There is a distinction between the data centers that were approved in 2013 and the ones that are currently being green lighted, Hill explained. The newer ones, at an upwards of 800 acres, are known as hyper-scale data centers, which are being used for artificial intelligence (AI) training models and surveillance. When there is conversation about mass layoffs, she continued, those jobs are being replaced by AI data models, in which the data centers are the processing warehouses that have to be large enough to process the quantities of information.

“[The technology companies] said that Texas is very important. It will be the epicenter and it will be the place where they are choosing to grow their business. So, when we're talking about these data centers coming in, it's not like we're servicing the local community,” Hill said. “This will service native processing throughout the U.S. and they have pegged Texas as that point for it to happen, without any concern of what that means for the local communities.”

Various issues, including power and water, surround how the current approximately 400 data centers that are slated to be built across the state of Texas.

Each data center can consume between 100 to more than 500 megawatts of electricity, which is equivalent to powering 75,000 to 375,000 homes, according to Hill. While the state has experienced grid failures during winter storms, this new demand could put that at an even greater risk.

A single facility can also use three to five million gallons of water every day for cooling; many of these facilities are proposed in areas where groundwater resources are already scarce and local water districts lack the authority or information to assess the long-term impact on aquifers, she said.

“The government has made it very easy for them to build in Texas because the land is cheap, but we are experiencing drought, so they're not balancing this plan that they're looking at with the actual reality of the situation or the landscape of the people who live here. So, this is very much being forced on people in their communities,” the resident shared. “It's very unsettling that we're not part of that conversation to make sure that these are being built in the right way, in a way that serves the community and in a responsible way that also fosters the longevity of the community. If there is no water, then they're going to have to completely shut down that facility and figure out ways to put Band-Aids on it to make sure that it's still operational.”

In learning about the impact that these would have, Hill created the grassroots organization, Don’t Drain Texas, along with a website to provide the tools that people need in order to contact their state representatives. She’s also developing a resource that would allow counties to get more “granular” in tracking the data centers and tying them to specific locations.

“I also obviously heard that in San Marcos there was a huge turnout for the protests against building there, so, because San Marcos is very close to Wimberley, that got my attention. I'm like, "Oh, wow! These are coming into my county, into my neighborhood,’” she said. “All we have is the ability to speak up against what’s happening, so, knowing that, I just thought it was very important to give [people] tools to organize because Facebook is not conducive to that. If someone posts really valuable information, it just gets lost in the feed. You can't tie it to anything on a map or a specific location. So, I just thought it was vital that I then start developing these tools and do it for free because none of these tools exist right now for grassroots organizing on an actual granular level to really mobilize people.”

Additionally, Hill shared that she submitted two petitions to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) — the latter of which has been accepted and is now live for public comment — to make it mandatory for the agencies to assess the water usage information before approving the facility “because there are a lot of areas of drought in Texas.”

There was a hearing for the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources held Tuesday, June 23, that ran for more than 10 hours and the first three hours consisted of the committee speaking to TWDB, PUCT and Electric Reliability Council of Texas, explaining that there is no data to make adequate decisions for water planning with the state’s water plan.

According to Hill, the data centers are not voluntarily reporting how much water they are using — only 17 out of 340 facilities have — and her petitions filed May 29 preceded Gov. Greg Abbott’s call to action for data centers to provide their own power and water and not to drain Texas communities.

Ultimately, Hill would like to see the 90th Legislative Session, which begins in January, to have several bills that support local communities and protect the water resources in Texas by fostering responsible development and limiting what can be done.

To learn more about the organization, data centers and upcoming hearings ahead of the legislative session, visit www.dontdraintexas.com.

In the aftermath of the tragic loss of their son, Micah Narté, due a snowboarding accident, Washington natives Ted Rockwell and Tina Rockwell were compelled to find what was next for their family. Connections with friends and their own research of the Texas Hill Country landed them in Dripping Springs in 2023.

They had a desire to create a business that would bring a legacy honoring what they had lost by celebrating all that has been found. It has also opened up a space for healing in the family, with everyone being able to showcase their own skill sets, such as Ted and Tina’s college-aged daughter, who works on the finance piece.

In doing so, they took what they knew best from their time in the Pacific Northwest: coffee. ROCTÉ Coffee Company — a combination of the two family names, Rockwell and Narté — was started in September 2025, but has been operational since February 2026.

While ROCTÉ does not currently have a storefront, it focuses on bringing back the classic “milkman” model to its Dripping Springs neighbors, but with coffee.

“We’d always utilized a local milk man delivery service, so [we are] just taking that premise and idea and putting it into coffee,” said Eli Narté, Micah's brother, who moved to Dripping Springs last year and founded the idea of the coffee delivery service. “They would put a little metal kind of insulated cooler on your porch and on milk delivery days, they would drop it in the cooler, so instead of having a metal cooler, we got some insulated tote bags, and we are going to be basically redoing the milkman service, but calling it the ROCTÉ Coffeeman.”

There are a lot of coffee-related businesses in the Austin area, Ted explained, so they knew that they wanted to do something that was different, including bringing beans to their customers in their freshest state, while still maintaining a comparable cost.

“Postal costs are quite high. We didn't really realize that they cost as much as $5 or $6 to mail a bag, so we talked about it as a group,” Ted said. “I said, ‘Well, what are some ways that we could offer the quality of product that we want at a price that is going to be attractive relative to what most people purchase when they buy beans to roast or to brew at home?’ We knew that grocery store beans had a much longer warehousing period and could also sit on shelves for weeks, so we knew we had a quality advantage, but we wanted to try and bring the price to parity or close to parity.”

ROCTÉ works with two third-party organizations, Rising Tide and Genuine Origin, to help with the roasting and procuring of 100% Arabica specially-grade coffee beans from high-altitude regions in South America and the South Pacific.

“We have a medium light roast from Tanzania and we have a dark roast, as well, from Sumatra, so we tend to want to stay in that medium range because we think it's the right combination of complexity and flavor, but we recognize that not everybody shares our taste,” Ted explained. “We want to be able to offer them something that aligns to the natural preferences that they have.”

Being rooted in the Dripping Springs community is important to the Rockwell and Narté family, especially as the coffee company does not currently have a brick-and-mortar storefront. So, they take 10% of the profits and distribute them equally to three local organizations — PAWS of Central Texas, Dollars for Scholars and Central Texas Food Bank — that are committed to causes close to their hearts.

Additionally, last week, the company donated 50 pounds of its coffee to local businesses, first responders and civic leaders, giving back to “some of the local heroes in what they're doing and helping them stay caffeinated,” Eli said.

Moving to Dripping Springs, Tina explained that they discovered the highly-anticipated Founders Day Festival, where they had a booth near the main stage this year. For her, a large part of her identity is being a mother and incorporating herself in the community; after meeting with the Dripping Springs Art League, they collaborated to do an art contest for their Founders Blend, where they would pick one of 21 submissions to showcase their logo on the packaging for one year.

The winner was Kyndall Womack, the daughter of the head softball coach at Dripping Springs High School. As the submissions were anonymous for the contest, finding out the name and identity behind the winner was special, Tina explained, because the school colors from their hometown are the same as that of Dripping Springs HS, helping her feel like this is their new home.

“Our son Micah, who passed, was a left-handed pitcher and first baseman. The first picture, when I Googled [Womack's] name, she's wearing our old school colors and she's a left-handed pitcher and first baseman,” she said. “It just felt really good, like we are where we should be.”

Looking to the future, the family wants to have a physical location in Dripping Springs for ROCTÉ, where there is space to do roasting in-house, while also feeling like they are “an authentic and beloved part of the community,” Ted said, adding that they want to do appearances at farmers markets and pop-ups..

The coffee delivery service has been officially launched, with the company actively promoting it in the mail and across social media, Eli said. Currently, they are exclusively keeping the routes to the 78620 and 78737 zip codes and the first delivery will be July 6. Fresh bags of coffee will be delivered to neighbors’ doors before 9 a.m. on the first and third Monday of every month.

