HUTTO – When Will Hammond returned home to Hutto earlier this summer, he wasn’t focused on quarterback competitions or depth charts.

Instead, the former Hutto High School standout spent his day reading books to students at Ray Elementary School, playing football with children during recess and giving back to the community that helped shape him into one of Central Texas’ top football players.

Just months later, Hammond reached another milestone in a football journey that began in Hutto.

After overcoming a season- ending ACL injury and remaining loyal to Texas Tech through an uncertain offseason, Hammond was named the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback for the 2026 season.

“It’s exciting. This is something I have been working toward my whole life,” Hammond said. “It’s a really cool opportunity to go out and represent the team, represent these guys and just compete.” The opportunity comes after Hammond overcame significant adversity during his first two seasons in Lubbock.

After arriving at Texas Tech, Hammond started a handful of games as a freshman before ultimately redshirting, which allows an athlete another year of eligibility if he plays four or less games. Last season, he stepped into the starting role after incumbent quarterback Behren Morton suffered an injury.

Hammond delivered the best performance of his collegiate career in a victory over then-No. 16 Utah, completing 13 of 16 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He remained the starter over the following weeks before suffering a torn ACL in the second quarter of Texas Tech’s 42-0 win over Oklahoma State, ending his season.

The injury was one of the first major setbacks of Hammond’s football career.

“It was a lot of work to go from having surgery and looking at a six- to eight-month recovery to now being cleared and being named the starting quarterback,” Hammond said. “It’s obviously a whirlwind, but I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. I learned so much through the injury and the adversity. It gave me the opportunity to step back, gain a different perspective and appreciate the chance to represent this team and program. I’m really grateful for that.”

The offseason also brought uncertainty for the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech added transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby from Cincinnati, but he later departed from the team this off-season after NCAA gambling-related violations from his previous school came to light.

Although Hammond entered the offseason as the presumed backup behind Sorsby, he never considered leaving despite the transfer portal becoming a common avenue for players seeking opportunities elsewhere.

“It’s a wild world in college football, and it’s not one that necessarily rewards loyalty,” Hammond said. “But I’m a loyal guy, and I love this place. I always believed things would work out the way they were supposed to. I trusted the process, trusted my gut and stayed the course. I’m just happy to be in this position.”

Former Hutto head coach Will Compton said Hammond’s maturity has always separated him from his peers.

“Will was one of the first athletes I met, and from the moment I met him I knew he had a bright future,” Compton said. “He was very mature for his age. The way he broke down the game was on a different level. As good as he is as a football player, he’s just as good of a human being. He’s truly one of the best student-athletes I’ve ever coached.”

While Hammond’s accomplishments on the field continue to grow, those who know him best say he has never forgotten where he came from.

Hammond has made several visits to Ray Elementary School over the years, continuing to give back to the Hutto community that supported him growing up. During one visit this offseason, he read books to students, played football during recess and surprised five students who had earned enough points through the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program.

The students redeemed their points for a game of UNO with a mystery guest before Hammond walked through the door.

Former Ray Elementary principal Dr. Alexis Campbell said Hammond’s visits have always made a lasting impression on students.

“The students were really excited. The older kids, of course, knew exactly who he was,” Campbell said. “He’s such a great kid — very humble and down to earth. You can tell how successful he’s become, but you would never know it once you meet him.”

Hammond said giving back to the Hutto community that supported him throughout his childhood is something he will always prioritize.

“As you get older, you cherish those moments from when you were younger,” Hammond said. “There’s nothing like playing football at recess with your friends. I’m just glad I can give back to the community, spend time with those kids and help them realize this is a special time in their lives. It’s only going to get better.”

Although he now leads one of the Big 12’s premier programs, Hammond said Hutto will always be home.

“It’s special,” Hammond said. “I was there recently and seeing the new basketball arena and watching the town continue to grow was really cool. It was a great place to grow up. I’m grateful to represent Hippo Nation, Central Texas and all of the awesome people who come from there.”

For the former Hippo, earning the starting job at Texas Tech is another milestone in a journey that started on the football fields of Hutto. Even as his career continues on one of college football’s biggest stages, Hammond remains committed to representing the community that first believed in him.

Officers have received several reports regarding the recurring hustle.

Investigators said what makes this shakedown a little more convincing is the offenders use the names of actual judges, constables or deputies at a sheriff’s office.

The caller also tells victims they have federal warrants out for their arrests because they failed to appear for a jury summons.

According to Hutto police, “These scammers are highly convincing and are skilled at creating a sense of urgency.”

The scammers then demand a financial payment to avoid a trip to the slammer.

The Police Department suggests residents protect themselves by not providing personal or financial information and hang up.

Residents are encouraged to contact officers at 512864-8282 ext. 7605 if they are concerned about a call.

This Sunday afternoon, kids will line up for Bac 2 Skool haircuts offered by Shareeta Fairley and her team of stylists, who volunteer their time and skills one afternoon in August to cut hair for free.

Doors will open at 2 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Department building at the Murphy Park football field, 1600 Veterans Drive, where the event has been held for the past five years. The cut-off time for haircuts is 5:30 p.m. Aug. 9.

In the past, Fairley said she and the Braided Faded Crew have had seven children show up for a trim, while another year they had over 100.

“It’s all about who’s in need at the time,” she said.

Fairley added this is their way to give back to the community.

“We’ve all been blessed with a talent and mine is to do hair,” she said.

Bac 2 Skool is always scheduled before the beginning of the new school year. The first day of school for the Taylor Independent School District is Aug. 12.

Fairley noted people often think of clothes, shoes and school supplies for students in need, “but sometimes hair gets lost because they haven’t thought about that.”

When she started the no-cost back-to-school haircuts over 14 years ago, Fairley said she was the only one doing it, but now she has seen other communities and salons offering the same service.

“The communities are catching on,” Fairley said. “We’ve got to be here for these kids.”

Over the years, Fairley has considered not offering the Bac 2 Skool haircuts, but she said then a parent would reach out or a child would run up to her asking if she was going to cut their hair again and she could not say no.

“People look forward to it,” said Jason Hennington, a friend of Fairley and a former editor of the Taylor Press.

Hennington added students usually leave with school supplies, too.

“It’s really a great thing (Fairley) and her group put on,” added Hennington, now a teacher at Hutto High School.

The Braided Faded Crew wants the pupils to start classes with a positive outlook, Fairley said.

“If kids are looking good and they’re feeling good, they’re going to do good. There’s nothing like going to school with a fresh haircut or a fresh hairstyle. That gives you confidence to go through and say, ‘This is my year.’ That’s what keeps us coming back year after year.”

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

A motorist confronted by police after the hit-andrun death on a hospital parking lot of a Taylor veteran and Cold War spy told officers, “I know what I did,” according to a probable- cause affidavit.

Once the man was in the custody of Taylor police, he also made “random nonsensical comments” including a statement about staying in a hotel on a river, the court document obtained by the Taylor Press notes.

James Killough, 81, died of his injuries July 24 after being struck by a vehicle on the parking lot at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, 305 Mallard Lane, police said. The vehicle sped away.

Hospital personnel attempted to save Killough, but the injuries were too grave, investigators said.

Jesse Don Jackson, 43, of Spring, remains in the Williamson County Jail in Georgetown charged with murder. Bond is set at $1 million.

Killough’s death has left the community in shock. Friends and relatives have recalled him as a kind soul, a committed churchgoer and a dedicated community member. According to relatives, he enlisted in the Army “fresh out of high school” during the Vietnam War and served in the Signal Corps.

He also worked for military intelligence in Europe, friends recount.

Killough’s death has been attributed to road rage, friends and relatives have said.

According to the affidavit, an eyewitness said a Dodge Ram pickup followed Killough’s 2019 Nissan truck into the hospital parking lot. Killough, who parked in a handicap spot, got out of his vehicle.

