Jacob Cottingham

With the recent volatility in the stock market and fears of credit markets seizing, some taxpayers and officials have expressed concerns over how this is affecting regional bonds.   For Hays County, an upcoming $207 million road bond election is foremost on the horizon. However, according to Dan Wegmiller of First Southwest Company, bond counsel […]

The Barton Spring Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is pondering the possibilities and the politics of folding the ineffectual Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District into a single groundwater district sometime in the future.   Andrew Backus, president of Hays-Trinity was at Thursday night’s board meeting when the board took up discussions concerning annexation of western Travis […]

Hays County Commissioners Tuesday voted unanimously to pledge $4.9 million to the long-awaited Dahlstrom Ranch conservation easement, which is now only one technical step away from becoming a reality for Hays County.   The deal still needs to be finalized, but the Commissioners commitment and approval of further negotiations practically ensures the 2,252-acre ranch along […]

Supporters of the Hays County road bonds chose a busy interchange between Buda and Kyle Monday to emphasize the need for road improvements and encourage voters to vote for the $207 million in bonds on Nov. 4   A retinue of Hays County politicians attended the event, which was organized by Hays Families for Safe […]

The San Jose Water Company, a California-based company, is in “very, very, very preliminary discussions” with the Creedmoor-Maha Water Company about possibly taking over some of the area the co-op currently maintains in Northern Hays and southern Travis counties. Although San Jose Water Company officials denied the discussions, Creedmoor-Maha operator Charles Laws confirmed them. He […]

Three female Austin Police officers, in three separate but related cases have filed suit against the City of Austin alleging gender discrimination while employed by the Austin Police Department. Linda Ponder, Deborah Sawyer and Mary Hesalroad all allege discrimination stemming from Commander Calvin Smith’s replacing Commander Larry Oliver at the APD Training Academy.   Sergeant […]

Several citizens at Tuesday’s Hays County Commissioners meeting delivered blistering remarks to Judge Liz Sumter for investigations she launched into two colleagues.   Last week, Sumter sent a letter to District Attorney Sherri Tibbe calling for an investigation of Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley and Pct. 1 Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe for their authorization of county […]

Issues ranging from affordability and water availability to onsite sewage facilities and lot sizes were up for discussion last week as Hays County Commissioners held their final public hearing concerning the proposed new development regulations for the county. Several citizens and stakeholders voiced their concerns over the proposed ordinance.    David Glenn, a former geologist […]

Officials with Central Texas groundwater management districts may be fighting an uphill battle to preserve their aquifers in the face of some dire predictions on what a growing population will do to the water table in the Hill Country over the next 50 years, including a drop of 33 feet in the next half century […]

After more than a year’s worth of planning, debate, community meetings and consultant workshops, the Hays County Commissioners Court Tuesday unanimously approved a $207 million road bond to be included on the November 4 ballot. The funds will cover the “pass through” roads, which are part of a Texas Department of Transportation reimbursement deal, as […]

If one Hays County Commissioner has his way, residents could get the opportunity to choose from among several different options on the County Road Bond Election set in November. Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton is backing what he calls a progressive bond election as opposed to putting a single amount on the table for an […]

The Hays County Commissioners Court last week approved a preliminary plan for the controversial Mustang Valley subdivision by a 3-2 vote. The vote came despite concerns by the Hays Trinity Groundwater District (HTGCD) that there was not enough water in the aquifer to supply the subdivision. Including some green space, the more than 600-acre development, […]