According to Constable John Ellen, the accreditation is a program that consists of 174 best practices that reduces risk and liability. An example of a best practice is use of force, said Ellen. To prepare for this, and each of the other qualifications, staff was required to enlist in specific training and document any time it was used in a proof of compliance.

The office also has to turn in annual reports to show that these practices continued long after they were implemented.

Additionally, the entirety of the 12 chapter — each with up to 23 sections — general orders manual had to be rewritten, said Ellen.

The officers had to complete these requirements, while working their regular jobs, so a challenge was having enough people and enough time, he said. Despite this, he noted that the office already had a high standard, so instead of changing a lot, it was more so focused on documenting the practices they had already implemented.

Following the completion of these tasks, an on-site visit was done by the TPCA. This includes two law enforcement professionals that spend several days with the office, going through policies and procedures, completing ride-alongs and more. Ellen described the process as “grueling,” though it was actually completed in less hours than other offices, he bragged.

“[The initial training] took us a little bit over two years and, according to the assessors that came out, that’s about normal for an agency our size. However, I guess it usually takes them around 16 hours to do a [visit at] an agency of our size and it took them between seven to eight to do ours. They said that they hadn't seen one that was that well put together and that well-documented. So, that was a huge compliment,” said the constable.

The achievements didn’t stop at the compliment and the accreditation itself, Ellen shared, as he discovered that out of the 1,000 constable’s offices in the state, Hays County's Precinct 5 was only the fifth to achieve the award.

“It’s a huge step forward for us; it’s a huge step forward for the county. It’s something that, I hope, will be the standard for our county. One of the things I would like to see is all five of our constable’s offices and the sheriff’s office be accredited agencies,” said Ellen.

The accreditation is more than just a title, as it provides credibility to the office, while setting up a high-standard roadmap for law enforcement to abide by. According to the constable, the office will have to undergo re-accreditation in four years.

“This precinct has always worked really, really hard to have high standards and provide the best law enforcement service we possibly can and this is just a written indication of standards by which we operate … This victory goes to the people who work here. It’s not my leadership; it’s the quality of people we have serving our citizens that is really the reason we were able to do this,” concluded Ellen.

The Precinct 5 Constable’s Office was recognized by the Hays County Commissioners Court during its June 23 meeting.

To learn more about the accreditation, visit www.texaspolicechiefs.org/accreditation.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is the state agency responsible for rabies prevention, surveillance and control. Under Chapter 826 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, each county must appoint a Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA). In Hays County, the Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division serves in this role, responding to rabies concerns involving wildlife, livestock and pets.

Hays County Health Department staff are also working with state partners and community-based organizations to implement rabies prevention strategies, including outreach and vaccination efforts for household pets.

“As the county continues to develop its role in supporting the welfare and safety of our animals and residents, it’s important that we address the current outbreak affecting our local wildlife. The health department continues to provide opportunities for residents to receive free or low-cost vaccines, including the rabies vaccine, for their cats and dogs,” said Matthew Gonzales, Hays County Health Department director. “The department will continue to work with local rabies control authorities, including the Department of State Health Services, to monitor the spread of rabies in our community and determine the implementation of best practices, with the court's direction.”

As multiple Central Texas counties experience a rise in rabies cases, Hays County has been particularly affected by increased prevalence among fox populations, prompting officials to classify the situation as an outbreak. The commissioners court emphasized its commitment to safeguarding residents, animals and the local ecosystem by supporting proven prevention strategies.

The resolution highlights the success of the Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORVP), established in 1995 by DSHS in coordination with federal, state and local partners. The ORVP has played a major role in reducing rabies among coyotes, dogs and gray foxes in various regions of Texas.

In its action, the commissioners court:

• Expressed strong support for DSHS efforts to seek assistance from federal, state and local agencies to conduct oral rabies vaccination and other prevention activities, including quarantine enforcement.

• Requested that the governor and Texas Legislature consider adding the rabies outbreak to the call of a special session if conditions warrant.

• Urged approval of funding requested by DSHS for rabies prevention and treatment efforts, including support for local public health initiatives.

"Rabies is a serious public health issue that affects not only wildlife, but also our pets, livestock and families," said commissioner Morgan Hammer. "By supporting state and local prevention efforts, including vaccination programs and public education, Hays County is taking a proactive approach to protecting our community. This resolution demonstrates our commitment to working with our partners to address the outbreak and help keep both residents and animals safe."

Copies of the approved resolution will be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, members of the Texas Legislature representing Hays County, DSHS and other relevant agencies.

Kelly Engram, a professor within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University, recalled that the last time she had “good hair” was in her late teenage years because she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, a thyroid autoimmune disease, when she was in her 40s. One of the symptoms of Hashimoto’s is hair loss; Engram was going through a “perfect storm” of significant weight loss and perimenopause that were not helping her grow her hair back.

Engram went through a lot of frustration and trial and error, struggling to find a wig that made her feel like herself again, but experiences where she was persuaded into wearing something that she was not used to, leaving her voice unheard.

“I was used to wearing a short blonde pixie and then, [the wig salon] kind of talked me into a really long brunette wig that was completely foreign to me and looking back on it, that was a completely wrong thing to do,” she recalled.

Through her experiences and after doing her own personal research, the professor decided to use her skills to create wigs and open the “online door” to sell wigs in May 2025. She has sold approximately 600 wigs all over the world, with clients in Australia, Europe and Pakistan.

However, she was missing the in-person experience with clients, leading her to open a brick-and-mortar location — Prairie Fire Hair — in San Marcos. There, she will be able to do more in-person consultations with an in-house colorist and stylist beside her, as well as host monthly workshops and support groups at no cost.

All that Engram is going to offer would be geared to welcoming women, who are dealing with all of the challenges, such as the feeling of loss of identity, related to hair loss into an uplifting and caring community.

“Wearing a wig is so incredibly difficult, but at the same time, utterly life-changing. I have had women who tell me like their lives have completely changed from wearing wigs; they feel like they've gotten themselves back. I actually had this one woman who I had a consultation with and she was sobbing. [She] just basically told me that she was to the point where she felt like she just wanted to end it all because she just didn't feel like worthy of existing. She just didn't feel like herself anymore. I can attest to that feeling myself and then, I've heard stories over and over again,” Engram said. “Wigs aren't really normalized in our society. People can wear extensions and that's no big deal and you can do all of these things to change your appearance, but wig-wearing is still sort of like a taboo thing. When you can get together with other people who are also wearing wigs, it is just so empowering to have that support around you.”

Prairie Fire Hair is also filling a gap, Engram said, as she was invited to a conference for a medical group in San Antonio, where she learned that people have been looking for a wig resource in the local area — which includes Hays County — for years.

Engram will be holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Prairie Fire Hair, located at 2108 Hunter Road, Suite 106, San Marcos, at 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, followed by an open house from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., where visitors will have an opportunity to tour the studio, learn about wig options and services, meet the founder and enter prize drawings for premium hair care packages. Then, on Saturday, July 11, a complimentary Wig 101 Workshop will be offered to learn about selecting the right wig, proper fit and more; attendance is free, but advance registration is required.

To learn more about the business and to register for workshops, visit www.prairiefirehair.com.

Unforgettable Families and Friends partnered with the Kyle Area Senior Zone and the Nu Sigma Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho San Marcos for CeCe’s Treasure Chest, an opportunity for local nonprofits to gather items, free of charge, for its clients.

The nonprofits were able to visit the Krug Activity Center Thursday, June 25, to receive items. The clothes and items for the fourth annual event were donated by Walmart, Kohl’s and community members.

Prior to the vote, Chief Financial Officer Deborah Ottmers presented the item at the June 22 meeting, first beginning by noting the demographics of the district. Currently, there are 25,400 students enrolled in 28 campuses, with more than 3,000 employees across 221 miles.

