This follows the cities of Wimberley and Woodcreek, along with Hays County, entering into a Collaborative Water and Wastewater Planning Efforts Interlocal Agreement (ILA) in May 2025. Additionally, at its July 7, 2026, meeting, the Hays County Commissioners Court authorized the Civil Division of the Criminal District Attorney's office at its July 7 meeting to negotiate a professional services agreement of no more than $50,000 with Accenture, related to the creation of an entity with representatives from the county and aforementioned cities.

“As everyone knows, we are fighting for water constantly and we don't have local authority and we always say we don't have local authority from a county perspective and we are waiting on the state legislature to do something,” said commissioner Morgan Hammer at the July 7 commissioners court meeting. “This is something that we can put into place that will help us. We are having tons of funds from the state level being allocated towards water … This would give us not only teeth, but would also allow us to accept funds and to help our water infrastructure and also if there was ever a time where a pipeline was run into Wimberley, it would give us some authority to be able to dictate what happens to that and how development is kind of controlled from there.”

According to Wimberley City Council member Rebecca Minnick, who sponsored the July 16 resolution to support Hays County working to evaluate creating an entity, this is the most concrete effort that has been proposed since the ILA was entered into last year.

“It’s already passed the county, so I thought that it made sense for us to go ahead and do a resolution for council because we haven’t been able to discuss this with you as a group,” she said.

The proposed scope of work — expected to be complete within 120 days — for the entity includes the following: stakeholder engagement; evaluation of governance options; identification of grant and funding opportunities; and development of recommendations for an entity that could support sustainable water supply planning, water resource protection and regional coordination, according to agenda documents.

This brings another “tool in our toolkit” to have a more robust water supply, plan for the future and give more weight as a single entity than it would be if the city of Wimberley tried to do it on its own, Minnick added.

“What this does is it gives a jurisdiction where we can apply for grants and right now, there is a water source grant that’s out there that we probably would be able to apply for right away and this is out of the state water fund,” Minnick said. “The issue becomes as a city, we can apply for that, but there are areas in the [extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)] that maybe these water sources might be located and there’s really no jurisdiction to do that.”

This resolution does not create a new entity or obligate the city to participate in any future organization or financial commitment, so any future proposal on the formation of a regional entity or the city’s participation would require separate approval by council.

“Basically, it says that everybody is on board with this next step and when the next steps come, then we will have another formal agreement,” Minnick said, adding that they don’t know what the structure looks like until Accenture reports its findings.

Wimberley City Council unanimously approved the resolution.

Budget

In a workshop held prior to its regular meeting July 16, Wimberley City Council went over its fiscal year 2027 budget.

The key budget priorities, as listed by city administrator Tim Patek, include the following: maintaining core services; infrastructure and road maintenance; parks and recreation investments; technology and operation support; and financial sustainability.

According to Patek, the general fund budget, as it is currently proposed, is balanced, as the revenues and expenditures both total $2,147,000.

“The process is to always try to have a balanced budget on all of our budgets,” Patek said.

The major source of revenue in the general fund is from the tax revenue, according to Patek, with general sales and use at $1,575,000, mixed beverage at $95,000 and franchise at $310,000. Other sources of revenue include license and permit fees at $48,000 and service fees at $54,000, as well as interest revenues at $60,000 and miscellaneous at $5,000.

In the expenditures, personnel services — at $407,700 — and administration, totaling $793,800, remain the largest operating costs. Similar to last year, staff is looking at having a 3% salary increase for city employees, Patek said.

“We kind of have a norm with that. The two prior years before that, we gave a lump sum across the board and we tried to increase the gap from the lowest to the highest to this,” the city administrator explained. “So, my first year here, we gave a $5,000 increase to all employees and the second year, we gave a $4,000 increase to decrease that gap and then, after that, I talked with council and staff that we were looking at giving a percentage after that and they were all good with that.”

Patek explained that some employees who were given the $5,000 increase, they got a 10-12% increase one year and then, it was almost the same next year.

Council member Anne Ulfelder said that she would like to see the pay increase for this year be at least 5%.

In response, Patek said that it would be up to council on what it would like for staff to look at when going over the numbers. He added that the city also increased the retirement contribution from 5% to 6%, so that “takes a little bit of a hit, as well.”

Ulfelder asked Patek to provide the impact for a pay increase of 4% and 5%.

Other components of the budget include Parks and Recreation, Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT), Wastewater and Interest and Sinking funds.

Similar to that of the general fund, Parks and Recreation has a proposed budget of $1,232,000 in revenue and expenditures — the latter of which includes the community center, which has been moved into this fund from last year, Patek said.

The other three funds are also balanced at:

•   HOT: Revenue and expenditures at $725,000

•   Wastewater: Revenue and expenditures at $436,000

•   Interest and Sinking: Revenue and expenditures at $367,000

The next budget workshop will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, with the ultimate adoption, fee schedule and proposed goals adoption slated for Sept. 17.

To listen to the full meeting recordings, visit www.wimberleytx.portal.civicclerk.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WISD is currently accepting applications for the DAEP director position.

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

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

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

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

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

•   Specific learning disability: 202 or 40.4%

•   Speech impairment: 110 or 22%

•   Autism: 52 or 10.4%

•   Other health impairment: 71 or 14.2%

•   Emotional disturbance: 40 or 8%

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zoning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Short-term rentals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before his time with the agency, Strange served in the United States Air Force for four years and then, landed in Wimberley from Florida in 1985. It was then that he was employed with Lear-Siegler as a traveling aircraft mechanic for 11 years, with the latter three being spent as a field team supervisor at Bergstrom Air Force Base.

“When I first got [to Wimberley], there were no stoplights in town,” Strange recalled. “There was a three-way stop at Ranch Road 12 and River Road and if you didn't get gas before 6 o'clock, you were out of luck; there was no gas until the next day. We had a little Country Boys grocery store and one doctor in town.”

His love for serving continued locally in Wimberley when he volunteered at the fire department, joining in 1989, during his free time at home. At the Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department, Strange earned multiple certifications, including basic firefighter, swiftwater rescue instructor and low to high angle instructor.

Strange entered his career as a paramedic naturally when he signed up for an Emergency Care Attendant — which is the lowest level of emergency medicine — class through the fire department. Once he got into it, he found that he thoroughly enjoyed the field and had a gift for working with people.

He was hired by Wimberley EMS on a part-time basis in 1991 and began his training as an emergency medical technician (EMT). By 1995, Strange received his EMT-paramedic license and began working full-time in 1996, before securing the director position in July 2004.

Being with the agency for an extended period of time, just like he has done with the town, Strange has been able to watch Wimberley EMS evolve over the years from being one of only three paid paramedics when he first joined to the current 17, along with two office staff members. He also helped install a brand new EMS station in 2020 completely debt-free.

“We worked 24 hours on, 24 hours off and even on your 24 hours off, you were expected to run calls if they got really busy, so I pretty much lived for Wimberly EMS for about the first three years,” Strange shared.

