The market, which was established as a welcoming space for neighbors and visitors alike, where guests are encouraged to linger, relax and enjoy the various experiences the market has to offer, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch. Additionally, it was slated to host several businesses within the facility after its Nov. 20, 2025, opening.

Months later, on June 26, Oakwood took to social media to announce its closure, effective Friday, July 3.

“Since launching late last year, the business has endured numerous challenges, both internal and environmental. We’ve worked tirelessly to keep moving forward amid staffing constraints, leadership turnover, rising costs, tough market dynamics, economic pressures and other significant headwinds,” read the statement. “You may have noticed some of these struggles in the form of new faces, different service models, shifting menus, etc. All of these changes represented our best attempts to adapt and prevail, but unfortunately they were not sufficient. As it exists today, Oakwood is not sustainable.”

Following the news, the owners stated that they will focus on reimagine Oakwood’s future.

“We’ve enjoyed many happy moments with you these past many months and remain hopeful about what’s to come,” concluded the team.

The event included multiple educational opportunities, such as how to fold a flag.

HAM operators, or amateur radio operators, are licensed individuals that can aid local agencies in emergency disasters through radio frequency communication, explained club repeater Brian Barker. The radio type has a rich history, he noted, stating that it was used in World War II, when military scientists sent information to operatives, where it was much clearer, after decoding, and more difficult to intercept, rather than voice communication. This type of work is what inspired the origin of the club in 2018, he continued.

“We provide education; we provide information; we provide training and we connect and co-op with other club organizations to provide licensure [training],” said Barker. “Once they pass their exams, we will help them get established in amateur radio by advising them on what kinds of communications equipment to buy, based on what they want to do and how far they want to go.”

These federal licenses have several variations, ranging from the lowest rank at technician to general and then, amateur extra, all of which provide individual privileges to communicate within certain radio bands, shared Barker. The tests demand a lot of practice, as they consist of a 35 question test, pulled from 500 questions, requiring a passing grade of 70% or more. So, studying and ensuring the material is learned can be quite challenging, said the club member. Though, after deciding what license to strive for, the club helps its members study for tests through testing materials and providing equipment free of charge.

The real effort begins once licensed, said Barker, as this is when members can begin aiding law enforcement and other entities during a time of crisis.

“A lot of today’s world is based on the internet and if the internet goes down, somebody cuts a fiber optic cable, [communication is limited], which actually happened in Southeast Texas on the Gulf Coast day before yesterday. [So,] the club activated their people and they went to their stations and they provided emergency communication across certain districts, so that police, fire and emergency services could at least get some minimal information,” Barker shared.

The information transferred is not individualized, he said, as it is more organization to organization, rather than to specific officers or firemen. For instance, if the Kyle Fire Department needed mutual aid, the radio club could request and send this to another fire station in the area.

“If we have an internet breakage or outage between here and Austin and between here and San Antonio, we can actually communicate by radio transmission to Austin to the state emergency operations center and also to the south, toward San Antonio through Seguin … We have the capability to go north and south and east and west,” he said.

This ability to help is why those that feel drawn to contributing to their community should consider HAM, Baker offered.

“We’re not limited to being in a county. We are called the Hays-Caldwell [Radio Club] and have people in Hays County and Caldwell County. The reason it was designed for Hays-Caldwell is because when they put the repeater up, they had to pick a name and they engineered the information and figured they can cover most of Hays County and most of Caldwell County … That also promotes that the individual — or we encourage that individual — to work in their own area, their own county or part of the county, to also service some of these locations that we have with our radio in emergency times.”

Currently, the organization provides emergency backup communication for emergency management departments in Hays County, such as the Kyle Police Department, Ascension Seton Hays Hospital, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Buda and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital. It is working on beginning services in Wimberley and in Dripping Springs, as well.

Community members are not required to have any skills or equipment prior to joining as an associate and will be upgraded to a member after earning a license and paying a $20 fee to keep up with equipment for the emergency radio services. They can also be paired up with a mentor, titled Elmers, who can aid new members on HAM radio.

To learn more about the Hays-Caldwell Radio Club, visit www.hchams.com or attend a monthly meeting, held at the Kyle Public Safety Center, 1700 Kohlers Crossing, at 10 a.m. the third Saturday of each month.

Jason Lutz, interim director of planning, began the presentation by noting that the ordinance draft is a result of council direction to look at water quality and riparians, or land bordering water sources, for the Edwards Aquifer recharge zones.

So, staff began by looking at several cities and the Save Our Springs Ordinance and reviewed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations.

“We were looking at San Antonio and Dripping Springs, as those will be the best templates for us, mostly because of the way they were laid out. They had good definitions, good processes [and] good penalties,” said Lutz. “We did want to take a base ordinance, so we didn’t have to recreate the will. We started adding regulations to address Kyle’s specific needs.”

These regulations include additions regarding Plum Creek and the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. Initially, staff was also going to consider the requirements to be within the city limits, but Lutz stated that it would not make sense to be pollution cognizant within the city, only to have it come in the city from upstream.

“If you’re a citizen in the [extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)], you generally don’t have a lot of conversations with the city of Kyle, unless you’re subdividing your land. Now, we would be asking you to submit a site plan outlining your water quality measures,” he explained.

Next, he discussed repairing the city’s corridor and stream buffers, where the changes would be based on stream type — major, intermediate and minor — and zones — managed, transition and protected; labels will be determined by the watershed. The protected zone would have no improvements, Lutz said. Additionally, utility crossings would be allowed, but may increase costs for city projects and developments.

The interim director stated that the city would include a no adverse impact demonstration, which means that there would be no increase in erosion potential, degradation of water quality and riparian habitat function, all of which would align with Kyle’s existing floodplain management framework.

Buffers would be around critical environment features, such as karst features, springs, sinkholes, caves, significant fractures, recharge features and wetlands. Because recreation areas are often in these locations, council member Marc McKinney requested flexibility or reviewing development on a case-by-case basis, to which Lutz stated that staff would suggest only allowing city parks, so council could review.

The interim director then shared that San Antonio had the “best practical model” when it came to aquifer protection and recharge features. Therefore, staff is looking into feasible language to implement into Kyle’s ordinance, including impervious cover limits of 40% for single-family homes, 55% for multi-family buildings and 65% for commercial facilities.

“We are [also] looking at water quality treatment for the first 1.5 inches [and] spill containment for fuel storage. Hazardous management plans would be something that would be submitted and then, there would be recurring inspections per the city stormwater maintenance program. Now, again, the reason I bring this up is because, originally, we were looking at just the city, but we felt that it’d be important to extend this to the ETJ. So, we have two staff in that department that may get a little cumbersome with yearly inspections; I just wanted to throw all of the issues out there,” he said.

Council member Lauralee Harris emphasized that she would like to include as much of the ETJ as possible, since “sometimes developers or businesses prefer to be in the ETJ because some of the regulations don’t apply and our ETJ areas are our most sensitive areas right now.”

“The people who don’t want to follow the city rules or engage in a development agreement, they can just be asked to be annexed out of the ETJ. That’s where I would see somebody who has a problem going is … they would just disengage altogether and asked to be taken out of the ETJ,” said Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale. “I’m afraid if we do [include the ETJ] then people are going to just leave and then, they’re going to have to use the county … As far as buffers and the regulations, I believe we don’t have very stringent regulations and theirs are less restrictive.”

Continuing on the topic of water quality, San Antonio and Dripping Springs have approaches consistent with the best management practices and low impact development standards using bioswales, sand filters, constructed wetlands, bioretention and more, according to the presentation. They also incentivize developments to use these, Lutz noted, adding that Kyle could do this, as well.

Council member Courtney Goza asked whether there would be availability of a waiver for property owners developing land. In response, Lutz stated that because the ordinance is still being drafted, a waiver could be added for specific criteria.

“I definitely do not want to impose anything that is so restrictive that there is no way around it, where pieces of property become unusable to the person who owns it because that is not being friendly to property owners. So, that is a concern to me,” she said, adding that she is in favor of having caps for impervious cover and requests can be considered.

“I have seen this ordinance in action, actually, in Dripping Springs, and it can become a little burdensome to council if y’all are having to review site plan variances once a meeting. I’m not sure that y’all want to do that. So, that was going to be my next question: Would you like the variance to come to you guys or are you okay with Planning and Zoning calling that and then, appeals go to you,” asked Lutz.

Goza stated that if it’s done in Dripping Springs and it’s working, then it’s a good process to follow.

A question regarding the water quality review fee came from council member Melisa Medina, who asked whether it will be a flat fee or based on acreage. According to the interim director, the fee already required for site development would be increased and then, additional fees for each acre. But he did state that a different fee or exception may need to be made for single-family homes, due to the possibly high cost.

