where the engineering blueprints call for the
addition of a two-lane road to alleviate traffic from the neighborhood to the school. This new proposed road, called a “slip road,” would be utilized as a separate access to the school without disrupting the flow of traffic to the neighborhood. But for many living in the neighborhood, the additional road may cause additional safety and traffic issues. James Delgado, a father of four and 40-year resident of the neighborhood at Hillside
Drive, was concerned about the new plans as they don’t include a sidewalk or crosswalk. He believes it exacerbates the concerns parents have as many students walk to and from school each day. Delgado said he walks his children to McCormick Middle School and they are forced to cross a busy intersection without a sidewalk or a crosswalk. “There are no accessible sidewalks for all the
DACY LANE FIXES, 2A
COMING UP Seton Kyle Founders health fair Day Parade Health screenings, medical demonstrations, wellness education and more will be offered at the Seton Hays Community Health Fair, which goes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Seton Medical Center Hays. EMS, fire and police vehicles will be onsite for exploration.
Come celebrate Kyle’s birthday with the annual Founders Day Parade to be held along Center Street. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and passes through downtown. The theme of the 2018 parade is “Wish Upon a Star,” with the Grand Marshal being 10-yearold Ash Crane, who has asked Make-a-Wish to help with the construction of a roller hockey rink in the city. A benefit for Crane’s wish will be held immediately after the parade at the Railhouse in Kyle.
MERGER
Two biggest healthcare systems sign letter to merge.
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Oktoberfest in Songwriter’s Creedmoor Festival Starting at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 20, residents can take in Creedmoor’s annual Oktoberfest, which will be held at the Creedmoor Community Center at 12511 FM 1625. Pancake breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. Parade starts at 9 a.m. Games, live auction and morning tours of the TDS Wildlife Ranch will take place during the event. Admission and parking is free. More information can be found online at creedmoorcommunitycfa.org.
INDEX
Buda city officials announced a site plan for a pilot well for its Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) system in an effort to relieve drought pressures and ever increasing costs for water. The site, located near an existing well at Talley Loop and Cullen Blvd in the Garlic Creek subdivision, will be drilled in early 2019 and will continue to be tested throughout 2020. When the site is finished, it should aid the city in water collection and storage, while cutting costs currently being used to import water from elsewhere. Blake Neffendorf, Buda Water Resources Coordinator, presented an update on the plan to Buda City Council Oct. 3 and will present again at a later date when permits are approved. Neffendorf said the ASR well would benefit residents by supplying water during droughts and providing more access to water during hot summer months. “This provides flexibility,” Neffendorf said. “We can take water from the Edwards Aquifer during times that are good … and we can store that water for when we need to use it during the summertime.”
Over 40 local and international songwriters will take to Dripping Springs Oct. 19-21 for the 5th annual Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival. The event, which will present more than 35 showcases per day, features a variety of musicians hailing from as far away as Toronto, Canada that will play “in-the-round” Nashville-style on five stages across the city. Visit www. drippingspringssongwriters festival.com.
News……………1, 2 & 4A Opinion……………… 3A Sports……………… 1-2B Education………… 3-4B Community……… 1-6C
Obituaries…………… 4C Service Directory…… 5C Business…………1 & 4D Classifieds…………… 2D Public Notices………2-4D
BY KATIE BURRELL Debate over the need for geographic diversity on the Planning and Zoning Commission dais was sparked after Kyle city leaders this month appointed two new members. On Oct. 1, the Kyle City Council appointed two new planning and zoning commissioners and reappointed chair Rick Koch. Former commissioner Michele Christie was approved for Seat 2 and new commissioner Megan McCall was approved for Seat 4. But some city leaders expressed concern over the lack of geographic diversity among the appointees and current commissioners. Toward the end of September, the selection committee for the Kyle Planning and Zoning Commission held a series of interviews to recommend candidates for the city council to approve. The committee was comprised of Mayor Pro Tem Shane Arabie, Planning and Zoning Chairperson Rick Koch, Director of Planning Howard Koontz and City Manager Scott Sellers, who were charged with finding the right candidates. The hiring committee operated under new guidelines that were created in 2017 for the appointment process. Previously, city council members appointed candidates to serve on P&Z. The current appointment process includes a series of applications and interviews, similar to a typical hiring process for non-appointed jobs. The process demands an appointee be educated, experienced and familiar with the city. The process does not state where an appointee should reside nor do appointees represent a specific district. Council Member Alex Villalobos said he believes the Kyle Planning and Zoning Committee selections failed to represent the city as a whole, although he found them to be completely qualified otherwise. “We have a lot of different development and growth going all over the city,” Villalobos said. “I’m not being negative about the appointments, they’re all well qualified.” Villalobos added the city’s approach to dividing city council seats by geographic location should also apply to P&Z. Koontz said the selection committee would take geographic location into consideration for future appointments, but said the city does not receive
P&Z DIVERSITY, 4A