His drive for serving the Wimberley community extended into other endeavors over the years, including, but not limited to, building houses for Habitat for Humanity, being a voice on the Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council executive board, advocating for mental and medical health, helping Barnabas Connection with its strategic and emergency plans and even deejaying school dances.

Strange was also recognized as a Hays County First Responder Hero after the 2015 flood that brought devastation to the Wimberley community; named Patriot of the Year in 2019; voted the Best of Wimberley Paramedic Award countless times; and was honored with Ken Strange Day in Wimberley Aug. 9, 2024, by Wimberley City Council.

Now, after 30 total years of serving through Wimberley EMS, Strange made the decision to step down and plans to turn his focus into his family-owned businesses, The Med Spa and Spoon Mountain Glamping.

Having served on the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees since 2008, never having had an opponent run against him, he also plans to seek one more term after his current term expires in November.

The time he has spent being rooted into the local, supportive community is not lost on Strange. For him, he will miss the excitement of running calls and helping people when they are at their darkest time.

“I just love helping the people of Wimberley. I love this valley. It's just been a passion of mine to be involved in the community and I’ve loved everything about the job. I love everything about this town,” Strange concluded. “Thank you so much for supporting me all the years and encouraging me and just allowing me to be a part of this community; that's really where my heart is right now. I'm just very grateful for the time I got to spend here and I'm just really grateful for all the people I've got to meet.”

The program will cover Alzheimer’s, stigma reduction, family support and how routine, structured care and purposeful engagement improve quality of life. Attendees can expect interactive activities and guided discussion designed to help residents experience daily success within a supportive setting.

“Brain health is something every family deserves to understand, not just navigate,” said Lili Kiel, activities director of Alexis Pointe. “This talk gives our community a space to ask questions, learn what’s possible with thoughtful care and walk away feeling more informed and less alone.”

Alexis Pointe is located at 14390 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley. For more information on the senior living community, visit ​​bit.ly/4v3Qazi.

The nonprofit began in 1986 when a group of women wanted a new opportunity to get their crafts to people, since they had given as much out to their friends and family as they could, said board of directors president Marilyn Pierce. The building — originally a candle shop and front porch — in the Wimberley Square was donated and the rest is history.

Over the years, the interior of the building, which still sits in its original location, has gotten a facelift, through new flooring, shelving, expansions and more, said vice president Madonna Kimball, but its goal has remained the same: “Keep seniors active.”

The idea of the shop is simple: “It’s a place where seniors can continue making their crafts. They can work a day a month, so they get to socialize and they get extra money,” she said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

The criteria consists of being 55 years of age or older, living in the 78676 zip code, being able to physically able to go up and down stairs, having the ability to work one full day or two half days a month, attending a monthly membership meeting, passing the five half days of training and possessing the cognitive function to work a register. Then, the Membership Committee will review the applicant’s work to determine that it is not duplicating another already available in the shop.

The crafts made must be unique, explained Kimball, whether this is a varying medium or object. Each member, or employee, keeps their own inventory, sets a price and receives payment for each item sold.

From there, a vote will be taken by all members of the Craft Shop on whether the candidate joins.

The membership fluctuates between 25-30 members, according to the shop’s information sheet and if a product is already being sold, aspiring members can be put on a waiting list, in case an opportunity arises for their craft.

Because the shop emphasizes unique crafts from its members, there are a variety of options available for visitors, such as embroidered items, crochet and knit pieces, glassware, Christmas decorations, wood burnings and more.

“We have a lot of really unusual stuff in here, like the microwave bowl holders,” the vice president shared. “You put the whole thing in the microwave and then, when you take it out, you don’t burn yourself, plus the fact that the bowl is usually hotter than the food. So, this way, you don’t have to wait for the bowl to cool down … We [also] have somebody that paints bluebonnets; it’s about all she does is paint bluebonnets and cardinals on glass and on ornaments, log slices. We have jewelry [and] we have just about everything imaginable.”

Pierce herself also participates in creating some of the products. In the shop, customers can find wooden signs on the left wall with sayings displayed created by Pierce herself. She goes out, sources the wood and the rest of the materials needed to put the artwork together. Then, she brings it into the shop, where community members and visitors can then purchase them. This is why they are able to keep the prices so low, Pierce said: “There’s no middle man.” Every item is handmade or assembled by an older adult in the community. So, when customers purchase items, they really are directly supporting their neighbors.

Those that choose to purchase items at the shop, allowing it to continue running, are helping older adults in more ways than one, stressed Pierce.

“It [gives us] a chance to socialize. You have to think because you’re doing business. If some of the members are having a few problems, we pair up and work together, so everybody has an opportunity to be useful,” she said.

Kimball added to this, stating that it provides a reason for older adults to continue crafting and being creative.

This support is given back to its community, said Kimball, as although the shop’s aim is to support older adults, it also focuses on giving back to the community. She noted that they regularly provide snack bags, personal care bags and more to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and recently gave a $500 donation to the local VFW.

The shop will be celebrating 40 years “of crafting with love” from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the shop, where a new mural dedication will be made and residents can come out and enjoy a night of refreshments, door prizes and music by the TrebleMakers. Additionally, shops along the square have committed to staying open later that night.

“When I first walked into this building in 1990, it was a lot of little vases with pipe cleaners and little pipe cleaner animals, that kind of thing. I’d like everybody to know that we have some really talented crafters in here,” said Kimball. “The stuff we sell is very well made … We want [visitors] to go home and see the quality with which the item was made and to realize that’s what our shop is: a shop with quality items and good prices.”

The Senior Citizens Craft Shop is located at 116 Wimberley Square.

Currently, property owners who wish to operate an STR must apply with the city through the conditional use permit (CUP) process that is established in the zoning ordinance. The process then includes neighbor notifications and a public hearing before both the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) and Wimberley City Council; ultimately, council makes the decision on the issuance of the permit.

In July 2025, P&Z chair Anne Ulfelder asked member Vance McCracken to assemble and oversee a committee to research the current STR — properties used for transient lodging for stays of 30 consecutive days or less — situation in Wimberley and produce a report of its findings. The STR Committee was then established and comprised of the following members: Helena Hauk, Courtney Mecklenburg, McCracken, city council member Rebecca Minnick and P&Z vice-chairperson Ben O’Kane, with Nathan Glaiser — assistant city administrator and Development Services director — providing city support.

Later, in October, following much deliberation, P&Z passed a motion to recommend that council approve an STR CUP for a property zoned R-3 — primarily detached, single-family residences on lots not less than 100 square feet, according to city zoning regulations — on River Road.

Additional discussion and public input prompted council to enact a 120-day temporary moratorium Nov. 6 on STR applications that require a CUP, pending findings of the committee.

At that time, Minnick, who was the council member who initially requested the item on the agenda, stated that citizens were concerned about the current situation surrounding the rentals, but also, council’s position on the applications has seemed inconsistent with no policy in place in commercial areas and they have been considered infrequently, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch.

The moratorium was set for 120 days, bringing it back to council at its March 5, 2026, meeting, ultimately leading to an extension to remain in effect through July 4, 2026.