The three budgets required to be adopted by the board, which will reflect the $12.2 million cuts, as previously reported by the Hays Free Press, are:

• General fund:

- Revenue: $281,575,000

- Expenditures: $275,423,724

• School nutrition fund:

- Revenue: $$13,727,900

- Expenditures: $13,727,000

• Debt service fund:

- Revenue: $112,100,000

- Expenditures: $112,100,000

These total to $407,402,900 in revenue and $401,253,724 in expenditures.

“Even though the [general fund] budget has changed — revenues increased, expenditures increased — the anticipation is still that we’re going to keep that $25 million fund balance. When actuals happen, after we go through the audit, it’s going to change some because those are real numbers that are going to be hitting all the accounts, but it looks like it's on track to be very close to keeping that fund balance, which is ultra important,” said Ottmers.

This balance — which will rise to $37,387,051, due to the $12.2 million in cuts — she continued, is recommended to sit at 90 days worth of operating expenses, but is instead only at 33 days. The full 90-day amount would be estimated at $68 million, Ottmers said.

She also noted that at the end of the year, approximately 10 days will be added, potentially more, getting the district to its goal of reaching the 90-day balance in three to five years.

Regarding the funding amount provided by the state, the CFO stated that, if the district was able to be funded based on student enrollment of 25,400, it would receive more money: “The revenue and the expenditures per enrolled [student are] about $60 per student per day and so, when a student doesn’t come to school, we don’t get the $60, but we [still] spend the $60. So, for a financial standpoint, that's important. That’s why we would prefer to be paid on enrollment, not on attendance.”

The proposed 2026-27 tax rate is the same as 2025-26 at $1.1546 per $100 valuation, consisting of $0.6669 for maintenance and operations and $0.4877 in interest and sinking.

Trustee Raul Vela Jr. asked whether homestead exemptions affect the district when it comes to receiving these taxes, since they lower the amount of taxable property. “Yes and no,” responded Ottmers, explaining that the general fund nearly makes up the differences, but it could slightly affect the debt service fund.

“One of our largest challenges that we’ve been having the last several years [is] one of the changes in the law was refunds that are made to taxpayers and when those are made. So, they used to make them only at certain times of the year and those would be the times when cash flow was up, but, now, it’s whenever they have to make that refund. The tax office doesn’t have enough cash, [so] we actually send them money to make those refunds. That’s a time where our cash flow is lowest,” she shared.

Prior to the vote, trustee Byron Severance stated, "I know this is not the budget we'd like to do, but I think it's the one we have to do, based on our circumstances. I think we're all just committed to making it work to keep our focus on the true education of kids."

Severance motioned to adopt the general, debt service and school nutrition funds at the June 29 meeting, with trustee Esperanza Orosco seconding. The item passed 7-0.

The Hays CISD Board of Trustees will meet next Monday, July 27.

Beginning with the history of the Public Transportation Program, senior planner Kaela Sharp noted that the Uber Kyle $3.14 Voucher Program was established in October 2020, with the intention to replace an underutilized bus service and expand transportation options in the area. An expansion to include airport and Veterans Affairs (VA) vouchers occurred in October 2021, followed by Maruti Transportation (MT) Connect for wheelchair accessible rides in 2022.

The program runs by issuing three voucher types monthly, which are downloaded by users from the City of Kyle mobile app and linked to the Uber account. The first is Uber Kyle — valid on rides within the city’s boundaries and some areas of the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) — which has 2,000 sets of vouchers, each valid for 10 rides per month. When a ride that meets the criteria is requested, a base cost of $3.14 is charged; Kyle then covers the next $10, leaving the residents to pay any remainder cost above $13.14.

Other vouchers are as follows:

Uber VA

• 400 sets of vouchers, each set for two rides per month

• Valid on rides to and from the Austin VA clinic

• Base cost is $3.14

• City covers the remainder, up to $60

Uber Kyle Airport

• 1,000 sets of vouchers, each set valid for two rides per month

• Valid on rides to and from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

• Cost-share is 50% of the total cost; though, previously, it was 31.4% for the resident and 68.6% to the city, until September 2025

• City’s maximum contribution is $50

MT Connect

• Same boundaries as those in the aforementioned vouchers

• Cost to rider is $3.14

• The city pays a monthly fixed rate of $14,500, plus $25 per ride

Although the program was in budget the initial two years, since fiscal year 2022-23, it has consistently gone over budget, in amounts ranging from $99,000 to $430,000 per year. Staff estimates that by the end of the current fiscal year, it will be over $324,868.

Sharp stated that staff is looking into a resident verification process, along with grant opportunities and other wheelchair accessible options. Despite this, recommendations to modify the locations served, to raise the base price to $7, reduce service hours or eliminate the airport vouchers, which would save approximately $200,000 annually, were presented.

Council member Claudia Zapata requested that staff provide information on unique riders, the times the services and specific vouchers are used and where, as this would aid the council in determining what direction to move forward with for public transportation.

Sharing concerns with the price increases was council member Lauralee Harris, who stated that older adults may use the service to receive a $6 lunch at KASZ, but that by potentially raising the prices to $7, they could be priced out.

“I share council member Harris’ concern that $7 might price people out of the ability to use it, especially our most income-restricted residents. I know there’s a lot of fixed-income seniors that use this program, a lot of disabled people that use this program [and] a lot of youth that don’t have significant income that use this program to get back and forth to work,” said council member Marc McKinney. “In my mind, I wish there was a way we could have some sort of income-based tiered structure, but implementing that would cost us more than what we would end up saving in the long run. I have a hard time agreeing to go all the way to $7.”

McKinney also stated that he feels as though those who can afford to fly can afford to find transportation to get to the airport, so he was in favor of eliminating these vouchers.

“Five for the ride” was what council member Michael Tobias suggested.

All three noted that cutting the hours is concerning, whether that be for older adults, preventing drunk-driving or students using it for extracurricular activities.

“I think we just need to do a better job [of] how we monitor these accounts because it does seem kind of fishy that you have all these vouchers that are going out and we could have somebody that’s applying for multiple accounts just to get those vouchers,” said Tobias.

Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale agreed with an idea that Zapata brought forward about setting a limit each month, such as $50,000, and stopping the services once the city pays this amount.

Near the end of the discussion, council member Courtney Goza shared that she discovered that the VA covers and reimburses ride shares for veterans anyway, so the city does not need to pay for these vouchers.

“I don’t want to touch the VA program because I think it just provides such essential services and, if anything, I’m trying to find ways to beef it up,” said Zapata.

The following motions were approved unanimously by council:

• Updating the service area to only Kyle city limits

• Changing the base cost to $5

• Eliminating the airport vouchers

Council voted 6-1, with McKinney dissenting, on reducing the hours to 6 a.m. to midnight.

Moving onto the public events portion of the presentation, assistant city manager Jesse Elizondo noted that there are 43 events and series hosted annually, with programming designed for all ages. These serve 35,000 participants and more than 850 vendors, with a current annual operation budget of $795,500.

The behind the scenes of these events have varying timeliness, according to the presentation — with smaller gatherings taking three to six months to plan, while large and destination experiences are from eight months to a year — and budget, ranging from $8,000 for Center Street Trick-or-Treat to $25,000 for City Fest. However, some events, like Kyle Fair, do have a stream of revenue. For example, although there was a direct cost of $310,000 for the Kyle Fair, it generated $22,000.

After reviewing the many events, council was asked to determine the future of them moving forward.

Goza stated that she was in favor of reducing the number of Market Days. She has also gotten feedback from visitors that the music is so loud that it is difficult to communicate with others or for vendors to do business. This could be remedied by removing the large band stage, said Goza, for something more acoustic, which Harris agreed.

