Kyle City Council incumbent Becky Selbera, who won re-election Saturday by just six votes, is being accused by her opponent in the race of being unqualified to run under city charter rules. Jaime Sanchez also is seeking a recount of the final vote. Sanchez, a former council member who was challenging Selbera for her District […]
Andy Sevilla
Posted inLocal Government, Transportation
Hays County plans $1 million study to examine FM 150 realignment
As Hays County’s population continues to grow, officials are scrambling for needed infrastructure and improvements aimed at addressing the projected influx of new residents. Hays County Commissioners previously approved $1.1 million in funding for the realignment study of FM 150. The county’s 2013 Transportation Plan indicates there is a need for increased capacity through a realignment […]
Posted inLocal Government, Resources
Hays County, Forestar water contract in jeopardy
Hays County’s attempt to secure a water supply contract from Forestar Real Estate Group has run into a legal roadblock in addition to the fact that Forestar currently can’t deliver the amount of water promised in the proposed contract. Late last year, Hays officials contracted with Forestar to provide 45,000 acre-feet of water from the […]
Posted inLocal Government, Resources
Water board travels Texas selling Proposition 6 funding plan
Despite some late year showers in 2013, at least one of which caused devastating flooding in parts of Travis and Hays counties, the downpours did little to break the persistent drought in many parts of Texas, putting communities and economic development interests on high alert. The Texas Water Development Board, now armed with $2 billion […]
Posted inLocal Government, Uncategorized
Kyle to issue almost $2 million in debt for capital expenditures
Kyle property owners can expect increases in their property tax rate and city utility bills next fiscal year as City Council members prepare to issue $1.866 million in short-term debt. The city will issue the debt to buy various equipment, system software, infrastructure improvements and vehicles for three city departments this spring. The City of […]
Posted inEnvironment
Aquifer District ramping up for Habitat Conservation Plan
A decade in the making, the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is making progress on a Habitat Conservation Plan aimed at mitigating groundwater-pumping effects on endangered salamanders. The ultimate goal of the plan is to acquire a federal Incidental Take Permit – a risk reduction measure protecting the district and its well permittees from potential […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government
Hays County loses $400K in real estate sale
SAN MARCOS— With the opening of the Hays County Government Center in early 2012, county employees began their exodus to the newly constructed $50 million government complex leaving four downtown county buildings empty in San Marcos. After nearly two years on the market, Hays County has finalized the sale of the last two of […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Transportation
SH45 Southwest gaining steam with federal funding removal
The construction of State Highway 45 Southwest could come sooner rather than later, bypassing lengthy, stringent federal reviews, now that CAMPO, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, has stripped the $100 million project of federal funding. Without federal dollars, the state could move forward with the project, eliminating the federal environmental requirements attached to the […]
Posted inLocal Government, Transportation
CAMPO puts $28 million in transportation funding up for grabs
The City of Austin will have to battle six counties and the cities within them for a chance at a chunk of more than $28 million up for grabs for transportation projects in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s service area. Local governments in the region have been scrambling for cash to fund projects […]
Posted inTransportation
Arguments begin over Highland-East Riverside route for Urban Rail
The latest urban rail suggestion for the city would link north central Austin, in the Highland Mall area, to the downtown and stretch the same transit service to the East Riverside corridor. According to Project Connect representatives, that route would best serve future transportation needs in the area. However, critics of Project Connect say […]
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics
Kyle City Council deadlocked over interviewing judge candidates
KYLE — After an hour-long discussion with failed motions and circling banter, Kyle City Council members sent home four applicants seeking the city’s Municipal Judge position without interviewing them as scheduled at a special called meeting on Nov. 7. Current Municipal Judge Sundra Spears’ base salary is $24,000 a year plus city benefits, which […]