Survey shows satisfaction with Wilco services
GEORGETOWN — Taylor area residents are asking for help from Williamson County leaders to fight the development of data centers.
During the Aug. 25 Williamson County Commissioners Court session, Taylor resident Pamela Griffin asked the elected leaders to aid her community in their battle to stop the construction of a neighborhood data center on 87 acres.
“We need some support,” Griffin told commissioners.
The matter was not an agenda item, so the members on the dais could not comment. County Judge Steven Snell, however, invited Griffin to email her statement to him.
Across Texas and the nation, public outcries are growing over data centers, which critics say pose a risk to health and property values. Supporters argue data centers are needed for artificial intelligence, banking, communication and military support, adding they also help reduce property taxes.
Also during the meeting, commissioners heard about a survey indicating a majority of Williamson County residents are satisfied with the services provided by county government; recognized a Taylor Independent School District golf champion; and discussed a grant for veterans’ health services.
Meanwhile, Griffin said the county needs to help curtail data center growth.
She and several neighbors on Taylor’s southeast side have filed a lawsuit against Blueprint Projects Data Center over a statement on the original land deed that said the property was meant to be parkland.
The deed went through several transactions before being sold to the data center developer.
A state district judge ruled the data center could move ahead, but plaintiffs say the issue is not over. They also filed a separate legal action to force the Taylor City Council to put a vote on data-center zoning on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
“My neighborhood is a poor black and brown community. We don’t have (resources) like other communities to fight this big data center coming into our neighborhood,” Griffin said. “We are trying to stop this because we are very highly concerned about our health and our way of life.”
Leticia Flores, a Precinct 4 resident, also spoke to commissioners about the Powerhouse + Big Watt data center and power plant planned in Taylor’s extraterritorial jurisdiction between FM 112 and U.S. 79.
“Placing a power generation facility near residential areas brings severe risks,” Flores said, addressing noise, water usage, water discharge, emissions, property values and long-term health.
“We are urging this court to prioritize rigorous oversight, ensure multi-jurisdictional transparency and actively include local constituent feedback before approvals or county-level agreements proceed,” Flores said.
Survey shows satisfaction with Wilco services
A countywide survey showed 66% of Williamson County residents are satisfied with the quality of customer service from county employees and 65.8% are satisfied with the overall quality of services provided, commissioners heard.
Statewide, Texans report only 33.6% satisfaction with customer service and 43.6% with the quality of services provided by their counties, according to Ryan Murray of ETC Institute.
“What we’re trying to do is provide an objective feedback tool for residents to provide some feedback to the county, and one of the other things that we want to do is help set priorities,” Murray told commissioners.
ETC Institute, a Kansas-based company, performs these types of studies across Texas and the nation. The Williamson County study included 1,302 completed surveys, which Murray said ensures accuracy within 2.7% margin of error with a 95% confidence level. ETC Institute performed the last Williamson County survey in 2024.
Respondents listed well-maintained roads, safety and traffic flow as the top three issues that will have an impact on overall quality of life over the next two decades. These selections align with the answers from the 2024 survey. The only areas showing a change that exceeded the 2.7% error margin were an increased interest in the pace of growth and improved trails.
Satisfaction with most county services has remained steady, with a few exceptions. The satisfaction rating of the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter increased from 61% to 65%.
Services provided by the county tax office, county clerk, county Elections Office and county road maintenance did not fare as well, with public satisfaction scores sinking by 3% or more for each.
The highest-ranked was Williamson County Emergency Medical Services, with an 82% satisfaction rating. Lowest was new road construction and safety improvements with 43% of respondents being satisfied.
The county beat state and national scores in the overall ranking as a place to live, to raise children, to retire and to work. Williamson County scored an 85.1% satisfaction as a place to live, versus a 49.7% average score in counties across the state and 54.7% compared to the average in counties nationwide.
Also, 57% of respondents selected “feel safe/ low crime rate” as being the most important reason to continue living in Williamson County rather than somewhere else in the Austin area.
The second-highest-rated answer was “family and relatives live here,” with 36% of respondents listing it as an important reason. Respondents could make multiple selections.
“The results support a focused path forward: continue protecting the county’s strengths in safety and core services, prioritize road capacity and maintenance, and strengthen communication and customer service to rebuild confidence in county government,” Murray said.
Darter receives county recognition
Commissioners also recognized Taylor sophomore Rylen Darter with a proclamation honoring her 2026 University Interscholastic League Class 4A Girl’s Individual State Golf Champion victory. Darter was a freshman when she won the championship earlier this year.
“Rylen’s accomplishments extend well beyond the golf course. She maintains straight A grades at Legacy Early College High School (in Taylor) while simultaneously earning college credit through the school’s early college program,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles.
Darter won the tournament with a two-day score of 140 (69-71) the third-best in UIL State Tournament history, and winning the championship by an impressive seven strokes
County receives grant to help veterans The Texas Veterans Commission has awarded Williamson County $360,000 to fund a veterans treatment court program. Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court provides compliance and assessment software, monitoring for public safety, and a portion of salaries for the court coordinator, program manager and probation officers who work with veterans.
The one-year grant will assist 65 veterans in the county.
“That is a great opportunity for our veterans,” Snell said.
The court also approved renewal of an agreement with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services to complete assessments on applicants for treatment of veterans.
The next Commissioners Court is 9:30 a.m. Sept. 1 in the Williamson County Administration building, 1848 Texas Trail. Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx.gov/331/ Commissioners-Court.
