WILLIAMSON COUNTY
School refuge designated
GEORGETOWN — The burn ban is back in Williamson County.
County Commissioners Tuesday approved a 90-day prohibition against outdoor burning recommended by Williamson County Fire Marshal Chief Mike Lugo.
In addition, the elected representatives identified a Taylor venue as rendezvous site in case of a disaster at area school districts.
In the matter of the burn ban, all but two counties surrounding Williamson County already have such interdictions in place. Lugo added drought conditions are particularly bad in eastern Williamson County. Firefighters have extinguished several blazes in the Granger area during September. Lugo said no one wants to experience anything like the devastating wildfires that charred thousands of acres in California earlier this year, but local conditions are similar.
“The potential is out there for (fires) to be significant and we’re just trying to get ahead of it,” the fire marshal said.
Williamson County’s burn ban will remain in effect until Dec. 31 unless the region receives enough rain to rescind the restriction.
If the county does not see an appreciable amount of precipitation within that 90-day period, Lugo will return to the commissioners and ask for an extension of the ban.
Also on Sept. 30, commissioners approved using the Williamson County Exposition Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail in Taylor, as a reunification facility should an emergency occur at school districts in Taylor, Granger, Coupland and Thrall.
“Hopefully, (an incident requiring the use of the Expo Center) will never happen,” said County Judge Steven Snell, the former superintendent of the Liberty Hill Independent School District, but the commissioners agreed that it was important to have a plan in place.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long asked how long students should stay at the Expo Center during a crisis.
“Depending on the nature and severity of the incident, that would drive the timeline,” said Bruce Clements, Office of Emergency Management.
While the approved interlocal agreement only covers the school districts, Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey noted the site could be used as an evacuation center for East Wilco cities if needed.
That would require another agreement.
Commissioners meet 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays at 710 S. Main St. Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx.gov/331/ Commissioners- Court.