“The goal is to protect our water, but the single-family, individual home is not the one that’s deteriorating the water quality, so we do want to keep that in mind,” said Lutz.

Next steps include: redlining the existing water quality ordinance template and modifying it to match Kyle needs and council direction; implement ing a fee for water quality review and amending fee schedule; and adding workflows, application checklists and processing procedures into the city’s plan review software process. The full drafted ordinance will appear in front of council in August.

To listen to the discussion, visit bit.ly/4f2JgUw.

In the spring of 2025, Cearbaugh created the Hays County Walking Group after she was inspired by a similar Austin-based group hosted by doula Kristen Lucas, who wanted to be able to bring together mothers, birth workers and children.

“I was like, ‘I love this idea and I want to bring it to Hays County,’” Cearbaugh said.

Building a community for moms, especially in their postpartum season, but also when they are pregnant, is important because they are able to connect with and confide in others who are in the same stage of life, Cearbaugh said.

“It's just something that helps moms get out of the house and be walking, too. The movement aspect is really important because sometimes, we can just get stuck at home easily, with all the things going on with littles, but it's a way to get out of the house, get the movement and be able to confide in other moms,” she explained. “Then, adding in the birth worker aspect, having others that are professionals in the space that can hold space; it just adds another layer of support from the professional standpoint.”

Hannah Acay, mother to a nearly-2-year-old, has been attending the Hays County Walking Group sessions for at least a year, after getting connected with Cearbaugh through another networking opportunity.

Aside from getting out in nature with the little ones, she said that she has enjoyed being around other women who are going through the same experience.

“If you don't have a community, it can be a very lonely space. I really feel like it takes a village and if not to help actually raise the children, then just to keep you mentally up,” Acay said. “I also think exercise and being outdoors is incredibly valuable for mental health and that's very hard to do solo, whether it be for motivation or just getting out and doing the things.”

A typical walking group session looks like meeting at the playground of a local park for everyone to mingle and then, they go on a short walk for no more than a mile to “keep it kind of friendly for every season of life,” Cearbaugh said. Afterwards, they loop back to the playground so that moms can hang out with each other, as well as their children.

Beyond the Hays County Walking Group, Cearbaugh, as a mother of two children, works to “hold space” for women in other ways. She shared that she works with moms in their postpartum season in their home; this looks like doing the laundry, dishes, holding the baby while they take a shower or anything that they need during that time.

She also holds online coaching sessions for moms, creating programs to tailor to her clients’ specific needs.

The Hays County Walking Group currently meets at 9 a.m. the first Thursday of each month. Previously, they were meeting at Stagecoach Park in Buda, Cearbaugh explained, but, after dealing with park closures, that will be changed to Buda Amphitheater & City Park.

Originally, the group was available in San Marcos and Dripping Springs, but, after trying for nine months at each of those locations, Cearbaugh said that she found them to not be as well-attended as the current one in Buda. She is looking forward to expanding it again, if there is enough interest.

The next session will be held Thursday, Aug. 6. Registration for the Hays County Walking Group is not required, but encouraged. For more information, visit www.linktr.ee/sacredmamalove.

The grant has been running for years, though the last time the library received it was in the '90s, said Arlyn LaBelle, youth librarian. This year, BPL is one of 70 recipients chosen for $2,500, after applying for the grant in April, for the first time in five years.

“It takes a good understanding of our collection to see what we need. So, for this whole year, in particular, I’ve been redoubling [our] Spanish language collection development in general and doing a lot of work with that. That took a lot of studying of our Spanish language section and I used all of that research to target exactly what we were missing in our collection and what gaps we could fill [in the application],” LaBelle recalled.

The write-up included specifics about what the library needed, the argument for it and a list of books it would purchase, if granted the money.

LaBelle stated that it was an easy decision to choose to expand the Spanish section, as it currently fails to represent the city’s population and was last updated in 2018.

“Around 14% of our residents speak Spanish in their homes and right now, our collection does not reflect that. I think that about 3% of our total collection was Spanish language materials, so that is obviously not ideal,” they said. “This is trying to get that to better reflect our community. We’re especially lacking in new adult stuff and some [young adult (YA)] stuff. Our teen collection for Spanish language was small and some of our adult stuff was a bit older, so it was basically due for a nice, big refreshing. We’re really grateful that we’ll be able to do that.”

The hope is to expand the junior graphic novel and chapter book section, while creating a YA nonfiction and adult fiction section, since those are practically nonexistent, said LaBelle. Of the 3% of Spanish language books, 42% are picture books, so the team is hoping to focus on the older readers. All titles will be available by the fall.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Texas Book Festival and to their partner, the Texas Library Association, for giving us this opportunity to bolster this section. It definitely deserves the little bit of attention that it’s going to be able to get with this grant and it means a lot, especially [because] budgets are tight and every little bit helps. This is a big bit, so it’s wonderful to be able to dedicate the time and love to this section and to grow it, so that it better reflects and serves our community,” LaBelle concluded.

For more information on BPL, visit www.budalibrary.org.

The club started two years ago as a branch off the already-established Kyle Youth Football Association, also known as the Kyle Invaders, that focuses on providing an affordable sports program for the youth in the community, which is a continuation of the values that were set by founder Nolan Speir.

The program offers both tackle and flag football, along with cheerleading, but now, under the direction of Oscar Silguero, the Kyle Youth Track and Field Club was also created to “get kids active, give them opportunities to learn about track and field and give them opportunities to be able to compete in the sport,” he said.

Competitions look a little different than those of traditional programs in school districts. The club — which is currently made up of 40 kids ages six to 18 years — competes under AAU-licensed events, such as the district and regional meets, hosted by other track clubs in surrounding areas, including Austin, San Marcos and Seguin.

The largest event, however, is the AAU Junior Olympics that will take place July 29-Aug. 8 in Des Moines, Iowa. Four athletes from the Kyle Youth Track and Field Club will be competing in the 4x100-meter relay and, while another will compete in the 80-meter hurdle, after earning their seats in the top 16 at regionals.

This marks the second season of the club being in operation, but the first season of it qualifying for the Junior Olympics and for some of the kids, it’s their first year running track and field, Silguero said.

“Of those five kids, four of them, it's their first year running track and field, as well as being their first year with our club, so it's a big deal for them to come in first year, learn the sport, condition for it and make it all the way to the Junior Olympics, as young as they are, which they are 11 and 12 years of age,” he explained.

Team member Hunter Lewison shared that he joined the club last year, where he was one spot from qualifying for the national meet. Through his determination and hard work, he will be competing in the hurdles event at the Junior Olympics this year.

“I thought [hurdles] would be something new to do and I thought it would be fun to do,” Hunter said.

Brothers Alpha Lyra-Carr and Omega Lyra-Carr are in their first season with the Kyle Youth Track and Field Club, as well, and they will be competing on the relay team in the Junior Olympics.

“I felt excited and grateful that we get to run in the Junior Olympics this year,” Omega said.

They knew they wanted to join the club, so that they could “run together,” the two said, adding that they enjoy being able to conquer their goals as a team.

Josh Duron, who is also on the relay team, joined the track and field club this year in a pursuit to condition and prepare for his football season. According to him, what he loves most about being on the team is making friends and being a good sport to everyone.

Through prayer and practice, he said, Duron was able to help his relay team qualify for the next level.

“It feels really good. It was really surprising because my whole relay team was just football players,” Duron said. “They are dedicated to conditioning, so it feels really good to be able to go to the Junior Olympics.”

The coach expressed how proud he is of the team’s accomplishments this year: “To have that kind of achievement as young as they are, I would just tell them how proud I am of them. Seeing their growth and their improvement all season long is just encouraging for me as the director of the club and I hope that their opportunity now will encourage other kids to take a step in the track and field world and try to go for the same thing.”

Following the Junior Olympics, the club will enter into its off season to prepare the athletes — who all stated they will be returning — for the next outdoor season, which is held early March through July.

This update follows a recommendation made as part of the adoption of the 2025 Water Master Plan, according to agenda documents. Since 2024, staff has worked with STV Engineering to provide updates to both the city’s Water Conservation — last adopted in 2024 — and Drought Contingency — last adopted in 2009 — plans, resulting in significant changes being recommended.

“The proposed Water Conservation Plan updates the city’s long-term strategy for promoting efficient water use, reducing water loss and ensuring sustainable water supplies to support continued growth. The plan has been developed in accordance with Texas Water Development Board and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requirements and reflects current utility operations, conservation programs and projected water demands,” read the documents. “To address future water demands, the plan establishes five-year and ten-year conservation goals, including municipal water use targets of 100 gallons per capita per day (GPCD) by 2030 and 95 GPCD by 2035, while maintaining water loss below 15% annually.”