He had gone to the hospital for physical therapy, friends and relatives said.

After a brief interaction with the other motorist, the Dodge Ram pickup accelerated and deliberately struck Killough, according to the affidavit, which was filed by Taylor police Detective Aaron Koch and affirmed by Magistrate Kathryn Scales.

“It was a senseless act,” Killough’s son Nathan Killough said in a previous statement.

The Dodge sped away as medical staff rushed to give aid, but Killough died minutes later inside the hospital. Williamson County Precinct 4 Death Investigator Ruben Leal noted in a statement that Killough’s injuries were consistent with a collision and his demise resulted from the event.

Not 15 minutes after the tragedy, while responding to a reckless-driver call, Taylor police Sgt. Mike Culp located a man inside the Dodge pickup in the 2700 block of North Drive, less than a mile from the hospital.

According to a police report, the truck was inoperable with “damage to the front right corner and a flat front left tire.”

The motorist was brought to the Taylor Police Department and questioned, but would not answer, according to the court document.

However, before he could be read his Miranda Warning, the man “turned his back and stated, ‘I know what I did,’” according to the affidavit.

Family and friends continue to mourn the loss of Killough, a man they describe as “a shining light” to all who knew him.

A former code enforcement officer for Taylor, Killough later served as a commissioner on the Planning and Zoning Commission with resident Annette Maruska, who described Killough as her mentor.

“(Killough) was a steady hand guiding and maneuvering decisions that would benefit the people of Taylor, yet still allow the progress Taylor needed,” Maruska said.

Killough was also a deacon at First Baptist Church in Taylor and involved in the Community Bible Study program.

He was married to Rhonda Killough for 58 years and had three sons, two of whom are deceased.

Maruska added, “I will always think of Jim as a cowboy movie star, rugged and tough, strong character and always a godly man. My heart is broken, but I am indeed blessed with the grand memories I have of him.”

COUPLAND — The Singleton family is seeking community support after a fire July 26 heavily damaged their home.

City officials said the cause may have been electrical in nature.

According to Williamson County Emergency Services District No. 10, firefighters responded to the structure fire and quickly brought the blaze under control with help from mutual-aid agencies.

All six family members safely escaped, and no injuries were reported.

Firefighters said the house sustained significant damage.

Following the blaze, the Singleton family is seeking donations of clothing as they begin the recovery process.

A spotfund fundraiser has also been established to help the family replace essential belongings and cover expenses as they rebuild, officials said.

Those who would like to contribute can visit http://spot.fund/ dgznr8csc.

“We just paid all our bills, but we live paycheck to paycheck like so many,” the family wrote on its fundraising page. “We are now starting over with four kids and almost nothing else. We urgently need help with funds for housing and basic necessities as we take the first steps toward rebuilding our lives.”

Williamson County ESD No. 10 was assisted by Bastrop/ Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1, Hutto Fire Rescue, the Pflugerville Fire Department and Williamson County Emergency Medical Services.

“

“We are now starting over with four kids and almost nothing else.”

— the Singleton family

Plans for a third data center to debut in the Taylor area are already causing sparks.

Information released Monday by the city said the center, referred to as Project Mustang, will be built on a 685-acre parcel between FM 112 and U.S. 79.

The site is in Taylor’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, but a development agreement has been negotiated that calls for annexing the property into city limits.

“This agreement would require the project to far exceed county and state requirements to address noise, setbacks/buffer, air quality, light pollution, stormwater drainage and water use,” according to the city’s website.

City officials said Project Mustang is expected to provide millions of dollars in grants and scholarships.

Not everyone is buying the rosy assessment.

While data centers are needed for artificial intelligence, banking, communications, military support and often lower property taxes, they have drawn fire nationally for health, safety and environmental concerns.

Locally, a grass-roots organization has been fighting to get tougher zoning regulations for data centers that are developing in Taylor.

“We are disheartened by the continued disregard for the clearly communicated will of the people,” said Carrie D’Anna of the Halt Taylor Data Center Coalition. “Without an adequate digital infrastructure zoning district, annexation is acquiring responsibility and burden on behalf of the people of Taylor, not control.”

The coalition recently filed a legal action with the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin to force the Taylor City Council to put datacenter zoning to a public vote Nov. 3. That followed a petition with 1,400 signatures submitted to city leaders, but council members said state law prohibits zoning regulations being decided by popular ballot.

Halt initially formed to put a pause on the Blueprint Projects Data Center proposed for an 87-acre tract on Taylor’s south side. Neighbors contend the land was meant for a park. D’Anna expressed frustration with the latest development.

“The failure of the city to take actions that are in their authority show that they are more concerned about offending industry than representing and advocating for the people,” she said.

The other Taylor data center on the books is Project Comal.

Meanwhile, a statement on the city’s website indicates what Taylor can and cannot control: “The city has no ability to prevent or regulate development outside of our city limits. Under state law, the developers have a right to build Project Mustang in the unincorporated county, which has no zoning powers and minimal development regulations.”

What is Project Mustang?

Project Mustang is a cooperative venture between two developers, Powerhouse and Big Watt, city officials said.

Daniel Seguin, executive director of community services, said neither the city nor the Taylor Economic Development Corp. have provided any financial incentives to the developers.

City leaders have been discussing the data center in council executive sessions since January.

Project Mustang will also be complying with new regulations being put into effect by Gov. Greg Abbott to protect the state’s power grid and prevent taxpayers from subsidizing data centers through electric infrastructure upgrades.

In addition, Abbott on Monday directed state agencies to start conducting audits of data center projects before the facilities can connect to the Texas power grid.

He ordered the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas “to conduct a comprehensive verification and audit of all data centers advancing through ERCOT’s interconnection process. The PUCT and ERCOT must complete this audit before any data center project moves forward,” according to a release.

The Governor’s Office noted that failure to comply with the requirements set by the PUCT and ERCOT means the data center will be denied connection to the Texas grid.

Meanwhile, the Project Mustang site will host a power plant run by Big Watt in addition to the data center developed by Powerhouse.

“They will generate all of their own power on-site and eventually they’d like to generate enough to sell back to the grid and add to the local supply,” Seguin said. He added the site has direct access to a gas pipeline that will give them the capability to produce electricity.

The city says the millions of dollars in community benefits they have negotiated so far include support for the Taylor City Animal Shelter. Seguin said the numbers are still being finalized, but the city expects a large impact from quality-of-life investments made by the developers.

The next opportunity for public comment will be during the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Aug. 18 and the City Council meeting Sept. 10.

More information can be found on the city’s website, taylortx. gov/1416/ Project-Mustang---PowerHouse-Big-Watt.

The 24 interns joined a total of 138 college and high school students honored at a graduation ceremony July 24.

Several public officials including former Taylor City Council members Gerald Anderson and Mitch Drummond, former Taylor Mayor Brandt Rydell and Williamson County Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles attended the ceremony.

“When we began pursuing Samsung, we talked often about investment, jobs, infrastructure and tax base. Those things matter,” Rydell said. “But (July 24) was a reminder that transformational projects can also be measured by the opportunities they create for our young people.”

He added, “Perhaps the most enduring part of a $44 billion investment isn’t what makes the headlines. It’s the opportunity that changes the trajectory of a young person’s life.”

Not long after officials with the South Korean multinational company announced in November 2021 a fabrication plant was coming to Taylor, the internships also were touted.

Samsung opened an Austin plant in the 1990s.

Through Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s partnership with Taylor ISD, students work alongside engineers, technical experts and business professionals, while also gaining hands-on experience years before their peers begin college, officials said.

The college interns – 114 of them – came from 21 different schools.

During the summer, each of the collegiate interns were “entrusted with meaningful projects that support real business needs, from machine learning and process optimization to software development, manufacturing, infrastructure, environmental and human resources initiatives,” according to a prepared statement.

