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2021
Volume 34, Issue 21
www.LHIndependent.com
Canady dominates Council meeting, again
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor One week removed from a meeting of only three members, the Liberty Hill City Council met again Monday with a quorum of three once again in a gathering with much the same flavor as before. After Council member Tony DeYoung and Steve McIntosh were absent from the April 5 meeting, McIntosh was again absent April 12, along with Liz Rundzieher. McIntosh’s term expires in May after choosing not to seek reelection, but his social media posts show he has already moved from Liberty Hill. He attended only two of five meetings in March and neither April meeting to date. The Independent inquired with City Administrator Lacie Hale whether McIntosh had officially resigned from the Council, but did not receive a response. Council member Kathy Canady continued to show her disdain for items mentioned by Mayor Liz Branigan, and took time to publicly chastise another elected official over a cell phone. Who is leading? Branigan sought Council approval for a meeting to create an emergency management task force with the help of Liberty Hill EDC Executive Director Matt Powell. “We will have a two-hour meeting and we’re going to invite the police, fire and EMS, the ministerial alliance, the school district, other cities, Operation Liberty Hill and representatives of Williamson County,” Branigan said. “I asked Matt (Powell) because he was previously certified in emergency management.”
She said the purpose of the meeting would be to critique the City’s response to the February ice storm and best way to move forward with emergency management plans. “Have we checked with our city administrator?” Canady asked. “Lacie, do you have any thoughts on this?” Branigan said Hale would be invited, to which Canady abruptly responded, “I’m asking Lacie.” The response by Canady mirrored again her approach to Branigan since the mayor was elected, deferring to Hale on issues rather than Branigan. In an e-mail to The Independent after the meeting Canady explained why she has reacted to Branigan’s leadership role so differently than she did to former Mayor Rick Hall. “I was not overly fond of the combination of city admin/ mayor, but I was definitely dissatisfied with our previous city admin (Greg Boatright). It seemed reasonable at the time to try something different. Liberty Hill has always thought outside the box. As someone new to the council I might have been a little naive - as it is a huge undertaking to be a city admin. For me at the point that I realized/felt we needed to go back to a strong council weak mayor form of government (which we as a city have primarily been and involves having a city admin) I started working towards that goal. Our current city admin has done a fantastic job handling all that has been thrown at her. I think the city admin needs to do the admin things, the council needs to do the council things, and the mayor
See COUNCIL, Page 5
LIBERTY HILL VOTES 2021
Full ballot awaits Liberty Hill voters
There’s no shortage of issues or candidates on the May 1 ballot in Liberty Hill as voters will make decisions in five races for school board and city council and determine the fate of a number of propositions. Early voting at the Liberty Hill Municipal Court, 2810 RM 1869, begins Monday, April 19 and runs through April 27, with no voting on Sunday. Polls are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 1924, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 26-27. All 14 early voting sites in Williamson County can be found on the Williamson County elections page at wilco.org. In the school board race, four candidates will be on the ballot for Place 3 – Steve Messana, ©2021 The Liberty Hill Independent
Michael Ferguson, Charlene Stevens and Antonio Canas – while incumbent David Nix did not seek reelection. In Place 6, most recently held by Vickie Peterson who resigned in January due to work obligations, there will be six candidates. On the ballot for the one year remaining on Peterson’s term are Aurora Trahan, Robert Baughn, Lockie Ealy, Cory Milam, Kristi Hargrove and Jennifer Williams. It is not necessary for any candidate to achieve a 50-percent majority in either race, so a runoff election will not be necessary in the pair of crowded places. Incumbents Kathy Major (Place 4) and Anthony Buck (Place 5) did not draw an opponent in May and will serve another three-year term. In the race for three City Council seats, Chris Pezold
See ELECTION, Page 4
News@LHIndependent.com
April 15, 2021 | 50 Cents
The Panther in the room Second high school plan raises questions, concerns
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Since students first walked into the current Liberty Hill High School in 2013 the specter of this growing community having to build a second high school has rattled around quietly in the back of everyone’s minds. That concern became a proposed reality when the district’s long range planning committee suggested in January that a second high school be included in a May bond package. “It was a very difficult decision because as we talk about it amongst ourselves – inside Liberty Hill ISD and with the community – because everybody loves Liberty Hill with one high school,” said LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell. “Having to split
the high school into two is a very, very tough decision. We get and totally understand the desire to be a one high school town, but as large as we’re going to be we just didn’t think it would be good for kids.” The committee proposed a $165 million second high school as part of the $491.7 bond package and the school board agreed, putting the issue to the voters on May 1. In working with the long range planning committee, all scenarios were discussed and all options were on the table, from maintaining one high school, building a second, or considering a ninthgrade center. “At the end of the day as we talked about what we value in the high school, it was the size, it was the fact that kids
LH INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO
Part of the 2010 bond election, Liberty Hill High School opened to students in Fall 2013. A second high school is being proposed as part of the current bond election on the ballot in May. can compete – at the highest try and make a single high level and win – with the cur- school, with potentially 6,000 rent size we have,” Snell said. So rather than deciding to See HIGH SCHOOL, Page 4
Dungan honored as Burden Teacher of the Year
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Jima Dungan fought back tears when she found her husband, children, parents, and every kindergarten student on the Buden Elementary campus eagerly waiting in the hallway to surprise her. Dungan was named the Bill Burden Elementary Teacher of the Year and everyone wanted to celebrate. “The Principal [Tanya Lambert] knocked on the door and asked me to come out and help her,” Dungan said. “Every kindergartener was sitting there in the hallway silently, which is a miracle in itself. They handed me flowers. It was a special
See DUNGAN, Page 5
Bill Burden Elementary’s Teacher of the Year Jima Dungan was shocked when her family and kindergarten students surprised her with cheers of surprise and flowers. (Courtesy Photo)
BUSINESS
Local businesses come together to help a Bertram boutique
Local businesses came together recently to help Bertram and a fellow boutique. The seven boutiques from Hop Around the Hill -- Simply Home Decor & More, The Blue Door Gift Store & Boutique, Two Brand It, Wildflower Republic, Pep & Punch, Radiant Salon, Ginger Roots Boutique -- plus Royal Bliss Day Spa sold Small Town Strong T-shirts to benefit Bertram Blend & Boutique whose building was totally destroyed during a recent storm. All of the proceeds benefited Bertram Blend, and the owner, Amanda Powell, was presented a check for $13,193 to help with her rebuild. (Courtesy Photo)