This is the ninth West Nile Virus-positive mosquito pool collected through the Hays County Mosquito Surveillance Program during the 2026 season. Statewide, DSHS reported 1,273 positive mosquito pools in 2026.

“This positive mosquito pool is an important reminder for Wimberley residents to stay vigilant as we move through the remainder of mosquito season,” Precinct 3 commissioner Morgan Hammer said. “Simple steps like eliminating standing water around your home and using insect repellent when spending time outdoors can make a meaningful difference. I appreciate the continued work of our Development Services team to monitor mosquito activity and keep our communities informed.”

HCDS conducts mosquito surveillance from May through November to monitor mosquito populations and mosquito-borne diseases. HCDS collects mosquitoes using standardized traps and sends them to DSHS for identification and arboviral testing. This surveillance helps HCDS track mosquito activity, identify breeding areas and guide prevention and control efforts.

The best way to prevent WNV is to reduce mosquito populations where people live, work and play. Residents can reduce their risk of mosquito bites and West Nile Virus infection by following the three Ds: Defend, Dress and Drain.

• DEFEND: Whenever outside, use EPA-approved repellents and always follow label instructions. 

• DRESS: Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing outside. 

• DRAIN: Drain or treat all standing water in and around your home or workplace where mosquitoes could lay eggs. 

“Mosquito-borne illness is a shared public health concern and prevention starts with each of us,” Hays County Judge and director of Emergency Management Ruben Becerra said. “We encourage residents throughout Hays County to make the three Ds — Defend, Dress and Drain — part of their routine. By taking a few simple precautions and looking out for one another, we can help reduce the risk of West Nile Virus in our community.”

Infected mosquitoes can transmit West Nile Virus through bites. Eighty percent of infected people have no symptoms, while about 20% may develop fever, headache, body aches, rash or other flu-like symptoms. Adults aged 50 and older and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention. There is currently no treatment for West Nile Virus. For more information on human risk, visit the Hays County Health Department's Epidemiology & Disease Prevention website.

For more information regarding mosquito surveillance, visit the Hays County Development Services website or call (512) 393-2150. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for more information on the West Nile Virus. 

A longtime marketing and public relations professional and co-founder of Marsh & Mihaly Marketing, Marsh brings more than 35 years of experience in communications, community relations, branding and nonprofit promotion, according to a news release. In her new role, she will work alongside the WCCC Board of Directors to enhance awareness of the organization's programs, events, fundraising efforts and community impact.

Founded in 1979 by a group of twelve women who recognized the growing needs of the Wimberley community, the Wimberley Community Civic Club was established to nurture community spirit, support local causes and welcome newcomers. What began as a small service organization, continued the release, has grown into a vibrant membership of approximately 200 individuals dedicated to making a difference in the Wimberley Valley.

In 2025-26, WCCC awarded $115,000 in grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and Wimberley students pursuing post-secondary education. These funds were raised by a 100% volunteer organization to put back into the community.

Through signature events, such as the Hill Country Home Tour, Style Show & Market, Breakfast with Santa, Events Around Town, Tablescapes and various spring fundraising activities, WCCC members contribute countless volunteer hours, while raising funds that benefit local nonprofit organizations and college-bound seniors.

"I am honored to serve as publicity chair and help share the incredible stories behind the Wimberley Community Civic Club," said Marsh. "For more than four decades, this organization has been bringing people together to support our community through service, friendship and philanthropy. I look forward to helping expand awareness of the club's mission and encouraging others to get involved."

As publicity chair, Marsh will focus on strengthening communications, expanding community outreach, enhancing social media and public relations efforts and supporting the club's ongoing mission of connecting residents through meaningful service and charitable giving.

The Wimberley Community Civic Club welcomes new members and volunteers who are interested in making a positive impact in the community, while building lasting friendships.

For more information about the Wimberley Community Civic Club, upcoming events, membership opportunities or volunteer involvement, visit www.WimberleyCCC.org.

Forty years ago, a dream and vision took root in a 1986 Dripping Springs High School graduate working for Thomas Bronson at the local Dripping Springs Texaco, read a news release. The dream was put on hold, but never left his heart.

Lifelong fourth generation Dripping Springs resident Tim Montgomery revived that dream, teaming up with son-in-law Bobby Robichaud and veteran Dewey Hartman to merge visions and bring Texas Hill Country Diesel & Automotive to fruition. Together with technician Pablo Estrella, they comprise a multidisciplinary team of seasoned ASE certified specialists, independent and backed by Federated Car Care.

The team is committed to providing quality, efficient craftmanship, while cultivating a relationship clients can rely on, continued the relase. They are dedicated to creating working relationships with other local shops and businesses in order to meet the needs of and better serve our community.

Texas Hill Country Diesel and Automotive offers diesel and automotive diagnostics, maintenance and repair, as well as upgrade solutions tailored to specific vehicles and driving needs.

For scheduling maintenance and repairs visit the business at 16299 Fitzhugh Road, Suite E in Dripping Springs.

Recalling the moment her world changed, Coleé said she knew something was wrong when ordinary sounds disappeared — the water running, toilet flushing and familiar background noise of everyday life — one morning.

At first, she wasn't alarmed. She had been battling allergies and infections in both ears and ear problems weren't new to her. Years spent singing in front of orchestras and big bands had already contributed to mild hearing loss.

She expected her ears to heal, but they didn't.

Afterwards, Coleé initially tried to keep anyone from knowing.

She continued coaching voice students by concentrating intensely on what she could see rather than what she could hear. For voice-over work, she relied on the sound waves displayed on her computer screen to guide her editing.

“I guess it worked because no one ever caught on that a deaf voice teacher and voice-over actress was seat-of-the-pants winging it,” she said.

Some clients later told her they were amazed by the quality of the work she produced during that period.

“I think I worked six times as hard to make sure my standards never slipped,” Coleé said, but behind the performance was fear.

After an initial visit to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist failed to resolve the problem, Coleé sought another opinion. A hearing test confirmed the extent of the loss and another ENT ordered a magnetic resonance imaging and a computed tomography scan.

The results brought another shock: Coleé had a brain aneurysm.

She cried in the doctor's office.

The aneurysm had damaged her left ear and nerves associated with hearing, she said, with the doctors noting that it may have been there for years. When her neurosurgeon showed her the small white spot on a screen, Coleé asked whether it was a boy or a girl. The doctor laughed and although the humor was real, so was the terror.

“I never dwelled on the aneurysm,” Coleé said. “I was terrified the rest of my life would be lived in silence.”

They also told her that removing it may impose a significant risk, so Coleé did what performers often do when reality becomes unbearable: She gave it a name — Annie Aneurysm.

Research eventually led her to cochlear implant surgery. Before the procedure, Coleé gathered close friends and family and listened as best she could to every song she had recorded during her career. It was, in some ways, a farewell.

“Everyone knew I was bidding farewell to the singer I was,” she said.

She wasn't, however, saying goodbye to being a performer.

Two days after cochlear implant surgery, despite severe vertigo, nausea and a bandaged head, Coleé had an audition. Unable to safely stand for much of the day, she stayed on the floor until it was time to get ready. She made it to the bathroom, put on makeup and a bathrobe and recorded the audition on her second take.

Her agent laughed when she saw it.

The project was ultimately canceled, but for Coleé, the audition demonstrated something more important: “I still saw myself as a performer.”

Although her hearing was able to be “recovered” through the cochlear implant, it did not restore what she once heard. Instead, Coleé had to teach her brain how to interpret an entirely different version of sound. For example, human speech, she said, doesn't sound human.

“I hear an alien in my head,” Coleé said.

She described it as static with an electronic voice emerging through it. Words came first, then occasional phrases. Depending on the acoustics of a room, complete sentences can still be difficult.

Music remains largely inaccessible. She can experience rhythm, but the technology does not reproduce singing and instruments in a way she recognizes as the music she once knew.

The adjustment requires patience.But so does accepting that some chapters are finished, she said.

Coleé eventually released her voice students, believing they deserved a teacher who could fully hear them. The decision brought financial worries along with the emotional loss, but, gradually, she began looking at her circumstances differently.

She couldn't be the singer she had been, nor could she be the 20- or 30-year-old version of herself she once was. What she could do was decide what came next.

“I can now be that quirky little grandma who bluntly tells you the truth about life,” she said.

This realization helped lead Coleé toward stand-up comedy and keynote speaking, including a program she calls “Mindset: The GPS of LIFE,” a three-step process focused on adapting to new circumstances while continuing to build a fulfilling life. Faith has also remained central to her recovery.

Coleé said she began recognizing that techniques she had spent years teaching students could be applied to her own trauma, grief and changed circumstances, which also exposed the gap between what people saw and what she was experiencing, as many called her brave, while, inside, she was anxious.

That contradiction became the foundation for “Are You Who You Say You Are?” a workshop series Coleé is bringing to Wimberley for people navigating unexpected transitions, self-doubt and the uncomfortable work of rebuilding a life when the old plan no longer applies.

Her workshops are designed for people facing their own disruptions — whether entering adulthood, losing a spouse, changing careers or struggling with self-doubt — with an emphasis on replacing the pursuit of outside approval with self-knowledge and service to others.

Bringing that message to Wimberley is also something of a homecoming.

Coleé has deep ties with the community through her work with the Wimberley Players and the students she coached over the years. She directed and performed in local productions, including a production of “1776” that she said opened the Playhouse on the Square.

Although she still considers herself a performer, Coleé said mentoring others may be closer to her true calling.

“It brings me enormous satisfaction to see my students thrive and be successful,” she said.

Despite entering a new era, her performing career hasn't disappeared. Coleé said she will be shooting a film in Austin. Television viewers may also recognize her from Season 29 of Food Network's “Worst Cooks in America.”

Now, she is experiencing a new normal built not around getting her old life back, but around making peace with the life she has now.

When asked what she would tell the woman who once gathered her family and friends to say goodbye to the singer she had been, Coleé returned to humor.

“Well, at least you don't have to memorize or remember song lyrics anymore,” she said, joking.

But behind the joke is the lesson she hopes to share in Wimberley: “I've come to terms with closing that chapter,” Coleé said. “I never want to be that person who lives in the past … Life is really good right now.”

The community workshop series, Are You Who You Say You Are?, will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. The series will be held online and is free to attend. Attendees can register by emailing leecoleevo@gmail.com with their name, phone number and preferred date. After the initial event, the workshop will continue on the third Friday of each month.