Serving as the first executive director of the Wilco Economic Development Partnership, Porter brought together cities across the county in a joint effort to attract South Korean companies catering to Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Porter then set his sights on diversifying beyond the semiconductor industry.

Porter came on board in October 2022, the year after Samsung announced it would build a massive semiconductor foundry and research facility in Taylor. While that $17 billion project, slated to be operational late this year, will employ about 2,000 people, the county wanted to capitalize on opportunities to create even more jobs by luring Samsung suppliers and service companies.

“My role with the Wilco EDP has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my 40-plus years in economic development,” Porter said in a written statement announcing his retirement. “The collaboration between the nine partner cities and the county has led Williamson County to be one of the top destinations for global advanced manufacturing companies. The future is incredibly bright for Williamson County.”

Consultants for Wilco EPD recently completed a new fiveyear strategic plan for the organization with implementation slated to start next year.

Porter said he felt that it would be a good time for a new leader to come in and execute the next phase of growth.

“My goal was to get a lot of momentum around the Wilco EPD,” Porter said in an interview with the Taylor Press. In 2022, there were economic development corporation directors from the various cities in the county who had never met, he said. Wilco EPD was founded in 2014, but didn’t have staff leadership until Porter’s tenure.

Porter said he hopes his legacy as the organization’s initial executive director was that of a bridge builder. “Now, we kind of have everybody pointed in the same direction.”

That collaboration led to a 2023 South Korea trip, which included a group of 17 economic development and elected leaders from the cities and county presenting to numerous companies about doing business in Williamson County.

Since then, Porter has led more trips to that country and put Williamson County on the map as a location not just for the semiconductor supply chain, but for a variety of industries from Korea, Taiwan and Europe.

“Williamson County would not be the sought-after international destination for companies in advanced manufacturing, high technology and aerospace without Dave Porter,” said County Judge Steve Snell. “His insight, experience and commitment have helped transform our county into one of the nation’s premier locations for business investment and innovation. Dave helped create opportunities that will benefit our residents for generations to come.”

Wilco EPD’s board of directors includes representatives from Williamson County, Cedar Park, Coupland, Georgetown, Hutto, Jarrell, Leander, Liberty Hill, Round Rock and Taylor.

A native of Kansas, Porter started his economic development career in Wichita Falls, worked in Raleigh and Ashville, N.C., and did a 10-year stint at Opportunity Austin before going to Orlando.

Porter said he will continue to call Williamson County home and plans to stay involved in some capacity to ensure the community’s future success.

The board is now accepting applications for a new executive director.

“As we begin the search for our next executive director, we are confident we will find the right leader to build on the strong foundation Dave established and to lead the implementation of our new strategic plan,” said Jordan Robinson, president of the Wilco EDP board and president of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce.

GEORGETOWN – Williamson County is gearing up to defend itself after former Sheriff Robert Chody and former Assistant County Attorney Jason Nassour are demanding $35 million to settle a civil lawsuit.

The action comes not long after felony charges accusing the pair of tampering with evidence were dismissed.

Also during the July 28 meeting, the county’s representative body discussed roadworks.

Meanwhile, County Commissioners voted to hire Howry Breen & Herman LLP of Austin to represent Williamson County relating to the lawsuit naming the county, Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick and Travis County District Attorney José Garza as defendants, as well as both counties’ prosecutors Michael Waldman and Dexter Gilford.

Commissioners did not take action to hire or fund legal services for Dick or Waldman.

Before heading into executive session to deliberate the lawsuit, County Judge Steve Snell said commissioners would discuss “the appropriateness of representing the district attorney, who might be acting as a state actor versus a county actor.” Chody and Nassour filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming prosecutorial misconduct on the part of officials in Travis and Williamson counties. They are asking for a settlement of $35 million.

According to Fox 7, if a settlement is not reached by Aug. 12, the pair may seek damages up to $60 million.

Chody and Nassour had been under indictment after investigators accused them of permitting producers of the reality TV show “Live PD” to eradicate raw video related to the in-custody death of Javier Ambler in March 2019 after he was tased.

It later came to light neither Chody nor Nassour had the video nor governed it, nor was it legally obtained before its destruction, officials noted.

The two men briefly stood trial in August 2024, but proceedings were placed on an indefinite hold over questions of evidence. In May, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals did not allow the case to go forward and charges were dropped in June.

A separate legal action is underway regarding thousands of dollars in compensation paid to jurors in Travis County while the trial was on hold.

While in executive session, commissioners also discussed legal matters relating to Oncor Electric Delivery Co.’s Muscovy Switch – Voss Lake Switch 345 kilovolt transmission line project in Williamson and Milam counties, as well as the Oncor and Lower Colorado River Authority’s proposed Bell County East – Big Hill 765 KV transmission line project.

No action was taken in open session on those items.

County sees road contract savings

Two recent road projects came in below the contract amount and one was increased at Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting.

Joe Bland Construction encountered groundwater beneath the proposed roadway on the CR 110 North project. Commissioners approved additional work costs of $330,045 for the project, for an adjusted total of $6.87 million. The contractor added oversized rock and French drains to redirect the water.

Liberty Civil Construction made changes in the CR 460 reconstruction project that resulted in a net decrease of more than $226,000 while increasing safety along the roadway, according to county documents.

The contracted amount dropped from $1.8 million to $1.6 million.

As part of the East Wilco Highway Segment 2 Phase 1 project, Capital Excavation realigned a proposed drainage ditch at FM 1660. This resulted in a reduction in the quantity for several work items, yielding the county $471,245 in savings, county officials said.

They added when added to other change orders on this project, the total savings have been more than $9 million deducted from the original contract cost.

Relax, Taylor — unlike the rest of Texas, you don’t need to worry about water shortages for the next three decades.

That was the word from Brad Brunett, chief operations officer of the Brazos River Authority, during a special-called City Council meeting Monday, July 27.

In other business, and as promised, Mayor Jim Buzan deferred any deep discussions on a petition demanding the city put data center zoning controls on the Nov.

3 ballot now that legal action is underway.

“We are 100% committed to transparency, but since the matter is now in active litigation, I will not be able to comment further,” Buzan said.

In addition, water and wastewater plans also received approval to keep pace with the city’s increasing demand, especially with new industries coming to the area — including a data center.

Meanwhile, the council heard a presentation on Taylor’s current and future water sources, which will help the city shape policy, officials said.

BRA supplies water to Taylor, Jonah Water Special Utility District and Lone Star Regional Water Authority, mainly from Lake Granger with some additional input from a Trinity Aquifer well.

“When you look at Lake Granger, its firm yield and the permit that we have combined with the groundwater blending, you know, I think we’ve got plenty of water to supply all customers for the next 30-plus years,” Brunett said.

A lake’s firm yield is the maximum amount of water it can supply during a drought. Brunett said the BRA also has a permit allowing the authority to use up to one-third of the amount of water the lake generally holds.

“Again, nobody can predict the future, and the best we can do is plan with the data that we’ve got and adjust going forward if we need to,” Brunett added.

According to BRA, its water treatment plant can currently provide 14.5 million gallons per day from the lake. The Trinity Aquifer well can produce an additional 3 to 4 million gallons daily, which can be blended in as needed.

Brunett said in 2025 the average use was about 9 million gallons, with about 13 to 14 million gallons used on a summer day and about 5 or 6 million gallons on a winter day.

The authority is working on an expansion project that will be able to eventually provide up to 38 million gallons daily. It is also working on pipeline projects that would add another large water-delivery line between the treatment plant and Circleville, where all three BRA customers connect their own water lines to transport water to their areas.

Water and wastewater plans approved To ensure the city can continue to supply water to Taylor customers, council members approved a new water and wastewater master plan created by HDR Engineering.

It is designed to help Taylor identify future water demands and develop capital-improvement projects to support customers.

Matthew Schorsch of HDR said the plan anticipates adding up to 31,000 new service connections for water and wastewater over the next 25 years. The city has 7,000 connections today.

