Travis County

Staff Report AUSTIN – Shield Ranch Barton Creek was officially certified as an Urban Night Sky Place by DarkSky International, joining three neighboring designated Dark Sky Places: Dripping Springs and Bee Cave, which are both International Dark Sky Communities, as well as Travis County Milton Reimers Ranch Park, which is an International Dark Sky Park.

BUDA — At its May 13 meeting, the Hays CISD Board of Trustees officially welcomed Geoff Seibel and incumbent Courtney Runkle after canvassing the votes from the May 4 election, as well as voted for new board roles.

HAYS COUNTY — The Texas Department of Transportation held a series of open-house meetings Feb. 20-22 to gain community feedback on the IH-35 Austin-San Antonio Link Study from SH 45 to CR 382 (Cibolo Valley Drive). The goal of the open houses is to gain feedback on the draft purpose and need, the range of alternatives developed to address the IH-35 corridor needs and the evaluation process that will be used to identify the feasible and recommended alternatives for this study.

BUDA — In the 1986 Austin Metropolitan Transportation Plan, SH 45 was envisioned to become a loop encircling the city of Austin, known as the Austin Outer Parkway. Over the last 37 years, sections of the highway have largely been completed, leaving only the “gap” between I-35 South and RM 1626 to complete the circle. Now, Hays County and the city of Buda are working together to explore the feasibility of closing the gap and to gather input on what local residents and business owners desire.

SAN MARCOS – “Hays County has seen too many young people and children as young as 15 years of age die in the throes of a fentanyl overdose,” said Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins.

HAYS COUNTY — North Hays County Emergency Services District 1 (ESD1) is seeking the voters’ approval of Proposition A — a measure that, if approved, would move the tax cap for ESD1 from the current rate of $0.03/$100 of assessed home value to $0.10/$100 assessed value — the maximum allowed by the state of Texas.