“If we go from eight to four, I think it’ll be better attended because they’re more sparse, and then, also the vendors will get more out of them because there’s more people there,” said Elizondo.

With the recent decision to remove the Hispanic Heritage Market Day, Zapata requested staff look into having an international market day to celebrate various cultures, perhaps aligned with Hays CISD’s designated heritage days throughout the year.

The Pride event was also cancelled: “I will firmly say that Pride is exceptionally important,” said Zapata. “I remember the first time I was called a dyke; I was 11 years old and that does not leave you — ever. So, if it costs $3,500 a month for the city to put on an event that would help a child feel welcomed and loved and appreciated and not feel so alone, it is more than worth it.”

Harris agreed with Zapata, but opted to advocate for six dates, instead of four. A spring and fall event, said Tobias, would be better, as this would allow more vendors to sign up, with a bigger turnout.

“I think keeping it simple is the way it should be. Not to say that I don’t support the cultural aspect of what we were trying to merge, but I don’t think a market day is necessarily the right venue for those things,” said McKinney.

Although Flores-Cale stated that she supports the representation and the educational aspect, she agreed with McKinney about keeping the market days simple. Organizations that provide support and services can be at any event, not just specific themes, she said.

“Regardless of what my personal opinion is and that is, I do support the [LGBTQIA+] community … I represent a city of 60,000 people and I have to take everybody into consideration,” said the mayor. “I cannot sit up here and make votes based on what I want because I have 60,000 people I have to think about and as much as I do support the community in other ways, I also have to think about other people.”

Flores-Cale made a motion to hold market days twice a year in the spring and fall, with a second from Tobias. The item passed 5-2, with Harris and Zapata dissenting. Elizondo clarified that this included removing the large stage and, instead, looking for a smaller musical aspect and finding new ways to incorporate cultural events.

Regarding other events, council voted 7-0 to:

• July 4th: reduce to just fireworks

• Kyle Fair: reduce to a day-an- a-half event, with a 6 p.m. start time on Friday

• Center Street Trick-or-Treat: restructure

• City Fest: eliminate and have further conversations of how to provide residents with a State of the City address at a later date

• 25 Days of Christmas: reduce the number of events and number of parks with lights

• Santa’s Arrival: remove and merge with Santa Rides

• Santa Rides: restructure and combine with Santa’s Arrival for tree lighting

• Jams on the Green: reducing to four times a year and move the event to Saturday instead of Thursday

• Movie in the Parks: reducing from 11 to four events a year

• Texas Recreation and Park Society Unplug: eliminate the event

Originally, staff shared that Grinch on the Green is a growing, successful event, so no changes were recommended, but Goza stated that with the other Christmas event and the load it puts on employees, she recommended removing it.

Zapata considered an option for reducing the five-hour event, as she feels as though the Grinch having a full day to himself is “very Grinch-like.” Though, staff shared that this was to ensure as many community members were able to meet him as much as possible, since last year, some were turned away, due to time constraints.

“I think it is a super unique event,” said Harris. “I think that it has become a part of Kyle; it’s looked forward to and people from all around come for that. I love the lighting [and] turning La Verde green just makes sense. It’s beautiful. I would suggest leaving it how it is.”

Both McKinney and Tobias agreed, stating that it’s a “Kyle original” and well-attended and well-received.

Ultimately, council chose to continue with the event, but shorten it from five hours to three hours. It passed 5-1, with Goza dissenting. Zapata was not in the room for the vote.

The following events were unchanged: National First Responders Day, Easter Eggstravaganza, Founders’ Day Parade, Veterans Day Parade, Memorial Day, 9/11 Ceremony, Flag Day and Storytime in the Park.

To listen to the discussions, visit bit.ly/4oVmna0.

90% of this property is over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. All of the surrounding neighborhoods are on individual or community wells. The property, which includes part of Little Bear Creek, is full of karst features and sinkholes which are necessary for the recharge of our drinking water. Many environmentally sensitive features are conveniently left off Milestone’s map.

The 200 acres of “Open Space” to “protect the site’s most sensitive areas” would have 56 acres sprayed daily with treated sewage and require clearing the land of old growth vegetation to install the system. The DA stated, “trails, utilities, and infrastructure necessary are permitted within the Open Space.”  County regulations state “open space” is to remain in its natural state. 

Lower Trinity water availability has not been verified through the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and pumping permits cannot be issued while we are in a drought, which could be years.

The article said that “without the agreement there will be more than 100 private wells using the Edwards Aquifer.” It is cost prohibitive to drill 100 wells and this reduces the number of lots from 346 to 100…which means that to make the same profit, the homes would cost 3X more. That is not Milestone’s MO.  What Milestone stated was nothing but a scare tactic and a bluff. 

Commissioner Smith, Hays County does have tools to prevent this type of development over the  Aquifer Recharge Zone: lot size requirements. But Milestone wants to put 346+ houses on 72 acres, hence the variance request. Milestone can develop an environmentally friendly subdivision under county regulations but they have stated it is not financially viable and they have never submitted a code compliant plan. 

Commissioner Hammer was correct when she stated that this DA is incredibly flawed and we have only highlighted a few flaws. 

The best option is for this property to be preserved. It is an important part of the preservation of the Edwards Aquifer where thousands of Hays County residents get their drinking water. 

Carol Pennington

“We are bringing the Bible back into schools this week for the first time in 60 years,” SBOE member Brandon Hall, R-Aledo, said during a prayer session outside the hearing this week.

The new standards will be implemented in phases, starting with elementary schools in the 2030-2031 school year.

Republicans favor the new standards as a win for Judeo-Christian values and say the required lessons on Jesus, Abraham and Moses are intended not to evangelize but help children develop moral compasses. Critics say the board is promoting Christianity at the expense of racial and religious diversity.

“Texas is telling millions of children that one religion deserves the government’s seal of approval, while everyone else is an afterthought,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Cornyn: Closed primaries could backfire on Texas GOP

Sen. John Cornyn is warning Texas GOP leaders that closing party primaries would be “paving the way to minority party status,” The Texas Tribune reported.

The Texas Republican Party and its top elected leaders are pushing to require voters to register with a party, thereby prohibiting them from crossing over in party primaries. Texas is one of 17 states with open primaries.

Cornyn, who was defeated for reelection in a runoff by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, commented on an op-ed published in The Dallas Morning News, sharing its title — “Closed primaries are a threat to Texas voters.” He added, “Exactly,” and “Democrats haven’t turned Texas blue; Republican’s [sic] might.”

Paxton has joined the GOP’s pending lawsuit to strike down open primaries in court.

Supreme Court ruling could affect 147K TPS recipients in Texas

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the Trump administration can revoke Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Haiti and Syria means more than 147,000 migrants in Texas under the program face imminent risk of arrest and deportation, the Texas Standard reported.

Texas hosts one of the largest concentrations of TPS holders in the nation, and University of Houston constitutional law professor Seth Chandler said the ruling has dramatic consequences for them.

“It basically streamlines the ability of the Trump administration to revoke TPS status, not just for the Haitians and Syrians who were litigating in the case the Supreme Court decided today, but with respect to Hondurans, Nepalis, Afghans, and perhaps critically for Houston, potentially Venezuelans as well,” Chandler said.

The decision could have economic consequences, since many immigrants in the country under TPS work in sectors already experiencing labor shortages.

“If you look at our plaintiffs in the Syria case, for example, we have a highly sought-after pediatrician,” said Hussein Elbakri, attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project.

“We have somebody who is a special needs teacher by day and is training to be a nurse at night. We have construction workers. We have people in the food services industry, and we have many, many people, especially in the Haitian community, who are home health care workers, Elbakri said.

Tesla accused of allowing toxin release from refinery

Two Texas property owners have filed a class action suit against Tesla, accusing the company of dumping toxins from its lithium refinery near Corpus Christi onto their property, according to the Houston Chronicle. They claim that Tesla has violated its state-issued wastewater discharge permit by allowing contaminated water to flow onto their property.