Data provided by HDR shows Taylor uses about 3 million gallons of water per day. They project that total will increase to 7.6 million gallons per day soon because of “significant industrial demands.”

To increase capacity for Taylor’s growth and ensure current customers have adequate water pressure and firefighting supply, the master plan lists capital improvement projects totaling $300 million to $330 million over the next five to 10 years and another $390 million to $410 million during the following 10-15 years.

Engineers estimate Taylor’s 20-year growth projections will require an additional $580 million in capital investment, as the city will need to bring another wastewater treatment plan online and expand water transmission and distribution lines.

While no specific information was submitted regarding water needs of the two data centers Taylor already has in process, HDR and the BRA officials both spoke confidently about the city’s ability to provide water for incoming industry, including data centers.

Petition stalemate Buzan addressed audience members regarding the status of the data-center petition submitted by Halt Taylor Data Centers coalition, but indicated legal action keeps him from making any further detailed statements.

The agenda had originally called for the city to further explain its decision not to accept or enact the petition, but Buzan said a recent court filing now prevents him from commenting on it.

“Because the issue is now pending before the court, we will not have our attorneys present the legal analysis that was originally planned for tonight’s meeting. The city will instead present its legal position through its position brief, which will be filed with the (3rd) Court of Appeals in accordance with the court’s briefing schedule,” Buzan said.

Enacting the petition, which was submitted in June with 1,400 signatures, would have temporarily halted all data center development and amended the city’s land development code to prohibit data centers in all zoning districts except for a yet-to-becreated district specifically for digital infrastructure uses.

Proponents say that would have kept data centers out of residential areas and protected Taylor’s quality of life.

The city has stated it cannot act on the petition because state law requires certain zoning procedures, such as a Zoning Commission review, that cannot be bypassed through the voter-initiative process.

Instead, city leaders proposed collecting public input and allowing the council to vote on ordinances in September.

That plan is on hold because Halt July 9 filed a writ of mandamus with the 3rd Court of Appeals to order the city to place the matter before voters Nov. 3. No decision has been rendered by the justices.

COUPLAND — Movies and merchants are the buzz this week in town.

Wells Mason — a designer, sculptor and founder of Coupland’s Ironwood Industries — is producing a documentary about Coupland sculptor and artist Jim Huntington.

“Jim has been awarded countless public and private commissions. His work is in museums and sculpture gardens. And he has a beautiful sculpture garden in downtown Coupland,” Mason said.

Huntington, 85, still produces art. The nonprofit Huntington Sculpture Foundation, as well as the documentary, are preserving the artist’s legacy, Wells said.

“We’re working with documentary filmmakers Nick Berard and Judith Schomp from Austin, and the film is nearly complete. We’ve wrapped up the interviews with the artist, and we have all the footage we need from his sculpture garden. We hope to complete the film at the end of this year,” Mason said.

The first screening will be in Coupland, with more in Austin.

In other cinematic news, the sanctuary at St. Peter’s Church of Coupland, 108 Wathen St., is appearing in a movie expected to premiere in December. In June, independent filmmaker Austin Keith used the sanctuary for a film titled “A Letter from the Father.”

Charles Stark and Judy Downing assisted him.

Business developments

A July 15 Community Business Lunch at St. Peter’s Church of Coupland gave merchants a chance to meet and discuss what they have to offer, said organizer Prissy Rumel.

“Everyone in the community was invited to join and talk a little about your local business or just learn about what businesses we have in the area,” Rumel said. More lunches are planned.

In the meantime, an old building known as “The Blue Cat,” located behind the Coupland Veterinary Office, 320 Hoxie St., is being converted into a business that will feature rentable spaces, including a commercial kitchen, three private rooms for small businesses and shared common areas.

The business is owned by Martha Poldrack and the renovation project is being managed by Rummel, who is Poldrack’s sister. The site will be run by Rummel’s daughter, Tessa Strider.

Coupland School news

Football pre-season workouts are Aug. 3-10.

Players will receive football equipment, learn about the strength and conditioning weight room and study the fundamentals of six-man tackle football, officials said.

Superintendent Earl Parcell noted special dates for the Coupland Independent School District:

• Aug. 11, school starts including the debut of the new Coupland Junior High and High School.

• Aug. 19, first home volleyball game in the new gym.

• Sept. 10, first home football game at Memorial Field in Taylor.

• Sept. 17, homecoming football game.

The Spirit of Coupland band members will meet August 3-5 to study the basics of reading music.

St. Peter’s Church of Coupland

The Rev. Burt Burleson is no longer pastor of St.

Peter’s Church. Duties will be filled by visiting ministers while church officials seek a replacement.

St. Peter’s potluck lunch is moving to the fifth Sunday of the month, instead of every other month. “Lunch Out” events may be organized during the year.

St. Peter’s is also helping Coupland ISD students who need school supplies or special equipment, officials said.

New Sweden Lutheran Church

Homesteading/ Everyday Living free classes are continuing at the church, 12809 New Sweden Church Road in Manor, open to all community and church members. Trusts and wills were the topics of the July class.

Church representatives attended the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Texas District Annual Gathering, July 24-25, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in New Braunfels.

New Sweden’s flagpole fell during recent storms and split in two.

Replacing it will cost several thousand dollars, church officials said.

To donate toward a new flagpole, send a donation to the church or put it in the offering and designate it for the new flagpole.

New Sweden is collecting school supplies for the students at Coupland, McDade and Thrall independent school districts.

Supplies are placed in backpacks and blessed.

For more, visit www. newswedenchurch.org.

Independence Day

Mayor Russell Schmidt credited the successful Independence Day festivities to the work of organizers, City Council members Sue Rogers and Machelle Sandbulte, and volunteers including Danny Smith, Mick Lemp, Peter Wabbel and Ruby Wabbel. Organizers hope to make this an annual event.

GEORGETOWN – Williamson County officials will continue strengthening ties with Asian businesses as part of a five-year strategic plan, but at home more public input is being suggested before moving ahead with the proposed Justice Center Complex.

Those were some of the topics covered during the July 21 session of the Williamson County Commissioners Court.

Taking center stage during the meeting, Dave Porter, the executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, told commissioners the agency will work to expand marketing to domestic and international companies, including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

North California and Los Angeles are the two main domestic markets the agency intends to target.

The efforts of the partnership and Porter — who has also announced he is retiring in December — echo earlier endeavors by former County Judge Bill Gravell, who led trade missions to South Korea after Samsung announced in November 2021 it was building a $17 billion semiconductor fabrication facility in Taylor.

Porter presented data showing the county’s Gross Domestic Product grew from $36 billion in 2022 to $44.6 billion in 2026. The U.S. Census indicates the county is one of the fastest-growing in the country.

“Williamson County has quickly become an economic engine for Texas and the nation,” Porter said.

In the last year, Porter said 30 major companies located to Williamson County and the WCEDP was critical in attracting eight of them. Those companies alone brought 2,224 jobs and a $500 million capital investment, he added.

In all, the 30 businesses will invest $2.53 billion, resulting in $10.23 million in net new tax revenue for the county over a 10-year period and $212.5 million across all local taxing districts.

“These huge investments help keep residential tax rates down,” Porter said.

The county invested $500,000 in the WCEDP. Porter told commissioners that every dollar going into the partnership returned $22 back in tax revenue.

The partnership will also establish a county infrastructure task force to address water, transportation and energy supply issues, which Porter deems the county’s most critical bottleneck to economic growth.

“Every day, over 202,000 Williamson County residents leave the county to work, mostly in Travis County, while 101,000 travel into Williamson County each day to work,” he said. “Williamson County is becoming a center of employment and more and more of our workforce is staying here.”

Porter’s five-year plan also includes initiatives targeting students and military personnel who are transitioning out of the service.

Justice Center input Meanwhile, some commissioners said the controversial Justice Center Complex should not progress without more public input.