Now, while the moratorium is still in effect, the STR Committee brought forth several recommendations, as well as a full report with STR history and data, for council’s consideration at its Thursday, May 21, meeting.

There is not a hard number for residential STRs in Wimberley — this is made worse through individual residents who may or may not make their units available for rental at any given time — and some may be dormant for years. According to the report, city records indicate that there are 72 properties that have CUPs qualifying them as STR2s, which are not owner occupied, and 28 as STR1s, or owner occupied; however, they are not all active.

The committee also highlighted the following:

•   26 properties were grandfathered in 2016, allowing them to make STRs without a CUP

•   Eight properties are zoned L1 — lodging for up to 15 units — that do not require a CUP, but are still paying hotel occupancy tax

•   One property is zoned PR1, or participant recreation, that does not require a CUP, but is paying tax

•   70 STRs have paid tax within the last year and have CUPs

•   40 STRs have paid tax within the last year, but do not have CUPs

Hotel occupancy tax collections in the city’s fiscal years of 2024 and 2025 "suggest that the annual contributions to the local gross domestic product [GDP] of short-term rentals were $10.53 million and $10.41 million, respectively. There are no statistics for the gross domestic product of Wimberley, but by extrapolating the calculations of the Federal Reserve of St. Louis for the 2023 per-capita GDP of Hays County to Wimberley’s population of about 2,900, the short-term rental revenue appears to comprise about 7% of the town’s GDP,” the report stated.

However, downsides to residential STRs include parties, beer-drinking, noise and indecency, as well as occupants being out of control and leaving trash everywhere. The more common problems would be parking and trespassing issues — especially on the riverfront — and renters being unable to reach the homeowner or representative during an emergency or malfunction.

Glaiser noted that when he first started in his position as assistant city administrator and Development Services director, he fielded a few complaints in 2020-2022, but since then, he has not received as many related to STRs.

Due to the various reasons laid out in the report, the STR Committee has found that there is an adequate supply of STRs in Wimberley to meet demand, but some of the issues can be alleviated by “modestly restricting the opportunities” for new rentals.

“As far as an occupancy standpoint with hotels, we, the committee, feel like we are at a pretty good place with short-term rentals right now. In other words, we don’t need more of them,” Glaiser said.

This has led the committee to request STR2 be removed for the smaller, single-family zoning categories R2, which are 0.5-2 acres, and R3, which are under 0.5 acre, explained Glaiser. This would ease some issues that occur because of the proximity of R3 lots to each other, along with those that came with septic, parking and overall density, for example.

To compensate for that, he continued, the committee wants to allow for short-term lodging in general for commercial properties.

“Right now, if you have a commercial property — C1, C2, C3, we have some office zoning, things like that — you have to apply [and] get a conditional use permit for a short-term rental or to have any lodging on those properties,” Glaiser said. “The committee recommends that we make it permitted use by right on those properties up to 30 units, so … short-term rentals that are zoned commercial, that’s a permitted use by right. If you were to adopt this, however, for the small lot, single-family residential, you could no longer apply for it.”

Along with the zoning changes, the committee proposed city staff to conduct an annual survey, either by mail or online, of all residential STRs, as well as solicit information on any problems, record all public complaints and report to P&Z on a regular basis.

The committee’s recommended zoning changes will go before P&Z and city council, with the necessary public hearings, for consideration for approval later this month.

This update follows Senate Bill 546, which passed during the state’s 89th Legislative Session and took effect Sept. 1, 2025. It requires all buses that a school district in Texas operates or contracts to be equipped with three-point seat belts, which include a strap over the shoulder to keep passengers from jolting forward during an accident.

The bill instructs districts to report their current bus inventory to the Texas Education Agency by May 29 of this year. Districts must also include a cost estimate for seat belt retrofitting, or adding additional features, in their reporting. All districts are required under SB 546 to reach full compliance by Sept. 1, 2029, with no exemptions.

Scharlach gave a brief overview of past seat belts standards in his presentation, stating, “Prior to 1977 — hard to believe — there were very little to no standards whatsoever on school buses for any safety protocols.”

That changed with the introduction of stricter safety standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1977 and the subsequent development of lap belt requirements in some states during the 1980s.

“There had been accidents in which we had a number of students injured and unfortunately passed away because of the lack of safety standards,” said Scharlach, referring to school districts generally, not WISD.

The director of Transportation noted that past studies debated the efficacy of seat belts in preventing injuries, but those against seat belt functionality did not take into account accidents where a bus rolls completely over.

Scharlach stated that when a bus flips and turns, “It is safer for any passenger to stay within that seat. If you are not belted in, you will fly.”

In 2017, SB 693 addressed seat belt usage for the first time in Texas and required buses manufactured after 2018 to have three-point seat belts. However, school districts could still purchase or operate buses made before 2018 that did not have these safety measures. This allowed some districts to cut retrofitting costs and bypass SB 693.

Now, SB 546 sets tighter standards than any previous law, which Scharlach feels will be “pretty effective” in preventing injuries.

Currently, WISD has three buses in its 29-bus fleet that fall short of the new requirements. One bus — a 2010 model — has two-point seat belts and two buses — from 2007 — have no seat belts, according to Scharlach.

“Those three buses without the required seat belt will be sold via auction this summer. We’re going to try to get those sold in June but they are out of service,” Scharlach explained.

WISD also had two buses retrofitted with three-point seat belts and certified last December, amounting to $55,000, which Scharlach said was “well worth our money.” The four buses up for auction could not be retrofitted, due to their age.

“We are in good shape and we will have all our buses in compliance by next school year,” Scharlach closed.

The board of trustees had no questions following the director of Transportation’s presentation, though President Rob Campbell noted that he was “very impressed.”

The Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. Monday, June 15.

This also follows an investigation by Paxton of more than 1,000 municipalities based on Senate Bill 1851, which was passed during the 2025 legislative session. The law bars cities from raising property taxes above the no-new-revenue rate if they do not meet Texas’ financial statement audit and transparency requirements.

The investigation led to the identification of more than 130 cities that failed to comply with the statutory requirements for the new fiscal year, according to the AG's office. Due to this, Paxton notified the cities, including Wimberley, that they are subject to the enforcement provisions and penalties established under SB 1851 and may not adopt property tax increases above the no-new-revenue rate.

Wimberley is one of few cities in Texas that does not levy an ad valorem tax, meaning that it does not collect a property tax from residents and it has set a rate of $0.00 since its incorporation.

According to Wimberley city administrator Tim Patek, the city provided the AG with an email that referenced the determination letter received, noting that the city’s fiscal year 2025 audit report had not been complete at the time of the office’s original request of April 8. The audit — which received an unqualified or clean opinion — was recently finalized and presented to city council at its May 7 meeting.

“Senate Bill 1851 requires municipalities to submit their annual audits within 180 days following the close of the fiscal year. However, because the city of Wimberley does not levy a local property tax, our auditors completed our audit after finalizing audits for other municipalities that do assess property taxes,” Patek said. “I provided them with our Audit Report and stated I hope this satisfies their request and brings us into compliance.”

