Dripping Springs City Council approves Dripping Springs Ranch Park board members and procalamations

DRIPPING SPRINGS — At its Oct. 3 meeting, the Dripping Springs City Council approved several proclamations and appointed two individuals to the Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP) Board of Directors.

National 4-H Week

The council proclaimed Oct. 7-13 to be National 4-H Week in the city of Dripping Springs.

4-H is America’s largest youth development organization, supporting nearly 6 million youth across the country, according to the proclamation. The organization has helped numerous children in the Dripping Springs community to become confident, independent, resilient and compassionate leaders.

In 4‑H programs, kids and teens complete hands-on projects in areas, such as health, science, agriculture and civic engagement, in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. Kids experience 4‑H in every county and parish in the country through school and afterschool programs, school and community clubs and 4‑H camps.

National Domestic Violence Month

More than 204 Texans were killed in an intimate partner homicide, including 169 women and 35 men, according to a proclamation that council approved, which declared October 2023 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Melissa Rodriguez, chief executive officer of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC), accepted the proclamation and shared what people can do to support survivors of domestic violence.

“We are here for the proclamation and also just to encourage folks to learn more about domestic violence. I know it’s a topic that a lot of us find really difficult and unfortunately, it’s much more common than we would like to acknowledge,” said Rodriguez. “However, there is something that everyone can do to support domestic violence survivors. It all begins with listening, believing and supporting survivors. If you can do that, then you are already ahead of the game.”

The HCWC is a local nonprofit that offers free and confidential services to adults, youth and children who are victims of family violence, dating violence, sexual assault and child abuse who live, work, or attend school in Hays and Caldwell counties. According to the proclamation, HCWC provided services to more than 978 local victims of domestic violence,  18 of which were from the Dripping Springs community.

Rodriguez said that Torchy’s Tacos will donate  a portion of sales toward the services that HCWC provides every Monday, as long as customers bring in the flyer that they can find on the center’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HCWCenter.

World Teachers’ Day

The council proclaimed Wednesday, Oct. 5 as World Teachers’ Day.

“As a teacher myself and a former principal, I have the incredible opportunity to see how our amazing teachers commit their personal heart and self and their time to the kiddos of Dripping Springs,” said Kristen Ray, director of student support services at Dripping Springs ISD, who accepted the proclamation.

The city of Dripping Springs’ future strength depends on providing high quality education to all students and teacher quality matters more to student achievement than any other school-related factor, according to the proclamation. Teachers spend countless hours preparing lesson plans and supporting students; DSISD teachers have demonstrated great resilience, adaptability and creativity during the COVID-19 crisis; and the community recognizes and supports its teachers in educating the children of this community.

The proclamation also recognized that #TeachersCan is a statewide movement supported by more than 150 partnering businesses and organizations committed to elevating the teaching profession and honoring the critical role teachers play in the success of Texas.

Michelle Fischer Day

The council proclaimed Oct. 3 as Michelle Fischer Day in the city of Dripping Springs for the city administrator’s 25 years of service.

Fischer started as an intern in 1998 and has seen the city of Dripping Springs grow from an office of three employees to that of 53 employees. She has overseen a major expansion of parks under her time with the city, including Charro Ranch Park, Sports & Recreation Parks, Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Rathgeber Natural Resource Park. She has ensured the passing of landmark ordinances and projects for the city of Dripping Springs, such as the Mercer Street Revitalization Project, the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance, Dark Sky City Designation, Bird City Designation, the Old Fitzhugh Road Project, Stephenson Building Remodel Project and the absorption of the Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau.

Through her leadership and commitment to the city of Dripping Springs, Michelle Fischer inspires the community, staff and all who have the opportunity to work with her, read the proclamation.

Dripping Springs Ranch Park Board of Directors

Council also  council approved the reappointment of two individuals onto the DSRP Board of Directors for terms that will end on Sept. 30, 2025.

Pam Owens, who currently serves as the secretary of the board and retired earlier this year as the president of the Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau, was reappointed. Mike Carroll, another returning member, was also reappointed.

Duties and responsibilities of the DSRP Board of Directors are listed below, as according to agenda documents:

• Review and make recommendations related to fees, events, forms and policies of the DSRP.

• Review, approve and finalize sponsorship agreements where the city sponsors an event in an amount in excess of what is allowed in the DSRP Sponsorship Policy (Resolution No. 2017-63) or the city fee schedule. All sponsorships that fall within the sponsorship policy or the city fee schedule may be approved by the event center manager. All approved sponsorship agreements shall be filed with the city administrator and parks and community services director.

• Work with event center manager and parks and community services director to establish and oversee an operating budget for DSRP, contingent upon approval of the city council.

• The board shall interview all qualified finalists seeking the event center manager position. Following interviews of the event center manager position, the board shall make recommendations to the city council stating which (if any) candidate should be engaged by the city.

• Work with DSRP event center manager and parks and community services director to provide the city council with monthly financial statements showing income, expenditures and profit or loss for DSRP facilities.

• Budget: The board may determine expenditures related to the DSRP. All expenditures shall be in accordance with the city's purchasing policy, city budget and state law.

To watch the full Oct. 3 Dripping Springs City Council meeting, or previous meetings, visit www.youtube.com/@cityofdrippingsprings9597.