The company’s permit allows it to discharge up to 231,000 gallons a day of treated industrial water into Baffin Bay, according to state records. A review of the water leaking into a drainage ditch by lab hired by the Nueces County Drainage District revealed two toxic metals — arsenic and the carcinogen hexavalent chromium, as well as elevated levels of other chemicals.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

Majority of Texans oppose data centers in their community

A new poll from the University of Texas’ Texas Politics Project indicates that a majority of Texans oppose having data centers in their community, according to the Texas Standard. The state has become the nation’s top destination for data centers, which provide the infrastructure for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining.

The poll found 43% of Republicans oppose data centers, while 42% support their construction. More than 60% of people who identify as Democrats oppose new data centers.

“I think people are objecting for different reasons,” said James Henson, director of the polling center. “On one hand, lots of environmental concerns about water and resource use. But if you’re living next to these data centers or in the region… they have a big impact on people’s lives.”

Both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have made regulation of data centers a legislative priority in next year’s session.

Texas GOP elephant lacked mandatory permit

When Paige the elephant made an appearance at the recent GOP state convention in Houston, its owner did not acquire the required city permit to bring wild animals into the city, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Public records acquired by the paper indicate Trunks and Humps, the elephant’s owner, has been cited repeatedly for federal animal welfare violations and failed to apply for a permit before bringing Paige to the June 12 convention.

The elephant arrived as the finale to Abbot’s speech. A video of the event went viral after the elephant urinated on the convention floor.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

And then, there’s this one: While leaving the Portland, Oregon area a few years ago, I saw the weigh station near Cascade Locks was open. Manned, as usual, by the Oregon State Police, who have a reputation for strict enforcement, I didn’t hesitate to stop on the scales. After passing inspection, the officer on duty asked if I’d be interested in taking a “voluntary drug test” as part of a double-blind study.

 I’d never heard of a drug test administered this way, and was a bit apprehensive, but in the spirit of cooperation agreed to the process. Besides, I’ve never come even remotely close to failing one of these.

In an administration building not far from the scale, a research team from a nearby university took my urine sample. There were no labels, no names and no identification.

Satisfied with my contribution to … whatever this was ... I returned to the truck and resumed my normal driving schedule. I didn’t think about it the rest of the day. In fact, I forgot about it completely.

 Then, two months later, and thousands of miles away, I was leafing through a trucking magazine when I suddenly came upon this very story. The article was detailed and specific, without naming names, but it was unmistakably that scale, that weekend. The findings were, in a word, breathtaking.

Four hundred truckers that weekend voluntarily submitted to the drug testing protocol. Twenty nine tested positive for illegal substances. Let me repeat that, just for the record. Twenty nine drivers, or 7% of those surveyed, voluntarily tested positive for illegal substances. And let me repeat one key word: voluntarily. If that doesn’t prove drugs affect your judgement, then nothing else will.

Some people say drivers under the influence of drugs are easy to spot. They’re bald. Or wearing a cap. Or carrying a coat. 

It could even be the team driver I saw the other day on Monarch Pass in Colorado, who was wearing an Alaska bush hat, insulated parka and Bermuda shorts. They talk a lot or not at all. They are older than some, younger than most.

 The truth is, drug abusers are almost impossible to identify because they all look like the rest of us. Most work like the rest of us. Some even vote like rest of us — which may explain some recent political outcomes— and a few are even in denial, like so many of us.

Clark is a Kyle resident. After 40 years of interstate trucking, he's too old for a paper route, too young to retire and too tired to have an affair. You can reach him at rogerclark437@ gmail.com.

Prior to the debacle, independent county judge candidate Liz Sumter Gajdos took to the podium during public comment to speak. In this, she made several remarks toward commissioner and county judge nominee Michelle Cohen, who recently won the Democratic primary seat against incumbent Judge Ruben Becerra in the May runoff.

“I’m here to set the record straight,” began Sumter Gajdos. “I’m running for Hays County judge as an independent because of you, commissioner Cohen. Your inability to tell the truth is astonishing. Your willingness to mislead and outright lie to get a vote is despicable.”

As she was finishing the previous sentence, former Hays County Democratic chair Jon Leonard spoke up from the back of the crowd, asking for the court to make Sumter Gajdos stop, due to alleged violations of the rules of the courtroom. Becerra responded, requesting Leonard to let her continue with her allotted time.

Leonard continued to interrupt the speaker five more times, with Becerra warning him several times throughout Sumter Gajdos’ attempt to speak.

“Who’s running this court,” asked the former chair. “You need to ask her to stop making personal attacks.”

As the bailiffs approached Leonard, he continued to state that he is “not getting up until this court enforces its own rules.”

Commissioner Morgan Hammer requested a legal opinion on the matter, to which assistant general counsel Jordan Powell noted that Sumter Gajdos’ comment is allowable within court rules.

According to video footage shared by Texas State House Rep. Erin Zwiener, Leonard was uncooperative with the bailiffs and laid on the ground as they attempted to remove him from the courtroom, until he was ultimately removed during a recess session.

Zwiener took to social media, following the incident, to share that “the decorum rules for public comment in the Hays County Commissioners Court prohibit using public comment as a platform to insult any member of the court or the public,” adding that Becerra is responsible for enforcing these rules; therefore, this was an “an unacceptable abuse of power.”

These rules are available on the Hays County website in Section E of the Rules of Decorum, which state, “It is not the intention of the Hays County Commissioners Court to provide a public forum for demeaning any individual or group. Neither is it the intention of the court to allow a member of the public to insult the honesty or integrity of the court, as a body or any member of the court, the court as a whole or any citizen or group.”

Becerra commented after the meeting, noting that Leonard was someone he knew personally, making the decision difficult, but “in that chair, my duty is not to friends, critics or political sides. My duty is to the public process. We paused, consulted with the county attorney and proceeded to restore order, so the meeting could continue.”

“People over politics,” he concluded.

To listen to the full meeting, visit bit.ly/4vul4RR. 

This item stems back to February, when Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra announced his intent to instill a moratorium on future developments that requested more than 25,000 gallons of water per day, in an effort to allow the county to evaluate impacts and ensure long-term water security for residents and agriculture.

It was then followed by two tabled votes, one in February and another in June, citing legal concerns, but Becerra noted that the legal department has reviewed the proposal and updated verbiage “to make everyone more comfortable.”

The resolution was read aloud at the meeting and detailed that, alongside the emergency water protection review, the Hays County Water Development Demand Review Board — composed of representatives appointed by the commissioners court — would be established with the following goals:

• Evaluate proposed industrial high water demand developments and potential impacts.

• Review water availability studies, utility commitment letters, drought contingency plans, conservation measures and more submitted by applicants.

• Provide written findings and recommendations to the commissioners court.

• Recommend policies and development review standards.

• Review and make recommendations to the Hays County High Water Development Review checklist, which will be published on the county’s website.

It also stated that this was brought forth due to: historic drops in aquifer levels; drought declaration; declining surface and ground water supplies; onsite sewage limits; runoff risks; emergency response burden; and infrastructure impacts; as well as the fact that “industrial high water-use projects present a significant risk to public health and groundwater quality, due to potential soil, sustainability limitations, system capacity overloads and increased stormwater runoff risks.”

With this proposed resolution, the court would defer consideration of discretionary approvals associated with industrial water use projects for 180 days. The industrial water use projects are described as any industrial development or operation meeting any of the following: “requests anticipated water demand of more than 25,000 gallons of water per day for industrial use or the project includes data processing, server hosting, cloud computing or comparable facilities designed for an electrical load of five megawatts or greater; or the project includes industrial cooling, operations requiring more than 10,000 gallons of water per day of ongoing water for the thermal management; or the project includes one or more onsite sewage facility subject to review under [Texas Commission on Environmental Quality] rules, due to system size, site condition or surface water or ground water concerns.”