The updated Drought Contingency Plan establishes procedures for managing the city’s water during emergencies affecting the water system and is designed to ensure reliable water service, while protecting public health, safety and welfare, read the documents. It also creates enforcement provisions, such as fines for violations, and a process for customers to request variances when compliance would create hardship or other conservation methods would achieve equivalent water savings.

Currently, there are three defined stages, but the proposed plan offers five, with a trigger threshold for each one — something that is not available in the present plan. The stages are triggered when any of the following criteria are met:

Voluntary Stage 1: Water consumption reaches 60% of daily maximum production capacity; Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) declares Stage 1; Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) declares Stage 1; Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) declares Stage 1; or emergency as determined by city manager. Automatic irrigation would be two days a week.

Mandatory Stage 2: Water consumption reaches 70% of daily maximum production capacity; GBRA declares Stage 2; EAA declares Stage 2; BSEACD declares Stage 1; or emergency as determined by city manager. Automatic irrigation would be two days a week.

Mandatory Stage 3: Water consumption reaches 75% of daily maximum production capacity; GBRA declares Stage 3; EAA declares Stage 3; BSEACD declares Stage 2; or emergency as determined by city manager. Automatic irrigation would be one day a week.

Mandatory Stage 4: Water consumption reaches 80% of daily maximum production capacity; GBRA declares Stage 4; EAA declares Stage 4; BSEACD declares Stage 3; or emergency as determined by city manager. Automatic irrigation would be one day every other week.

Mandatory Stage 5: Water consumption reaches 85% of daily maximum production capacity; GBRA declares Stage 5; EAA declares Stage 5; BSEACD declares Stage 4; or emergency as determined by city manager. Automatic irrigation and all nonessential water use is prohibited.

Mike Van Winkle, division manager of treatment operations, confirmed that Alliance Regional Water Authority was considered when determining the production capacity. Additionally, he stated that any concerns regarding watering can be submitted through Kyle 311.

“I’ll go ahead and answer a question that may be on someone’s mind: If we were to operate under this Drought Contingency Plan today, where would we be? Staff did evaluate that internally and we would currently recommend under current conditions to operate in Stage 3,” said Van Winkle. “That being said, it sounds a little more restrictive than where we’re at now because we’re in an amended Stage 2, but because of those expanded drought stages, if you look at the reductions, it would actually be a little bit more lenient on that outdoor automatic irritation.”

If adopted, the plan will apply to all city of Kyle water customers, including residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and governmental.

Regarding this, Tim Sanford, assistant director for Utilities, discussed the processes that would go into finding individuals who violate terms. First, he noted that the initial conversations are always an opportunity for education.

“That is first and foremost what our approach is: very soft-handed. Now, if you’re a repeat offender, this plan does have some monetary value to it, if we need to penalize you,” explained Sanford. “Before we take that type of action, we would have conversations with the city manager. I assume the conversation would also be had with city council. The values of what that would look like is first offense [is] $100-$500 and $500-$2,000 for subsequent offenses thereafter.”

The decision to have fees is the result of diligent patrols to have regulations met in 2023, he shared.

Council member Courtney Goza asked how the tiers will work for commercial businesses, to which Sanford suggested council come up with examples for staff to explain at a later meeting, since it is more complex.

“What I would like to see is as people log in to pay their bill or log in to look at their [advanced metering infrastructure] dashboard — hopefully, eventually, one day that’ll be one login — that it would populate what stage we’re at,” said council member Marc McKinney. “I think for the most part, everybody wants to be a willing participant in our water consideration; they just don’t understand, more often than not, exactly what the requirements are. I mean, I’m a city councilman [and], sometimes, I have a hard time remembering and I have to look it up … So, I think if we can simplify that a little bit, it would help with participation on a voluntary basis.”

He also suggested having a reward for those who are extremely conservative and using less than a certain amount.

After Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale questioned whether or not construction sites are using potable water, Sanford stated that they are not, unless it is a capital improvement project, due to demands on the city’s system. However, he did note that there is flexibility within the Drought Contingency Plan that allows staff and city leadership to determine whether or not to sell potable water for construction purposes.

“I just want to say thank you because this is much needed information not just for the council, but for the residents because I think there was this kind of confusion, like, ‘Where are we at and how do we know we’re going to change?’ So, I wanted to say thank you to your team, whoever brought this forward, because this is such important information that we should have had years ago,” said Flores-Cale.

There was no action taken, as this was a presentation item, though, the plans will have a reading come to council in August, followed by a second reading at a later date.

In the afternoon, Buda Amphitheater & City Park opened for the main event, which included vendors, inflatables for the kids and live music by Elle Townley and headliner Shinyribs. Pictured, Jackson poses for a photo with the e

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.

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.

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.

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.

The city has three splash pads, located at Steeplechase, Gregg-Clarke and La Verde parks, that are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with the typical season occurring in early June through early September. However, several members of the community expressed their disappointment when the season came around and none of the splash pads were open.

“There has been understandable concern from our community about the splash pads not yet being open, especially as temperatures rise and families are eager for places their kids can cool off and play,” said assistant communications director Alison Kelly.

Now, as of Thursday, June 18, the splash pads at Steeplechase and La Verde have opened. The one at La Verde is open following extensive damage that was caused by flooding in May 2025, in which repairs and restoration efforts were required to ensure that the facility could operate safely.

While there was some maintenance that hindered the Gregg-Clarke Park splash pad from opening at the same time, it is now available for use as of Saturday, June 20.

The opening schedule for the splash pads, Kelly explained, was also impacted by a previous hiring freeze and staffing challenges associated with a vacant aquatics technician position responsible for the operations.

“While that position remains unfilled, our Parks Maintenance team is adjusting operations and redistributing responsibilities to prepare the splash pads for operation,” the assistant communications director stated.

“We understand and share the community’s disappointment, as we work to get the splash pads open. Our top priority is ensuring all splash pads are safe, properly functioning and ready to provide a positive experience for residents,” she continued.

Steeplechase Park is located at 295 Hailie Drive, La Verde Park is located at 3901 Burnham and Gregg-Clarke Park is located at 1231 W. Center St. More information on the splash pads, as well as other aquatic amenities, can be found at www.cityofkyle.gov/living-here/parks-and-recreation/pool-and-aquatics.

As previously reported by the Hays Free Press, the city of Buda invested in a comprehensive inspection of all of the playground equipment at city-owned parks in 2025. During a budget presentation the same year, council was informed of the issues at city park, which included exposed concrete, loose, missing and corroded hardware, rotting wood fixtures, unstable structures and more.

At the time, the Parks and Recreation department removed the more acutely hazardous equipment and tightened fixtures as staff was able to.

Ultimately, $850,000 was earmarked in the fiscal year 2026 budget for replacement costs.

During the June 16 presentation, Parks director Tony Host explained that the playground project is important because city park serves as a central gathering space for the community and is utilized heavily not only during community events and festivals, but also daily by local families and visitors.

“The existing infrastructure has aged and no longer fully reflects modern playground standards or community expectations,” he continued.

Additional limitations at the playground include limited shade, accessibility challenges, limited inclusive play opportunities and surfacing concerns, thus leading staff to name the primary goals for the project as safety, accessibility, inclusivity, durability and community identity.

With these goals in mind, Host brought forth three options, at various price points, for council consideration.

Option 1: $825,9000

• Pour-in-place (PIP) surfacing throughout the entire playground area, including the pyramid climber area.

• An age 2-5 playground with integrated shade structure.

• An age 5-12 playground.

• An all-age geo slide.

• An all-accessible, inclusive, all-age playground.

• An all-age we-go-round (accessible merry-go-round).

• Block wall and drainage additions on the hillside of the splash-pad area to mitigate run-off onto the splashpad surface.

• Three shade structures: over the 5-12 playground, at the splash pad entrance and over the accessible playground.

Option 2: $860,500

This option removes the 5-12 age playground and replaces it with a zip line and swing set. Everything else from Option 1 is still included.

Option 3: $873,298

This is the same as Option 1, with the addition of a stand-alone zip line.

Completing the project, while remaining mindful of the budget, was a top concern for council members Monica Davidson, Evan Ture and Greg Bowles, with all having a preference for Option 1.

Bowles, Davidson and council member Kimberly Goodman expressed interest in the possibility of a stand-alone swing set, rather than the zipline listed in Option 3.