They encouraged County Manager Rebecca Clemons to move forward with a public-engagement process.

The multiuse center, which would include a new jail, is planned for southeast Georgetown to replace overcrowded, deteriorating facilities downtown. The county has signed for a 253acre tract for $75.82 million and authorized $150 million in bonds to cover the land and early project costs, with a tentative opening date for 2030.

Complaints have been raised about the release of inmates and the proposed site’s proximity to schools and neighborhoods.

The county shouldn’t take another step until leaders hear from constituents, some commissioners said.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles — who represents the Taylor and Hutto areas — stressed Wilco officials need to solicit public input since only the land is purchased, and no decisions have been made about the site layout or design.

“I think this is a great place for us to stop and listen to our neighborhood, to our city and to our (Georgetown Independent School District) and do it well,” Boles said. “We’re going to get some good information... to see what they’re thinking.”

Clemons told commissioners feedback from residents has been included in each phase of the plan, but more discussions are planned after the initial design and site layout drafts have been completed.

She suggested giving the public actual plans to comment on would be more meaningful to the community and answer more questions, including where the building could be situated and its height.

County Judge Steven Snell said that public comment alone is not enough, but remains a vital component so long as commissioners also engage with stakeholders.

“It leads to a deterioration in the trust of government, which is very fragile anyway. They want to know that their concerns are taken seriously and we truly listen,” Snell said.

The next commissioners court session is 9:30 a.m. July 27 in the new Williamson County Administration building, 1848 Texas Trail.

Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx.gov/331/ Commissioners-Court.

School board members this past week approved an initiative allowing homeschool students to compete alongside Taylor Independent School District pupils in UIL events for the 2026-27 school year.

Senate Bill 401, or the University Interscholastic League Equal Access Program, was passed by the 89th Legislature last year and paves the way for homeschool students in accredited, eligible programs to participate in UIL activities through their local school districts.

Also during the July 20 meeting, trustees approved compensation for staffers affected by an unspecified campus threat earlier this month, and learned attendance during the 2025-26 academic year fell short — but not by much.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen said the district would opt in to SB 401 for the coming academic cycle and reevaluate participation the following year.

District UIL competitions include athletics, fine arts and academic activities.

The initiative is intended to expand opportunities for students while broadening participation across programs, a district spokesman said.

“There is a list of accredited homeschool programs and those are the ones that can participate,” said Daniella Ogundare, director of the Taylor Opportunity Center. “I know that some families think the kids just sit at home and the parents may or may not be teaching them and then they’re able to participate. No, it’s not that.”

In addition to participating in accredited programs, Ogundare said homeschool students must meet grade-level proficiency requirements, which are the same eligibility standards required of public- school students.

Board approves pay for emergency closure School district leaders approved paying staffers for an emergency closure July 2 after an anonymous social-media threat put facilities on “secure” status. Some staff members were given the option to leave early and work from home; others with critical functions, such as payroll, stayed at their desks until tasks were complete.

Trustees approved full pay for employees who opted to leave, and premium pay was authorized for those who remained working through the emergency.

Though school was not in session, staff and students were brought into the building, and business continued as usual, officials said.

No threat was detected by the police.

Attendance up, not quite to goal Ogundare, who is also in charge of the district’s at-risk program, told trustees that five of the district’s six schools met their attendance goals for the 2025-26 school year. While the schools did not meet the districtwide goal, the overall attendance average of almost 94% is an improvement over the previous year.

Ogundare said she was confident the district could meet its attendance goals for the 2026-27 year.

Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year was 2,900, officials said.

The district reported more than 80 students were sent to a truancy court last year for excessive absences.

Truancy cases are heard by Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Rhonda Redden.

Ogundare said Redden has asked the district to streamline its systems to file truancy problems faster, so the justice of the peace can work out solutions early enough to make a difference for the student.

Ogundare has set a meeting with the attendance clerk to see how paperwork can be turned in sooner.

State disbursements to school districts are based on daily attendance reports.

The next school board meeting is 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17 in the Taylor ISD boardroom at 3101 N. Main St.

City birthday artwork hit by vandalism

Vandals struck a mural in Potter’s Alley downtown honoring the city’s sesquicentennial and police want the public’s help nabbing the taggers.

Potter’s Alley, located behind the McCrory Timmerman Building at Second and Main streets, features a variety of sanctioned artworks by area painters, including Dennis Levitin, and is a popular site with locals and visitors alike.

“It’s bad taste to deface other people’s art,” Levitin said. “Whoever did this is not part of the graffiti culture.”

The vandal or vandals damaged a mural commemorating Taylor’s 150th birthday.

The message over the artwork included the phrase “(expletive) your data centers.” Observers said it could be a reference to an ongoing controversy involving a data center proposed for Taylor’s south side.

According to authorities, a Taylor police officer at 7:40 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, discovered the newly painted mural “riddled in black spray paint writing.”

Investigators believe the damage was done the night before.

Depending on the cost of the damage, the penalty could range from a Class C misdemeanor to a felony, officers said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 512-352-5551.

Levitin said at one time the space known as Potter’s Alley was widely ignored for years until building owner Ricardo Zuniga encouraged local artists to responsibly use it as a canvas.

“When we started this project, this alley had no attention, there was trash in the alley, and nobody cared about it,” Levitin said. “We emphasize bringing joy and happiness through graffiti art.”

Derek Hilla, owner of True Barber Shop in the McCrory Timmermann Building, shared similar sentiments about the marring of the city’s mural.

The city received a proposal from Linea de Vida Church, 591 NW Carlos G. Parker Blvd., to donate a mural for the Sesquicentennial, which was painted by Chilean artist Gabriel Alapinta July 19-20. After the mural was defaced and the city unsuccessfully attempted to remove the wording, local artist Cody Seigmund painted over earlier artwork to create the sesquicentennial commemoration, which in turn was tagged by vandalism.

“I wasn’t a big fan of them doing a painting over the original artwork performed by local artists, but I’m not going to spray paint anything,” Hilla said. “I don’t believe in vandalism, but I’m also a big proponent of free speech. I’d rather somebody spray paint something than burn a business down or throw a brick through a window.”

Meanwhile, Levitin’s colorful cartoon illustrations and murals can be seen all over town, including on the walls of Old Taylor High, in the courtyard of Black Sparrow Music Parlor, on the garden door of St. James’ Episcopal Church and in other locales.

He also created a 10-foot-rendition of the Transformers character Optimus Prime along the wall of Potter’s Alley. In addition, Levitin has a cartoon strip featured in the weekend edition of the Taylor Press.

HUTTO — A former editor and publisher of the Taylor Press now teaching media skills at Hutto High School recently won a top regional education award.

Jason Hennington, a Taylor native, is the Career and Technical Association of Texas Area IV “New Teacher of the Year,” officials announced this week.

He is a career and technical education teacher at the campus.

“I was surprised because I didn’t expect it,” Hennington said. “I’m blessed to have students who are engaged and want to learn.”

The state winners will be announced at the CTAT Winter Conference Feb. 8-10 in San Antonio.

CTAT is a nonprofit advocating for career and technical education, or CTE, programs by providing support and professional development for school districts across 12 geographical areas.

To be eligible for the award, educators must have five years or less in the classroom.

CTE programs blend vocational skills with academic studies through training focused on careers.

Hennington found out about the honor following a busy weekend. He hosted the annual Taylor Press 3-on-3 basketball tournament July 11-12 before driving to Fort Worth the morning of July 13 for his CTAT interview.

After that, Hennington carried on with life as usual. Then, he received a phone call.

“Around 9:30 p.m., they called me and told me I won. I was surprised and happy,” Hennington said. “The first thing I said was, ‘Thank God.’ I was blessed to be nominated and to win. I was speechless at first, but I was really happy and excited.”

Hennington said his teaching philosophy involves not only instructing his students about the basics of photography or graphic design, but also about decorum when representing the high school media department.