Prior to the vote, several community members voiced their support for the resolution, including resident Liz Sumter Gajdos, who shared that there are many ways the court can “stamp down” artificial intelligence data centers and this is one of them: “The 180-day pause isn’t going to hurt anybody. If you’re going to sit here and wait for the perfect document, you will continue to put people at risk … I urge you today to vote, ‘Yes’ for this and let’s start protecting the citizens and listening to them.”

Resident Bobby Levinski praised the language used, stating that it is “firm and recognizes the urgency of the situation and explores what we can do as a community together.”

Requesting reassurance from legal counsel was commissioner Michelle Cohen. In response, Assistant District Attorney Chase Young noted that the vast majority of the resolution is fine, but there is a “small exposure” in the exercise of discretionary acts; however, “while that might risk a suit, that’s something that we would have good standing to have defense against.”

Cohen stated that with this information, she was in full support, but that she was concerned with the logistics of creating the board, due to the 180 days beginning immediately.

Concerns have also been addressed for commissioner Walt Smith, who shared that he now feels comfortable supporting the resolution. He also was in agreement with Becerra’s comment of extending the pause until Dec. 31 and letting the future court determine how to move forward with the board.

“Data centers are not compatible with us or Hays County,” said commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, discussing adding that the court should remove tax incentives. “We’ve had discussions about it; we’re not willing to give incentives to data centers and I think we need to continue to hold firm with that. I know we can’t tie the hands of the future courts, but I think this court is dedicated to not doing that and so, I’m in full support, judge, of this resolution.”

Commissioner Morgan Hammer echoed similar thoughts, emphasizing that it expresses the court’s stance against data centers, so she was in favor of the resolution, as well.

Another suggestion was provided by Smith in an effort to match state definition, which was to specify 25,000 gallons per day in the onsite sewage section, as well as the anticipated water demand usage.

He also noted that he’d like to require full disclosure of any political contributions any member of the court may have received from representatives of data centers, following research done on a previous lawsuit, where court members were named: “We can’t mandate what these centers are doing in certain areas, [but] what we can do is mandate what we as members of the court do.”

The final suggestions to be made to the resolution include:

• Stating that there will be no Chapter 381 tax incentives.

• Each commissioner will be required to appoint two Hays County residents to the board in the next two weeks to accelerate the first meeting.

• Changing the verbiage of “industrial high water use” to “industrial significant water use.”

• The extension will continue until Dec. 31.

• To be consistent with 25,000 gallons throughout.

• Add a voluntary disclosure of whether  key contributor to a industrial significant water use project has made a political contribution to a court member.

Smith prompted the idea of having two commissioners on the board, as some of the residents may not be knowledgeable on what can and cannot be recommended. He motioned to have commissioners Ingalsbe and Hammer serve on the board, which passed unanimously.

The resolution, with the aforementioned amendments, passed 6-0.

To listen to the discussion, visit bit.ly/4vul4RR.

The Hays County Commissioners Court will meet next July 7. 

A Texas native, Michael Follis recently returned to the state after spending two years in Chicago, where he worked as a music educator, professional singer, church musician and senior associate conductor of the Chicago chapter of the Grammy Award-winning National Children's Chorus.

Follis began his career in public education in 2020 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. He served for two years as assistant director of Choral Activities at East View High School in Georgetown, helping lead a choral program of more than 150 students across four ensembles.

Prior to relocating to Chicago, Follis spent more than three years as director of music at Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church in Austin and served as assistant conductor of Chorus Austin, the city's symphonic choral ensemble.

Follis earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from UT Austin, where he performed with the University of Texas Chamber Singers and served as a section leader in Texas Choirs. He also made history as the first undergraduate appointed director of the Longhorn Singers, the university's official show choir, in the ensemble's 60-year history. Follis later earned a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from UT Austin.

Elliott brings 21 years of experience in Texas public school theatre programs. Most recently, he served for five years as the Theatre Curator for Fredericksburg ISD, where he managed the district auditorium and served as house manager and lighting and sound designer for district events.

Prior to Fredericksburg, Elliott served as theatre director at middle schools in both Boerne ISD and Round Rock ISD. During his tenure in Round Rock, he led the theatre program to six first-place finishes in One-Act Play, while also growing the program by more than 250 students. He began his career in neighboring Hays CISD.

Outside of the classroom, Elliott owns a bespoke costume company and leads workshops on costuming and pattern making at the annual Texas Educational Theatre Association Conference.

Elliott holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education from Texas State University.

Dripping Springs ISD trustee Rob McClelland, pictured right, is sworn in to serve another three-year term on the board. Both his and Cousins' terms will expire in May 2029.

The new role will be responsible for providing districtwide campus support to both teachers and campus leaders, stated a news release. The role will lead and coordinate multiple initiatives that are either brand new to WISD, like the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), and systems that have undergone massive changes by the state in recent years, such as the Teachers Education Association accountability system, the STAAR assessments and the College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR) measurement.

“I am grateful to our board for approving this important position to expand support for our teachers and students. With new programs and increased state requirements created over the past several years, this is a critical moment to invest directly in our students and teachers,” said Superintendent Dr. Greg Bonewald. “Growth in student achievement is dependent on teachers having access to the training, tools and data they need to excel. This position will help bridge an existing gap and enhance our district’s ability to achieve the important goals established by our board in our strategic plan.”

Following the creation of the position, Bonewald announced that current Wimberley High School assistant principal, Errin Jennings, has been appointed to serve in this new role.

Bonewald continued, sharing that “Jennings possesses a rare skill set. Seeing her leadership on the high school campus this past year made it clear that we needed to find a way to more fully utilize her talents in an intentional way for the benefit of our faculty and students. Her prior experience with the TIA program and her passion for supporting teachers and students through data-driven instruction make her an ideal fit for this position.”

“I am so appreciative for the opportunity to serve the students, staff and families of Wimberley High School and I’m thrilled that this position will allow me to expand that impact throughout the district,” said Jennings. “I believe passionately that when teachers feel supported, students will grow and I can’t wait to get started.”

Following the announcement of Jennings, Bonewald also announced that Christy Brothers, who previously led the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP), would be joining the WHS administrative team as assistant principal to fill the vacancy created by Jennings’s transition.

Brothers has served as the WISD DAEP director for the last five years and has an additional six years of experience as a campus administrator at other districts. Prior to that, she had 14 years of experience working in various special education roles at districts around Texas.

“I’m incredibly excited to keep working alongside our wonderful WISD students, families, staff and community,” said Brothers. “I'm ready to hit the ground running and look forward to serving the students and staff at WHS.”

WHS principal Ryan Wilkes said, “Christy knows our school and our systems inside and out, which will allow us to maintain stability and structure. She has done a fantastic job at DAEP, holding high expectations for everyone, and we look forward to seeing her continue that excellent work at the high school campus.”

Brothers has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in special education, both from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She is married to her husband Dustin and has one adult son, Aaron. In her free time she enjoys traveling, gardening and taking care of her animals.

WISD is currently accepting applications for the DAEP director position.

According to the presentation, the Wimberley Strategic Plan is set to end in 2027, after its initial stage occurring in 2023. In it, the mission states that the district is “dedicated to excellence in education, empowering the next generation of Texas to have a positive impact locally and globally” through four priorities: empower student excellence, support faculty and excellence, strengthen community excellence and ensure operational excellence.

Focusing on the first priority — empowering students — Grisham noted that she would be sharing the district’s special education demographics and a review of the 2025 results-driven accountability district report, compiled of data from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.

“Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, we started that school year on the snapshot day of having 286 students qualified for special education. By the end of that school year, we were at 304. If you skip forward and go into the ’25-’26 [school year] snapshot day, we had 486 students and at the end of the school year, we had 506,” shared Grisham. “That has been an increase of 200 students over those past five years in special education.”

