County employees to get raises
GEORGETOWN – Residents upset about the new Justice Complex coming to CR 110 will get a chance to air their views at two “public listening” meetings later this month, county commissioners said.
The sessions are Aug. 22 and Aug. 27, with meeting times and locations to be announced, Williamson County commissioners said during their Aug. 4 meeting.
Officials warned the public not to expect answers regarding design or other plans about the proposed building. The meetings are just for gathering public input.
Also during the Aug. 4 meeting, commissioners released information about federal grants, approved raises for county employees and provided an update on flood-warning systems.
Meanwhile, controversy continues to swirl around the proposed Justice Complex, which will be built on 253 acres the county bought for nearly $76 million in southeast Georgetown along Southeast Inner Loop and 110.
The complex, which will include a new jail, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and courtrooms, could open by 2030.
Many neighbors note the current county jail downtown releases dozens of people each day, many of whom are charged with crimes against children. The new site will place offenders less than a mile away from two schools and residential areas.
Opponents said they fear the county isn’t giving weight to their concerns.
On Aug. 4, James Hendrick spoke to the commissioners about his experience at a previous community listening session, indicating residents got short shrift.
“The feeling that everybody left with is that this is considered a done deal by this court,” Hendrick said. “We want you to take this back to the drawing board, find a more suitable site that isn’t next to schools and established neighborhoods and not just talk about safety ideas and designs.”
Opponents have created an informational website, NotByOurSchools.com, that lists their concerns.
Sheriff Matthew Lindemann noted 90% of those released from the existing county jail downtown have someone pick them up, and he has been working on ways to ensure there are more transportation options.
The current facility was built when the department had about 85 employees, the sheriff said.
Today, he has 570 employees who cannot all fit into the current building that also houses the jail. He said the increase in offenders with mental-health issues also requires a facility with more private cells than today’s jail can provide.
“The prisoners above flood their cells and sewage and other types of liquids run down into the offices below that are occupied by our employees. Those are some of the things that come to mind. There’s a lot more,” Lindemann said, recounting reasons a new facility is needed.
County awards development grants Commissioners approved a list of 12 projects to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant and Emergency Solution Grant programs.
The county received about $2.5 million in grants, and will use $386,668 of the funds for administering the program.
Thirty-four applications for grant funding were submitted by Williamson County cities and nonprofit organizations. Some companies also applied for grants, including Samsung Austin Semiconductor in Taylor.
While the Samsung grant was not one of the 12 approved projects, Taylor and Granger both will receive funds from the CDBG program.
Taylor was approved for $624,000 to improve a waterline on Gym Street. Granger will receive $492,500 for wastewater infrastructure along Donahoe Creek.
County employees to get pay increases Also during the weekly sessions, commissioners gave the green light to 2% cost-of-living allowances and 3% merit increases for fiscal year 2027. The increases will add about $7 million to the county’s salary budget. For fiscal year 2026, the county’s combined total salary and benefits budget is $225.5 million.
Elected officials will receive a 2% cost-ofliving adjustment but will not receive merit increases.
Law enforcement personnel will receive a 2% COLA, but their pay increases will be based on tenure rather than merit.
Those receiving retirement pay from the county will receive a 1% COLA.
Chief People Officer Allen Frederick said the numbers are calculated from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Dallas and Houston.
Frederick warned commissioners that at some level, funding retirement pensions could become more difficult. Commissioners will further discuss salary and retirement funding at their next weekly meeting.
Musical chairs at courthouse
Visitors conducting business at the Williamson County Courthouse may need to plan a little extra time to find their meeting areas soon. With most departments relocating to the new Administration Building at 1848 Texas Trail in July, the historic courthouse, 710 S. Main St., is being remodeled to better meet the needs of the district attorney’s and county clerk’s offices.
Many of the public meeting spaces are being moved around and switched between floors.
“We did try to balance the needs and efficiencies right now,” said County Manager Rebecca Clemons. “It gives everybody 90% to 95% of what they want. It gives us what we need for the next four to six years before we can start working on the district attorney space.”
Flood-warning system to be enhanced
The use of $1.25 million in state funds to contract with Waterway Engineering PLLC for specialized flood early warning system planning also got the OK from county leaders.
The funds are from the state Senate Bill 3 Flood Early Warning System grant and were allocated to 30 counties affected by severe flooding in 2025.
The project should be completed before next spring’s rainy season. The finished endeavor will include sirens at strategically mapped areas identified through the latest flood-modeling software.
The sirens will be part of an overall system that also includes flood gauges.
“The idea here is to start building an integrated flood early warning system where we can start linking all these things together and better predict when we need to evacuate areas for flooding,” said Bruce Clements, director of Emergency Management.
“The prisoners above flood their cells and sewage and other types of liquids run down into the offices below that are occupied by our employees.”
— Sheriff Matthew Lindemann