Patek said that the city has not received any further correspondence back from the AG's office.

The AG's office stated that the letters were sent to an initial list of non-compliant cities and the investigation remains ongoing. Additional action could still occur.

The city of Wimberley’s audit reports can be viewed at bit.ly/42LlVRw. To find more information about the letters sent by the AG office, visit www.texasattorneygeneral.gov

WIMBERLEY — Several community members have been outspoken against local theatre nonprofit Wimberley Players’ decision to name Karin Cunningham as the producer in an upcoming summer production, following her alleged defense of registered sex offender Robby Vance, who previously was involved with the organization.

The worry began in August 2023, when Donna Provencher, an actor and director in the local theatre community, raised concerns about sexual assault allegations against Vance to Wimberley Players’ leadership.

According to Travis County court records, Vance was charged with: indecency with a child by exposure, a third-degree felony; sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony; three counts of indedency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony; and continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 years old, a first-degree felony in 2022. Following these charges, he was sentenced to probation with community supervision and required to join the public sex offender registry Aug. 24, 2022, with a projected registration until 2037.  A motion to revoke probation was denied for Vance in April 2026.

Vance initially began at Wimberley Players in 2023, where he participated in various productions as a cast or crew member and later as an employee.

Despite Provencher’s knowledge of the allegations against Vance, she was initially unaware of the extent of his history.

“I wasn't aware of any [charges] that involved children at the time,” said Provencher. “I did not make a report because I wasn't aware of him being on the sex offender registry. I wasn't aware of him having any probationary conditions or anything along those lines.”

Although she was aware of at least two board members who were notified,  she felt that Wimberley Players’ leadership, including then-executive director Trish Rigdon, then-co artistic chair Danny Mosier and current artistic chair Roxanne Strobel, minimized the concerns, as she claimed that she received troubling and dismissive remarks and there was not a “meaningful investigation” that followed.

Provencher continued to voice this unease, sharing that she refused to cast Vance in her 2024 production of “Legally Blonde,” believing that he posed a safety risk.

Despite these incidents, Vance continued to work on two productions at the theater in late 2023 and 2024 in close proximity to minors; most recently in the 2024 show “Miracle on 34th Street,” where he worked as the music director.

It was during this time that Vance’s status on the sex offender registry came to light. Although parents and community members shared their apprehension, Cunningham — director of the “Miracle on 34th Street” production — allegedly defended him in a letter in November 2024 to cast, crew and parents:

“I want to talk about the bombshell that was dropped (against my wishes) last night. It broke my heart to have our beautiful experience thus far marred by such an ugly revelation. Since nothing happened and I was able to remove the problem quickly and without incident, I felt the notification could have waited until the show closed. Also, please rest assured that despite my close relationship with [Vance] and the fact that so many of the [Wimberley Players] family knew — I did NOT.  That being said, now that I DO know about it and ALL the extenuating circumstances, I believe no one was ever in any danger whatsoever. Believe me as an assault victim myself who raised two sons, I would be the first [to] blow all the whistles if I believed you or your children were [in danger]. It is my sincere wish that we can ALL put this behind us and finish out our amazing show run,” said Cunningham’s letter.

This same month, Provencher met with three board members regarding her report against Vance that had gone uninvestigated. She stated that she was “repeatedly reassured” during the meeting that the Wimberley Players would be making meaningful changes, such as informing the parents of the situation. Board members also informed Provencher that Cunningham would be encouraged to step down, due to her resistance to inform parents and “mismanagement of the situation," she recalled.

Given these reassurances, Provencher accepted a position as marketing chair on the board in March 2025.

Vance was ultimately removed from the production, following verification of his status on the sex offender registry, and prohibited from further involvement with the theatre, though no further report was made to the police.

As of April 2026, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the allegations of probation violation that occurred during Vance’s time with the Wimberley Players, following his re-arrest for failure to comply with sex offender registry reporting requirements.

According to current board president Cynthia Millonzi, the board was unaware of Vance’s restrictions of probation and community supervision. However, cast member Taylor Lueckenotte claimed that the organization did have these documents in 2024.

Beginning with productions following the 2024 incident, the Wimberley Players implemented mandatory criminal background checks and screening of cast members and staff against the sex offender registry, explained Millonzi and board vice president Dan Pickens. Additionally, production participants are briefed on reporting procedures and the organization engages an independent third-party investigator for situations that involve allegations of sexual misconduct or bullying.

“The Wimberley Players remains committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all participants and patrons. Registered sex offenders are legally required to disclose their status to employers; in this case, that disclosure did not occur,” stated Millonzi and Pickens. “Upon learning of the situation, the board acted promptly and has continued to review and strengthen policies and procedures designed to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.”

Provencher contends that, to her knowledge, she was never background checked.

While Cunningham resigned from her position on the board in 2024, she remained in her director role of production on "Miracle on 34th Street,” according to Millonzi. Now, she has been named the producer for the upcoming summer show, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” to the uproar of community members. One of which is Provencher, who shared that Cunningham has also been reinstated to the artistic team.

“The same institution is reinstating into a forward-facing authority role, [Cunningham], who publicly told families and cast members there were ‘extenuating circumstances’ for what appeared on Robby Vance’s record, insisted no children had ever been in danger and opposed informing parents of the risk at all. She also fought against replacing [his wife], the stage manager who lied to the theater,” said Provencher in a letter to the board.

After being asked to provide relevant legal statutes regarding public concern and reporting considerations for her apprehension about reinstating Cunningham, Provencher alleged that she was told to stop and was discouraged from continuing the conversation. Then, on May 3, she was summoned to an executive committee meeting without having "meaningful information about the nature” of it, despite requiring ADA accommodations.

It was at this time that she concluded that she couldn’t serve within an organization that would handle those speaking up and raising objections in the way it did, causing her to submit her resignation letter the same day and then, a subsequent complaint to the Charitable Trusts Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office Monday, May 18.

Others — including Robert Moritz, a cast member in the “Miracle on 34th Street” production, and Lueckenotte — have been outspoken against Cunningham being reinstated, simply due to the safety of those involved in the productions.

“Hearing that she is involved with the upcoming production of ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ was quite a surprise. I'm disappointed in the theatre's rehiring of Mrs. Cunningham. The most primary concern of any organization, like a theatre, should be the safety of those participating in their productions,” Moritz said. “Mrs. Cunningham had a responsibility to protect the members of the Miracle on 34th Street production. She did not do so. She is a very nice person, but I would not trust her to act if a similar situation presented itself. For that one reason, I do not believe she should be in charge in any way of any production.”

Lueckenotte noted on a social media post — as the community outcry has been widely spread — that “defending those who prey on the most vulnerable in our society is indefensible.”

Pickens stated that the board has no involvement in Cunningham’s position as producer, since the artistic team, which she is now a part of, makes these decisions.

The artistic team did not respond to request for comment.

At approximately 11:03 p.m. Thursday, April 30, a Cessna 421C airplane, N291AN, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in a wooded area near a private residence near Wimberley, stated the report. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured on the personal flight.