She also explained that the growth for the most recent school year may appear to only be 20, but the district serves more than that. It actually served 575 students, but some may have been dismissed from the program, due to achieving goals, being removed or transferring out of the WISD.

The presentation also detailed the most prominent areas that qualify these students for special education:

•   Specific learning disability: 202 or 40.4%

•   Speech impairment: 110 or 22%

•   Autism: 52 or 10.4%

•   Other health impairment: 71 or 14.2%

•   Emotional disturbance: 40 or 8%

Moving onto the findings of the results-driven accountability district report, Grisham stated that WISD received a Determination Level 1: Meets Requirements, which is the highest ranking.

“Our kids with special learning needs, they are also achieving the district vision of excellence, innovation and service,” she emphasized. “We’re closing the gaps; our students are closing the gaps in their STAAR performance. Our 2026 graduates have all demonstrated essential workplace skills and our students are growing socially [and] academically. We have kids that are involved in almost all of our activities within our district.”

Although there are many areas to celebrate, she did note that there is room for improvement by persisting in closing academic gaps, increasing the number of college readiness testers and empowering students toward the completion of career programs and industry-based certificates.

In response to trustee Chad Canine’s inquiry on any challenges the program is facing, Grisham explained that staff is looking into how to provide training for the special education support staff, paraprofessionals and general education teachers who also play a role in supporting the students.

Trustee Rob Campbell noted that the students make up a large percentage of the overall district population at 21.5% and thanked Grisham for her hardwork.

The Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees will meet next Monday, July 27.

The city has partnered with Ice Rink Events for Western Wonderland since the event’s inaugural year in 2023 in order to provide the seasonal 60-foot-by-120-foot ice rink at Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP). A proposed agreement with the same company was brought before city council at its most recent meeting that would allow for operation Nov. 27, 2026, through Jan. 5, 2027.

According to agenda documents, under the agreement, Ice Rink Events would provide the rink system,refrigeration equipment, dasher boards, ice maintenance equipment, rental skates, skate aids, installation and removal labor, project management and ongoing professional support throughout the operating season.

While the total cost for the equipment rental and professional services is $179,955, Ice Rink Events has offered a discounted contract price of $171,385, saving the city $8,570. This includes a 50% non-refundable retainer due upon contract execution, with 25% due Sept. 1 and the remaining 25% due Dec. 20.

Emily Nelson, assistant director of Parks & Community Services, presented to council that city staff has seen rising attendance at Western Wonderland year after year, drawing visitors from across Central Texas, not just those who reside in Dripping Springs.

“There were over 22,000 visitor trips. We saw almost a 30% growth over the previous season in our stats,” she said.

Along with providing a family-focused holiday experience, Western Wonderland brings increased visitation to DSRP and support for the local economic activity, Nelson explained, as travellers will stop at restaurants, gas stations, etc.

There has been significant financial improvement over the past three seasons, according to Nelson’s presentation:

•   2023: Revenue at $153,058.48, expenses at $297,594.47 and cost recovery at 51.4%

•   2024: Revenue at $157,201.74, expenses $256,213.82 and cost recovery at 61.4%

•   2025: Revenue at $147,442.36, expenses at $206,093.43 and cost recovery at 71.5%

“It definitely was unique on those revenues for 2025. Our families really figured out that punch pass and we felt it. A punch pass is where a family can buy a ticket and it gets 10 skates and it was $100,” Nelson said. “I was really happy that those families found that affordable way to have those activities, but we felt it in the revenue side because they figured out how to not pay the $15 a ticket and to do the punch pass, so [a] double-edged sword there. But we were able to really hone down our expenses significantly.”

Nelson also considered what it would look like if there was a slight price increase to skate, but it still keeps Dripping Springs “in the pocket” of other rinks in the area, as Bee Cave sits at $20 per skate and Marble Falls is at $18. Basing it off the 2025 numbers, if there is the same attendance and a single ticket was $15, she proposed jumping that to $16. Then, on the punch pass, it would be 10 skates for $120, instead of $100, and group parties would be $12 a head versus $10.

“The total increase by doing that, those slight adjustments bring us just a little over $11,000 and then, when you add that plus the rink discount, that brings us to a total recovery of 81.2% next year if we had exact same attendance,” she noted. “The one caveat I would say is, if we've got amazing sponsorships, I would love to hold the prices where they're at, but if we saw that those sponsorships just weren't responding and we weren't getting sponsor dollars, then we know that we could do a slight increase to see another improvement on the total recovery.”

The assistant director is looking into contacting an outside individual for more sponsorship opportunities, as it can be a hard call for the small pool of local businesses, who are faced with the challenge of choosing between competing events, sports, etc.

“Across the board, for a lot of our city events, I think we felt that sponsor dollar lessen no matter how many requests [went] out. So, this person, and I'd have to call and see if she's taking on new cities or not, but she brings in a fresh pool of people that she usually feeds into sponsorships in the [Dallas-Fort Worth] area, so it would be larger companies; it would be outside of Dripping Springs,” Nelson explained. “She does local, too, like she will approach and try to drum up business within here, too, but she does have a different pool of people that she draws from.”

Council member Sherrie Parks agreed that she wants to give local businesses the first opportunity, but knows that there are many competing interests for sponsorship dollars, so looking for an outside perspective is a good idea. She added that it can take five years to solidify an event to where it breaks even and Western Wonderland is still within that window.

“It's been successful in the other markets that she has taken over and I've watched it, so I would be excited to see with her looking in this direction what she could create,” Nelson said, adding that this contact can look at sponsorships for a variety of different city events, not just Western Wonderland.

Council member Geoffrey Tahuahua stated that while he has questioned how much money the city was and is going to lose overall, he commended city staff for their ability in being able to cut down expenses.

He, along with council member Travis Crow, suggested looking at different price points, as well.

“I wouldn't mind seeing $1 increments … I know it's more work for you, but $17, if it still saves the public a dollar. A dollar is a dollar right now, but if it's not too much work, maybe look at $17 or $18 and see what the difference is,” Crow said.

Council did not take a vote on the proposed agreement, but it will be brought back again at a future meeting.

Zoning

The first zoning change relates to amendments to the Chapter 9, Article 9.03 - Zoning, Division 7 - Administration and Enforcement in the city of Wimberley’s code of ordinances. Currently, a supermajority vote is required by city council to approve a zoning change where there are protests from the owners of at least 20% of land within 200 feet of the subject property.

However, with the newly-passed House Bill (HB) 24, that protest threshold has increased to 60% for zoning changes that result in an increase in residential housing.

Another component of this is due to HB 4506, which introduces a new definition within the zoning hearing section of the ordinance known as a comprehensive zoning change. This is for citywide changes where zoning is being completely repealed to adopt a new one, along with those that involve more residential housing, according to director of Development Services Nathan Glaiser.

“This bill was really passed to encourage more residential housing and make it easier for cities to make those zoning changes that would allow for that,” he said.

Secondly, another change in ordinance — related to temporary structures and adding mobile food vendors and mobile food courts — was discussed.

HB 2844, which becomes effective July 1, limits and preempts certain local regulations and requires municipalities to ensure that local ordinances governing mobile food vendors are consistent with state law. Currently, the city of Wimberley uses its temporary structure ordinance to permit food trucks, but the new law no longer allows for local permitting; it all goes through the state, Glaiser explained.

“This ordinance is essentially just removing that temporary structure ordinance, where if someone wants a food truck, they have to come and present to [council] and you vote on it. We have to get rid of that process and at this moment, it does not replace it with anything,” Glaiser said, adding that with the new law, food trucks will now be overseen by the state.

The city still has the authority to enforce its zoning laws, the development services director clarified. So, if a property is zoned commercial, then the food trucks can set up and all they need is a state permit, but, in a residential neighborhood, that is not a permitted use.

Glaiser noted that Hays County is getting ready for the major change, as officials can no longer permit food trucks through the health department, but they will be out to ensure that everyone has their state permit.