Held at the Wimberley VFW, the rodeo honors Gunner Thames, a 15-year-old cowboy who passed away following a rodeo accident in 2011. What began in remembrance has grown into an annual tradition centered on community, youth and service.

Proceeds from the rodeo benefit the Gunner Thames Memorial Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening communities throughout Texas. The Foundation provides educational scholarships and financial assistance to students, while also supporting youth rodeo athletes, Texas 4-H members and Future Farmers of America projects in Hays County.

Its work extends beyond agriculture and rodeo. The foundation also provides financial assistance and resources to families facing crisis situations, offering support during some of their most difficult moments.

The annual Labor Day rodeo brings together competitors, families, volunteers and spectators around the traditions that were an important part of Gunner’s life. But its impact reaches well beyond the arena.

Through scholarships, youth programs and assistance to families in need, the event has helped transform the memory of one young cowboy into an enduring commitment to helping others.

For the Wimberley community, the Gunner Thames Memorial Rodeo is more than an annual gathering. It is a reminder of the strength of a community that continues to honor one of its own by investing in the next generation and lending a hand to neighbors when they need it most.

The plan, which was funded by a $300,000 General Land Office grant, is a 20-year master outlook for the community, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch.

According to agenda documents, the Planning & Zoning Commission reviewed the final draft at its August meeting and, following additional requests, voted 5-0 to recommend approval.

Council member Anne Ulfelder specifically questioned priority 8.2, ‘Foster Long-Term Wealth Creation.’

Under this priority, the identified efforts include:

• 8.2.1 Launch local entrepreneur micro-grant fund

• 8.2.2 Provide semi-annual financial literacy workshops

• 8.2.3 Support infrastructure investments for highway commercial areas

• 8.2.4 Promote gateway branding, signage and placemaking initiatives

“That’s really the only place I went, ‘Hmm,’” she said. “My question is just, in general, is that something we, as a very small city, actually feel we can do or should be doing?”

Kevin Coleman with Langford Community Management Services, which created the plan, explained that this portion is meant for the city to partner with the broader community and is not necessarily a city obligation.

“To some degree it’s ‘do no harm’ from the city’s point of view; do no harm to those efforts, but also to participate in those if they are community-led,” Coleman said.

Ulfelder did not request any changes but said she wanted to clarify the point.

The motion to approve the plan as presented passed 4-0.

Following the item, council went into executive session for the annual salary and performance review of city administrator Tim Patek. After returning to open session, they voted 4-0 to extend Patek’s contract for an additional year with a 5% pay increase.

To view the adopted comprehensive plan, visit www.langfordplanning.com/wimberley-rcp.

Wimberley City Council will meet next at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17.

At 6:30 p.m., officers with BPD were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Cabela’s Drive in Buda for a report of an aggravated robbery inside a residence.

The victim told responding officers she returned to her apartment and encountered six individuals inside who had entered her residence, read a news release. During a physical altercation, the victim was struck in the face before the suspects left with some of the victim’s property.

As the investigation progressed, arrest warrants were issued for 18-year-old Daniel Medrano Jr. of Buda. Medrano was arrested on Sept. 5 and booked into the Travis County Jail, continued the release. Arrest warrants for 18-year-old Mycha Moore and 17-year-old Christian Hodge-Tolbert have been issued on the below charges.

Initial charges for the suspects are as follows:

Daniel Medrano Jr., 18

• Burglary of habitation, a second-degree felony 
• Engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony
• Aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony

Mycha Moore, 18

• Burglary of habitation, a second-degree felony
• Engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony

Christian Hodge-Tolbert, 17

• Burglary of Habitation, a second-degree felony
• Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, a first-degree felony
• Aggravated Robbery, a first-degree felony

Three female individuals involved in the incident have not yet been identified. Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying these individuals and determining their whereabouts.

Do not approach or attempt to confront these individuals, warned BPD.

Anyone who recognizes the individuals or has information that may assist investigators can contact detective Valdez at (512) 523-1045.

Anonymous tips may be submitted to Hays County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-324-TIPS, www.callcrimestoppers.com or through the P3Tips Mobile App.

"The investigation remains ongoing and the above preliminary information is subject to change. The suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty through the justice system," concluded BPD.

The award recognizes the university’s success in transforming a voluntary, co-curricular learning opportunity into a broad engagement strategy that connects students, faculty and staff with flexible, online, industry-recognized learning opportunities aligned with high-demand skills and career pathways, stated a news release.

“Texas State’s Coursera Career Academy initiative demonstrates what is possible when career readiness becomes an integrated part of the student experience,” said Jorge F. Figueroa Flores, vice provost for Academic Innovation at TXST. “By connecting students’ academic interests and majors with employer-valued skills and credentials, we are helping prepare Bobcats not only for their first opportunity after graduation, but for lifelong learning and career advancement.”

Through Coursera Career Academy, TXST provides students, faculty and staff with access to credentials and learning experiences from leading companies and organizations. For students, the initiative offers an opportunity to complement their academic majors with industry-recognized skills that can strengthen their competitiveness for internships, employment and future career opportunities, continued the release.

The initiative also engaged faculty in exploring new approaches to teaching and curriculum innovation. Through webinars and the Coursera Faculty Institute, instructors learned how Coursera content could complement courses and support workforce-relevant competencies, creating opportunities for curricular integration alongside co-curricular learning.

Rather than simply providing access to an online learning platform, TXST developed a coordinated engagement ecosystem involving students, faculty, staff, university leadership, media outreach, curriculum integration and student government advocacy.

Student government support further demonstrated the campus-wide value of the initiative and helped reinforce the importance of accessible, career-focused learning opportunities for students.

“Coursera Career Academy has helped Texas State build a culture in which students can pursue both the knowledge of their academic disciplines and the skills employers are seeking,” said Figueroa Flores. “This recognition reflects the collective work of our campus community to make career readiness and lifelong learning part of the Texas State experience.”

At approximately 6 p.m., Alonso Echeverria stole a vehicle from the 800 block of Kohlers Crossing in Kyle with a 5-month-old child still inside. He drove the vehicle to an emergency room in Buda, where he abandoned both the vehicle and the child before fleeing on foot.

Investigators used automated license plate reader technology to quickly identify and locate the stolen vehicle. Officers recovered the unharmed infant and reunited the child with the family.

As the investigation continued, officers discovered evidence linking the suspect to another vehicle theft that occurred at 3:30 p.m. in the 4000 block of Cromwell Drive in Kyle.

Through a coordinated effort involving the Kyle Police Department, Buda Police Department and the Hays County Sheriff's Office, officers searched for the suspect. Following a social media post with the suspect's description, a tip from a community member helped officers locate him near an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Cabela's Drive in Buda.

While attempting to evade arrest, the suspect entered two occupied apartment homes before being taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect was identified as Echeverria of Bastrop.

"We are incredibly grateful the child was recovered unharmed so quickly," said KPD Chief Jeff Barnett. "This case highlights the importance of investigative resources, including automated license plate reader technology."

"We are thankful for the strong partnerships among local law enforcement agencies that helped bring this incident to a safe resolution." BPD Chief Bo Kidd added.

KPD charged Echeverria with abandoning or endangering a child, theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000, tampering with a government record, tampering with physical evidence and evading arrest or detention with previous convictions, along with multiple theft-related offenses, criminal mischief and public intoxication. BPD additionally charged Echeverria with criminal trespass of a habitation.

Patterson has always loved games, specifically, he recalled being drawn to them for the ability to escape reality. This began a childhood dream of his to create a game studio in grade school.

“I was already trying to figure out game ideas [and] taking notes on different video games to figure out how they could have done things better, where they just messed up,” he said.

His favorite was the Command & Conquer series, which is a real-time strategy game. So, after launching Dolphin Entertainment in 2012, he began fleshing out concepts for some of his own.

The one that stuck was Clockwork, a multiplayer steampunk word game, leading Patterson to put together a small team to bring his idea to fruition.

Players can create words out of a given set of letters in a four-minute game and — what makes Clockwork stand out, he explained — after each minute, the tiles shift off screen, where they reorder and are then brought back. Then, each tile previously used is worth more points than it was before.

The game can be played in various game modes, including an option to use power-ups. The founder is hoping to add more in the future on a rotating basis. For example, the game mode Wild adds a blank tile, allowing any letter to be used in its place. This will last for three days, until it switches out.

Although public response has been positive, Dolphin Entertainment aims to continue adding to the platform. Patterson and his team have been working on an update that will introduce the ability for players to taunt their opponents with customized avatars, a friend system and additional social features.

“This update represents a major step toward realizing the larger plans we have for Clockwork,” said Patterson. “Playing Clockwork has already become part of the daily routine for some, whether using it to pass the time or to help wake up their minds when first starting the day. We’re excited to see how these new changes will be received and how they can help to grow our overall player base with the ability to more easily connect with friends for matches.”

Clockwork is available as single- or multiplayer, with the option to play online or locally, and can be found in the iOS and Android app stores.

In the future, Patterson hopes to open up a storefront in Buda. He also has begun writing and hopes to turn his stories into games and vice versa.

To learn more about Clockwork or Dolphin Entertainment, visit lnk.at/DolphinEntLLC.

This follows discussion at the Aug. 25 meeting, where HCSO requested money for the Axon Era AI Plan. Here, several residents, including Amy Kamp, spoke against the item implementation, stating that there could be racial bias and data-sharing concerns. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra also shared his opposition to the item.

Because of this, HCSO Chief Deputy Brett Bailey offered to bring back a statement noting that HCSO wouldn’t implement any additional AI services without court approval.

In the statement, Bailey stated that, HCSO “recognize[s] that this represents a significant investment by Hays County and we understand the importance of ensuring that the technology is implemented responsibly and provides meaningful value to the sheriff’s office and the citizens we serve.”

The letter continues, stating that if the court approves the plan request, the following capabilities from the plan will be included:

• Unlimited Auto Transcribe

• Auto Translate

• Axon Assistant to obtain general knowledge and policy related information

• Policy Chat for guidance with HCSO’s policies and procedures

• Unlimited Smart Detection to locate and identify human forms within video evidence

• Smart Capture for driver’s licenses

• Brief One for Law Enforcement to summarize transcripts

• AI Auto Tagging for digital evidence

• Form One to complete common forms with audio transcripts

• Attribute Search to use descriptions of clothing and accessories to locate individuals in video evidence

• CAD Call for Service Lookup

• 911 Call Lookup

• Vehicle Lookup

• Smart Performance to analyze video and performance data

• Investigative Assistant to ask questions about a case within Axon evidence and obtain answers to be verified

• AutoIntel to extract intelligence from evidence

However, it was noted that Axon Draft One, an AI report-writing feature, will not be implemented, due to concerns about its capability. Furthemore, HCSO stated that it will not implement this ability or any future abilities that become available, without court approval.