Ture further explained that the stand-alone zipline in Option 3 was a strong contender for him, which council member Matt Smith echoed, but they recognized that it may need to be added at a later time.

Council voted 6-0 to approve Option 1. LaVonia Horne-Williams was not in attendance.

According to Host, construction is expected to begin as soon as the splash pad closes after Labor Day and will take eight weeks to complete.

The development began after the district was on the hunt for more housing opportunities for its staff, following incentivized apartment rentals at several apartment complexes in Kyle, said Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson. It was then that Upward Communities approached the district in December 2024 to create a development entirely for staff members.

“It was the perfect fit because, now, we were looking at — instead of apartments — mostly single-family homes with their own yard, a neighborhood designed just for Hays CISD employees,” said Courson.

The community comes at no cost to the district and is retained through a 55-year housing agreement, designed to provide Hays CISD with a long-term recruitment and retention advantage, according to the district.

As the idea has begun taking shape, a location was needed. The chief officer stated that initially, Kyle was considered for the site, but, ultimately, a site north of Uhland Elementary School was chosen. The sale is set to be finalized in June 2026.

“We know from the demographer’s report that any growth occurring over the next 10 years … is going to occur moving eastward. So, we want to have a neighborhood that’s situated, first of all where all that growth is predicted, [but] also we want to help incentivize staff to work on our eastern side of the school district, where it’s somewhat harder to recruit,” she explained.

The location is not only going to benefit the district, but residents in Uhland, as well. The development is set to have a small retail area in the center, which Courson noted has been in the talks of including a grocery store and other small businesses.

The community, which sits on more than 100 acres, was designed by DPZ CoDesign, according to the district, and provides four housing choices for staff. The first are the Cottages, which are available in one and two bedrooms and bathrooms, with a private courtyard. These are similar to a duplex, due to having a shared wall, but separate spaces. Then, there is the Blanco, which is a standalone home, with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a one-car garage and a front and back patio. The Clover and Daytona are similar to the Blanco, but have three bedrooms and a two car garage. Finally, the Fourstar and Cypress have four bedrooms.

The buildings, which Courson noted take inspiration from Kyle’s Plum Creek and Seaside, Florida — a community which was initially built for teachers — were built by Clark Wilson, with interior details by Vida Design.

Broken up into segments, the community will have four “pocket” parks that aim to meet different needs. The “relax” park has a fire pit, hammock grove, barbecue pits, a picnic area and chaise lounges, while the “garden” has a community garden, pollinator plants, herb garden and a picnic area. Those with families may find the “play” park enticing, as it will encompass a playfield, trike track, playground and picnic area. Then, similar to “relax,” the “backyard fun” park will have a fire pit, yard games, soccer field, Adirondack chairs, barbecue pits and a picnic area.

Currently, the first phase of rental housing is set to open for the 2027-28 school year and a list of more than 600 staff is already hoping to be chosen for the site.

This will be the most rewarding part — being able to help those that contribute to the education of the students, as some of those on the list have family members with special needs or are living with family and haven’t had the financial opportunity to move, she continued.

Because of this, she emphasized that when considering the community, the district wanted to do its best to be considerate of staff pay. So, the district is working on creating a tiered system that would allow those that are on the auxiliary and paraprofessional scales, for example, to have a deeper discount than those on the academic or business professional scales.

The projected average monthly rent is as follows:

• One bedroom: $795-$1,195

• Two bedroom: $995-$1,450

• Three bedroom: $1,350-$1,825

• Four bedroom: $1,575-$1,995

To further lessen these costs, the chief officer stated that she is excited for the prospect of staff having the ability to become roommates with each other.

“There’s actually going to be a service where individuals can find roommates to share housing, kind of like dorms,” Courson explained.

The district is currently working on creating a process to select the families and individuals that will move into the development. She stated that they are hoping to do a combination of current staff and those working in hard-to-fill positions, such as special education or bilingual roles, while having space to recruit staff in the future.

“In Hays CISD, when we are faced with challenges like teacher and school staff shortages, as well as funding concerns; we don’t shy away. Instead, that’s when we get to work to create solutions for our parents, students and the entire school district family. This program is an example of what we can do when we all work together and leverage the partnerships that are available to us,” said Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright.

Considering the district has more than 3,000 employees and only 362 units for the affordable housing community, Courson stated that, “depending on the success of this, we would love to see additional opportunities, maybe in Kyle or Buda. That’s for us to think of in the future, but the waitlist right now already shows interest beyond our capacity.”

The district will continue to share updates and information as it becomes available at www.hayscisd.net/hayshomes.

Participating agencies include: Austin Public Health, Bastrop County Public Health Department, Bell County Public Health District, Hays County Health Department, Waco-McLennan County Public Health District and Williamson County and Cities Health District.

Summer in Central Texas brings more than sunshine and outdoor activities. It also brings seasonal health risks that public health agencies monitor closely, continued the release. Warmer temperatures, increased mosquito activity, outdoor dining and large community events can contribute to heat-related illnesses, mosquito-borne diseases and foodborne illness outbreaks. Through ongoing surveillance, public education, prevention efforts and community partnerships, public health officials work to reduce these risks and protect community health.

Regional public health officials encourage everyone to take simple precautions, while enjoying outdoor summer activities and community events.

"Over the next month, we will welcome fans from around the world for an exciting time, whether that is attending watch parties, riding down IH-35 and shopping at the outlets, experiencing our beautiful parks or exploring the many other gifts our Hays County community has to offer," said Matthew Gonzales, Hays County Health Department director. "Having an understanding and awareness of seasonal health risks helps people set themselves up to make the safest and healthiest choices to protect themselves and their loved ones. With just a few simple steps, everyone can enjoy summer activities in the safest way possible.”

Play it smart in the Texas heat

Heat and humidity can create dangerous conditions during the summer months and quickly lead to serious heat-related illnesses, especially for young children, older adults, outdoor workers, athletes and those without reliable air conditioning.

Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, including:

•   Heavy sweating

•   Dizziness or fainting

•   Nausea

•   Cool, clammy skin

•   Muscle cramps

Without treatment, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening medical emergency. Signs of heat stroke include confusion, loss of consciousness, and a body temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Call 911 immediately, if it is suspected that someone is experiencing heat stroke.

Taking a few simple precautions can help reduce the risk of heat-related illness while enjoying outdoor activities and summer events:

•   Stay hydrated: Drink water regularly. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol.

•   Limit outdoor activity: Spend time indoors or in air-conditioned spaces during the hottest parts of the day.

•   Dress for the heat: Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and a hat when outdoors.

•   Check on friends and neighbors: Make sure older adults and others without reliable air conditioning stay cool and safe.

For more information, visit www.ready.gov/heat.

Keep mosquitoes on the sidelines

These precautions can help reduce mosquito bites and lower the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. Follow the 3 Ds of mosquito safety:

•   Drain standing water in flowerpots, pet dishes, and clogged gutters, so mosquitoes do not have a place to breed. Treat water that cannot be drained.

•   Use EPA-registered insect repellent.

•   Dress in long sleeves and pants when spending time outdoors.

For more information, visit www.texasmosquito.org/mosquitoes-in-texas.

Food safety is the winning strategy

Warm summer temperatures can create ideal conditions for harmful bacteria to grow, increasing the risk of foodborne illness:

•   Clean hands, utensils and cooking surfaces often.

•   Separate produce, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs during preparation.

•   Cook food to the proper temperature using a food thermometer.

•   Chill perishable foods within two hours.

For more information, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

Make staying healthy the goal

Large gatherings with people from across the world can bring infectious diseases that communities are not normally exposed to or may have less protection against. Protect oneself and community members by:

Watching for signs of common infectious illnesses, including:

•   Fever or chills

•   Cough or sore throat

•   Runny nose

•   Fatigue

•   Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

•   New rash

If feeling sick, take action to decrease the chance of spreading illness to others:

•   Stay home or rest at home or in lodging if possible.

•   Avoid close contact with others until symptoms get better.

•   Get medical help if symptoms get worse or don’t go away.

Taking these precautions can help keep the community safer, while enjoying summer events and welcoming visitors from around the world:

•   Keep a distance if feeling sick: Avoid crowded indoor spaces when sick.

•   Wash hands or use hand sanitizer: Keep hands clean to help prevent the spread of germs that cause illness.

•   Practice respiratory etiquette: Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow.

•   Stay up-to-date on vaccinations: Make sure routine and travel‑related vaccines are current.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/index.html

Local public health's game plan

An anticipated influx of visitors has prompted epidemiologists to enhance surveillance efforts and strengthen coordination with healthcare providers and public health partners. Ongoing communication and sharing information with regional, state and federal agencies help track emerging health trends and identify potential concerns early.