The report detailed that the airplane had departed River Falls Airport in Amarillo at approximately 9:10 p.m. and received an instrument flight rules clearance to New Braunfels National Airport. While en route, the pilot reported to Houston Center that his pitot heat was inoperative and requested an altitude check, which the controller provided.

The pilot reported other issues with Austin Approach control during the flight, noting that the pitot tube had iced over and was having to use backup gauges, leading him to want to get to a lower altitude to warm back up.

Then, at 10:59 p.m., the controller provided a radio frequency change, which the pilot acknowledged and no further radio transmissions were made by the pilot. Shortly after the pilot’s last radio transmission, flight tracking data showed the airplane turned left, made a near 180-degree right turn and maneuvered to the south followed by a descending right turn. The last signal was reported at approximately 11:02 p.m., right before the crash.

According to the NTSB report, a homeowner heard the crash, saw the wreckage — which totaled about 1.25 miles — on fire and notified first responders. The airplane was destroyed by the crash and retained for further examination. It was later determined that the distribution of the wreckage was consistent with an "inflight breakup."

Preliminary weather information found that during the last 15 minutes of the accident flight, the airplane flew just above freezing with temperatures between minus 2 and minus 6 degrees Celsius. The report stated that models showed the potential for icing with moderate accumulation rates and the supercooled large droplets.

The pilot received his private pilot certificate for single engine land Feb. 3, 2025, instrument airplane rating June 9, 2025 and multi-engine land rating July 9, 2025, according to documents on file with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The NTSB report is preliminary and subject to change. The report can be found at bit.ly/42B5VRY. 

The first permit is for a food service trailer, located in the parking lot of Blanco Brew, at 14200 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, for a term of one year. Previously, the food truck was operated as Saucy Bros, but will now be Hays Co Burgers Y Mas.

“Their permit expired a few weeks ago and they want to get a new truck in there,” explained Nathan Glaiser, director of development services.

The truck is permitted by the Hays County Health Department and is compliant with the city’s temporary structure regulations, which includes parking and access to restrooms. The owner of the Blanco Brew property is also aware of the change, Glaiser said.

This also follows a presentation given at the April 16 meeting regarding new legislative changes — House Bill 2844 and Chapter 437B being added to the Health and Safety Code — that would impact the regulation of these types of establishments and vendors. Knowing that the city’s current section on temporary structures in its code of ordinances would not be consistent with state law, when it goes into effect July 1, council member Chris Sheffield asked if this permit would be one of the first with the new policy.

“No, this is still operating under our current permitting structure, where it’s a one-off temporary structure permit and it comes to you all for approval,” Glaiser responded. “In the future, they would not need a permit for this; they would just need to register following the regulations I showed you all last month. They would just need to register with the city and we would check and make sure that they have their food permit from the state.”

The permit was unanimously approved by council.

Next, council unanimously approved another one-year temporary structure permit  for a mobile food truck at 14306 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, which is in the parking lot of the Wash Day Laundry - Wimberley laundromat. Currently, Kelly’s Hill Country BBQ and Rositas food trucks are operating at the site; however, this would occupy the space that is currently utilized by Rosita’s, as they will move further down the parking lot.

“They have restroom access at the laundromat. They share hours there. They are open quite a bit and they have over 100 parking spaces there, so they have more than enough room for parking,” Glaiser said.

Council member Rebecca Minnick asked if the city is still looking at doing some zoning changes in order for food trucks to not be in various different places, but rather in a more concentrated area.

Referencing back to the new legislation, Glaiser said that staff will propose to council in June a conditional use permit for food courts. So, for a property that has more than one food truck would come through the process “where it goes through [the] Planning & Zoning [Commission] and then, you all have the site plan and approve it as part of the zoning code,” he explained.

Also during the meeting, council authorized the submission of an application to the TWDB under the Water Supply and Infrastructure Grant Program.

The request would be for up to $10 million in 100% grant funding to support land acquisition for alternative well sites, as well as related planning activities, to improve long-term water supply reliability. According to the city, the project is also based on prior engineering studies identifying a viable alternative water source — as the Trinity Aquifer is currently under severe stress — and will address ongoing drought vulnerability and infrastructure limitations.

“It’s to help conserve property around here to where it wouldn’t be developed and help conserve water and those types of things,” explained city administrator Tim Patek.

The Wimberley Watershed Association, Hill Country Conservancy, Nature Conservancy and other groups “are doing everything — they are applying for the grants, they are writing the grants,” Minnick noted.

The properties that will be pursued are unknown at this time, but the first step is needing a city partner for applying for the grant, Minnick said.

Council unanimously approved the authorization for the city to apply for the grant.

To view the full meetings and agendas, visit www.wimberleytx.portal.civicclerk.com.

More information on the bond projects can be found at www.wimberleyisd.net/bond2025.

In February, Wimberley City Council selected Kimley-Horn and Counsilman-Hunsaker as the highest scoring bidder, through a request for proposals process, to conduct an aquatics feasibility study. The goal of the study is to evaluate community needs, potential facility options, estimated costs and operational considerations related to the possible development of an aquatic facility, as previously reported by the News-Dispatch.

The idea for an aquatics feasibility study came from the Parks Master Plan a few years ago, when the consensus was that the community wanted to see more public swimming options.

“They wanted more swimming recreation, whether that be more creek or river access or a public pool, just something like that just kept popping up,” explained Wimberley Parks director Erica Flocke. “The community wanted to see us do an aquatic feasibility study, specifically.”

Currently, the only option that is operated by the city, while also being public, is swimming at Blue Hole Regional Park. However, according to Flocke, there are several public pools within Wimberley — such as those at Cypress Creek Lodge and Wimberley Inn — that allow people to utilize for a fee.

The first step for the study is gathering feedback from the community through an online survey, which received more than 300 responses the first day of its launch.

Residents have a chance to have a voice for the future of their city through the survey, which takes 10-15 minutes to complete, according to Flocke. The questions include the type of aquatic amenity they would like to see, if they have visited a pool within 45 minutes of Wimberley and more.

“It's there to determine whether there's enough demand to support a facility in Wimberley and what types of aquatic features are even realistic here … how much it would cost to build, how much it would cost to operate [and] where it would go. It asks questions like all of that to the community,” the Parks director said. “Really, the big part of the study is hearing from the community, so that input matters more than anything else. We need to know the realities of what people want because we're not making any decisions just ourselves. We want the community to have a say … so that's why we're asking these questions now.”

The survey will be available through roughly Monday, May 11, but there is a chance that the deadline will be extended, Flocke shared.

Learn more about the study and fill out the survey at bit.ly/4dijz2i.

WIMBERLEY — An investigation is underway following the death of five occupants in a small plane crash that occurred late Thursday, April 30, at a residence on Round Rock Road near Wimberley.

A Cessna 421C aircraft crashed in Wimberley around 11:25 p.m., according to preliminary information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft departed from Amarillo and was en route to New Braunfels, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Emergency responders were dispatched to the area, including Wimberley Fire Rescue — Hays County Emergency Services District No. 4 — who responded to the incident April 30 and stayed on scene through May 1. 