“People are not comfortable with the idea that AI is coming at a rate that no one can predict and we are wide-open door for a 10-year contract with this that’s before us,” said Becerra at the Sept. 1 meeting, though he commended Bailey’s willingness to work with and provide information on the item.

“Axon does not own our data; we own our data. This is dissimilar from the conversation we had with Flock [Safety] and I have been assured by Axon … [that] there is a safeguard between us and them. They are not able to do anything with our data, unless we give them permission,” Bailey clarified.

Additionally, Stephanie Hunt, county purchasing agent, stated that there is a procedure in place to go through to be brought to court for approval.

Commissioner Walt Smith said that the court should move forward in accepting the letter. The letter was accepted unanimously.

Following this item, Smith moved to include the first-year payment — approximately 25%, according to budget officer Scott Woodland — as part of the 10-year contract with Axon for the AI plan, in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget. The totality of the contract would amount to $4.5 million.

Becerra emphasized  that “there is no world” where he would support a 10-year contract for anything, whether or not it was AI-related.

The item passed 4-1, with Becerra dissenting.

To listen to the full discussion, visit bit.ly/4clpX8q.

The item was initially on the consent agenda, but was pulled by council member Michael Tobias. According to agenda documents, council approved a contract for $5 million Aug. 19, 2025, which was recently found to be incorrect, due to “an administrative error.” The project contract was for the design and installation of hardware and software for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Master Plan to replace the city’s current aging and “increasingly unreliable” system that provides remote monitoring and control of the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

Mike Murphy, director of Water Utilities, noted that staff used “a competitive sealed proposal,” instead of a traditional request for proposals, which used new documents and forms aimed to “ensure that we got the best, most qualified contractor to do the project.”

Afterwards, a review team determined that TMT should be selected, with a bid of $2,685,446.96. He stated that this team did not have access to the costs, only the technical capability of the contractor when selecting, as the now-nonexistent Procurement Department oversaw the contracts.

A miscommunication occurred when the bid, which was supposed to split the cost evenly in the water and wastewater Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process, instead replicated the total amount in each CIP, creating a higher bid of approximately $5 million.

“The first question I had is, ‘Why is it so high?’ And the immediate response was because we expedited the project by six months. So, we thought, ‘Okay, that’s appropriate,’” recalled Murphy, adding that this miscommunication occurred with each of the contractors, so the number didn’t seem unreasonable, compared to others. “So, we just moved the project forward. We came to council [and] council approved an amendment to pay $5 million to TMT to build the project.”

Then, earlier this year, in July, a staff member came to Murphy, sharing that he “found $2 million” in the project after discovering left over money. The Procurement Department then looked at the numbers and the contract for the first time, said Murphy, where they discovered the mistake.

Because of this, the item brought forth to council would approve a resolution to authorize interim city manager Perwez Moheet to reduce the contracted amount to the appropriate $2.6 million.

TMT acknowledged the mistake and signed the amendment, so the project will move forward as expected, said Murphy.

Following Tobias’ question about whose desk saw these contracts, Moheet stepped in, as “Murphy, for whatever reason, is not disclosing it … The ultimate responsibility was that of the former city manager. One, the Procurement desk that he keeps referring to was: our super genius [procurement supervisor] Dan Dellemonache that is no longer with the city; Joshua Chronley was the assistant director — part of the management team — that is no longer with the city; and Rosie Truelove, who oversaw the Administrative Services Department when this project all started, [who is also] no longer with the city. So, when people come up here and say the entire department quit — they didn’t quit. I asked them to leave,” emphasized the interim city manager.

Tobias stated that he was frustrated and asked how many more of these instances the city has? According to Moheet, there are several other instances of errors.

“I will not allow for the chastising of our staff to happen and for blame or fingers to be pointed as if mistakes don’t happen. Our staff has a tremendous weight of work upon them and we have cut their services. We have cut their departments. We have cut their budgets and we expect them to be continuously running smoothly, seamlessly. Yes, it was a $2.5 million mistake, but mistakes do happen,” said council member Claudia Zapata. “I find it extremely unprofessional and extremely disrespectful the way in which they are being spoken about tonight.”

“It was their job — that's what they get paid to do,” interjected Tobias.

Council member Lauralee Harris added that the Procurement Department was added when former city manager Bryan Langley began, so policies were still being developed.

“I can understand asking for grace because we are all human, but $2.5 million is literally our whole cushion for [fiscal year] 2026-27. That’s a large amount of money,” said Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale. “This is our second contract where we’ve had an issue. So, it’s not just about proving and pointing fingers. It’s about really tightening up our belt and figuring out what’s working and what’s not working.”

The motion to approve a resolution to amend the contract passed 7-0.

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

Buda city engineer Angela Kennedy presented a workshop analysis of Heep Run Pond, Garlic Creek Dr. Pond and Oyster Creek Pond for consideration to install fishing access. Currently, the only designated community fishing pond is Bradfield Park Fishing Pond; however, per the 2014 Parks Ordinance, community members are permitted to fish in any community pond, including retention ponds, with a valid fishing license.

According to Kennedy, both Heep Run Pond and Garlic Creek Dr. Pond are designed as detention and water quality facilities, with the primary purpose of stormwater management. Alternatively, Oyster Creek Pond is a natural pond with limited space and public access.

“It is less than ideal that we have fish in them,” Kennedy explained. “The design criteria recommends that if we end up with invasive species that are hampering the functioning of these ponds, they should be fenced off. ”

Kennedy further clarified that each pond resides within the flood hazard area, meaning any additional infrastructure would need to accommodate potential flood water several feet above the ponds’ normal water surface elevation.

Recommendations from Kennedy included the clearing and stabilization of the ponds’ banks to improve access for recreational purposes, the potential funding of a feasibility study for the expansion of Oyster Creek Pond and the consideration of the availability of parking following improved access.

“Bottom line, I think one of the cautions that I want to make is to ensure that we prioritize the infrastructure services that these ponds provide,” Kennedy concluded. “They are critical to us managing water quality, to managing those detention volumes and we want to clearly communicate that they are not intended for stocking fish.”

While no action was taken, the consensus of the dias was that the council does not wish to see any structural changes made that will affect the purpose of the ponds, but they intend to look at ways to increase access that are low cost and easy to accomplish.

Following the workshop, during the regular agenda, council deliberated the adoption of a resolution approving a policy regarding the use of public security cameras for governmental purposes.

Presented by assistant city manager Lindsay Baker and information technology manager Cameron Determeyer, the purpose of the policy is to establish guidelines governing the use of public security camera systems owned or operated by the city of Buda to enhance public safety, while protecting individual privacy rights.

According to the policy statement, the city will not use security cameras for general surveillance of lawful public activities or to monitor individuals based solely on race, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation or participation in constitutionally protected activities. Furthermore, the city shall not make recorded data available for any individual’s personal, private usage or commercial purposes, unless specifically required by law.

“The policy applies to city owned, city operated or city controlled cameras primarily installed to observe public areas, municipal facilities or other locations for security or public safety purposes,” Baker explained. “It does not govern law enforcement camera systems, or generally it does not, such as license plate readers or body and dash cams.”

Baker outlined further exclusions to the policy, including body worn cameras used by peace officers, cameras installed in police vehicles, cameras used solely for automated traffic-law enforcement, automated license plate readers like Flock, cameras used exclusively for employee videoconferencing, public meetings, television production or similar administrative purposes, unmanned aircraft systems, such as drones, and privately owned cameras viewed by city personnel during an investigation. Additionally, Baker presented a list of current public security camera locations around municipal buildings, public parks and city trails within Buda.

Initial discussion of the policy from council members regarded the management and access of stored data, with council member LaVonia Horne-Williams questioning whether they would prohibit the selling, monetizing, licensing or commercial exploitation of the footage and metadata associated with it.

“All of the data is stored locally within our video recording services here,” said Determeyer. “We have a retention policy set by the state which is 30 days. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We are not archiving it to sell it later. The areas that are being monitored aren't for commercial gain or anything like that.”

Further discussion included clarification on the auditing of user access logs, annual reviews of the policy and how the cameras interact with the recently adopted artificial intelligence policy. Determeyer clarified that the city- owned cameras do not have AI built into them.

Public testimony following the outline and discussion of the policy brought up further questions regarding how the policy will be enforced for the companies providing the city’s camera equipment.

“While we as a city may have a policy about our behavior, we have some other people that we can’t necessarily control and we just want to make sure that when we enter into our agreements with them that we have exclusivity to our information and they have no rights to that information,” said Horne-Williams.

Following discussion, council member Horne-Williams made a motion to table the item pending additional information presented to council regarding vendor access security features. The motion passed unanimously.

Additional agenda items that were approved with no opposition included an ordinance amending and restating the 2026 Service Plan Update and 2026 Assessment Roll for the Persimmon Public Improvement District, an ordinance providing for legislative changes that add a zoning verification permit to identify nonconforming uses related to alcoholic beverage permits, proposed amendments to the city’s regulation and administration of peddler and solicitor permits and an ordinance amending the established boundaries of Single Member District A for the purpose of incorporating newly annexed areas into said district.

The next Buda City Council meeting is Sept. 15.

At the council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 1, Mayor Bill Foulds explained that earlier in the week, he “was contacted by a resident with concerns over the calculation of our proposed tax rate. After receiving these concerns, the finance department, working with the comptroller, the county and subject matter experts, reviewed the 2026 tax rate workshop and confirmed information that we entered regarding the [tax increment reinvestment zone] was incorrect.”

The error, according to deputy city administrator Shawn Cox, stemmed from a legislative change that went into effect Jan. 1, 2026, related to Line 18D of the Form 50-856, which is the form used for the city’s tax rate calculation.

The specific line in question is used to report tax increment financing. The new legislation requires that the number on the form takes off the portion that the city contributes — 50% in this case, said Cox, who stated that he, instead, used the same calculation as previous years.

“Well, that is the change in calculations that I didn't pick up on. If you look at section 18D, right below it, it says, ‘Add A and B, subtract C and D.’ On the 2025 form, it says, ‘Add A, B, C, and D,’” Cox explained. “So, I was comparing what I thought was apples to apples. Instead, I was actually looking at apples to oranges.”

So, while $704 million was listed on the form, which was certified by the Hays County Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office, the number should have been half of that.

