GEORGETOWN – Williamson County Commissioners Court heard updates on the county’s economic development and flood recovery status during its weekly meeting Tuesday, July 22.
Dave Porter, executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development, presented the county’s annual update to the commissioners.
“Williamson County is well-positioned going forward,” Porter said.
The county outperformed the national, state and local regional economic development and, according to the Department of Labor Statistics Bureau, among all U.S. counties, Williamson County is in the top 10 for job growth. In terms of median income, the county ranked fifth out of all 254 Texas counties and in the state’s top 10 for overall wealth.
Porter also addressed the building of a University of Texas satellite campus in Taylor.
“This is early on. They have five years to break ground,” he said.
Porter mentioned UT’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus in Austin and added that UT wants to do something similar in Taylor.
“They’re talking about doing an advanced manufacturing research center in Taylor,” Porter said.
Meanwhile, Bruce Clements, director of emergency management apprised the court on the state of the county after the devastating floods that occurred July 5.
“We’re in long-term recovery now,” Clements said.
The Disaster Recovery Center has set up its third office in Georgetown, with one in Kerrville and another in San Angelo. The Georgetown DRC will be in operation through Aug. 10. Porter noted that people from outside Williamson County have been using this DRC location too.
“The DRC has registered 120 families for Federal Emergency Management Agency and received 13 applications for Small Business Administration loans,” Porter said.
Porter told commissioners the DRC made a difference in the lives of many people, besides the services such as food and housing referrals.
“There was one woman who had been not only displaced by the flood but who was also a victim of domestic violence. She left with the resources to move forward and a safety plan,” Porter said.
Later in the meeting, commissioners approved Kitchell Construction Management to move forward with phase one of the county’s jail/justice program plan, which will include a detailed analysis of a 30-day plan and a 120-day plan.
During the July 15 meeting, Williamson County Judge Steven Snell and Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey disagreed over the purchase of land for the project, which the commissioners voted against, but all agreed to begin the next steps for the jail/justice complex project.
The next commissioners court will be 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 29, at 710 S. Main St.
