Additional room needed for Precinct 4 offices
GEORGETOWN — Williamson County commissioners are on a mission to find more room for government offices in Taylor.
The county’s elected representatives debated that topic — primarily finding a new location for the Williamson County Annex in Taylor — and discussed current and future capital-improvement projects during their regular meeting Tuesday.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles, whose district includes Taylor and Hutto, noted Taylor’s county annex building, which houses the tax office and the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, is too small.
Nearby is the Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 facility, which Boles said is in “sad shape.”
He said officials in Taylor might be interested in letting the county use former Public Works Department facilities or the current City Hall once it is vacated after a new municipal complex is built in Taylor.
“(Taylor officials would) be interested in talking to the county to see if any of these buildings would work for us,” Boles said.
The commissioner at one point also broached the idea of selling the Hutto Annex and applying those monies towards a new facility in Taylor, Boles said.
Boles added there are not a lot of properties for sale in Taylor that fit the county’s needs.
Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Rhonda Redden has asked Boles for some type of temporary office, like a modular building, for three people to work in.
“I think that’s appropriate,” Boles said.
Boles indicated it could be another year or two before more permanent offices would be available for Redden.
Initially, Boles had considered moving the justice of the peace court and the constable’s office from Taylor to the Hutto Annex, but those officials have told him that is not a viable solution for them.
Larry Gaddes, Williamson County’s tax assessor/collector, also told Boles he needed an office in Taylor.
Boles suggested selling the Hutto Annex because “we’re outgrowing that building too.” With money from the sale of the annex plus the money already in the budget, Boles said the county may be able to buy a new building for the Taylor annex.
“There’s an opportunity that’s never been there before. I’d like to keep what we have and provide Judge Redden a little extra room,” Boles said.
No vote was taken and the items were only before the commissioners for future consideration.
The commissioners also considered capital improvements.
Out of an allocated budget of $41 million, commissioners used $25 million to complete projects already in the works or already had funds designated for their use.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey during the Sept. 9 meeting said they were not planning to spend all of the money.
“Next week is a crucial conversation about interim moves and plans. We’re hitting some highlights today,” Covey said.
Some of those highlights include $5 million to finish the installation of the county’s financial Enterprise Resource Planning system and $2.6 million for the computer-aided dispatch public safety software system.
Precinct 4 had extra money in its budget.
“We’ve held onto some money because things are changing,” Covey said.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long added she wanted to get the opinion of Dale Butler, the county’s facilities director.
“It’s a facilities issue and I want to see our facilities director take the lead on it and weigh in,” Long said.
Commissioners meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays at 710 S. Main St. Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx. gov/331/Commissioners-Court.
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There’s an opportunity that’s never been there before.”
-Russ Boles, Precinct 4 commissioner