After reevaluating, the finance department determined that the 2027 tax rate should be “significantly” lower than the maximum proposed tax rate of $0.2729 per $100 valuation, which council approved in August.

The current tax rate is $0.2267, while the voter-approval rate for next year is $0.219050.

The voter-approval rate is recalculated annually based on the city's tax base and other factors and is not simply an increase over the previous year's adopted tax rate.

Because the voter-approval rate is lower than the current tax rate, Cox anticipates that the city’s tax rate will decrease in the upcoming year. Specifically, the maintenance and operations portion of the rate is expected to go from $0.1850 to $0.172950, while the interest and sinking rate will go from $0.0418 to $0.0461, for a total tax rate of $0.219050. The effect on individual property tax bills will depend on taxable property values.

“So, yes, there was an error on the city's part and that is why we wanted to have this meeting to address that,” Cox said. “It was brought to our attention by a resident. I am grateful and thankful that it was because it gave us a chance to deep dive back into it, see where we made our calculation error and update that.”

This resident was Heather Oktay, who addressed council during the tax rate public hearing, alleging that the mistake was done purposefully.

“[This is] what seems to be an intentional application, based on a belief of a new interpretation of the law. However, on Aug. 18, when asked about the reasons for the tax hike, the reasons given [by city staff] did not point to a new interpretation. Instead, the reasons given were as follows: changes in assessed property values … the city's overall appraised value increased; the adjusted value used in the tax calculation actually decreased; debt was included in the calculation; [and] it was the first year the calculation incorporated the city's debt. None of those pointed to a 100% use of the $700 million. This was an over $300 million mistake,” she said. “These mistakes are material. They affect the voter-approval rate directly. They are highly questionable and I am asking council to provide full transparency because circumvention of voter election should not be tolerated.”

Although unable to answer specific questions from the dais, Foulds addressed Oktay after she spoke.

“I will speak for staff and for counsel. We are transparent. We've held these meetings. Nine [or] 10 meetings over the last four months and we do everything we can to be transparent. We made a mistake and I appreciate you noticing it and putting us and alerting us,” the mayor said.

Additionally, the deputy administrator stated that he was alerted by the county’s tax assessor-collector’s office that it will not recertify the city’s rates this year, as beginning next year, they will not be certifying forms for any outside entities. Therefore, the council will need to select a designated officer or employee (DOE) — the city treasurer or a third-party company — that can certify the values at its Sept. 15 meeting.

Although Cox recommended continuing with the scheduled tax rate and budget public hearings that night, he also proposed having hearings at the Sept. 15 meeting and adding an extra meeting on Sept. 22 for the final hearings.

“Again, not trying to bury anything ever. This was our mistake. We want to make sure that it's addressed,” said Cox.

In regard to the budget, he explained that the decrease tax rate does not necessarily affect the operating budget and expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2027, but it does change the balance forward that would go into FY 2028, which was previously anticipated at $1.4 million and will now be at approximately $200,000. It will also limit the amount of supplemental items added to the budget.

Council member Taline Manassian and Foulds agreed that council would need to have another budget workshop to discuss supplemental items prior to setting the tax rate.

Echoing these sentiments was council member Geoffrey Tahuahua, who said, “I still think that we should seriously take a look at our budget and look at some of the places where we are increasing and go over it again with a much more fine tooth comb.”

The question posed by council member Sherrie Parks was how Cox proposed to mitigate such errors in the future, to which he responded that he recommends finding a third-party company to serve as the DOE.

In order to remain transparent, the deputy city administrator said that the certified rates — which will be labeled as “original” — will remain on the truth in taxation page on the city’s website. The revised document will also be posted there, but will remain as a draft until certified on Sept. 15.

To view the original and updated forms, visit bit.ly/4xJTrFE.

To listen to the whole discussion, visit bit.ly/4zPN6Kh.

Budget amendments

Prior to the discussion, interim city manager Perwez Moheet recapped the budget that has been presented to council, along with amendments and potential tax rates.

The $417 million recommended budget includes operations and maintenance expenditures, debt service and capital improvement projects. This is nearly $200 million less than the fiscal year 2025-26 budget. However, council made several amendments requests at the Aug. 27 meeting, for which Moheet shared numbers.

Council member Lauralee Harris requested a 3% general wage increase for all civilian city employees, with the exception of the management team and all sworn positions, at the previous meeting. The total impact would be $798,197, said Moheet. Offering another option to provide for employees was council member Claudia Zapata, who suggested a one-time employee rest and recognition payment of $1,800, which she stated could be lowered to $1,200, if needed. For the $1,800 payment, the impact to the budget would be $795,065.

“We can’t make votes based on just our feelings because we have a duty to our taxpayers. We have a duty to our staff and I’d like to think we’ve done really well taking care of them. Sometimes, you don’t get a raise and sometimes, you don’t get a bonus. That’s not to say we don’t appreciate you [or that] we don’t like you. It’s the fact that you can’t afford it,” said Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale.

“I also think that we’re coming up on Labor Day [and] to be anti-worker right before Labor Day to me isn’t the best of moves,” said Zapata.

“Do I think Monday is a holiday, yes. Do I think I need to make a vote because Monday’s a holiday? Absolutely not,” stated Flores-Cale.

Ultimately, the mayor made a motion to move forward without either the raise or bonus check. The item passed 4-3, with council members Marc McKinney, Harris and Zapata dissenting.

The next request was by McKinney, who discussed a proposed increase of $950,000 for KPD, which included $800,000 for the fleet budget and $150,000 for training, according to the presentation. Currently, the police budget is proposed at $21,948,238, which includes $723,299 for fleet lease requirements, though KPD’s latest lease cost estimates amount to $964,280, said Moheet.

KPD Chief Jeff Barnett took to the podium to discuss the fleet budget.

“Obviously, this year this budget has been a challenge and something that everybody's had to work through very diligently … So, one of the tasks — or challenges or call it opportunities — that we were given as staff to work to collectively try to avoid a 10% pay cut for staff,” explained Barnett, adding that this cut wouldn’t include meet and confer officers. “As part of our offer to avoid that, we found where we could reduce our original budget for fleet by about $330,000 … Out of that $330,000, which was part of about a $600,000 ask of the [police department], we recommended about 20 vehicles that we could remove from the police fleet and minimize the impact to operations.”

The $330,000 was found by eliminating lease contracts for 20 vehicles. Some of the vehicles to be removed include: five damaged, marked police cars that need to be replaced, but are on hold; a command Tahoe used by the chief and assistant chief; one victim services vehicle; and more. Additionally, the department decided that six leased cars that were at the end of their term could be purchased for approximately $400 each, instead of being replaced with newer, leased models, as is standard.

Separately, a gap of $240,981 was identified. This amounts to 12 additional vehicle leases that would have to be terminated, said Barnett.

“I think the concerns that I was hearing from some of your section is that if we reduce these 20 vehicles, I guess the perception would be that you would be left with maybe 13 vehicles or maybe less than that per shift,” shared council member Michael Tobias. “I was [also] hearing that you would not be able to have that response time for situations or critical incidents. You would also have to have officers doubling up in vehicles.”

Barnett confirmed that some officers would have to share cars, stating that if the police were able to have the $240,000, that it “keeps from diving into something that really might impact the available fleet, as it relates to community services and response.” Furthermore, he stated that if council approved $157,764 nine vehicles could remain from the 20 that are planned to be cut.

He also said that , in an attempt to find savins, he tried to negotiate deferrals for Axon contracts, but was unable to do so in the time before budget presentations began.

In response to this, Zapata brought up the artificial intelligence Axon plan, which she stated is $2 million over 10 years or $200,000 a year. She wanted to know if KPD could potentially remove this part of the contract, essentially providing them with the amount requested.

“At the same time, I think it’s fair to say that KPD are the only ones experiencing an increase in pay. The general fund impact for the meet and confer [agreement] is $788,990,” she said. “So, while the rest of every other single staff member at the city of Kyle is not experiencing that support, KPD is. I’m not saying that y’all don’t make sacrifices every day. I understand that you do, but what I’m trying to understand is how we can’t [remove] these softwares, these AI softwares, specifically, that are dangerous, that are harmful, that are inconsistent and that also lead to the creation of AI data centers.”

The budget has to be finalized in 10 days, said Barnett, which most likely wouldn’t be enough time to have legal and staff negotiate a new contract, though he said he would try.

“I do have a concern with the number that we were given of $800,000 by council member Marc McKinney. My question to you is, how did you get that number,” asked Flores-Cale. “I’ve had people reach out to me concerned that we’re defunding the police. So, I need to ensure that people understand the information that you provided to us because we could have said yes at the time. We could have approved $800,000, if this were a different council that could have passed. I think it’s important that when we bring these numbers to council that they’re accurate … I think that’s reasonable, but we can move on.”

Flores-Cale motioned to approve $400,000 to “make [KPD] whole,” consisting of the $240,981 and $157,764 presented. The item passed 7-0.

Additionally, the budget and amendments for two part-time library positions, drainage improvements for Moreno Street and CR 158 acceleration and deceleration lane improvements, as well as the revenue neutral Kyle Vista Park improvements, passed 7-0.

Flock Safety

After the votes, Zapata motioned to cancel through non-appropriations the 2024-25 Flock Safety contract at a total of $381,000 per year, with no legal fees or liability. Flores-Cale seconded for discussion.

“The 2024 and 2025 contracts in total together fund 47 flock cameras,” began Zapata. “A majority of those are going to be [automatic license plate readers (ALPRs)]. There are some [pan-tilt-zoom] cameras in there, as well, and two drones that come at a cost of around $782,000 each. We do not own this equipment. We rent this equipment. So, at the end of these terms, if we never renew our contract, we don't own this. We return it back to Flock. There has [also] been a statewide pause. Governor [Greg] Abbott asked for state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras and in particular, I did receive clarification that it is specific to ALPRs.”

She also noted that the city has applied for grant funding, though since 2023, has not received any money from the state, making the systems entirely funded through taxpayers. The security concerns that have been brought up over the past year were repeated by Zapata.

In response to questions from Flores-Cale, Barnett shared that there have been zero complaints filed against KPD for the misuse of Flock and that KPD was one of the first agencies to have a prohibition on searches within their system, both from within the organization or elsewhere. They also advocated for additional requirements within Flock to require a case number to reflect an official investigation from a law enforcement officer, said the chief.

Additionally, he stated that the department has submitted for grant reimbursement for 2025 and they expect to receive this, though they cannot submit for 2026 until 2025 is processed.

