GEORGETOWN – Hope for the best, plan for the worst seemed to be the message delivered Tuesday during the weekly Williamson County Commissioners Court meeting.
A three-to-six-day disaster kit and a plan for where to meet in case of an emergency are basic components of disaster preparedness that every resident should consider, according to a proclamation signed by commissioners Sept. 1.
In addition, county leaders at the session passed a budget and tax rate that will see lower bills for many ratepayers and learned the county has won a grant to help veterans.
Meanwhile, commissioners held a discussion on being ready for emergencies while noting that September is National Preparedness Month, a timely gesture ahead of potential severe weather as Tropical Storm Edouard approached the Texas-Louisiana shoreline.
The campaign is sponsored on the national level by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to encourage action plans in the event of natural or manmade calamities.
“Right now, the main thing that we're concerned about are wildfires, especially with the storm that's moving toward us,” said Emergency Management Chief Bruce Clements. “As it rotates, that wind will pick up and as dry as things are right now, we're very concerned about wildfire outbreaks.”
Texas historically leads the nation in the number of federally declared disasters, according to county documents, and National Preparedness Month is an opportunity to inform and educate the community to be ready to “prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate against all threats and hazards,” according to the commissioners.
Disaster kits should include enough food and water for the family for up to six days, plus required medicine and important documents that should not be left behind in an evacuation. Emergency plans should take into account how to leave the area with young children, older adults, pets and people with special medical needs.
More information on preparedness can be found at Ready.gov and at the county website wilcotx.gov/218/Emergency-Management.
Those wishing to receive emergency alerts should sign up at WarnCentralTexas.org.
From 2-4 p.m. Sept. 23, the county’s Office of Emergency Management will host a severe weather and flood class in Training Room B at the Emergency Medical Services building, 3189 S.E. Inner Loop Drive.
The event is open to the public and registration is at wilcotx.gov/218/Emergency-Management.
County adopts budget and tax rate
After a public hearing on the 2026-2027 county budget, commissioners approved a $712.9 million budget that emphasizes public safety and roads.
The amounts approved were $405.7 million for the general fund, $75 million for the road and bridge fund and $232,288 for the county’s debt service, among other items on the budget.
The county also adopted its no new revenue tax rate of 42 cents per $100 of appraised property value. This amount will result in a balanced budget, administrators said, and could reduce county property taxes on the average homestead by $28 per year.
Veterans receive emergency support
Michael Hernandez, director of veteran services for Williamson County, announced Wilco has won a grant of $300,000 for emergency financial assistance from the Texas Veterans Commission.
“We have prevented over 14 evictions this past grant period. Unfortunately, we know that there's still a need and we want to continue to identify that,” Hernandez said.
That amount is in addition to a grant awarded in August for $360,000 to help veterans with addiction issues as they go through the court system.
The Veterans Service Office serves about 300 local former military members. Any veterans living in the county who want more information or who may need access to resources can email [email protected] or call 512-943-1900.
The next Commissioners Court is 9:30 a.m. Sept. 8 in the Williamson County Administration building, 1848 Texas Trail.
Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx.gov/331/Commissioners-Court.
