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2021
Volume 34, Issue 16
www.LHIndependent.com
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March 11, 2021 | 50 Cents
Intersecting costs Pool plan approved, out for bid next Council starts discussion on funding for new projects
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Three intersection projects were discussed as priorities by the Liberty Hill City Council in 2020, with each getting as far as initial design work and cost estimates, but Monday, Council members were questioning the status of those projects and why more progress had not been made. “We have the summer coming up, we have a brand new parking lot and we have an awesome splash pad,” said Council member Tony DeYoung. “I’m really kind of frustrated this hasn’t gone forward after the last conversation we had. I don’t know where that got off. Why are we not moving forward?” The urgency, especially for the downtown intersection, is concern over safety with the new splash pad at Wetzel Park and the assumption that many people will be crossing the road to access the park, but the potential for traffic collisions at any of the three raised concerns. “We have three identified locations that are significant traffic hazards,” said Council member Steve McIntosh. “We’ve identified those are serious hazards and I think that should weigh into the funding and how we prioritize. We should evaluate these projects based on the danger that they present. We
face an issue with the fact we identified these as a problem and we have not moved forward on them. If we have a serious accident there, there can be the impression that we have ignored the danger of the intersection.” But there is no funding in place for the projects in the current budget, and City staff said funds would have to come from issuing tax notes or a future bond sale. The Council recently approved $2.56 million in bonds for the swim center, community center and renovations at City Hall. Kathy Canady asked how the three intersection projects were originally intended to be funded, but funds were never earmarked for them specifically. “This is one of the many CIP (capital improvement projects) that was on the list for which there was no continued long-term plan to fund all the projects,” said City Treasurer Becky Wilkins. “Once we have the price then we can come back and Council can decide if you want to do a tax note, if you want to do a bond or combine a couple of projects.” An amount for any future bond will not be known until final estimates are tallied for the projects, if all three are
See COUNCIL, Page 10
LHISD weighs mask protocal
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that removes the statewide mask mandate took effect Wednesday, Liberty Hill ISD is evaluating the safety protocols currently in place. “As you can imagine, this opened up old debates on masks, and lots of emotions are tied to this debate on both sides,” said LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell in a video released Tuesday. “As superintendent, we understand that, and we understand our parents’ needs to keep their kids both safe and possibly remove those masks as soon as possible.” The Texas Education Agency announced guidelines allowing schools to continue their current safety practices if they choose. School boards have full authority to determine local mask policy. “We’re in the process now of reviewing our plans,” Snell said. “When I make a recommendation to the board, I want ©2021 The Liberty Hill Independent
to loosen up some of those mask restrictions, and we want to evaluate some of our policies.” Before loosening restrictions, Snell made it clear that two specific things must happen first. “We have to have two things happen before that takes place. Number one, the county has to get out of the red (phase),” he said. “Number two, we need all of our staff that wants to, we need to give them the opportunity to get vaccinated and fully inoculated so we have that level of protection so our schools can take a look at the mask policy. Once we have those things in place, we’re going to consider loosening the mask restrictions.” The district is closely monitoring updates and new information coming from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). “Even more important to me than the data from the city and the county is the fact that we need to get our staff vaccinated,” said Snell. “The CDC came out with an update talking about the
See LHISD, Page 9
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Liberty Hill residents are now only a bid and a build away from a community swimming pool, after the City Council approved the final plan to be advertised for bid. The project, planned for City Park on CR 200, broke ground in June 2019, but has been fraught with delays and backtracking since the design first received final approval by the Council early that year. The final design includes a “kiddie cove” play area for young children with water up to 18 inches deep and a variety of splash-pad type amenities. That portion is divided from the main pool by a short wall. The larger pool area has a tanning shelf on either end, a beach entry, and still includes room for two swim lanes.
See POOL, Page 2
Pair set sights on Council seat
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor With Liberty Hill Council member Steve McIntosh choosing not to file for reelection, Place 1 will see a new face come May.
In what was originally a three-person race, Michael Helbing said he is withdrawing from the race due to family obligations, but planned to revisit a run for council in the future. He plans to continue to
CHRIS PEZOLD
A resident of Liberty Hill for more than 15 years, developer Chris Pezold said he has been blessed in his time in the community and wants to see the city grow in the right way with the right attitude. He said he doesn’t want to see a repeat of the previous administration, pointing to the tenure of former Mayor Rick Hall, and wants to see more transparency from elected officials. “Right now what’s really prompted me to run is I’m not seeing the transparency that I believe a town of our size should have,” he said. “I don’t want to feel like I distrust my council, but because of the lack of clarity in a lot of the deci-
serve on the Economic Development Corp. Board. That leaves Kim Sanders and Chris Pezold as the two candidates for voters on May 1. The three seats on the ballot this May – places one, three
and five – will be the first to serve the new three-year term, and will each draw a monthly $1,000 salary according to the Council decision in 2019 to compensate elected officials.
KIM SANDERS
CHRIS PEZOLD sions I’m left scratching my head.” He also said it is time the council and staff had a reinforced focus on public service. “We need an attitude of service from the city,” Pezold
See PEZOLD, Page 4
A life-long resident of Texas and longtime member of the Liberty Hill community, Kim Sanders has lived in the city limits for one year and 11 months, and decided early this year that this was the right time for a City Council run. “I’ve always been interested in the council,” she said. “I’ve been going to those meetings for five years and wanted to get involved. Instead of sitting back and complaining, I want to be a part of the planning for the growth.” Sanders has worked in a number of professional roles, including as a corporate ac-
KIM SANDERS countant and later a Liberty Hill Junior High teacher when she moved to the area and wanted to have a work schedule more closely aligned with her sons who have both graduated. She is now a Realtor.
See SANDERS, Page 10
Firefly awarded NASA lunar lander contract By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Cedar Park-based Firefly Aerospace was selected by NASA in February to deliver a set of 10 research payloads to the moon in 2023. The award is valued at $93.3 million, and the 10 payloads will include technology demonstrations and science experiments that will help prepare for human missions to the lunar surface. The experiments will include an x-ray imager that will study the interaction of the Earth’s magnetosphere with solar wind; a probe that measures heat flow from the lunar interior; and a test to discover the abilities of using GPS signals at lunar distances. The award is the sixth in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, but the first to Firefly. Through the
CLPS initiative, NASA is partnering with commercial organizations to quickly land science and technology payloads on the lunar surface. “Firefly and its teammates are honored to be selected by NASA to deliver these important payloads to the lunar surface, paving the way for human and robotic exploration missions to follow,” said Tom Markusic, chief executive of Firefly, in a company statement. “The CLPS mission represents the third pillar in Firefly’s plan to become America’s premier end-to-end space transportation company. Firefly is poised to ensure U.S. preeminence in the commercialization of cislunar space.” This initiative is an integral part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024, “using in-
Firefly will use its Blue Ghost lunar lander to deliver 10 payloads to the moon in 2023 for NASA. The company will do much of the testing and manufacturing for the lander at its Briggs testing site. (Courtesy Photo) novative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before,” according to
a NASA news release.
See FIREFLY, Page 4