“I do want to state that I'm torn because I hear the residents — some of them want them, some of them don't. I want to respect our residents’ privacy, but I also have a duty to protect our residents. So, when we're asked to remove something like Flock, it's difficult because what do we use instead of it? It can't be just take[n] away and then, we're going to be a safer city. We've never had a problem or a complaint or a misuse in our city. It makes it difficult for me to just say, ‘Yeah, these cameras placed on public property are invading people's private privacy,’ when you're not in a private place … We have a lot of things that do invade our privacy. For me, this is about safety,” emphasized Flores-Cale. “What if we just put it on a ballot … That’s how we get the feedback from residents. I think we can put this on hold; we can just keep it as is, put it on a referendum and then, that’s when we take action because this is such a divisive issue.”

The time needed to put this together for November would be nearly impossible, said city attorney Aimee Alcorn-Reed, though it could be ready for the May 2027 election.

A motion to have staff bring back options to have Flock Safety on the May 2027 ballot passed 7-0.

Tax Rate

The tax rate is expected to decrease by $0.0357, for a total of $0.5600, consisting of $0.3687 for maintenance and operations and $0.1913 for interest and sinking. According to the presentation, the average homeowner, with a home value of $301,530, will pay $1,688.57 in taxes or $1,464.57 after the homestead reduction.

Council approved the tax rate at $0.5600 6-1, with council member Melisa Medina dissenting, as she wanted the lower tax rate of $0.5340.

“I couldn’t consciously vote for the $0.5600 when most of my constituents have been asking me for the $0.5340 because that makes a bigger change in their taxes that they have to pay as so long as we’re not crazily approving amendments to our budget, we could afford to go with that lower tax rate,” she explained.

This was council’s first of two public hearings and readings for the budget and tax rate. The second will occur Tuesday, Sept. 15.

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

Sifuentes entered a guilty plea and agreed to let the court decide his sentence. Under that plea deal, the court could impose a minimum of five years and up to 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. 453rd District Judge Sherri Tibbe sentenced him to the maximum term of 50 years and emphasized that she wanted to keep the community safe from Sifuentes.

The case involved an incident in the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2023, where Sifuentes shot and injured a police officer who was serving as an off-duty courtesy officer for an apartment complex in San Marcos. The officer had approached Sifuentes on a playground to warn him about being too loud, when he became aggressive, pulled a gun on the officer and shot him in the arm. The peace officer survived his injuries and has resumed his duties.

During the same hearing, the prosecution noted that in June of 2023, Sifuentes had driven while intoxicated to Austin with several passengers and ran a red light before crashing into another vehicle and injuring several people. He then fled from the scene and flashed a gun at a bystander for directing Sifuentes to return to the scene of the crash. The evidence also showed that, in August 2023, Sifuentes committed an assault at a restaurant where he pulled a gun on patrons who were waiting for a table. He was also sentenced to 10 years' prison time for this The shooting of the officer occurred just over a week later.
 

With the help of the community, the benefit concert, located at Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP), will be the largest fundraiser undertaken by the Friends of the Pound House Foundation to date.

For Jeanne Polk, president of the Friends of the Pound House Foundation, the event is about more than filling seats for an evening of music. It is part of an effort to sustain The Poundhouse Farmstead, a historic property that has faced years of disruption, restoration work and the continuing expense of preserving structures and artifacts dating to the community's earliest days.

She noted that the foundation began facing financial challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic halted many of the activities that helped keep the Pound House connected to the community.

Additionally, prior to the pandemic, the site hosted school field trips, galas and other activities. Then, a leak was discovered in the historic house, Polk said, leading to mold and restoration work and effectively keeping the house closed for about three years. The closure came at a particularly difficult time, she said, since programs and visitors disappeared, but the bills did not.

Now, the organization is working to rebuild its public presence. Polk said that the Pound House is preparing for its first school field trip since before the pandemic, an important milestone because school visits introduce not only children, but also their parents, to the property.

The concert is another part of that effort and will feature Desert Highway and The Kyle Sisters.

Desert Highway is an Eagles tribute band and has developed a following for its performances of Eagles’ music. Polk said the band is "extremely talented” and does more than reproduce the songs; its members also tell some of the story of the Eagles during their performances.

The Kyle Sisters bring another local connection to the event. Polk described the group as a longtime Dripping Springs favorite with its own following.

Although held at DSRP, it will be inside. Organizers had originally envisioned an arena concert, but shifted the event indoors, a move Polk said should create a more intimate atmosphere, while protecting concertgoers from the September heat.

The indoor venue also means seating is limited. Polk said about 500 general admission seats can be accommodated after accounting for sponsor seating.

Proceeds will go into the foundation's general fund, helping cover operating expenses, as well as supporting the continuing work necessary to maintain the historic property.

Historic preservation often requires specialized restoration rather than ordinary repairs, Polk said. One project on the foundation's list involves a historic wagon whose wheels are in serious need of replacement.

"We fix it or we lose it," she said.

A link to the 1850s

The story the foundation is working to preserve begins in the 1850s with Dr. Joseph Pound and Sarah Pound.

The couple married in 1853 and arrived in the area the following year. Joseph was from Kentucky, while Sarah was from Mississippi. After initially going farther west, they returned and acquired a 700-acre tract in what would become Dripping Springs.

They were joined in the area by Sarah's sister, Indiana, and her husband. The Pounds, Mosses and Wallaces are considered the three founding families of Dripping Springs, Polk said.

Of those early family farmsteads, the Pound property is the one that remains.

Today, the Pound House Farmstead encompasses 4.97 acres of the original 700-acre tract.

"This is literally where people can come in and see 1850s history … where they can touch it," Polk said.

At the heart of the property is a log room dating to 1854. The farmstead also includes its original smokehouse, a historic cistern and a centuries-old oak tree that stands as another living connection to the property's past.

Polk said the oak is estimated to be about 500 years old. Preserving it requires its own form of maintenance, as an arborist regularly treats and fertilizes the tree and monitors its health, particularly because oak wilt is present in the area.

Even the architecture of the house tells visitors something about how early Texas settlers adapted to their surroundings, the president added.

The house incorporates a dogtrot, or open breezeway, designed to capture moving air and provide relief from the heat. Polk said visitors from other parts of the country are often unfamiliar with the design, which was common in parts of the South.

"They're interested in just the fact that it's still here," Polk said. "It truly is quite magnificent."

The house changed over generations, as the family added and removed sections to meet its needs. A dining room and kitchen were eventually added, along with bedrooms and a parlor. However, the latter was more than another room in a family home.

Joseph was a doctor and the property served at various times as a place where he treated patients and as a gathering place for the growing community. Polk said religious services were held in the parlor for a time, as well, and the property also functioned as a hospital, schoolhouse and community meeting place, which is integral to the history of Dripping Springs.

His work as a frontier doctor provides another window into life on the property. One of his surviving ledger books records the names of patients and shows that payment did not always come in cash. Polk said the doctor sometimes bartered for chickens and other goods. He grew medicinal herbs and mixed his own tinctures, carrying medicines in small glass bottles protected by partitions in his saddlebag as he traveled through the countryside treating patients.

His job demanded considerably more than medical knowledge.

"He had to be a farmer and a rancher," Polk said. "He had to be able to fix stuff."

The farmstead's cistern offers another example of that ingenuity.

Water collected from the roof passed through a charcoal box before entering the cistern, Polk said. The filtration system has been attributed to Joseph’s scientific and medical background. The cistern was positioned, so the family could reach the water from the house, and water remains visible at the bottom today.

Furthermore, she noted that life was quite different then, as meals were cooked over fire, family members shared rooms, baths were taken in tubs outside and every day items had to be made, repaired or reused.

For Polk, those experiences are an essential part of the farmstead's purpose.

"I want kids to know this is legit," she said. "This is your history."

A direct Pound descendant, Marguerite Cavett Hammack, granddaughter of Joseph, and her daughter Georgia lived in the house until 1983, Polk said. Although electricity had eventually arrived, the historic house still did not have running water. After the family left, however, the property deteriorated.

The land had been deeded to the city and, at one point, Polk said the house eventually reached a point where it was in danger of being lost. Dr. Dennis Cannon and his wife, Katherine Cannon, whose ranch was behind the property, became involved in efforts to save it and helped establish the organization that eventually became the Friends of the Pound House Foundation.

Although efforts have been made, rapid growth presents the Pound House with a different challenge.

The years when the property was closed coincided with an influx of new residents, meaning many people arrived in Dripping Springs without ever encountering the farmstead or learning the story behind it.

For Polk, bringing schoolchildren back may be one of the best ways to change that.

"It's so important to connect with history," she said. "They can come and see what it was actually like."

This requires more than money. Polk said the foundation also needs volunteers, particularly docents who can learn the history and share it with visitors. The organization offers docent training and other opportunities for people interested in helping at the farmstead.

Polk stated that she hopes the benefit concert will provide some of the money necessary to keep history intact because at the Pound House Farmstead, preservation is not simply about protecting an old house.

It is about making sure that, as Dripping Springs continues to grow, there remains a place where people can walk through a breezeway, stand beneath a centuries-old oak, peer into a pioneer cistern and encounter something tangible from the community's beginning, she concluded.

The event begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at DSRP. Tickets are $25. For more information on the event or the Pound House, visit www.phfmuseum.org.

This follows Dripping Springs City Council unanimously approving water and wastewater adjustments at its Tuesday, May 19, meeting. The process to review the rates — which is the first time they have been adjusted since 2022 — began in fiscal year 2025, when the city contracted with HDR to conduct a utility rate study, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch.

Ultimately, the approved structure includes increases to both the base and usage rates, where there will be a very slight increase in the water rates and a more significant adjustment to the wastewater rates. Most residential customers can expect to see an increase of approximately $20 to $30 per month, depending on usage, while commercial users will see increases based on their level of service, with impacts varying by size and demand.

Rates will be analyzed each year, but the city anticipates additional increases each year through fiscal year 2032.

Customers can expect to see the new rates reflected on their September utility bill, which will be sent the week of Sept. 7.

More information can be found at www.drippingspringstx.gov/2026wastewaterrateadjustments.

Honey's House was built around a simple idea: know every resident the way you'd know family, read a news release. The name comes from a real person, a beloved family member whose care shaped how the owners built this home. That standard shows up in the details: a private chef preparing organic, scratch-made meals, a 1:7 caregiver ratio and open access for families at any hour, continued the release.

The home is in the process of obtaining Alzheimer's Certification through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and is designed from the ground up to support residents with individualized care needs.