“From the initial dispatch through the duration of the incident, our personnel operated alongside local, county, state and federal partners in a coordinated effort focused on life safety, scene stabilization and support to the ongoing investigative process,” said fire chief Christopher Robbins in a statement.

Preliminary information indicates the aircraft was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of impact, according to Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra in a news release. According to the release, based on current findings, there is no indication of a mid-air collision and a second aircraft traveling in the vicinity landed safely in New Braunfels.

Texas DPS is conducting an active investigation with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) — who is leading the investigation — into the cause of the crash.

According to NTSB, a post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft. NTSB stated that its investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. As part of this process, investigators will gather the following information and records:

• Flight track data
• Recordings of any air traffic control communications
• Aircraft maintenance records
• Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the accident
• Pilot’s license, ratings and recency of flight experience
• 72-hour background of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safely operate the flight
• Witness statements
• Electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation
• Any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras

An NTSB investigator is traveling to the accident site and, after the wreckage is documented at the crash location, it will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation.

According to DPS, in coordination with local officials, the identity of the pilot and passengers involved in the plane crash in Hays County have been identified.

The pilot has been identified as Justin Appling. The four passengers have been identified as Hayden Dillard, Seren Wilson, Brooke Skypala and Stacy Hedrick. 

All identifications have been made following official confirmation and notifications of next of kin.  

According to Robbins, the fire department will not be releasing additional details on the incident at this time, but is working closely with the appropriate authorities to ensure all information is accurate, verified and released through the proper channels for the public. He added that they also extend their thoughts and prayers to those impacted.

“The grief associated with such a tragic and unfortunate event is profound and, at times, indescribable. Please know that you are not alone and that your fire department stands with you not only during the emergency, but in the days and weeks that follow,” the fire chief said. “We remain committed to serving this community with honor and dedication, and we will continue to provide support in any way we can as this situation progresses.”

A preliminary report from NTSB is expected within 30 days of the accident.  Once a publication date is set, it will be available at www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Pages/daily-publication-dashboard.aspx and x.com/NTSB_Newsroom.

The preliminary report will contain factual information gathered during the initial phase of the NTSB investigation. A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12-24 months, according to NTSB. 

Additionally, the FAA will post a preliminary accident/incident report, typically the next day, at bit.ly/4tN0on6.

Those with information that could be relevant to the investigation is asked to contact NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.

The News-Dispatch will provide updates as more information is made available. 

WIMBERLEY — Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Morgan Hammer hosted an open house Thursday, April 23, for the public to learn more about ongoing water supply planning and flooding assessments impacting the city of Wimberley and surrounding areas.

This follows the commissioners court authorizing the execution of a professional services agreement Jan. 20 with HDR Engineers, Inc. for a countywide water study — the first one done from the county’s perspective since 2011.

The current study will expand on the 2011 Water and Wastewater Facilities Plan, which was also conducted by HDR, according to representative Darren Thompson, who presented at the April 23 open house. They will look at the geography and growth patterns, population trends, municipalities, river authorities, groundwater conservation districts, regional and wholesale water providers and industrial customers, he said.

“The effort is an update, but it’s different. We are not doing as detailed of a look across the county. We are taking some of those deeper dives,” said Thompson, who noted the following goals of the study:

Provide a high-level overview of water-related resources, including water and wastewater providers, in Hays County

Evaluate and plan for current or projected water needs

Assess countywide flood risks and develop flood mitigation evaluations and projects

Evaluate sewer infrastructure needs in the Hillside Terrace neighborhood to address aging septic systems and flooding-related failures

Incorporate land-use and development policy impacts on water demand, growth and flooding into planning recommendations

Engage stakeholders across the county to communicate project goals, gather input and build support for future strategies

A specific portion is a localized water supply plan, Thompson explained, where, in Precinct 3, HDR is working with providers Wimberley Water Supply Corporation and Aqua Texas in Woodcreek.

“Working with the two utilities to get a better understanding of their customer base — the number of customers, the type of customers, their type of usage patterns … understanding how much they're producing on a day-to-day basis, how much they produce in a year, understanding their groundwater permits and their other supplies that they may have, whether it be reuse or such ... [helps us understand] how do you meet those needs," he said. "[With] the supplies that you have today, will it get you out into the future? And if so, how far and when you run out of those supplies, how do you supplement?"

Along with the specific area’s needs, as they relate to the water providers, Thompson said they will look at water supply opportunities, conservation and drought management and costs of the projects to develop an implementation to tie it into the regional plans: “A water supply plan developed from the local perspective, feeding back into the regional or the state plans.”

The annual production for Wimberley Water Supply Corporation has had a 37% decrease from 2003 to present day, as well as a 15% decrease since 2020. The water savings are also true for Aqua Texas, Thompson presented, with a 17% decrease since 2020.

“That's what we're seeing based off of data, but what is in the regional plan for the Wimberley area doesn’t quite match. So, [in the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) 2026] plan, it shows the population in the Wimberley area growing from 3,000 people to 25,000 people,” he said. “We know that hasn't been the case over the last several years because growth is pretty flat. So, we'll look at the growth of customer base for both the utilities, look at their service areas [and] we'll identify kind of a max build out of those service areas, so we can get a bigger picture of what could happen. That way we can plan more appropriately.”

One attendee asked if the decrease shown in the data for Aqua Texas was related to the outdoor watering enforcement. Thompson responded that a reduction in outdoor watering for any utility will cut the numbers for annual production drastically.

There were multiple attendees who asked about groundwater sustainability in the long-term, as compared to rainwater collection, as resources — like the aquifers — have been experiencing extreme stress.

“We are not scoped to go into that greater detail on the groundwater side. We will work with the groundwater districts to identify their permitting, their strategies moving forward, but we are not developing anything new on top of what they're already doing today or what they're planning on doing,” Thompson responded.

Commissioner Hammer, who oversees Precinct 3, added that there are different aspects that come along with the complex issue of water, with policy being a major one, as counties are not given wide authority and the local groundwater conservation district has the least amount of water authority in the state, as granted by Chapter 36.

She continued that the study is “one piece of a big puzzle” and is going to help give a good scope of water supply, as well as be a tool for the county’s rewrite of the subdivision regulations.

“One of those could be potentially increasing the amount, right now, you have to have six acres or more if you're building five lots if you're going to drill a well,” Hammer said. “Maybe we increase that. Maybe this is going to tell us that we don't have the water. It's probably going to, I am just saying that, but these are all the things that are going to help us develop good policy to go to the legislature and to ask for things.”

The final component presented was that HDR will also collaborate with county commissioners and local stakeholders — with an influence from community input — to identify one flood mitigation project in each precinct to help reduce local flood risk and ensure that TWDB project criteria is met.

HDR is working with commissioner Hammer's office to find an online location to post the meeting materials. Feedback and questions can be sent to HaysCoWater@hdrinc.com.