“I’m also teaching them stuff they can take outside of the classroom,” Hennington said. “I teach them how to use a camera, but I also teach them how to carry themselves when you’re working with clients.”

After 11 years of employment at the Press, Hennington began his teaching career in the fall of 2024. Each year, he adds new skills to the curriculum.

“I try to keep adding new things. The first year I taught photography and I taught them basics,” he said. “Last year, I added a couple of other things such as on-scene photography. This year, I hope to incorporate something else. I try to keep evolving what I’m doing. I like to add to my curriculum to get them better and better.”

CTAT awards are also available for the Administrator of the Year, Counseling and Career Development Professional of the Year, Experienced Teacher of the Year (five years or more), Postsecondary Professional of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, and Community Service.

Just winning the Area IV award is an honor, but he’s also looking forward to what happens on the state level, the journal-ist turned-teacher said.

“I’m really happy to be nominated,” Hennington said. “Whether or not I win state, I’m blessed to be nominated. If I win, great. If I don’t win, that’s great, too.”

The controversy stems from the “untimely” release of the prepared statement July 9 before residents aired their concerns during a City Council meeting that same day, prompting cries of foul from critics of the city’s decision.

Meanwhile, Taylor elected officials will hold a series of gatherings to address future land-development zoning changes, partly in response to residents who signed a petition over worries about the Blueprint Projects Data Center coming to the city’s south side.

Buzan, who was not at the July 9 meeting, pledged in the social-media post to ensure transparency at City Hall whenever possible.

“We released some information before we had an opportunity to have any discourse about it. For that, I want to apologize. It was not done with malice or intent. It was simply a human error and we made a mistake. We sincerely apologize for that,” said Buzan, a longtime Taylor resident and local businessman elected in May.

He added, “We also understand the need for transparency. The council grapples with a lot of complex issues. At the same time, we can be transparent on some issues, but some we can’t.”

Up to 1,400 signatures were collected for a petition calling on the city to pause data center development and let voters decide during the November general election. At the July 9 meeting, however, council members said state law prohibits zoning changes from being placed on the ballot.

Instead, the city is collecting public feedback and could consider zoning changes in September to be decided by the council and enacted as ordinances.

Members of the grassroots coalition HALT Taylor Data Centers have criticized the city’s stance.

Buzan in the Friday video segment said the council will work to reshuffle the Land Development Code Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee to include more representatives from districts 1 and 2.

The data center is set for an 87-acre tract in District 1.

The session is set for the council meeting 6 p.m. July 23 at City Hall, 400 Porter St.

“It was recognized that even though we follow the same processes that other cities follow, we do not have adequate representation from districts 1 and 2. The council will take immediate action to correct that at the meeting Thursday,” Buzan said. “The reason that’s important is because all of the zoning ordinances that the petition wanted to see will be embedded into the next revision and comp plan. It is vitally important that we get this right.”

The mayor also said a special-called meeting will take place July 27 in which an advisor will discuss the wastewater and parks master plans.

Another comprehensive plan meeting is set for Aug. 5 with the new advisory team. Buzan said there will be broad input from the community.

In addition, city leaders in late August will hold a community feedback session.

Buzan said the council plans to do things “a little more creative in how they get input from the community.”

No date has been set.

For more than five years, Samsung Austin Semiconductor college interns have volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club of East Williamson County.

During the week of July 13-17, about 100 Samsung college interns and 120 members of the club teamed up for two days of activities ranging from sports to STEM-based pursuits — science, technology, engineering and

math.

According to club director Gerald Walker, Samsung has been doing this “since they announced that Taylor would be a future chip-fabrication site.”

Samsung officials in November 2021 released news the company would be building a semiconductor plant in Taylor.

“Our club members enjoy making new friends and creating lifelong memories,” Walker said.

The activities took place in the game room and outdoors. The outside recreation included baseball, volleyball and gaga ball, a kind of dodgeball played in a walled pit.

“I usually do more STEM-based volunteering, but it’s just as meaningful to get outside, do these types of activities and enjoy being a kid, which are all an important part of growing up,” said Kaitlyn Yam, a Samsung intern. “I don’t know when the last time I played baseball was or if I’ve even played baseball.”

Walker said he is grateful for the club’s partnership with Samsung.

“In addition to the multiple donations, the fellowship and commitment to community service have been great for our club members,” Walker said.

The club is at 2500 North Drive.

The Samsung internships – which include pupils from Taylor High School – take place both at the South Korean company’s older Austin location and the newer site in Taylor.

The Halt Taylor Data Centers coalition filed the writ of mandamus Friday after the City Council July 9 said state law doesn’t allow zoning issues to go on the ballot of a popular election, such as the midterm in November.

The coalition had presented the city with a 1,400-signature petition asking the council to allow voters in November to decide on pausing local data center development and creating new zoning.

By law, the council sets measures to go on a ballot before an election, such as city charter amendments.

Instead, the city plans to collect public feedback and the council will decide whether to approve zoning ordinances for data centers and other digital businesses, possibly in September.

Halt Taylor Data Centers Coalition held a press conference Saturday morning at Fannie Robinson Park, 1009 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., to discuss asking for legal action to force the city to reverse its decision.

“We filed a writ of mandamus, so we’re going to have City Council do their job and either take action on the petition and put it on the ballot or accept it wholesale into the Land Development Code,” said Carrie D’Anna, a spokeswoman.

A writ of mandamus is a formal court order that orders a government agency to perform a legally required duty. It is often used to force a city to hold an election if the plaintiffs feel officials are not following the law.

“What our filing says is, it’s not their job to figure out whether or not it’s legal, but to initiate citizen legislation,” D’Anna said. “Either put it on the ballot, accept it or offer different wording to go on the ballot. It’s not their job to reject it.” According to Halt Taylor members, the petition further argues the council violated the City Charter when it placed the certified petition on the agenda but took no deliberation or vote.

The petition — submitted on June 11 and certified by the city on June 22 — would amend the Land Development Code to remove data centers from all existing zoning districts and prohibit any approvals unless and until a dedicated digital infrastructure zone is adopted.

“This is not about whether data centers belong in Taylor — it’s about whether our City Charter means what it says. We believe the charter required the council to act. They didn’t. Now we’re asking the courts to compel them to do their job and call an election as required by the Taylor City Charter,” said Jose Orta, a Taylor resident and coalition member.

Following the press conference, Halt Taylor members conducted an information session.

“We also want people to get involved and learn Land Development Code works and get more educated about what data centers are and where they’re coming into our city,” D’Anna said.

The controversy has been sparked by the group’s opposition to the planned Blueprint Projects Data Center set for Taylor’s southeast side. Critics say the 87-acre tract was meant to be parkland, but last year a state district judge in Georgetown ruled the project could continue after a lawsuit was filed.

In a taped statement released Friday morning, Mayor Jim Buzan said city officials are listening to constituents.

“The reason that’s important is because all of the zoning ordinances that the petition wanted to see will be embedded into the next revision and comp plan. It is vitally important that we get this right,” he said.

The council during its meeting Thursday, July 23, is scheduled to discuss the legal action in executive session.

“

“It’s not their job to figure out whether or not it’s legal.”

— Carrie D’Anna, Halt Taylor Data Centers

HUTTO — Voters on Nov. 3 will decide the fate of the city’s proposed $42 million Justice Center, which is planned to include new digs for the Police Department.

The City Council is scheduled to formally call for a bond to be placed on the midterm election ballot at its Aug. 6 meeting, when it will also determine the amount.

In other news from the July 17 council session, city leaders learned fees for utilities are increasing.

Meanwhile, the city’s new Justice Center project has been pared down from the original $75 million design to about $44 million. With an estimated tax impact of $45 per year on a $100,000 home, Hutto is giving residents the opportunity to decide whether they support the development by putting it to a vote in the November election.