The opening brings roughly 25 new jobs to the Southwest Austin community, including an executive director, a wellness director (RN), a culinary team and staff that will grow to approximately 20 team members as the community reaches full capacity.

"Honey's House was created, so we could care for people the way we want our own families cared for," said Hannah, co-owner and activity director. "Grand opening day was the moment that idea became real. Seeing families walk through and picture their loved one here — that's what we worked toward."

"What stood out yesterday was how many people said it feels like a home, not a facility," said Bill Wagenbaur, executive director. "That's the goal every day going forward. We're ready to welcome residents home."

Honey's House is currently scheduling tours for prospective residents and families. For more information, visit www.honeyshouseassistedliving.com.

Certifications were earned across a variety of career pathways, including animal science, biotechnology, business, communications, computer science, engineering, floral design, health science, transportation and welding.

Students in the health science pathway earned the most certifications at 102, including 50 Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) certifications. The AWS D9.1 Sheet Metal Welding certification was the most awarded certification, with 54 students earning the credential.

Whether students plan to attend college or enter the workforce directly, these certification courses equip them with valuable technical, communication, collaboration and leadership skills, stated the district in a news release. These credentials help students build strong career portfolios and earn higher wages. They also provide foundational knowledge and skills critical for future jobs, giving students a competitive edge.

A complete list of students earning certifications can be found at www.dsisdtx.us/o/dshs/page/career-and-technical-education.

Held at Canyonwood Ridge, the sold-out celebration brought together women from all walks of life for an afternoon of music, shopping, connection, laughter, inspiration and recognition, culminating in the presentation of the first-ever WOW Awards.

The WOW Awards grew out of a simple idea: extraordinary women aren't always the ones with the biggest titles, businesses or platforms. Sometimes they're the women quietly doing the work, bringing people together, helping a neighbor, starting something new, lifting others up or simply showing what it looks like to live with courage and heart, according to a news release.

More than 85 nominations were submitted for the eight award categories. An independent panel of women from outside Dripping Springs and Texas reviewed the nominations and selected three finalists in each category based on the stories submitted.

The 2026 Women of Worth Award recipients are:

Watch Her Soar Award – Rising Star: Valerie Hemming, Salt & Light

Fearless Founder Award – Trailblazer: Michelle Lewis, Mallett & Michelle Podcast

Girl Boss Energy Award – Woman Business Owner: Meredith Kapchinski, Fortis Therapy Center

Pillar of Power Award – Leadership Legacy: Michelle Fischer, City of Dripping Springs

Ripple Effect Award – Community Impact: Nel Rossouw, The Rescue House, and Chrystal Smith, Foster Village, who tied for the honor

She Brings Us Together Award – Connector: Susan Kimball, Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce

Hometown Heroine Award – Heart of Dripping Springs: Liz Kryznesfki, Springs Family YMCA

Adorable Badass Award – Inspiration: Anne Brown, Head to Toe Dance

But the heart of WOW was never meant to be only about the women whose names were called.

“The awards are wonderful, but WOW was created around a much bigger idea: that every woman is worthy of being seen, celebrated and reminded of the difference she makes,” said WOW founder Lisa Sullivan. “There are so many women doing extraordinary things every day who may never receive an award or even realize how much they matter to someone else. I wanted to create a day that celebrated them, too.”

KXAN meteorologist Kristen Currie served as emcee for the celebration, which also featured live music by The Lockhearts, the Adorable Badass Bazaar, featuring local businesses, artists and organizations, and a surprise all-women drum circle led by Soul Shine Rhythm Experience.

The inaugural WOW Celebration was made possible through the support of local businesses and community organizations that believed in the vision of creating something specifically designed to recognize and celebrate the women of Dripping Springs.

Sullivan said the response to the first event has already sparked ideas for what comes next.

“This started as an idea for an awards luncheon and somewhere along the way, it became something much bigger,” Sullivan said. “Watching that room full of women cheering for one another was everything I hoped WOW could be. And we're just getting started.”

School districts whose local revenue exceeds the level of entitlement established by the state are required to reduce their excess local revenue under Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapters 48 and 49, according to agenda documents. This has historically been known as “recapture” or “Robin Hood,” but is now referred to as excess local revenue by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

DSISD is required to use one or more of the statutory options to reduce excess local revenue, in which the district has chosen to pursue the purchase of attendance credits again for the 2026-27 school year.

“It’s time for this law to change,” stressed trustee Rob McClelland. “This is getting old.”

Based on the approved budget, the district’s anticipated recapture payment is between $3.5 and $4 million, according to Chief Financial Officer Randy Rau.

The district could do “a lot” with those funds if it weren’t required to send it back to the state, said McClelland. This includes increasing teacher pay at a higher scale — something that was echoed during public comments by high school educator Chelsea Owens-Ramirez.

She explained that with 10 years of experience and two degrees, she will make just above $63,000 in base pay this year. Then, in March, her take-home pay will be less than $1,000, with taking maternity leave and daycare deductions into consideration — close to 75% of her paycheck.

“In the last eight years, we have had a total of roughly 16.8% in pay raises, not including the $5,000 given by the state. Seven out of those years have included an increase in insurance premiums and a decrease in [health savings account] contributions. Inflation over the same years has increased by 27% for this area, per the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Again, 16.8% in pay increase and 27% in inflation increase,” she stated. “The median income per the Federal Census Bureau for [Dripping Springs] was between $120[,000] and $150,000 in 2024. The median house price here is $570,000 to $700,000. With current rates, that is a monthly mortgage payment of about $4,000 for this area using the bottom of that range. That's $48,000 a year for housing and would leave somebody at my pay stub with $1,250 a month for utilities, payments, food [and] gas; this is just for a single household income with no dependents.”

Owens-Ramirez continued on to cite that the National Education Association ranked Texas as 46th in percent change for keeping up with increasing teacher pay over the last two years and current dollar salaries for classroom teachers has decreased by an estimated 4.6% since 2016.

“I'm tired of emails that say the board is pleased to announce a 1% pay raise, like I should be thankful for less than the bare minimum. In a board meeting years ago, it was stated: If teachers want more than a 1% raise, we need to know that before a specific date. In what reality should we be content with 1% when inflation is higher? We are losing educators because we cannot afford to live here nor anywhere nearby on our own and we shouldn't have to rely on a second income,” she said.

DSISD is required to pay the recapture payments or else it would be subject to other options, such as being forced to consolidate with a non-Chapter 49 district. While there could be a question of if lowering the tax rate could help, Rau explained that is not the case: “Essentially, the recapture payment is on our tier two, which is the money that we voted to increase. So, the tax rate that the voters voted to help the district out is really where we're sending money back, which are copper pennies.”

“There's no other option and if we don't have copper pennies, this district cannot be fully funded and we can't pay for all the programs that we offer … Obviously, we're going to do this because there's no other option, but I think it's important as we have conversations about compensation, about all kinds of things we're doing in this district, that we are constrained heavily by this law, Chapter 49 of the Texas Education Code,” McClelland stated. “So, if we're looking for something to get behind reforming in the next legislative session, this would certainly be one of them.”

There was also a slight increase of $50 per student for the average daily attendance allotment that the district receives from the state, but DSISD does not get all of that funding, unless every student comes to school every single day, trustee Kim Cousins clarified.

“So, it's very misleading thinking that we get this basic student allotment and it's around $6,500 and … our average attendance, I believe, is 96.5. That drops it to about $5,800 or so in funding for the students in this district,” she said. “It's just getting very, very difficult to make these ends meet with the constraints that we have and what the state continues to tell us what to do.”

Board president Shanda DeLeon noted that these kinds of conversations would be good to continue with the legislative subcommittee, so the ideas can be put on paper on what the district is fighting for.

School districts have been advocating for transparency in taxation and funding for at least the last three or four legislative sessions, said trustee Olivia Barnard. However, she said that it’s going to take parents and taxpayers also talking to the legislatures to help make a difference, because $5 billion a year in the state of Texas that is collected under school district taxation “does not stay in education; it goes to the state general fund.”

The board unanimously approved an agreement for the purchase of the attendance credits, which includes the delegation of the superintendent to obligate the district under TEC Chapter 49.

The broad strokes of The Celia Fund initially came in 2022, in honor of the life of Hudnall’s aunt, who, preceding her death, was known as a public educator for at least 30 years, avid gardener, relentlessly curious person and lifelong learner with a spirit to teach those around her.

“I really wanted to just honor her and her life, and her work and her spirit. The other reason is that the name itself, Celia, means ‘of heaven,’” Hudnall shared. “It just seemed like the perfect fit for the fund.”

The profession runs in Hudnall’s blood, as several other members of her family — including herself for 15 years — have worked in education. After a year of trying to juggle her own business and career, but then being faced with financial needs as a parent — even through multiple salary increases over the years — she left the profession in 2019.

While teachers could be making $65,000 per year, for example, and having the summers off, there are deductions that still come out of their paycheck, including the cost of health insurance — with increases if their children or spouses are on their plan — federal taxes and retirement, Hudnall emphasized. These impact the take-home pay for public educators.

Hudnall found that while there are online fundraisers for classroom supplies, or websites like Teachers Pay Teachers, where they can purchase lesson plans or suggestions for a small cost, there are limited options for just financial assistance.

“As much as they're appreciated, they don't really need another Starbucks gift card. They don't. Again, as much as it's appreciated, they don't need a massage. No, they need help, real financial assistance,” she said. “That was really where the beginnings of the idea came from and then, as I started to search [for] any kind of financial assistance that was targeted towards public educators; as far as I can tell, there is nothing out there. So, I thought, ‘Well, there's nothing out there, so what can I do to fill this gap? And so, it just kind of grew from there.’”

The founder is currently in the process of raising $75,000 for The Celia Fund to support the secure lending platform, organizational systems, launch preparation and first rounds of low-interest emergency loans.

Though grants are “certainly” a second goal for special causes, Hudnall said that she decided to focus on loans, due to the potential for growth and being able to help more people.

“The number of people that we could assist would simply be limited by the amount of money that we could fundraise, whereas, by creating a revolving loan fund, we raise the initial funds for that first round of loans,” she said.

The loans would need to be paid back; however, the goal is to have the interest rates remain well under 10%. Hudnall explained that this gives the teachers the option of not being forced to use an emergency credit card, where they are having to pay 20% or more interest.

Currently, the planned eligibility for the loans is for qualifying public educators and is expected to include currently-employed classroom teachers, counselors, librarians and other certified public-school educators who meet the program’s income and emergency criteria.