Key preparedness activities include:

•   Reviewing response plans and operational procedures

•   Increasing disease surveillance and monitoring

•   Investigating travel-associated illnesses and outbreak clusters

•   Monitoring food service operations and public venues

•   Sharing information with healthcare providers and public health partners

"We want all of our Hays County residents and visitors to enjoy a fun and healthy summer during such an exciting time," said Kate Esqueda, Community Health Services manager and public information officer for the Hays County Health Department. "Whether you're exploring the region, attending community events or enjoying our beautiful natural areas, a little preparation before you are on the go can make a huge difference. Simple steps can help reduce health risks to keep you, your family and the overall community safe all season long."

Protecting public health is a shared responsibility. Public health officials encourage residents and visitors to stay informed and take simple steps to protect their health. Knowledge and awareness of seasonal health risks can help individuals and families make informed decisions that support their well-being. Staying hydrated, preventing mosquito bites, practicing food safety and recognizing the signs of illness can help reduce health risks and contribute to a safe and healthy community.

Local public health information can be found at www.hayscountytx.gov/health-department.

Following the presentation of several animals and traits about them, children were given the opportunity to meet each new friend up close and personal. The event is part of the library’s summer reading challenge, “Dig into Reading: A Summer of Discovery at KPL.” The initiative encourages 45 days of reading, which library card holders can fill out in their reading log — available at KPL. Turn in a completed log by Friday, Aug. 7, for a chance to win a prize.

To learn more about the summer reading challenge and other events at KPL, visit bit.ly/4vOMaD3. 

The city’s current approved CIP spending plan sits at $1.27 billion, which consists of 125 proposed projects, spanning from fiscal year 2026 to 2030. This number is further broken down into two categories: $490.1 million of tax-supported CIPs and $781 million non-tax supported CIPs, according to the presentation, though this is not feasible, so staff has proposed an estimated $400 million decrease for FY 2027-2031. This would reduce the CIP total to $838.3 million, comprised of $409.3 million tax-supported and $449.1 million non-tax supported projects.

This new 5-year spending plan would remove several projects, as previously decided by council, including the Old Stagecoach Heritage Tree Pocket Park, Transportation and Public Works and Kyle Water Utilities headquarters, downtown revitalization and roundabout beautification. Despite this cut, multiple projects are still planned to be funded:

Parks and Recreation projects

• Plum Creek east Vybe Trail

• Kyle recreational fields

• Gregg-Clarke Skatepark

• Mary Kyle Hartson City Square Park bathroom

Transportation and Public Works projects

• 2022 Road Bond program

• Street maintenance/rehabilitation and micro surfacing

• Intersections and traffic safety improvements

• Sunflower Circle improvements

• Residential streets maintenance and rehabilitation program

• Sidewalk Master Plan implementation

• Post Oak subdivision improvements

Kyle water utility projects

• Wastewater treatment plant expansion

• Indirect/direct potable reuse project

• Lehman booster pump station expansion

• Wastewater interceptor upgrades

• Pressure plane 3 pump station

• Stormwater/drainage projects

Tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZ) projects

• Kohlers Crossing roundabouts at Sanders and Benner (TIRZ #2)

• Cromwell extension

The presentation also detailed that despite the long list of ongoing projects, there are still numerous amounts that are now unfunded, such as: County Road 158 and IH-35 improvements; Kohlers overpass project and Marketplace intersection improvements — waiting on grant funding; Kyle Senior Community Center driveway; Steeplechase Park phase 1; Gregg-Clarke Park upgrades; splash pad renovation; Lake Kensington Park; the Kyle animal shelter and more.

“Things didn’t change between October and now. We were broke then; we’re broke now. So, the question is: How did city staff get this far out in the forefront and commit the city, knowing that we didn’t have money? That’s the question y’all should be asking,” said interim city manager Perwez Moheet.

Assistant director of Finance Holly Holt-Torres discussed the CIP financial forecast.

“The purpose of this section is to provide a clear understanding of the following: the city’s current outstanding debt obligations, the annual debt service associated with that debt, the amount of additional debt that would be required if the preliminary FY 2027 through FY 2031 CIP spending plan were fully implemented and the policy decisions that will ultimately be required from council, regarding unfunded projects,” explained Holt-Torres.

Currently, the city has approximately $385.3 million in outstanding principal debt obligations, but with interest, that number rises to $611.3 million, she said.

“Each dollar of principal issued today creates repayment obligations that extend many years into the future,” emphasized the assistant director, adding that these debts are paid through various avenues, such as property tax, water rates, wastewater rates and TIRZ #4.

She also stated that $816.1 million in new debt issuance over the course of the next five years — if every CIP project moved forward — would mean that the debt obligations would exceed $1 billion.

Moheet explained that the bond market is also playing a role in the impending debt, as investors are "impatient" these days and looking for five- and 10-year maturities, rather than the previous 25- and 30-year maturities. This makes it more difficult for the city to backfill, so instead, it has to use money from the general fund.

“I don’t want to leave any false impressions on y’all that we can have this CIP program and not have an impact on the tax rates or on the water and wastewater rates,” said Moheet.

Regarding these projects, Holt-Torres noted that there are two options for council to consider when moving forward with CIPs. The first is general election bonds (GO), which requires voter approval through a public ballot, and the second is council-approved certificates of obligation bonds (CO).

Prior to discussion, council member Claudia Zapata shared that she was informed through an anonymous email of a 10% pay cut for staff members earning more than $90,000 to add to savings. Council member Melisa Medina stated that this was news to her, to which Moheet confirmed that there was never an official announcement, as it was purely internal discussion.

He stated that “65% of our budget is personnel, so I don’t see how I can get around that,” in response to Zapata asking to find other options that would not affect their staff. Furthermore, Moheet said that it is unclear whether he will propose a 5%, 10% or 15% pay cut, as he has to exempt sworn officers from the reduction.

“It’s important to note that today we’re talking about CIP budget. We’re not talking about operating budget. I brought that up, so everybody on council is clear. I brought that up with the department heads as an idea concept to get their feedback,” explained the interim city manager. “I really, honestly don’t know until I put the budget together and that won’t happen until mid-July … So, be patient. If you hear something, don’t run off with it. That is the gospel truth. Wait until I formally hand you a proposed budget for next fiscal year and then, you can shred it to pieces.”

Council member Lauralee Harris countered this, stating that it’s important to know these decisions as these are not in the future; they’re happening now. Despite this, Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale expressed that in the past, she never questioned the city manager’s decision to hire or fire someone, even if the situation was bad.

“At the end of the day, it is not our say. If there’s a policy or procedure that we’d like to form, we can bring that to the council and we can have a conversation and we can direct our city manager from there. But what we cannot do is question him one by one and give our personal opinion as if it comes from the dais,” said Flores-Cale.

Moving back to the discussion on unfunded projects, the mayor emphasized that there is “no way” she will approve each of the projects, as it would result in a 0.85% tax rate.

One item she was in favor for was the County Road 158 deceleration lane improvements for $500,000, with hopefully county participation. However, Medina, who lives in the area, stated that she would prefer to delay the project until they have money to fund it without taking CO bonds “only because if you’re coming up the IH-35 access road, where they built Waterstone [Crossing], they have that ingress thing to go onto Waterstone, which takes you the same direction as you’re going to go if you’re going on 158. So, I use that now to safely get on Old Post Road to go home the back way. So, we have that option right now.”

Council voted 7-0 to defer the item.

The following items were also delayed with a 7-0 vote:

• Kyle Mobility Plan — since information has not yet been presented to council: $1 million

• Kohlers overpass project — until grant information is available: $35 million

• Chevo Pastrano Senior Parkway extension — due to the large amount of money, the mayor advocated for a GO bond for the extension, but noted that there needs to be firm plans in place, so that the residents are aware of what they will be voting on in the 2028 GO bond: $100 million

• Gregg-Clarke Park splash pad: $1.25 million

• Gregg-Clarke Park playground parking area — delayed until the Park Master Plan can be brought back, but under the assumption that $900,000 will be spent for the parking lot: $2.15 million

• Lake Kensington Park — defer to get a phased plan: $14 million

• Animal shelter — delayed until legal land usage is confirmed at the July 21 council meeting: $10 million

These items will be moving forward unanimously:

• Intersection improvements at Veterans Drive and Jack C Hays Trail — due to nearing 100% engineering designs: $6.25 million

• Kohlers Crossing intersection improvements at Kyle Crossing and Marketplace Avenue — using funding from TIRZ #1: $4 million

• Steeplechase Park improvements — CO bond to match the grant received: $750,000

• Modular buildings for city office space — expansion at city hall and removing administrative staff from the Public Safety Center: $3 million

“As we look at these projects and scrub them a little bit more, if we find some savings, we can just take that as, ‘Yes, we would go back and see if there’s money that we could allocate to other projects,’” said Transportation and Public Works director Mike Trimble.