“We have scrutinized, in my mind, every single cost short of, ‘We don’t build a police station,’ and I don’t think that’s possible to not build a police station,” said Mayor Mike Snyder.

According to Snyder, the facility is needed to retain officers, improve morale and maintain the city’s safety ranking.

When the Police Department moved into its building at 401 Front St. in 2002, the force consisted of eight staff members serving a population of just over 4,000 people. That building also housed City Hall and the council chambers.

Today, the department serves a community of more than 46,000 residents with a staff of 70 in that same building.

The U.S. census this year noted Hutto is the 13thfastest growing city in the country, according to local officials.

The current police station is 11,000 square feet. The new justice center is designed with a 45,360 square-foot main building and a 7,000 square-foot police asset building.

It will be on a 16-acre site south of Limmer Loop and west of CR 132.

Jessica Molter of PBK Architects said the size should meet the city’s needs as it grows over the next decade, and the building’s location will allow room for future expansion. She added the building cost was trimmed from the original estimates by consolidating or eliminating some of the public-facing spaces.

“The idea was to try to build for at least a 10-year outlook. Cutting further from that point ... you’d probably be looking at adding on or expanding this facility sooner rather than later,” Molter said.

The new facility will include space for Hutto to operate its own 911 emergency dispatch center. The city currently pays Williamson County $1.3 million annually to operate its dispatch services.

Snyder directed municipal staffers to determine whether the city could become certified to operate its own dispatch service and what that would entail.

“The only thing worse than paying a million for it is doing it yourself and paying more than a million for it,” the mayor said.

Also at its July 17 meeting, the council approved a $35,000 contract with Core Construction Services of Texas as the construction manager at risk on the project.

The CMAR oversees the project from pre-construction to the finish, helps establish a guaranteed maximum price for the project and is responsible for ensuring that subcontractors and other parties stay on budget and on schedule.

The city has created a tax calculator on its website so property owners can determine the increase in their property taxes if a bond passes in November election.

The estimated increase is $3.82 per month for a home appraised at $100,000.The tax calculator is available at https://tx-hutto2.civicplus. com/868/Proposed-Justice-Center- Bond.

Utility fees set to rise

The cost of skipping utility payments is going up, meaning water and wastewater service fees are increasing, the council heard.

Hutto Controller Christina Bishop told members on the dais the amount required for customer deposits is not adequate to protect the city’s costs if a customer doesn’t pay his or her bills.

“If someone has an average payment history and they miss a payment, we want their deposit to cover at least one month of the average bill,” she said. “Poor history, we require two months of an average bill. This is just to encourage making your payments timely.”

She added the increases will more adequately compensate for staff time to perform connections, reconnections and administrative work.

Deposits are refunded to customers after one year of on-time payment of their water and wastewater bills.

The city is also raising fees on after-hours services, water meters, temporary water-meter installation and other services.

“

“The idea was to try to build for at least a 10-year outlook.”

— Jessica Molter of PBK Architects

County commissioners this past week named veteran finance professional Catherine Totty as the new Williamson County tax-assessor collector after Larry Gaddes stepped down.

The Williamson County Commissioners Court approved Totty’s appointment during its July 14 meeting. Her first day on the job will be Tuesday, July 21, after she is sworn in during the commissioners’ meeting.

“I am deeply honored by the confidence the Commissioners Court has placed in me,” Totty said in a prepared release. “I look forward to serving Williamson County residents with integrity, transparency and a commitment to exceptional customer service while building on the strong foundation (Gaddes) and the outstanding team in the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office established.”

Gaddes resigned June 12 after serving 16 years in Williamson County to accept the position of deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

Meanwhile, officials said Totty brings more than 25 years of experience in banking, lending and financial services experience to her new role, including reviewing property tax assessments, tax certificates and escrow requirements.

She also serves as a continuing education instructor for Texas Realtors, teaching courses related to lending, property taxes and real estate transactions.

“Catherine Totty’s strong financial background and leadership experience make her well prepared to take on this responsibility,” said County Judge Steve Snell. “We are confident she will provide steady leadership and continue delivering dependable service to Williamson County residents.”

A Taylor treasure and pioneering Black educator who taught thousands of students from segregation through modern times recently celebrated a historic milestone surrounded by friends and fans alike.

Lessie Givens turned 100 years old and was honored July 9 during a celebration at SPJST Senior Living Community that included more than 60 former pupils, relatives, politicians, fellow parishioners and friends.

Givens said the birthday was a blessing.

“It feels great to be 100,” Givens said. “The Lord helped me make it there. I am the oldest in my family.”

Many of the attendees praised Givens for the positive impact she had on their lives.

“I can remember you using Popsicle sticks to teach us math and 10 cents for each page of cursive writing and an extra nickel if we put it in a bank for our trip right before the end of the year,” said former student and longtime friend Leslie Hill, who organized the gathering with her husband, Don Hill, and two daughters, Kim Hill and Regina Hill. “Your biggest gift to us has been your time. Whether teaching us to fish, helping with homework, or just listening to our problems, you’ve always made us feel important and loved.”

Givens, who was born on July 9, 1926, in Bryan, was the valedictorian of her high school, and received a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in elementary education from Prairie View A&M University.

For more than 37 years, Givens served as an educator. She started her career teaching the first grade in Sulphur Springs for a year before taking a job as a second grade instructor at O.L. Price, the all-Black school in Taylor. She taught there from 1950 until 1965 under segregation.

After integration, Givens worked at many other schools until 1988, including Southside Elementary and Northside elementary schools, and St. Mary’s Catholic School, Don Hill said.

At the centennial celebration, several family members, including great-niece Tamisha Donald-Prescott, arrived from as far away as California and other parts of Texas, to pay honor to their beloved relative.

“You have been an amazing great-aunt,” Donald-Prescott said. “You’re always so loving.”

She added she recently brought Givens to H-E-B and could not find a person there who didn’t stop and share stories about the help Givens had given them.

“You have impacted so many in Taylor,” Donald-Prescott said.

Givens is credited by community members with many notable achievements and contributions, including serving for 18 years as the president of the Welfare Workers Club, a health and civic-minded organization founded in 1935 by Givens’ friend, Magnolia P. Dickey, the wife of renowned African American physician Dr. James L. Dickey.

Givens was also the first African American certified bilingual educator at Southside and Northside schools and served as the executive secretary for the Central Texas District Teachers Association. In the 1990s, Givens was an election clerk and was appointed by then-Mayor Don Hill to the Building Standards Committee.

In 2016, a neighborhood center she had previously managed was named the Dickey-Givens Community Center in her honor. This year, Givens was also selected to serve as the grand marshal for the Juneteenth Parade.

Jason Hennington, the former editor and publisher of The Taylor Press, said afterwards it was very important to him to attend Givens’ birthday.

“Mrs. Givens has always been an inspiration,” said Hennington, a former fellow parishioner of The First Baptist Church of Taylor. “Growing up, she was very encouraging and was always pushing me to do my best. Although I never had her as a teacher in the classroom, she has been someone who helped me learn life lessons. Every time she had the opportunity, she said, ‘I’m so proud of you.’ There was no way I was missing her 100th birthday.”

Judy Schroeder, who worked with Givens for many years, said it was wonderful to see so many people at the party honor her colleague.

“She was such an influence on my life as a teacher,” she said. “More than anything, I want her to know that.”

Though Givens is no longer teaching, she still has this advice for today’s youth: “Always do your best,” she said. “Trust in the Lord for everything. If you are not happy, turn it over to the Lord, do your best and you will be rewarded.”

Two separate resident-led petitions have a core value in common — both are aimed at making Taylor city government more responsive to the will of the people.

Seen as case studies in local activism, one petition seeks to have the City Council put an amendment to the City Charter on the Nov. 3 ballot allowing residents the ability to recall their elected officials.

The other pushes for controls on the development of data centers.

