Council pushes to end agreement with ISD
HUTTO — Discord over a bus depot brought a conflict between the City Council and the Hutto Independent School District to a boiling point, with the municipality wishing to terminate an interlocal agreement.
It’s not the first time the two governmental entities have butted heads, but during the Nov. 20 council meeting, members on the dais voted 4-3 to send a termination letter to the school district.
Mayor Pro Tem Dan Thornton and council members Peter Gordon and Brian Thompson dissented.
“I think there’s a lot of benefit that comes from working hand-in-hand with the school district,” Thompson said. “I think this is something that would be a major blow to this town.”
The interlocal agreement does not include a termination clause, so the school district can respond to the city’s letter either agreeing to the termination or with a different proposal.
The most recent conflict between the city and the school district concerns the ISD’s need for an additional school-bus operation center in the growing north side of its territory.
However, the transportation facility which Hutto ISD officials say could save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year was shot down by the Council at its Oct. 16 meeting.
The ISD requires a zoning change and special-use permit to turn its property on FM 685 at Carl Stern Drive into a bus barn. The council voted 4-2 to draft a resolution against the change.
Meanwhile, school board members recently submitted an updated interlocal proposal to Mayor Mike Snyder but said it was not accepted.
If the current agreement does end, Snyder said the school district will receive the same treatment as any other developer and have to meet the same unified development codes.
“I’d love them to come back and say that they don’t want to terminate,” said Mayor Mike Snyder.
“I’m tired of arguing with the ISD. In my mind there’s certain provisions they’re supposed to meet and they don’t and in their mind they’re tired of the city not following provisions. And so we have a document nobody agrees anybody’s following.”
School district trustees said they want to be partners with the city, but within reason.
“I still hope that we can be good partners with each other,” said board President Amy English. “They have their own goals and we have our own goals and initiatives as a school district, so I just hope we can continue to keep the dialog open and we can move forward.”
Trustee Billie Logiudice said the agreement was meant to ensure the district meets city building codes and work as a communication tool so projects wouldn’t face delays following guidelines that don’t fit what a school district does.
One example cited by trustees is the city requires a minimum number of trees in a parking lot, but having trees in a school parking lot imperils student safety by blocking video cameras.
The Hutto Independent School District learned about the city of Hutto’s desire to terminate an interlocal agreement between the two government entities last week. The city voted, 4-3, to send a termination letter to the school district.