The timeline for these bonds, he explained, would begin in October 2026, when council would approve a resolution to initiate bond development processes, continue with meetings and clarifications in 2027 and conclude in August 2028 when council sets the ballot for the November 2028 election.

More discussion covering the Public Transportation Program, including Uber 3.14, and special events will continue at the Saturday, June 27, meeting, said Moheet. Then, he will present the proposed budget Aug. 1, followed by proposed property tax rates and water and wastewater rates Aug. 15. Public hearings will be held during the first and second readings of the budget at the Sept. 5 and Sept. 15 council meetings.

For more information on the city’s budget, visit www.cityofkyle.gov/city-hall/financial-services. To listen to the discussion, visit bit.ly/4uz54N1.

“This fair is one of our most important outreach events of the year,” said Mike Jones, Hays County Office of Emergency Services director. “Our goal is to give residents the tools, skills and confidence to handle emergencies of all kinds. Prepared communities are resilient communities.”

This free, family-friendly event brings together emergency responders, community partners and local vendors to help residents prepare for natural or man-made disasters. Attendees can enjoy hands-on training, safety demonstrations, preparedness resources, food, raffles, live entertainment and the popular Top Dawg Chili Cook-Off.

Jones underscored the value of connecting residents with the people who serve them.

“It’s not just about learning preparedness skills — it’s about meeting the first responders who work every day to keep our county safe,” he said. “This fair gives families a chance to interact with the teams, equipment and resources that support our community during critical moments.”

Safety demonstrations at the event will include:

• Stop the Bleed

• Hands-only CPR

• Fire extinguisher training

• Recognizing heat stroke and exhaustion

• How to build a personalized emergency go-kit

Emergency vehicles and equipment will be on display throughout the day, allowing guests to explore fire engines and rescue units and speak directly with first responders.

The fair will also highlight participation from numerous preparedness partners, including the Kyle Police Department, San Marcos-Hays County EMS, Community Emergency Response Team and others.

The Top Dawg Chili Cook-Off returns for its fourth year and is open to the public. For a $20 donation, wristband holders can sample chili from competing teams and vote for their favorite. Proceeds benefit the Hays County Fire Chiefs Association, supporting firefighter training and replacing equipment lost during wildfire responses.

“Come enjoy great chili, while helping fund critical tools and training for our fire departments,” Jones said. “This year’s fair is bigger, more interactive and designed for the whole community.”

For more information, visit www.haysinformed.com/preparednessfair or follow the event on Facebook at bit.ly/4aauR6T.

This follows council member Ana Grace Husted’s motion to appoint Geoffrey Tahuahua as mayor pro tem for a one-year term at the previous meeting, held May 19, with a nearly unanimous vote, except for council member Taline Manassian, who has served as mayor pro tem for multiple terms. The appointment is a requirement for the governing body — as Husted was newly elected to the dais — at its first meeting or soon thereafter.

Two weeks later at its next meeting, another item, sponsored by council member Sherrie Parks, was brought forward to reconsider the motion.

“After our last meeting, we rushed through the last item super fast and no discussion was held and, upon reflection, I thought it was super important to have a discussion about who we appoint as mayor pro tem,” Parks said.

She added that she is appreciative that Tahuahua is willing to step up to serve in the position, but she has concerns about the various responsibilities he has on his plate, including the Hays County judge race, his job and family.

Tahuahua shared that, despite his busy schedule, he wanted to fill that role for the reason that he was elected: to put forth change.

The word “change” was then echoed by Husted, who explained that’s what constituents in both the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction want to see. One of the ways that can be accomplished is by looking at the leadership roles on city council, she added.

“... When I made the motion for Geoffrey, I want to make it clear that in no way was I disrespecting mayor pro tem Manassian. I think she has done a wonderful job over the years and has served the role greatly, but I do think in the natural progression of any position serving in it for a certain amount of time, you almost peak in your effectiveness to do that job. In my mind, six years, I think at that point, it's time to see new fresh leadership in that position and that’s step one in sort of enacting the change that we've heard from citizens that we want to see.”

Mayor Bill Foulds clarified that the mayor pro tem does work closely with him in that role, but does not have any more authority, power or access than the rest of city council. According to the American Legal Publishing Code Library, the mayor pro tem performs the duties of the mayor during their absence or inability to do so.

Foulds added that just because someone is in that role for six years, that doesn’t mean that it’s time to move on.

As for the initial motion to have Tahuahua as mayor pro tem, Foulds felt like the recommendation was not in the best interest of the city, while also noting that it would be harder for them to work together and sharing concerns of potential conflict.

“I want to have separation and transparency. I feel like I have more separation, more transparency and more respect from the citizens by having Taline or someone else sitting up here with me,” the mayor said. “There is a lot of mumbling in the city that will make it harder, I think, to go with Mr. Tahuahua.”

Then, Manassian voiced the opposition she had when Husted was running to be on city council, questioning her ability to remain independent, as she currently works for Tahuahua.

“So, we now have two lobbyists for builders and contractors on this body and one of them works for the other and that causes me tremendous concern for us as a city and I think it compromises our integrity,” she said.

Tahuahua confirmed that he and Husted are colleagues — comparing the situation to Manassian having other partners inside of her law firm. While there are questions that were raised of potential conflict to remain independent, Tahuahua said that could be said for conversations between any of the council members and not just those between him and Husted.

Council member Travis Crow, who seconded the initial motion, shared that he has been “disappointed with the city, with the way we are heading” and in order to best serve the citizens, there needs to be a better working relationship to move forward.

“Ana Grace was elected by the public,” Crow said. “They made a choice and I respect that. I might not like that you and Geoffrey work together, but I have to have faith that y’all will not go behind the scenes and you will do the right thing because that’s your job.”

He added that having these difficult conversations is important and the individual council members should not take them personally: “I don’t want us all to agree all the time because I don’t think we serve the city all agreeing.”

Husted then echoed Crow’s points, sharing that she is her own person and the priorities that she has for the city — of which were in her candidacy during the May election — did not overlap with her day job. However, Husted said, if there was anything that came before council on an agenda that she or others felt like were a conflict of interest, she would excuse herself.

“I have been involved with the city for over two years now. I've been attending city council meetings. I've been attending multiple committee meetings. I've already been [having] conversations with staff about ideas that I have and I do care for the community. So, I resent the claim that I'm only here because of the will of someone else and because I don't care about this community,” she emphasized. “I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to work. I think I've already proven that. I don't think I need to prove it any further. And it disappoints me that those feelings are still alive because like Travis said, I hope that now that I'm here, we would have the trust in each other to drop that and continue to move forward and and work for what we're elected for, which is what is best for the citizens here.”

With a motion to reconsider on the table, Husted said that she would support Parks to be mayor pro tem if the mayor felt comfortable working with her.

The mayor explained that he works with Parks a lot and while he has a “great deal of respect” for her, he felt like it would be better to continue the relationship with Manassian because she brings a completely different point of view.

“[Parks] and I tend to be more on the same page and I think having [Manassian] balance that out keeps me a little bit in checkmate,” Foulds said. “I think that's a good thing and that would be my only reservation.”

Council unanimously voted to reconsider the motion for mayor pro tem.

Then, ultimately, council voted 3-2, with Tahuahua and Husted opposed, to appoint Manassian to serve as mayor pro tem for a one-year term.

Road maintenance

From 2022 to 2026, the city’s Maintenance Department has been completing annual mill and overlay — a resurfacing process for asphalt roads — projects related to the five-year maintenance plan. Prior to that, the city did not have a lot of “preventative maintenance,” explained Riley Sublett, maintenance director, before city council.

Sublett stated that the previous five-year plan, up to 2026, has been completed with the following projects and contractual, or budgeted, numbers:

•   Fiscal year 2022 at $160,000: Mercer Street

•   FY 2023 at $541,000: Sportsplex Drive

•   FY 2024 at $474,000: Old Highway 290, Bonnie Drive, Judy Drive and Retha Drive

•   FY 2025 at $586,000: Post Oak Drive, Roanoak Drive and Butler Ranch Road

•   FY 2026 at $635,000 (budgeted and in progress): Rob Shelton Boulevard and Rambo Lodge parking lot

“As we wait for roadways to be fixed, the more we wait, the more expensive it gets,” Sublett said. “The reason why this is important is the more we wait and the more we push off maintenance, the more money we are going to be spending.”