Hudnall said they are still in the process of determining eligibility specifics and qualifying emergencies, in addition to fundraising and having conversations with educators to gauge how this assistance would have helped them, before opening applications.

She is piloting the fund in Wimberley ISD, but is looking to quickly expand to the San Marcos, Dripping Springs, Hays and Blanco school districts.

For more information on The Celia Fund and learn how to make a donation, visit www.theceliafund.net.

The investment includes two $1.5 million contributions, with the most recent approved by the Buda EDC Board May 11 to help offset construction costs, following an earlier contribution that supported design and pre-construction work. An eight-year performance agreement between the city and EDC establishes shared goals for attracting tournaments and generating economic activity in the community, stated a news release.

The redevelopment is designed to create a tournament-ready sports destination. Once complete, Buda Championship Park will be able to host up to 112 softball or baseball teams over a three-day tournament and will offer eight softball fields with adjustable base lines, 20 batting cages and NCAA Division I sand-draining surfaces, lighted for evening play. Built for high-level competition, the fields can accommodate softball through the collegiate level and baseball through 12U. Additional improvements include four re-sodded fields for soccer, flag football and other field sports, more than 800 parking spaces and controlled gate entry for event ticketing.

“We are incredibly thankful for the Buda EDC's continued investment and partnership in making Buda Championship Park the premier sports facility in Central Texas. This partnership elevates our athletic fields to be the finest in the region, adds four additional softball fields and positions Buda to host tournaments that will bring thousands of visitors to Buda, providing meaningful economic benefit to our local restaurants, shops, hotels and businesses” said Mayor Lee Urbanovsky.

The investment reflects a shared strategy by the city and Buda EDC to use sports tourism as an economic development tool, bringing regional and national tournaments to Buda, increasing overnight visitation and generating additional activity for the community’s hotels, restaurants, retailers and other businesses, the release continued.

“This $3 million investment is about much more than fields — it is an investment in Buda’s economy,” said Jim Niemie, Buda EDC board president. “Buda Championship Park gives us an opportunity to bring thousands of athletes, families and tournament organizers into our community, introduce them to our local businesses and create economic activity that extends well beyond the park itself. This is exactly the kind of strategic partnership that allows economic development dollars to generate broader benefits for Buda.”

Within five miles of the park, Buda boasts more 700 hotel rooms, 30 restaurants and food trucks and 260,000 square feet of retail, including Cabela’s, along with family-friendly activities, such as Inspired Minds Art Center, Pinballz Arcade and 16 parks.

The performance agreement recognizes the potential for the facility to generate economic development opportunities that directly benefit local commercial interests through tournament activity.

The agreement establishes measurable tournament and tourism objectives. Beginning in the third full calendar year of operation, the city is expected to host at least 11 qualifying tournaments annually, averaging at least 28 teams per tournament. Longer-term targets call for increased utilization, including at least 13 qualifying tournaments annually in later years and a minimum aggregate of 65 qualifying tournaments during years four through eight.

“This partnership demonstrates how the city and EDC can align investments in infrastructure, tourism and economic development around a common goal,” said Buda EDC CEO Jennifer Storm. “Our objective is not simply to host tournaments. It is to create an experience that encourages visitors to stay in Buda, spend time in our community and come back again.”

Founded in 2025 by Kyle firefighter Trent McCarty, alongside other first responders, the Maltese Mission was built on the core values of service, integrity and community. The organization has a shared commitment to help support firefighters within the Kyle Fire Department, but also surrounding agencies, their families and the communities they protect.

This is done through hosting charitable events and fundraisers, with the most recent being the Beat the Heat 5K/5K Bunked Out Relay, held Saturday, Aug. 22,  which raised $2,500 for the Maltese Mission.

The organization will also be partnering with the department again to host a haunted house at Station 1 in October, as well as help with the toy drive for Blue Santa during the upcoming holiday season.

Being a first responder on the front lines is “all about brotherhood,” shared McCarty, who has been serving with KFD since December 2018, so the Maltese Mission helps unite and aid that community.

“Whenever you're getting into this profession, you realize very fast that the world's a lot bigger than yourself,” he emphasized. “We find that a lot with our brothers around us, whenever we see them in need. It's not just solely with the fire service. It's with first responders in general. We're all here for each other.”

While the nonprofit is fairly new, the team is already looking ahead for the future of the Maltese Mission. Knowing that it’s vital to continue honing their skills, McCarty said that they want to collect donations through its website specifically for firefighters to attend trainings that otherwise, they may not be able to.

“Another big thing that we're trying to do with this nonprofit is help support firefighters that want to go to trainings that their department, for one, might not be able to afford or just might not be able to. They're already sending multiple people to this training, so they're not able to send anybody to it,” McCarty said. “So, through our website, we're wanting to have an application link and have firefighters around Texas, really, that if they find a training that they like, they can submit an application through our multi-dimensional website and if we have the funds, we can help fund their trainings. Then, also through that website, we can have some links to different trainings that we know about and that we're partnered with.”

The best way to support the Maltese Mission is by supporting financially or spreading the word of what the nonprofit is doing, according to McCarty.

“Any support helps. We are a growing nonprofit and we're wanting to make a big difference. We are not just limited to the fire service,” he concluded. “We want to help really anybody around that needs help, any first responder around that needs help.”

Learn more about the nonprofit at www.themaltesemission.squarespace.com.

HCWC is in its 48th year of serving members of the community who face domestic harm, whether it be violence, sexual or child abuse. CEO Melissa Rodriguez shared that HCWC does all it can to provide aid to victims, such as counseling, emergency shelter, transitional housing and accompanying trips to the hospital for medical examinations. Additionally, it advocates and provides education to community members in order to create a safe environment.

As a nonprofit, it runs on donations and grants; therefore, it has run an annual auction each year, but Rodriguez stated that its purse bingo event will be coming to Kyle, after the positive reception in Luling.

“We started [the event] in Caldwell County as a way to connect with the community because we had been serving them for decades and wanting to raise awareness. We wanted to do it in a way that also was fun, but also brought the message to the community. So, we got the idea from other sister centers that are child abuse programs. They started doing designer purse bingos across the state and no one was doing it locally,” explained Rodriguez. “We decided to go ahead and jump on board and it became so popular that this year, we decided to add one in Hays County.”

The CEO noted that Kyle was chosen because of the rapid growth in the area, as it is the second-highest served community within HCWC’s service, according to the CEO.

Attendees that purchase a $70 general admission ticket will receive a dinner and 20 rounds of bingo for a chance to win a designer purse, with pieces from Coach, Kate Spade and more, with a grand prize of a Gucci bag.

Those wishing for reserved seats and tables can sign up for sponsorships that have extra perks, she said.

HCWC also partners with local law enforcement agencies that act as models throughout the event. This not only provides fun entertainment for the night, but is also an opportunity for officers to connect with the community. At the end of the night, a vote is taken — based on the loudest hoot and hollering — for the best model.

“We try to make it a fun, light event, even though the work we do is very heavy and serious and important and critical and, obviously, not something that most people want to have to utilize, but are grateful when it’s needed … It’s not something easy for people to talk about our issues, so this is one of the ways that we found we can be very successful is just getting people connected to the work that we’re doing,” she said.

Aside from the bingo, there will be bucket raffle items, with donations from Tito’s Vodka, Tanger and Premium outlet malls, local restaurants and more.

These fundraisers allow HCWC to continue providing an important program in the community, she said.

“Every dollar that we raise goes directly to serving the survivors that we work with every day,” emphasized Rodriguez, adding that HCWC has no debt, so all funds go toward paying the staff that provide the free and confidential services to clients.

HCWC has a 24-hour HELPline available for those in need: 512-396-4357.

“One in three Texans experience a form of violence. Unfortunately, this is not something people want to talk about, but it is such a relevant and common experience with our neighbors, with our families, with our children. No one asks for this to happen and it can happen to anybody,” she emphasized. “It does not discriminate on your gender, your income, your neighborhood, your good school — it can happen to literally anyone, [aged] 0 to until we’re not here anymore and we see it. Last year, we served 2,279 individuals across all our programs — adults, youth and children — about half of those were children … Everyone wants, or should, and deserves to have a safe home. They deserve to have a healthy relationship. They deserve to have a family that can support children in a healthy, positive way and that’s what our goal is.”

The purse bingo will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Gemstone Palace, 1101 Bunton Creek in Kyle. To learn more about the event or purchase a ticket, visit www.hcwc.org/pursebingo.

Rick Klatt, associate vice president of Lochner, which manages the road bond programs, began his presentation by sharing the specific language from the ballot when the 2022 road bond was approved, which read, “The issuance of bonds in the amount of $294,000,000 for streets, bridges, and sidewalks and the levying of a tax in payment thereof.”

“It did not necessarily specifically mention a Vybe Trail,” Klatt pointed out.

The project in question is split into two segments:

Center Street Off-System — From Old Stagecoach Road to Veterans Drive. This is the portion of the road that is locally owned and locally maintained by the city.

Center Street On-System — From Veterans Drive to Main Street. This is the part of the road that is state-owned and maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

For the off-system portion, the proposed plan includes a three-lane roadway configuration, with a 12-foot Vybe Trail on the north side and a 6-foot sidewalk on the south side. This plan also requires utilities to be relocated from overhead to underground.

The initial budget for the off-system project, according to Klatt, was $12.3 million. Currently, the projected cost is approximately $29 million, leaving this portion of the plan over budget by $16.7 million.

“So, obviously, we have other projects where we may be coming in less than we planned, [but] this is certainly one of those that we’re coming in significantly more than what the initial cost estimates were,” said Klatt.

Mayor Yvonne Flores-Cale then asked where the overruns are coming from, to which Klatt replied that undergrounding the utilities was factored in the initial cost, “but not to the degree it should have been.”

Klatt proposed a revised plan, which would maintain the three-lane roadway, but decrease the 12-foot Vybe Trail on the north side to a 6-foot sidewalk. In addition to helping with drainage efficiency, the proposed plan eliminates the need for undergrounding the utilities. This would result in $5,457,660 in cost savings, including: $614,000 by reducing trail to sidewalk; $4,766,000 by maintaining utilities overhead; and $77,660 in rights-of-way/easements. However, this plan would result in an additional $45,000 in design costs.

Moving on to the on-system portion of the project, Klatt outlined the currently proposed plan, which includes widening the roadway to a three-lane configuration, adding a traffic signal at the intersection of Veterans Drive and Center Street, a 12-foot Vybe Trail on the north side, a 6-foot sidewalk on the south side and moving the overhead utilities underground.

