2020
Volume 33, Issue 12
www.LHIndependent.com
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February 13, 2020 | 50 Cents
Council calls for volunteers
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Two weeks after announcing the seven names Mayor Rick Hall suggested for Liberty Hill’s committee tasked with drafting a city charter, he stepped back Monday and announced the Council would seek volunteers to be considered for participation on the committee. The Council also authorized placement of a city charter election on the November 2020 ballot, beginning the timer on what is expected to be a lengthy process. “This is something we discussed at the retreat,” Hall said. “We didn’t take any action on it, but we had a lengthy discussion about this and again this is us trying to
be prepared for what’s happening in the future.” Hall reiterated his call to have the City solicit volunteers from the community, something mentioned at the Council retreat, but a step that had not been taken through Monday. The City did post that call to the community Tuesday through social media. “This is a great opportunity for us to start working on this, and a second part with this is we also agreed to post something on Facebook and our website to get people to volunteer to come in and be part of this process,” Hall said. “We discussed and threw out some names at the retreat, but
See COUNCIL, Page A4
Questions remain about retirement, benefits for city elected officials
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor With the announcement that the Liberty Hill City Council would be receiving compensation, it’s unclear whether the five Council members and the Mayor will also qualify for employee benefits that could include health insurance and retirement. The question, when posed to City officials, highlighted the growing lack of basic communication and willingness to share information with The Independent. In an email from The Independent Feb. 7, City Secretary Barbara Zwernemann
and Finance Director Becky Wilkins were asked to confirm whether or not Council members would be eligible for employee benefits. Neither responded until a follow-up email was sent Tuesday, to which Zwernemann responded, “This question isn’t relevant. There have been no discussions or plans about benefits for the Mayor and / or Council members.” But according to the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS), any employee who works a minimum of 1,000 hours per year qualifies
See BENEFITS, Page A8
Filing deadline Friday in local races
Candidates seeking a place on the local ballot in May for City Council or the Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees have until Feb. 14 to file. So far there is only one contested race among the pair of elections. Dana Munguia filed Tuesday to join Kendall Carter and Antonio Canas in the race for Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees Place 2. It is the only contested race at press time Wednesday among a pair of School Board spots and three City Council positions set to be on the May ballot. Incumbent Clay Cole has yet to announce his intentions regarding re-election for Place 2. Place 1 incumbent Clint Stephenson has filed but does not have an opponent to date. ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent
In the City of Liberty Hill election, all three incumbents – Mayor Rick Hall, Place 2 Council member Kathy Canady and Place 4 Council member Tony DeYoung – have filed. Canady and DeYoung were both appointed in 2019 to finish unexpired terms. Candidates interested in seeking one of the five positions must file by 5 p.m., Feb. 14. The three positions on the Council will be the first to receive compensation as discussed and voted on by the Council. The Council members will each receive $12,000 annually, while the Mayor will receive a $40,000 annual salary. The City election will also include a measure allowing voters to determine the length of Council terms, either extending them to three years or keeping them at the current two years.
ANTHONY FLORES PHOTO
Chef Travis Hawthorne and the practicum culinary arts students (from left) Jared Whetstone, Leakaye Curry, Alex Urben, Conner Johnston, Daniel West, Montgomery Thompson, Nick Fyke, Noelia Hernandez, Aalyah Moreno, Virginia Elder, Abby Perea, Conner Johnston grill steaks outside the high school as they perfect their cooking skills.
LHHS culinary students develop familial bonds through cooking
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Far down a back hallway at Liberty Hill High School, lies the source of many pleasant and diverse aromas that permeate the halls throughout the day. Down the last hallway on the left, Chef Travis Hawthorne’s practicum culinary arts class is working to fine-tune their skills in the kitchen. “It’s our third year in culinary arts. The course is titled practicum culinary arts because it’s geared towards how we would work in a professional setting,” said senior Alex Urben. “We learn about
the maintenance of checkbook keeping, ingredients cost, and facilitation of a whole catering event. That’s what this course is tailored around. We do less regional learning and more career-focused things.” Chef Hawthorne is in his third year with LHHS and has mentored this particular set of students for the last three years. This year Hawthorne removed the proverbial training wheels, letting them stand on their own. “We progressed throughout the years, we started with learning how to make salads and boil eggs,” said senior Abigail Parea. “Now we can make
up our own recipes. We had a cupcake competition earlier this year, where we made our own cupcakes and decorated them. It was all on us, he did help steer us in the right direction, but it was mostly all on us. If you asked us three years ago if we were able to do this, then probably not.” At the beginning of this group’s time with Hawthorne, there was the necessary hand-holding and close guidance that goes with beginners. After three years, the chef and military veteran trusts his students to know what they need to do. “Early in the program, it’s a
lot of learning and remembering how to use stuff,” said Noelia Hernandez. “I’ve noticed that he doesn’t really instruct us anymore. We just kind of know what to do. It so crazy because the first two years he demanded so much, and now it’s all us.” After three years together, the students in the practicum course have developed tight relationships and understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses. “It ranges from person to person,” said Parea. “Noelia is a baker through and through, but
See CULINARY, Page A5
BUSINESS
First Texas Bank aims to be continued staple in Liberty Hill community
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Most community banks can say they have a strong focus on customer service, but what they all can’t say is that they’ve had a presence in their communities for more than 100 years. But First Texas Bank can. The bank, which has the second oldest charter in the state, was founded in Georgetown 121 years ago. It has since grown to include eight branches in Williamson and Travis counties and boasts $650 million in assets. The Liberty Hill branch has been open for 18 years and has an asset size of approximately $54 million and a staff of six. “We got out a little ahead of the growth curve of Liberty Hill, because our branch has been here for years and grown RACHEL MADISON PHOTO steady over that time,” said Van Swift, president and CEO of First Texas Bank, and Gilbert Moreno, branch executive and vice president at the bank’s Liberty Hill location, stand outside the local branch. First Texas See BANK, Page A5 Bank has been a part of central Texas for over 120 years.