The public is invited to three more open houses related to the countywide water study, along with localized water supply plans:

Precinct 1, hosted by commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, at 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, at the San Marcos Activity Center

Precinct 2, hosted by commissioner Michelle Cohen, at 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at McCormick Middle School

Precinct 4, hosted by commissioner Walt Smith, at 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at Dripping Springs Ranch Park

Valentine has worked with the students, families and community in WISD since 2002. During his 24-year tenure with WISD, he has served the district across several key campus and district leadership positions, including the following: principal for Danforth Junior High School from 2008-2014; principal for Wimberley High School from 2014-2022; and the district’s assistant superintendent since 2022.

“It is hard to imagine WISD without Jason Valentine,” said Dr. Greg Bonewald, WISD’s superintendent. “He has positively impacted thousands across our Texan Family in his time here in Wimberley. We will undoubtedly miss the authentic spirit of servant leadership that he brings to our school community every day. At the same time, I am thrilled for him and his family and know that he will thrive in his next chapter as a leader in Texas public education.”

“Serving the students, teachers, parents and community in Wimberley ISD has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Valentine. “My family has grown in this community and Wimberley will always hold a very special place in the hearts of all the Valentines. My heart is full of gratitude and Texan Pride.”

In Texas, there is a mandatory 21-day waiting period following the naming of a district’s superintendent lone finalist. Valentine will continue to serve in his current role with WISD until the transition to his new role with Palacios ISD.

This follows recent legislative changes adopted by the state of Texas, including House Bill 2844 and the addition of Chapter 437B to the Health and Safety Code, which significantly impact the regulation of these establishments and vendors, making the city of Wimberley’s section outlining temporary structures in its code of ordinances no longer consistent with state law.

“New state law is going to prevent us from enforcing our temporary structure permits, which basically governs food trucks in Wimberley. It’s going to prevent us from doing that the same way we have been doing it, which is permit application comes to city council [and] city council approves the food truck,” said Nathan Glaiser, director of Development Services. “We can no longer do the one-off permitting of food trucks.”

Glaiser brought forward a draft of regulations taken from existing ordinances enforced by the city of Lockhart, but tailored to the city of Wimberley.

The ordinance is geared toward mobile food vendors that stay at one location for more than four consecutive days — so, the one-off person who comes to do a single farmers market or something similar would not be affected, Glaiser said.

Regulations within the draft include, but are not limited to:

•   Each trailer or motor vehicle used as a mobile vendor must be registered with the city and have a current mobile food unit permit used by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

•   Current compliance with all applicable Texas inspection and license registration requirements for legal use on public streets.

•   Only operate in zoning districts where eating establishments are a permitted use.

•   Mobile food vendors shall be set back at least five feet from all property lines.

•   Each mobile food vendor shall be located at least 10 feet from any other mobile food vendor or any building and at least 50 feet from any building containing a residential use.

•   If a mobile food vendor is hooked up to electric, it should be connected to an individual main-disconnect breaker and the cords are not running through a parking lot or pedestrian path.

•   Each mobile food vendor space shall obtain water from, and within 50 feet of, a hose bib connected directly to a public water supply. This should also not cross the path of pedestrian or vehicle traffic.

•   It should not be connected directly to the city wastewater system.

Access to a common dumpster or other trash disposal facility, along with restrooms, must also be provided.

“They are all kind of based around public safety and organization and efficient land use,” said the Development Services director.

Council member Bob Clark asked if the city is going to limit the number of food trucks on a property or if that is not possible.

The city should still enforce zoning as far as where the food trucks will be located and those specific regulations can be stated in the ordinance, city attorney Esther Pena suggested. She added that there are some misconceptions with the state legislation that now, food trucks can be placed anywhere, but that is not the intent and cities still have regulatory authority to decide where they want to place them.

“What we’ve also talked about doing is setting up a food court use that would require a conditional use permit, so you would come get the permit to set up the food court, not necessarily each individual food truck, but just bring a site plan that shows the bays that they will be in and get approved by city council,” Glaiser said, noting that two or more mobile food vendors on a single lot or parcel can be known as a food court.

Another council member, Rebecca Minnick, said that this is called a temporary structure, leading her to ask if this would apply to anything else aside from a mobile food vendor. Glaiser responded that he wants the mobile food vendors to be in their own category, so there is no confusion.

The new law goes into effect July 1 and the ordinance is expected to be brought back for city council approval in June, according to Glaiser.

Wimberley City Council meets next at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Find meeting agendas and recordings at www.wimberleytx.portal.civicclerk.com.

Directed by Whitney Marlett, the play centers on Ned Newley, a reluctant and deeply awkward politician who unexpectedly finds himself rising in the polls — largely because he lacks the ability to spin, posture or convincingly lie, according to a news release. As his accidental authenticity begins to resonate with voters, his campaign team, the press corps and the political establishment scramble to decide whether his honesty is a liability or the secret to his success.

The Outsider offers a timely, but good-natured satire of modern politics that focuses less on partisanship and more on the universal absurdities of public life.

Marlett says the show’s appeal comes from both its humor and its humanity

“At its heart, this play is about what happens when someone who never expected to be in the spotlight suddenly finds themselves there,” Marlett said. “It’s incredibly funny, but it also has a lot of heart. Audiences will recognize these characters — not just from politics, but from everyday life.”

The production features Joanna Gunaraj as Paige Caldwell, Samuel Ellisor as Dave Riley, Reji Smith as Louise Peakes, Greg Dew as Ned Newley, Robert Moritz as Arthur Vance, Allie Lawrence as Rachel Parsons and Carter Holland as A.C. Peterson.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.wimberleyplayers.org or by calling the box office at 512-847-0575.

For audiences ready for a break from the real-world news cycle, “The Outsider” offers an evening of sharp comedy, strong performances and the simple pleasure of watching a terrific ensemble bring a story to life.

“The Outsider” is presented by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.

Since February 2024, the district has been awarding its staff members — 23 in total so far — through the program, which was created as a way to highlight those who go above and beyond.

This also came about from WISD’s revitalized strategic plan that was adopted in 2023, where one of the elements was to prioritize supporting faculty and staff excellence. According to communications director Allen Bruggman, the Texan of the Month program was created to give staff recognition, make them feel valued for the work they do and highlight them in alternate ways outside of receiving a paycheck.

“If you ever look at our whole strategic plan, there's a huge spreadsheet with different priorities and goals and ways to meet those objectives,” explained Bruggman. “One of them within faculty and staff excellence is the highlighting of staff who do a great job and so, this program was created with that in mind: to give staff recognition, to have them feel like they're part of the process and, through the nomination process, make them feel valued for the work that they do.”

Texan of the Month is solely nomination-based, Bruggman said. The district sends out a form that is always available for employees to recommend their peers — even those who may be on a different campus — for “living out the vision of the district,” which is excellence, innovation and service.

Then, a committee consisting of those who work within the superintendent’s office sit around the table to deliberate and decide the nomination that is most compelling and abides by the mission as closely as possible.