Council member Chris Sheffield asked if health code violations can still be enforced.

They can still be investigated by the county or city officials, but the state permit still needs to be displayed at the food truck and if that is not visible, then it needs to be reported to the state, Glaiser responded.

City council unanimously approved both zoning changes in order for the city of Wimberley to be in compliance with state law.

Short-term rentals

Additionally, council unanimously approved an extension of a current temporary moratorium that is in effect. This puts a pause on the acceptance, processing and approval of applications for STRs that require a conditional use permit (CUP) in order to give the city more time to evaluate existing regulations, assess impacts on neighborhoods and consider potential amendments to the code of ordinances.

The moratorium was initially approved in November 2025 for 120 days and then, a subsequent extension was approved in March 2026 for 90 days to remain in effect until July 4.

Now, an additional extension for 90 days was brought to the table to provide further time for review, stakeholder input and the development of recommended regulatory updates.

Council member David Cohen asked if there is a backlog of any applicants wanting CUPs because they have not been able to get them during the moratorium.

There is not, Glaiser responded, but there have been some inquiries from mostly realtors who are wanting to buy properties in the city of Wimberley and are curious if they will have an opportunity to get a CUP in the future. Additionally, Glaiser said that he has had the opposite, where there have been some who have questioned if they will be able to get a CUP to get their property to go on the market.

“All that is in limbo until we adopt,” Cohen said.

“It is and since you’ve given me the direction to move forward with the changes, I am telling them that this is kind of what you can expect is that yes, your property will probably be able to get a CUP here in the next 90 days,” Glaiser said.

Ultimately, council unanimously approved extending the temporary moratorium for another 90 days.

Along with the moratorium, the city and appointed STR Committee have been working to review the regulations and how it currently manages STR properties. While action on the amendments proposed by the committee — initially brought forth to council May 21 — was back on the agenda, there was no action taken because Glaiser requested for more time for city staff to send the required letters to property owners in, as well as those within 200 feet of, the affected zoning districts.

Wimberley City Council will meet next at 4 p.m. for a budget workshop and 6 p.m. for its regular meeting Thursday, July 16.

The results of the election were presented by Survey and Ballot Systems, Inc., the independent, third-party company that handles the PEC’s election management services. For District 2, St. James won 55.1% of the votes and, for District 3, Ekrut won 53% of the votes. Approximately 7.3% of members across the two districts voted in the election.

St. James takes over for longtime PEC board member Emily Pataki, who reached the board’s term limit after serving 12 years, most recently as PEC’s board president.

According to a PEC news release, St. James said he is committed to serving his community and addressing the cooperative’s rates. He joins PEC with more than two decades of experience in the electric power sector and has served on the CleanTX board and on the board of the Latin American & Caribbean Council on Renewable Energy, as well as worked in partnership with former U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson to establish the Middle East-Americas Energy Council. He co-founded the Argentine Renewable Energies Chamber, which, in partnership with the local government and U.S. Embassy, helps establish policies that attract foreign investment in energy.

He has also served on the Parks and Recreation Committee, Economic Development Committee and quinquennial Charter Review Commission in Leander. He established Keep Leander Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful, and started another nonprofit, the Leander Foundation, to promote, protect and enhance sustainable growth in the city and enhance the quality of life of its citizens.

He lives with his wife in Leander; they have raised five children between them.

Ekrut has served on PEC’s board since 2020, representing District 3. He is currently a municipal judge for the city of Jonestown and an active member of the Texas Municipal Court Association and the Sheriff’s Association of Texas. Ekrut has also earned certifications from the National Association of Corporate Directors, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and as a Texas mediator.

He has been a small business owner in Cedar Park for more than 30 years and is a member of the Lions Club. In his free time, he is a mentor to students at Lago Vista High School, an active volunteer and driver for the local food bank, a volunteer for the North Lake Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Friends of Balconies Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge.

A fourth-generation Texan, Ekrut and his wife of 35 years live in Jonestown.

“We want to thank Emily for her many years of service and leadership and we’d like to congratulate Mark on another term and welcome Carlos to the board,” said PEC board secretary-treasurer and District 4 director Travis Cox. “This is an exciting time to be joining PEC. Together, we’ll continue to meet the needs of our growing membership, while looking at ways to optimize our operations and ensure long-term health.”

At the board’s regular June meeting, directors elected officers and Ekrut will serve as president, Paul Graf as vice president and Cox as secretary-treasurer.

Community members were invited to a luncheon and educational opportunities inside the Krug Activity Center afterwards. Boards depicting Juneteenth traditions and information were placed throughout the facility for residents to read. Additionally, free books were offered to attendees.

In the Best Social Media Post (Population Under 25k) category, the city of Buda was named TAMIO award winner for its timely Taylor Swift-themed post, following the announcement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. The post, uploaded just 31 minutes after the announcement, leveraged a rapidly trending global cultural moment to increase engagement with the city of Buda’s social media channels and reinforced the organization’s approachable, community-focused brand voice, stated a city news release.

In the Marketing Public Service Announcement (Population Under 75k) category, the city was named TAMIO award winner for its marketing specialist recruitment video. Rather than relying on a traditional job posting, the project aimed to promote the opportunity through engaging storytelling that highlighted creativity, collaboration and real community impact. While the production drew from a familiar short‑form content format, the release continued, it translated the trend into a purposeful municipal hiring campaign, designed to attract creative professionals and expand awareness of career opportunities in local government.

“These awards reflect the creativity, responsiveness and dedication our team brings to every project. Whether we're connecting with residents through a timely social media post or developing innovative ways to attract talented professionals to local government, our goal is always to communicate in a way that is authentic, engaging and meaningful,” said city manager Micah Grau. “It is an honor to be recognized by our peers across Texas and I am incredibly proud of the work our team continues to do on behalf of the city of Buda.”

A long time ago when my second born was sitting in the back seat with her big sister as I was driving to my parent’s Ranch House in the Hill Country, she was looking out the window at circling birds and asked me “Mom, why are those birds flying in circles?”

I answered, “Honey, those BIRDS are buzzards”.

She replied, “OK. But why are they circling?”

I replied, “There is probably something dead on the ground and they are just making sure it is REALLY dead.”

Then she asked, “Well, how many times do they circle?” I replied, “Oh honey, I dont know. Maybe ten or twenty times. Maybe a HUNDRED times.”

At that answer my sweet second child replied, “Well! I guess they must not be very hungry.”

And so, my dear reader, that leads me to wonder WHY.

Why are we, as good ol’ Americans, circling —--- just waiting for things to change back to good ol’ U.S.A. ?

Are we just circling, like the buzzards? Are we just sitting back while our so called Government in D.C. sells munition to a country that, for years, has used it to kill its inhabitants AFTER destroying their homes and fields?

Also, are we just sitting back while our so called government in D.C. bombs a peaceful nation simply because that nation happens to possess the same kind of bombs that WE posses?

Yes, my dear reader, I also watch the “buzzards” and wonder how many times they will circle till all is dead.

Why is it that we DO NOT give military equipment to a country that is fighting to be free, not a country that is killing its own inhabitants? Of course I am referring to UKRAINE.

It’s true that we have sold supplies to Ukraine and are still selling a trickle. But the arms just spent on the Iran debacle, if sent to Ukraine, would have invariably turned the tide in the four year war.

I don’t think the amazing and fearless people of Ukraine can hold out much longer without overwhelming support from countries who have ‘the right stuff’ to push the aggressor back once and for all. I, for one, am tired of circling buzzards. Please write to our representatives in Congress who have some influence in this department. Here are a couple:

US Senator Durbin

711 Hart Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 2010

Ph 202 224-2152

US Rep Jasmine Crockett D-Tx

711 Hart Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20515

Ph 202 225-8885

Comments welcome
Victoria Taylor
Dripping Spgs, Texas