The new five-year roadway maintenance plan for 2027 through 2031 will include the following projects:

•   FY 2027: Grand Prairie Circle, Grand Prairie Circle (loop) and Goodnight Trail

•   FY 2028: Broken Lance Drive

•   FY 2029: Oak Springs Drive, Bob White Cove, Springlake Drive and entrance of Founders Ridge

•   FY 2030: Neighborhood streets in The Woods, Springwood, Blue Ridge and Hidden Springs, along with Arrowhead Boulevard

•   FY 2031: Neighborhood streets in Founders Ridge, Legacy Trails and Cortaro, along with Sports Park Road, Sportsplex Drive, EMS Drive and Peabody Place

The majority of the projects will include mill and overlay and spot repairs, specifically for 2027-2029. The total estimated budget for the new maintenance plan is $3,004,000 and is broken up as follows for each year: $664,000 for 2027, $727,000 for 2028, $750,000 for 2029, $453,000 for 2030 and $410,000 for 2031.

Crow said that the city took an active role in saying it would repair these roads because they were neglected for a long time, so a five-year plan was created in order to budget annually for the projects.

However, he shared that the city may need to extend the plan to seven years as a cost-saving measure.

“That’s kind of the whole point of preventative maintenance, is to keep us out of this position … We were doing $4 per [square] yard and if we wait five years, now we are doing $40 a square yard for mill and overlay,” Sublett responded.

Ultimately, council unanimously approved the five-year roadway maintenance plan for 2027-2031.

Dripping Springs City Council meets next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 16.

The Foster 50 Challenge, through the Pedigree Foundation, challenges both foster- and shelter-based animal welfare organizations nationwide from May 1 through July 31 to get creative in trying to recruit and retain fosters — a struggle that is found especially during the summer months as more people travel and go on vacation, according to PAWS adoption counselor Katheryn White. Other goals are to increase adoptions that come directly from foster relationships and ultimately, reduce length of stay in the shelter.

While Hays County is rapidly expanding, with new neighborhoods popping up all over, there is still a disconnect when finding fosters to take in the animals that the shelters currently house, according to White, who also shared the following most recent data for PAWS:

• There have been 67 puppies placed into foster care since March

• PAWS currently has 120 pets — including adult cats and dogs, as well as puppies and kittens — available on-site between the two campuses in Kyle and Dripping Springs

• PAWS currently has 55 pets in foster homes

The critical need has also been heightened by kitten season — which typically occurs in the warmer months as more animals are out breeding — and PAWS is seeing anywhere from five to 10 people per day right now, not knowing what to do when they find stray kittens out in the community.

PAWS also knows that it could benefit from being entered into the $240,000 grant pool that is divided up and awarded to the organizations who participate in the challenge.

“Back in October, we made an announcement on social media that our Kyle campus doors would be closing, but thanks to our amazing community that rallied behind us, they raised so much money [that] we were able to keep our doors open. So, we made a promise to ourselves [and] we made a promise to the community that we would do everything in our power to be more strategic and bring in funding, so we would never be at risk of closing our doors again,” White said. “When we stumbled across this challenge, we thought it could help kind of fit those two sore spots for us, so continuing to find funding and then, continuing to save lives.”

The organizations are called on by the Pedigree Foundation to get creative in how they work to increase their number of fosters. While PAWS is implementing new initiatives, like taking an active approach in asking for help, one thing remains true: a focus on the community.

White shared that at PAWS’ Kyle campus, they hosted a “kitten shower” event a few weeks ago where they were able to take an active role in educating the community in what it means to foster and how to sign up. Knowing that it can be intimidating, they also had a baby kitten bottle feeding demonstration conducted by their medical and foster team to “start breaking down those barriers and having conversations with our community to make fostering seem less scary and daunting and then, also to let them know, ‘You're not alone when you take a foster home. Our team is right here next to you every step of the way,’” the adoption counselor said.

PAWS is also working to promote its animals for the first time, as well as increasing adoption events in Hays County, but also further into the Austin area.

White explained that they have also expanded their reach by listing the animals who need a medical foster to adopt on the PAWS website; this could be for a kitten who has a respiratory infection or ringworm or a dog who has heartworms and needs to undergo treatment, for example.

“[It] gets them out of our shelter environment [and] towards the decreasing length of stay, but also gets the animal out of that stressful kennel [and] shelter environment, which helps their overall healing process. You're more likely to get better and feel better when you're cozy in a home and not in a kennel, but for the first time, we're kind of opening that up and making those types of foster to adopt situations more accessible to our community,” she said. “We've been able to send a few pets into those medical foster to adopt with the ultimate goal of them getting healthy and then, an adoption at the end, which is great.”

PAWS encourages the community to sign up to foster, however that looks: “That is how you can help us save lives and depending on what their lifestyle looks like. We need people who are committed to fostering animals for two months, but we also need people who maybe they're a little bit more busy Monday through Friday, but they can take a dog for a shelter break Friday night, Saturday night and return the dog on Sunday for weekend sleepovers,” White said.

Those who are unable to foster are encouraged to help share the word on social media, but also by helping keep the supplies that PAWS gives to the current foster families. White shared that they are in "desperate need” of kitten supplies, including litter, formula, food, litter boxes and more.

“If you can't support us through this challenge by actively fostering — we know not everyone can — help support us by providing the supplies we need that we can extend to people who step up to foster,” she said. “Both of them are critical pieces of this challenge and then, also just engaging with us on social media, sharing our foster posts and helping us just get the word out about the amazing animals we have.”

PAWS is offering its challenge at both the Kyle and Dripping Springs campuses. To learn more about how to foster, or to ask any questions, visit the PAWS website www.pawsshelter.org and follow its Facebook page at bit.ly/4axNyS6.

Currently, the city’s ordinance labels all swine — including potbellied or miniature pigs — as livestock, making it unlawful to keep them as pets, explained presenter and Buda Police Department Chief Bo Kidd.

Based on a request from council to consider an amendment, Kidd and an animal control officer prepared a list of pros and cons, as well as a draft ordinance and permit.

The pros, according to agenda documents, include:

1. Highly intelligent — Pot-bellied pigs are as smart as dogs. They can learn commands, tricks and even use a litter box.

2. Strong bonding — They form deep attachments to their owners and can be very affectionate and social.

3. Relatively clean animals — Despite stereotypes, pigs are naturally clean and prefer designated bathroom areas.

4. Long lifespan — They can live 12–20 years, meaning a long-term companion.

5. Unique personality — Each pig has a distinct personality — playful, curious and sometimes surprisingly goofy.

Cons include:

1. They get bigger than expected — “Mini pigs” are often misleading — most pot-bellied pigs reach 100–200-plus pounds.

2. Destructive behavior — They root (dig with their snout), which can damage floors, yards and furniture if not managed.

3. Specialized veterinary care — Not all vets treat pigs, so an exotic or farm animal vet may be needed.

4. Diet management is critical — They gain weight easily and require a controlled, balanced diet — overfeeding can lead to serious health issues.

5. Strong-willed and stubborn — Training takes consistency. They can be manipulative and push boundaries if not properly trained.

6. Social needs — Pigs need a lot of attention and mental stimulation — bored pigs can become destructive or depressed.

7. Not ideal for all living situations — Apartments or small homes usually aren’t suitable, especially without outdoor space.

“I think, from the animal control department, [we] don’t really have an opinion one way or the other as far as keeping of potbellied pigs, but it was recommended that if council does consider amending the ordinance to permit them, that perhaps [it considers] requiring a permit,” Kidd explained.

With that, he continued, there could be an inspection and more oversight to make sure that “if we are going to keep pigs, that they are kept in a manner that is desirable for the city.”

During the public testimony, resident Eric Wallis spoke in support of the item.

“I am here tonight because we would like the city to reconsider how potbellied pigs are classified under our current ordinance, specifically to recognize them for what they truly are, they are household pets. Right now, potbellied pigs are grouped under the same category as livestock, but that classification doesn’t reflect how they are actually raised, cared for or integrated into families today. Potbellied pigs are not being kept in barns or used for agriculture. They are living inside homes, sleeping on couches and being cared for just like any other animal companion. They are highly intelligent, emotionally aware animals that bond closely with their owners. They can be house trained, walked on a leash and follow routines. They receive regular vet care, have controlled diets and live in structured, supervised environments. In every meaningful way, they function as pets,” he explained. “This is an opportunity for the city to bring clarity and fairness to the ordinance, to recognize that not all animals within a specific, broad category are the same and to acknowledge that potbellied pigs, when kept as they are today, belong in the same conversation as other household pets, not livestock.”