“[The announcement] usually ends up being the beginning of the next month … The committee usually comes together that last week of the month and looks at submissions,” Bruggman explained. “If someone is nominated in August of the same school year, we keep all of those submissions from throughout the school year and consider everybody who's been nominated throughout the school year. So, we look at new ones and ones that have already been submitted the last week of that month and then, of course, reach out and try to schedule and make sure all the different people can be there at the same time the following week.”

When WISD launched the program, it sent out a call for businesses who would like to sponsor a $250 prize. Bruggman shared that within the first approximately two days, seven businesses had committed to being a part of the effort.

So, the district has the business who writes a check or brings the cash prize for the winner, but then, also, others stepped up to want to do something every month as well, Bruggman said. Gift cards or certificates have been provided by The Med Spa, Salon Devino and The Leaning Pear restaurants. Along with this, WISD is also able to give each recipient a Texan of the Month coin to also commemorate the award.

“I think the coolest thing for me that was maybe reaffirmed was just the fact of how supportive our community is and how supportive they want to be to our staff members. In so many ways, these businesses that stepped up to do the sponsorship and to award the money and the other other gifts to the winners,” he said. “It’s very validating that the school district feels that support from our business community and from the people who want to make our teachers and their staff members feel special.”

Johnson’s presentation detailed that, as of Feb. 28, $3.7 million of the $9.6 million professional services budget had been utilized. Total design on all projects is 95% complete. The next phases are procurement, construction and administration.

To date, only 5% of total available bond expenditures have been committed — $6.8 million of the $135 million available. In February, significant financial commitments included laundry upgrades at Wimberley High School (WHS), audio enhancements and bus security upgrades.

Regarding the buses, Ryan Rosborough — another representative of AGCM — stated that cameras have been “strategically added” to enhance bus security.

“You might remember, previously, we didn’t have external cameras or backup cameras, so the driver couldn’t see in reverse,” noted Rosborough.

Since the last update, revisions have been made to the Blue Hole Parking Project from Bid Package 1. According to Johnson, the updated design will “increase the availability of parking spots [to get] in and out of the parking lot easier.” Construction is anticipated to begin once a contractor is approved.

The baseball and softball fields also received their Dark Sky certification since the last update. Johnson regarded this as a big milestone and said the football field was next on the list.

“It’s going to be great. No more dark areas on the football field,” the representative stated.

After the bond presentation, the board approved a redesign that will combine Danforth Junior High School (DJH) and the Wimberley ISD Central Administration Building into one plat, or tract of land. This project is included in Bid Package 2 and its execution has been a collaborative effort with the city.

The existing plats are “one big drainfield if you look at it,” Johnson stated, as he displayed a map of the Danforth property. “We avoided any drainage easements and the property can be treated as one plat.”

The replat includes construction of a wall around the combined properties. Johnson explained that adjustments had to be made all around to meet the 8-inch high coding requirement after the board inquired whether the wall served a purpose outside of aesthetics.

The board also approved a contract with Texas Air System for the WISD cooling tower refurbishment project. The refurbishment was originally contracted to Bartlett Cocke, the construction manager for bid packages 2 and 3, but was pulled for outside contracting.

Mike Doyle, chief financial officer for WISD, explained that Texas Air System will “provide the same services that Bartlett Cocke or their sub[contractor] would have done already, but we’re able to save some on percentage fees or markups there.”

He added that “time is of the essence” for this project, as the cooling tower is in such a state that repairs are needed as soon as possible.

According to Johnson, the bond management team will “have a lot going on” with six ongoing projects and “design will be transitioning to construction and administration.” Next month, work will continue on Blue Hole Parking negotiations, WHS and DJH permitting, roofing and HVAC materials procurement and miscellaneous improvements that were not discussed in detail.

For its overall budget, Doyle stated that the board earned more than $1.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026-27 and saw an effective return of 3.99%. Including quarter one, the district has earned around $3.2 million. Those funds earned are banked and reinvested into capital improvement projects as part of the bond package.

“At the speed that we’re moving, we’re in a great position. As [Johnson] pointed out, we’re already breaking ground on multiple projects. We’re going to start seeing some significant payouts in the next coming months,” concluded Doyle.

The board of trustees will hold its next regular meeting Monday, April 20.

The shop opened in 2009, launching with just a notepad, card table and simple vision, to give the community a more cost-effective way to buy and sell their items and accessories. Never having owned her own business before, Amy Guynes is an occupational therapist by trade who wanted to bring her thrifting ideas to life.

Starting out with only having items for children, the shop moved to its current location, at 711 Farm to Market Road 2325, and has grown into offering something for the entire family. According to Guynes, there are approximately 1,000 consignors; some choose to save the money they collect from the sales, while others opt to never cash out, but continue to spend it locally.

It’s also been more than a place for people to come in to shop.

Guynes and her team have stepped up to support families through the devastation of floods, fires and other weather events over the years that have forced them to lose their entire home, where they are having to start from the ground up.

“We are blessed, so we say, ‘Blessed to be a blessing,’” she said, adding that they have donated several items to those in need, including the local thrift store, women’s center, Wimberley ISD students and more.

The owner said that she has also assisted foster parents who have welcomed children in their homes and they just need a little extra help.

“Several foster parents over the years have called me privately and said, ‘Hey, we have a newborn and we have nothing for them.’ I would tell them, ‘Hey, you want to meet me at the store? You can get what you need or want or whatever from clothing to toys, baby equipment, stroller, bouncers [or] bottles.’ Whatever we have that they may need. We've done that and it's midnight, sometimes, and I'm like, ‘I'll meet you there,’” she explained.

She has also remained true to offering a fair and honest place for neighbors to shop and sell their items to where if there is someone who can not pay, she allows them to bring whatever they owe the next time.

Hill Country Consignment has been a meaningful place for many people in the community, including those like Dianne Pollard.

According to Pollard, it’s been an integral part of Wimberley for 16 years and it’s one of the reasons it is the community that it is.

“They have offered low cost clothing, shoes, toys, sporting goods and household essentials for the families of Wimberley, including those who live on a fixed income. They have been there for every hardship and emergency, generously providing for those in need,” she said. “It is a delight to shop there; the ladies are always friendly and welcoming … losing it will hurt.”

Another resident, Cheryl Eskridge, shared that she has shopped there when her grandchildren would come to visit, making her way back to sell the items later. Her loyalty stayed with Hill Country Consignment as she opted to always shop there before venturing elsewhere to purchase something new, as well as recommending it to locals and newcomers.

Others took to social media to share the same consensus that the shop’s closure feels like a “loss” in the community, following Guyne’s announcement last week that Hill Country Consignment’s lease for its current building is ending and its last day will be Aug. 22.

She has been looking for a year and half to see if the business could continue in another location in Wimberley, but has not been able to find anything.

Despite this, Guynes recognizes the community who became family and friends, supporting the business, over the last 16 years. This includes her dedicated, longtime staff: Donna Wyatt of 15 years, Wanda Martin of 14 years, Renee Buse of nine years and Brandy Woods of six years.

“Thank you. It’s such a small word for what means so much,” concluded Guynes, holding back tears.