The original budget for this plan was $10.2 million, while the current projected estimate is $12 million, leaving it over budget by $1.8 million.

In addition to drainage impacts, due to increased impervious cover, parking is impacted within the on-system concept, as parking spaces on Center Street between Sledge Street and Nance Street would need to be removed, as well as spots within 100 feet of Burleson Drive. The parking will be removed whether it is a 6-foot or 12-foot path, Klatt said.

As with the off-system project, revising the plan to reduce the 12-foot trail to a 6-foot sidewalk would also result in cost savings:

Reduce trail to sidewalk: $423,000

Maintaining utilities overhead: $2,010,000

Rights-of-way/Easements: $3,060

This plan would have an additional $35,000 in design costs.

Flores-Cale paused to ask if the current plan provides connection from the east side of IH-35 to the west side via Center Street, to which assistant city manager Amber Schmeits confirmed that there is no east-west connection there, but rather that the trail would turn down Burleson Road and eventually cross under IH-35 near the end of Burleson.

“So, I just wanted to clarify because east-west connection is important to me,” the mayor said. “I live on the east and I would love to have something that people can go back and forth on a straight route, but this is not going to be that; even if we move forward with this, that’s not going to connect both sides.”

Some residents were also concerned about the Vybe Trial continuation and shared their thoughts during public comment.

“The Vybe Trail wasn’t designed as a patchwork of disconnected paths and standard sidewalks. It was designed as a multimodal network that connects neighborhoods, parks, schools, businesses and community spaces,” said resident Emily Sorenson. “In Kyle, the Center Street segment is especially important because it serves as the connection through downtown and it links different parts of the city together, while also creating the kind of environment that supports the parks and the restaurants and the events and the local businesses … I’m asking you to please not make a short-term budget decision that permanently compromises a long-term vision.”

Resident Josh Keller spoke in favor of the Vybe Trail, but recognized the challenges.

“So, I know that the 12-foot trail creates problems and I think just talking about those openly is really important. I know it creates problems with parking spaces and people’s private land and those are serious concerns,” he said. “I do think there’s enough smart people in this room and in this community that we can work together to solve that problem. So, what I’d like to propose instead of a 6-foot trail, is forming a Vybe committee full of a lot of people here and probably a lot of people watching that are interested in talking to everyone that’s affected and working together to solve the problems because I’d love to see the 12-foot concrete Vybe Trail instead of dividing people, bring people together.”

Timothy Kay, whose family lives on Center Street, expressed concerns about safety on the trail, stating that while the 12-foot trail is a nice idea, it is not something that should be present in the middle of a rapidly growing city. Furthermore, allowing space for golf carts would bring legal liability, he said.

Council member Claudia Zapata emphasized that, “ … it’s also important to understand that these are the plans as of now, but what we’re doing right now is actually being able to kind of re-envision that. So, if we want to prioritize east to west side connectivity, this is the moment to be able to do that without shooting down the entire project itself.”

Following Klatt’s presentation, the floor was open for council questions and feedback.

Expressing support for undergrounding the utilities was council member Lauralee Harris. She stated that, for safety and reliability, all utilities should be moved to underground on any roads built or reconfigured.

Harris continued, stating that using a 6-foot sidewalk is “ridiculous” and that the Vybe Trail will enhance the ability to have successful businesses in the area.

Council member Melisa Medina questioned if there is an option for a 10-foot trail, while keeping the utilities above ground, to which Klatt replied that they would still have to underground the utilities for any size over 6 feet.

“We have to talk dollars,” Flores-Cale stated. “If we do $19 million over here, [making us] short, then where are we going to make up for it on the other part of the road bond? Because the money is not just going to keep coming at us; we don’t have infinite money. So, I think as a council, we need to really think about [that]. Yes, we do want to build a Vybe, but what does responsible growth look like? Does it mean that we just say yes to everything right now? My theory has always been, ‘You can have it right or you can have it right now, but you can’t have both.’”

“I’m just thinking this is a tough situation. We all have wants and desires and I was the one who approved this; I was the one who talked about it during the 2022 road bond,” the mayor continued. “I was adamantly against the language of the road bond because it didn’t give enough details. It was rushed; it’s not detailed; it doesn’t make sense. And now here we sit years later and I’m dealing with the consequences of actions of people that I disagreed with.”

Zapata disputed the fact that residents were not knowledgeable about the bond and what it included: “I think we’ve seen a lot of resident engagement, a lot of resident opinion and a lot of resident feedback as we have considered how to build this thing out.”

She went on to say that the funding mechanism also matters and claimed that the cost of the road bond doesn’t come from the general fund, which interim city manager Perwez Moheet clarified is not the case: “Any dollar we spend on the road bond project or program, the impact is on the general fund. The taxpayers of Kyle will pay back the debt that we will incur,” said Moheet.

Council member Marc McKinney expressed frustration in the delay of revitalizing downtown, emphasizing that this is important to him.

In response, Flores-Cale questioned if McKinney would be okay with roads on the east side of IH-35 not being completed in order to complete the Vybe Trail.

“I feel like with the timeframe that we’re on, we can take whatever portion hasn’t been completed and add it to whatever next road bond that we’re talking about doing in potentially 2028 and not even miss a beat; That way we can still get it all done, obviously, assuming that the bond passes,” McKinney responded. “But, yes, I feel like the downtown area has to take priority.”

“I think I’m just a little confused about why wouldn’t we be able to complete the other two roads? Is it because of lack of funds,” questioned Zapata. “Because we just had a discussion about us being able to authorize funds in order to be able to fund those things. So, couldn’t we just authorize the funding necessary to complete those roads?”

Moheet then explained that voters authorized $294 million for the road bond and, if the city cannot complete all of the projects listed, it cannot add to this funding mechanism, but would instead have to go back to the voters to approve additional funds or find non-voter approved bonds to complete the projects. Either way, more debt would have to be issued, he said.

After some more back and forth, council member Michael Tobias tried to reign in the conversation.

“Nobody up here is saying that the Vybe is not important … Nobody's disregarding your comment Marc about the downtown renovations. As someone who’s lived here 50 years of my life, you don’t have to tell me where our downtown’s been,” he said. “What it comes down to is the money, ladies and gentleman, and also some people are going to look at this as the equality of it, as well. As much as we hate to use the east versus west, but that is just what it is.”

Tobias continued by highlighting that people in East Kyle have been waiting 50 years to get the roads done.

“West side of town, you guys got crosswalks, you got streetlights, you got sidewalks. I don’t have any of that by Lehman,” he stated. “My kids from Lehman are walking in the mud all the way home … So, as much as I hear the heartstrings that go on about, ‘I want to have a sidewalk,’ I ain’t got jack over there on my side of town.”

At this point, Perwez laid out the three options for council:

Option 1: Approve the interim city manager to proceed as originally planned and exceed the budget by $19 million.

Option 2: Decrease from 12-foot Vybe Trail to 6-foot sidewalk and authorize exceeding budget by $11 million.

Option 3: Pause until: Texas Historical Commission has reviewed the plan, Vybe Trail Ordinance has been reviewed and the Sept. 10 meeting occurs, where the current status of the whole bond project and Vybe Trail project will be laid out.

Flores-Cale motioned to approve option 3, with a second from council member Courtney Goza. The motion passed 7-0.

To listen to the full discussion, visit bit.ly/4zK4HD7.

According to chief communications officer Tim Savoy, district officials alerted him Aug. 19, two days after the first day of school, to a social media post that depicted students in the aisle of a Hays CISD school bus the day prior.

This video was from Holly Sewell, who explained at the Aug. 27 Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting that her son rode home on the floor of the bus against the rear emergency door exit.

“There were several other children sitting on the floor and we heard from several other parents who corroborated this. Our son showed us several videos of this happening,” said Sewell.

Savoy noted that he initially stated that the bus hadn’t left the bus loop, based on the information he had at the time, though after further review of the video footage, he noted that students continued to be in the aisle after leaving the campus.

He stated that the bus driver initially pulled over in the campus, stood to face the students and directed them to get into a seat, though footage showed that not every student complied.

Buses can hold up to 78 students, when sitting three to a seat, and 52 when sitting two to a seat, said Savoy, though the bus in question had 58 students assigned to it. This is allowable in a middle school setting, since sixth graders can sometimes sit three to a seat. So, the bus had the capacity needed, just not at the appropriate comfort level for middle school students.

“As a standard practice, Hays CISD does not let more students board a bus than there are seats available,” said Savoy. “To accommodate fluctuations in the numbers of students who will be riding buses from day-to-day during the first couple of weeks of school, the district pre-positions back-up buses and drivers around the district to be called into service during morning pick-up for buses that fill up with students prior to completing their to-school routes.”

This is exactly what happened, as the school district immediately added a second bus to the route the following day after receiving reports.

Savoy explained that the beginning of each school year is always a bit of a transition, which the district addresses in its back-to-school emails: “It’ll take a few days for everyone to learn new traffic patterns, for us to level classes based on students who show up to school and for bus schedules to settle into a steady routine. Remember to give each other grace and kindness during this time,” said Superintendent Eric Wright in this year’s letter to parents.

Some parents have questioned whether budget cuts caused these issues; however, Savoy clarified that Transportation funding was not decreased.

“Though no direct budget cuts occurred with Transportation in Hays CISD, it’s likely that the department took a more conservative approach in planning bus routing this year — not having the luxury to build in added, immediate buffer capacity. The district operates as a system, so any budget cuts because of the state school funding situation can have an impact on the whole district,” he said.

Additionally, the number of students riding the bus can rapidly change: “On Aug. 1, 2026, Hays CISD had approximately 9,200 students registered to ride buses for the 2026-2027 school year. By the first day of school, Aug. 13, 2026, that number had risen to 12,414 students registered and riding the bus. On Wednesday, August 26, 2027, approximately 16,600 students were registered for bus service,” explained Savoy.

Despite this, he emphasized that issues and concerns are being addressed as they arise.

“Bus adjustments and leveling happen every school year in almost every school district in Texas during the first couple of weeks of school. Some years are better than others generally, but bus experiences in the first weeks are highly individualized. Even if generally the system is having a good year, that doesn’t mean everyone individually is having a good experience. Conversely, if the school year is off to what feels like a bumpy start, it doesn’t mean everyone has had a bad experience,” concluded Savoy.

For more information on the district’s Transportation Department, visit www.hayscisd.net/page/transportation.

The event brought together teachers, facilitators and resources from Buda, Kyle and South Austin, according to BPL.