Beginning the conversation on the dais was council member Lavonia Horne-Williams, who advocated for a policy that regulates things, such as: limiting the number of pigs a person can own, requiring a permit, requiring sterilization and microchipping, limiting outdoor housing of the animal or how much time they are outside.

“I would not necessarily be opposed to the amendment, as long as we have a policy in place — because there are other Texas cities that have a policy in place,” Horne-Williamns said. “So, before we would make an adjustment, I would ask that we come up with a policy that’s going to be comparable, so that we are not chasing the pig later. We want to make sure that, if we allow this, we have put boundaries around it already.”

A policy may be beneficial for residents who may live within a homeowners association (HOA) that restricts the keeping of potbellied pigs, Horne-Williams continued.

“If the city has a policy, then maybe that’s something that the HOA would be able to consider. So, rather than them having a hard line of saying, ‘No, we’re not going to allow it,’ the city has come up with a feasible policy that sounds reasonable and maybe it’s something that even the HOAs could get on board with," she said.

While generally on board with the amendment, council member Greg Bowles suggested that he would like to revisit the amendment in one year to identify and remedy any potential issues with the permitting process.

“I have not been generally on board with this, simply because of the sliding scale that can happen and also because of resources,” began council member Monica Davidson. “[My bigger concern would be] if we go off of what’s been presented today, that we revisit it pretty quickly to see what this does because that is now a resource of us keeping track of all this. And, while our honest and transparent neighbor that brought this forward may have a wonderful pet, someone else may not be raising theirs that way.”

Despite these reservations and the potential for a “slippery slope,” Davidson said she is open to trying “as long as it doesn’t take a lot of effort.”

“Because I’d much rather focus on keeping our community safe and have our police officers doing that, than chasing pigs,” she concluded.

Following further questions about potential outdoor access and permit fees, Mayor Lee Urbanovsky made a motion to approve the ordinance, along with a $100 permit fee, which was seconded.

However, prior to the vote, Horne-Williams requested an amendment to require that potbellied pigs be kept strictly indoors, which Urbanovsky did not agree with.

“So, I have reservations on that one, just because that moves it beyond what we do with dogs currently; we can have dogs outside now,” the mayor said.

“I understand that dogs can be outside now, but dogs are typical household pets and so, people aren’t going to have a potential complaint about the smell or the fact that it’s rooting,” retorted Horne-Williams. “I think, because this is new for us, it’s fine to create some boundaries.”

Ultimately, the mayor rescinded his original motion and made a motion to table the item, pending staff bringing back language from ordinances from other cities on best practices.

The motion to table was approved 5-0. Council members Evan Ture and Matt Smith were not in attendance.

Buda City Council will meet next at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16.

The item — sponsored by council members Melisa Medina and Courtney Goza and Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale — detailed that the audit would include review of potential fraud, misuse of taxpayer funds, transactions related to credit card expenditures and more.

“I know this was something as a resident that I was in favor of having before I came on council myself. So, tonight we’re bringing this item forward because we do believe it is our responsibility as elected officials to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are being managed appropriately, transparently and in accordance with all applicable policies and laws,” explained Medina. “This agenda item does not presume wrongdoing, nor does it reach any conclusions. Rather, it … provides the council with information regarding the scope, the costs and the timelines.”

She did note that she’s aware that this will cost money admist the revelation that the city is $14 million in debt, but council needs to understand why they are in so much debt, as “this process is to verify that appropriate safeguards are in place, identify any weaknesses that may exist and provide recommendations for improvement.”

Flores-Cale continued with this sentiment, stating that even if the audit came back without concern, it would at least “strengthen public confidence.”

An audit is something residents asked for after the debt was revealed, said Goza. Additionally, she stated that in 2024-25, there were many charges that were unaccounted for by council at the time. When asked to provide explanation, Goza continued, council members chose to not do so: “When you see these things happening, it makes you question what other processes may have been put by the wayside or not followed.”

Questioning the reason for a forensic audit was council member Lauralee Harris. She stated that these types of audits are usually used in a specific crime or misappropriation of funds and she “is not aware of any legal actions that have been filed that necessitate a forensic audit.” She added that requesting this indicates a lack of faith in the Finance director.

Council member Claudia Zapata echoed this statement, sharing that interim city manager and former Finance director Perwez Moheet has been serving the city for 16 years and has never filed a report with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy regarding suspected fraud or financial misconduct. Zapata stated that the council members presenting this item want “to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars going on a goose hunt that our own Finance director is not even giving credence to,” so she is asking what the trigger to this request is.

“We are $14 million in debt,” replied council member Michael Tobias. “We have a hell of a lot of people we’ve got to answer to. For many years, there has been the rumors, the speculations of under the table contracts, things like that, credit cards that have missing receipts from former council members … I have no problem going back all the way to 2016 all the way to now.”

This decline in revenue — which is what contributed to the $14 million debt — didn’t happen overnight, said Zapata. She stated that she asked staff, “How long has Finance known this information?” The response detailed that the department regularly reported the decline to the former city manager during monthly briefings since FY 2023-24, which was then shared with council in weekly reports.

Zapata continued her argument, stating that Goza and Flores-Cale have spent years accusing the former mayor and council “of committing crimes on social media,” which Medina has “decided to join in on.” They campaigned on these premises, she alleged, adding that they are using “their newly elected position to manufacture evidence of criminal conduct from decisions they simply disagreed with.”

She compared the item to the Trump administration, which uses its “investigative authority, its resources [and] its capacity to expose and punish, to go after the people its political base believes wants punished. This is the DOGE-ing of Kyle.”

Flores-Cale then asked Moheet to describe his history with reporting to the former city manager.

He explained that at first, it was weekly, then his reporting got reorganized to be to the assistant city manager and it became infrequent. Additionally, items that were previously the Finance Department’s responsibility, such as credit card function and utility billing, were transferred into a new department called Administrative Services Department. In September 2025, this department was eliminated and some of the responsibilities came back to Finance, though others were spread out into other departments. All this to say, Flores-Cale asked whether he was able to see every procurement, credit card charge and more, to which Moheet stated, “No. That is impossible for any Finance director.”

She then motioned to approve the item, with a second from Goza. A 5-2 vote passed the item, with Zapata and Harris dissenting.

Council member Marc McKinney noted that he “hopes this is a colossal waste of our limited resources, but I am all in favor of transparency and more importantly, I have a lot of constituents who do feel like this is necessary.”

To listen to the discussion, visit bit.ly/4v0JlyQ. For related story regarding the budget deficit, visit: 

Kyle City Council will meet next at 10 am. Saturday, June 13.

No cases have been reported in Hays County at this time, stated a news release from the judge’s office. Current detections remain confined to South Texas, but Hays County Emergency Management and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension are actively monitoring developments and maintaining communication with state and federal partners.

"Hays County has always taken a proactive approach to emergency preparedness," said Becerra. "Whether the challenge is drought, wildfire, severe weather, public health concerns or agricultural threats, our responsibility is to stay informed, communicate clearly and ensure our residents have access to reliable information and resources."

NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue through open wounds in animals. Livestock, wildlife, horses, goats, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals can be affected if infestations go untreated.

Hays County encourages livestock owners and animal caretakers to:

• Regularly inspect animals for wounds or signs of infection.

• Promptly treat cuts, surgical sites and newborn animal navels.

• Monitor animals closely during periods of increased fly activity.

• Contact a veterinarian regarding appropriate prevention and treatment measures.

• Report any suspected infestations immediately.

Signs of possible infestation may include the following: deep or worsening wounds; bloody discharge or foul odors from wounds; visible maggots or larvae in living tissue; and animals showing signs of pain, distress, lethargy or unusual behavior.

If NWS is suspected:

• Immediately isolate the affected animal.

• Do not transport the animal until advised by animal health officials.

• Contact a veterinarian.

• Report suspected cases to the Texas Animal Health Commission at 1-800-550-8242.

Judge Becerra’s office is continuing to coordinate with Hays County Emergency Management, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, agricultural partners, veterinarians and state and federal officials to ensure local ranchers, livestock owners and residents receive timely information and resources as conditions evolve.

"At this time, there is no cause for panic," Becerra said. "However, there is every reason to remain informed. We will continue working alongside our local, regional, state and federal partners to ensure Hays County is prepared and our agricultural community remains supported."

For additional information, residents may visit screwworm.gov or contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Hays County, located at 200 Stillwater Road, Suite 102, Wimberley, by calling (512) 393-2120 or emailing hays-tx@tamu.edu.