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2021
Volume 34, Issue 35
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The struggle is real
July 22, 2021 | 50 Cents Are you currently hiring?
NO
Finding employees proves difficult for many Liberty Hill businesses
The City of Liberty Hill has settled a lawsuit with former Chief Maverick Campbell. (Courtesy Photo)
City settles lawsuit with former police chief
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer The City of Liberty Hill has settled a lawsuit with former police chief Maverick Campbell. On July 14, the City Council voted unanimously to execute a settlement agreement for the Campbell v. City of Liberty Hill et al lawsuit in the amount of $39,308.32, with $13,102.77 payable in attorney fees and expenses to O’Brien Law, P.C.; and $26,205.55 to Campbell, for applicable income tax withholding and Texas Municipal Retirement System contributions. In the agreement, Campbell relinquished all claims for unpaid compensation, including back pay, retroactive pay, loss of pay, leave of absence pay, vacation pay and sick leave. The agreement states Campbell is responsible for paying all attorney fees and costs associated with bringing the lawsuit against the City, whether already incurred or incurred in the future. According to the agreement, which was provided to
See CAMPBELL, Page 8
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer If it seems like everywhere you look there’s a “Now Hiring” sign on display, you’re not wrong. In recent months, as businesses have worked to reopen and find a new normal in a post-pandemic world, finding, hiring and keeping good workers has proven to be a difficult task. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by the Texas Association of Businesses (TAB), 48 percent of businesses in Texas had at least one to five positions currently available, and the overwhelming majority—80 percent—of these businesses cited the $300 per month federal supplement workers were receiving as the reason they have been unable to fill their job openings. “While the initial federal unemployment supplement was
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munity. Respondents included business owners in the retail, cleaning, real estate, restaurant and transportation industries. One hundred percent of respondents said they were currently hiring, with 76 percent stating they had one to five open positions, and 23 percent stating they had six to 10 open positions. The average length of time these positions have gone unfilled is two months, according to the survey. The businesses surveyed have starting wages ranging from $10 per hour up to $22 per hour but are still having a hard time finding employees. One respondent said “government aid and lack of child care” was the reason they were unable to find employees, while another said “no one wants to work [in this] crazy
See HIRING, Page 8
100%
If so, how many positions do you have available?
1-5 6-10
23.1%
76.9% A recent survey of local businesses by The Independent showed all respondents were hiring - most for multiple positions.
Sundance Estates residents oppose zoning for sausage factory
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer It was standing room only at Tuesday’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting as about 100 residents from Sundance Estates came to voice their disapproval of a potential sausage manufacturing company being built in front of their neighborhood. John Byrum, the City’s director of planning, said the request was submitted on behalf of property owner Lookout Partners LP to rezone approximately 4.498 acres out of a total of 6.7496 acres it owns to allow for the construction of a sausage manufacturing facility for Austin-based Smokey Denmark’s Smoked Meat Company. The property is located at
Board approves additions for LHES, Noble
By SHELLY WILKISON Publisher Liberty Hill school Trustees made several decisions this week regarding projects approved by voters in the 2021 bond election. Board members approved a schematic design for the expansion of Liberty Hill Elementary School, which includes second floor classroom space for fourth and fifth grades, expanding the gym, and a new facade. Architects from Huckabee Associates say the expansion will make Liberty Hill’s oldest campus more equitable with the newer elementary schools. The Board also voted to move forward on a classroom
needed at the height of the pandemic, its continuance for those who are eligible to work is keeping businesses from unleashing the full might of the Texas economy,” said Glenn Hamer, CEO of TAB. “This survey is just a sample of what TAB has been hearing for weeks from organizations all throughout Texas and backs up the recent call by the United States Chamber of Commerce to put an end to this federal supplement. With vaccines readily available to anyone who wants one, it is time for the President and Congress to realize that this policy is a barrier to enhanced employment in Texas and throughout the country.” The Liberty Hill Independent conducted its own survey of local businesses to understand what the current hiring environment is like across the com-
YES
addition to Louine Noble Elementary. Noble opens to elementary students next month. The building was previously home to Liberty Hill Intermediate School, which housed only fifth and sixth grades. The addition will increase capacity to up to 900 students. With less than four weeks remaining until the start of school, Noble’s enrollment is already at 544 and is expected to grow as up to 30 new students are registering daily districtwide. In fact, as of Monday, the district had enrolled 1,095 new students for a total enrollment of 6,549. School starts Aug. 19. The Board also approved a plan to renovate the Administration Building on Forrest street, making use of
See LHISD, Page 2
State Highway 29 and Bronco Boulevard behind Prosperity Bank. The rezoning request would change that land from general commercial/retail (C3) to light industrial/warehousing (I1). “Should this request be approved, the applicant intends to have the use as manufacturing sausage,” Byrum said. “The I1 district is intended to provide for low intensity, limited impact industrial uses, which may include office warehousing, wholesaling, product assembly and light manufacturing conducted primarily within the confines of a building. This development would be in close proximity to the new Golf Cart King headquarters and
See SAUSAGE, Page 4
RACHEL MADISON PHOTO
It was standing room only during the Planning & Zoning Commission’s meeting Tuesday night. Approximately 100 residents from Sundance Estates came to speak and show their opposition to a proposed rezoning of property in front of their neighborhood from commercial to industrial, which would allow for an Austin-based sausage smoking facility to build there.
Local Scout on mission to donate K9 to LHPD
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer It’s safe to say Jillian Hamrick, a 14-year-old incoming sophomore at Liberty Hill High School, has been busy this summer. When she’s not at Pacesetter K9 in Liberty Hill learning skills to handle drug and police dogs, she’s working on the creation of a program that will help teach students across the community about the importance of K9s. All this work isn’t for nothing—Hamrick is working toward earning her Gold Award through the Girl Scouts of America, which is the highest award that can be earned as a Girl Scout. Hamrick, who is a senior member of Troop 40101, decided that for her Gold Award, she would train and donate a K9 to the Liberty Hill Police Department. The police department hasn’t had a K9
on the team for at least eight years, said Brad Langham, owner of Pacesetter K9, and he knows it’s something the department needs. “They’ve wanted a dog for years and never had the budget for it,” he said. “K9s keep drugs off our streets and out of our community, and Liberty Hill needs one. If you think about it, if you want to bypass Austin, Highway 29 is a great corridor to get back to the typical drug corridors like Interstate 35 and Highway 281.” Langham added that while Hamrick will be donating the K9 to the LHPD, the police department will have to work with her on a timeline to make sure they have all the equipment and training required, as well as a handler to work directly with the dog. “There are different grants and programs that can help
See SCOUT, Page 8
RACHEL MADISON PHOTO
Girl Scout Jillian Hamrick stands with Narcos, a dog she’s helping to train at Pacesetter K9, as she works to earn her Gold Award.