The former is being organized; the latter already gathered 1,400 signatures and went before the council.

While the recall petition is not associated with the data center fight, people who were unhappy with the city’s response to the data center petition may well decide that having the ability to recall an elected official is an option that should be available to voters.

Recall petition

The petition to put the power to recall municipal politicians into Taylor’s City Charter resulted from discussions held during Charter Review Commission meetings March through June.

Commission Vice Chairman Gary Gola introduced the issue of recall provisions as a possible City Charter amendment to be placed on the November general election ballot.

The item did not make the seven recommendations going to the council, failing by one vote, so supporters are now organizing a grassroots effort to ask city leaders to place it before voters.

“A recall is just another tool citizens can utilize if they find out someone they elected isn’t who they thought they would be,” Gola said.

He led a successful petition drive in 2024 to amend the City Charter to set council compensation, rather than allow council members to establish it themselves through an ordinance.

Bob Cornelius, who is organizing the group behind the petition, said the idea is one people have wanted to see enacted for several years.

He added many people assume recalling elected officials is an option in Taylor.

“I’ve talked to people around the city who didn’t know we didn’t have that ability. Let’s find out whether the citizens really want it or if it’s just something that comes up once in a while. Do you want to have an avenue to remove a council member or a mayor, should that issue arise?” Cornelius said.

The recall provision was debated twice during Charter Review Commission meetings, and ultimately was turned down in a 5-4 vote, so it was not among the potential charter amendments the commission presented to the council at the June 11 and July 9 meetings.

Gola made a separate plea to the council during its June meeting, asking to add the power of recall to the charter.

Council members are not required to follow the commission’s recommendations and can add or remove amendments at will before deciding what goes on the November ballot.

The representatives on the dais have so far chosen not to include recall powers to the list of proposed charter amendments that voters will see in November.

John McDonald, commission chairman, said concerns surfaced about frivolous recalls and about the potential to dismiss most of a sitting council, leaving the city unable to conduct official business without a quorum.

According to the Texas Municipal League, as of 2011, 90% of home-rule cities such as Taylor have recall provisions in their charters.

Cornelius said his group is currently working on making the petition easily accessible to the public for signing.

Data center petition HALT Taylor Data Center Coalition’s petition, submitted to City Council in June, was not aimed at recalling the council members who voted to support data centers with millions of dollars in incentives.

The coalition was instead petitioning the city to add language to the land development code that would halt any data center projects until the city creates a dedicated digital infrastructure zoning district.

Petitioners said such a measure would protect established residential neighborhoods and minimize infrastructure and environmental impacts.

The city clerk verified the 1,400 signatures.

In general, that number of signatures — representing more than 10% of registered Taylor voters — means the measure is required to be added to the November ballot.

But there is a catch. Consultations with legal experts revealed Texas law does not allow cities to enact or change zoning through a popular vote.

Instead, city leaders say they are collecting public feedback on the issue and could vote on a local ordinance much sooner than Nov. 3, likely in September.

HALT organizers said the coalition has not finished fighting and is currently regrouping and looking at options.

The dispute arises from the planned construction of the Blueprint Projects Data Center on Taylor’s South Side. Neighbors contend the land was meant for a park, not an industrial site.

While the recall charter petition is unrelated to the data center petition, the ability to recall a politician is a tool used in the fight against data centers.

A July 8 story by Newsweek reported that so far this year, more than 50 local officials across seven states have faced recall petitions as a result of data center decision- making, including a current recall effort in Augusta Township near Ann Arbor, Michigan, to recall all seven of the township’s elected officials.

GEORGETOWN — Rain didn’t stop officials from celebrating the debut of the Williamson County Administration building with a ribbon cutting, though the ceremony moved inside the new county commissioners’ chambers.

During the court session held immediately after the July 14 event, commissioners approved $800,000 in donations from the Williamson County Community Funds to four area nonprofits.

Former County Judge Bill Gravell offered the invocation at the beginning of the festivities at 1848 Texas Trail. State and county leaders in attendance included state Rep. Caroline Harris Davila, Sheriff Matt Lindemann and Precinct 4 Constable Paul Leal.

Brandon Simon, regional director for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, presented County Judge Steven Snell with a certificate and a folded flag.

“On behalf of (Cruz), we wanted to congratulate you on this momentous occasion,” Simon said. “This wonderful building will not only be a home for service but for community in Williamson County.”

Outside the chamber doors, booths from county departments, such as the Sheriff’s Office and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, were set up on both floors. Attendees who visited every booth were entered into a drawing to win prizes.

While the fun lasted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Williamson County Commissioners Court held its first session in the new digs at the regular time of 9:30 a.m.

Commissioners voted to donate $200,000 each to the Hope House Academy, Operation Liberty Hill, Central Texas Table of Grace and Hill Country Community Ministries.

The money comes from the WCCF recreation funds.

The WCCF was established by the commissioners many years ago and is a nonprofit organization overseen by a board.

“These are not taxpayers’ dollars that are going into this (fund). This is from the tipping fees at the (Williamson County) landfill (in Hutto),” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long.

Some of the past projects or organizations benefiting from the WCCF are the Jonah Community Center, the Dickey-Givens Museum in Taylor, the Coupland Civic Organization, and the cities of Taylor and Hutto.

WCCF was created to support charities that benefit children, education, animal welfare and military veterans, sponsors said.

Also during the session, Snell announced Catherine Totty as the new county tax assessor-collector after Larry Gaddes resigned last month to take a state job.

Commissioners thanked all those who applied for the position.

“It was a tough decision because of the quality of candidates that we had,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said.

Totty will be sworn in and begin her new role Tuesday, July 21.

The next commissioners court is 9:30 a.m. that day in the Williamson County Administration building.

Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx. gov/331/Commissioners-Court.

During a City Council meeting to discuss a resident led petition asking for zoning changes to data center development, a prepared statement outlining the city’s postponement of a decision was released before the meeting was concluded.

Traditionally such releases are made after the gavel has dropped, all discussions have concluded and members of the public have had a chance to air their views — not before or while the meeting is going on.

Officials during the Thursday, July 9, session said state law prohibited changing zoning through a popular vote such as the Nov. 3 election and the matter would instead be considered only by the council, not the voters, in September.

City Manager Brian LaBorde offered an online mea culpa to the public July 10 about the “untimely online announcement.” “Announcing the decision online shortly after the start of last night’s meeting at which many community members had turned out to speak was an error that we deeply regret,” LaBorde stated. “Our goal was to present our findings at the meeting, share how we would incorporate the petition into proposed regulations, and distribute it to the rest of the community following the meeting. Again, our council had no prior knowledge of the timing.”

Many residents in Thursday’s overf low crowd were upset or angered when they learned the post stating the same information was released before the meeting finished and the public had a chance to speak.

“On behalf of the city of Taylor, I would like to sincerely apologize for the untimely online announcement last night in regard to the citizenled petition relating to data centers,” LaBorde said in the online “beg pardon.”

He added, “Please know our City Council had no prior knowledge that this announcement would be published at that time.”

The petition, which was launched by the advocacy group HALT Taylor Data Centers, received more than 1,400 signatures – all of which were certified by Williamson County officials.

LaBorde said the city’s legal team and outside counsel determined the measure “cannot be adopted through the initiative process or placed on the (Nov. 3 general election) ballot.”

According to elected officials, Taylor is planning changes to its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to address digital businesses including data centers.

The proposed amendments would create new requirements for such uses, including environmental protection, performance and compatibility measures to protect neighborhoods, noise mitigation, air quality and water conservation.

The draft regulations can be viewed and commented on at https://fni. mysocialpinpoint. com/taylor- comprehensiveplan- and-ldc.

Public comments will be accepted through July and the council will take up the matter in September.

“We encourage all residents concerned about data centers to participate in this process, which provides opportunities for written feedback as well as hearings,” LaBorde said. “Additionally, we are currently working to schedule and coordinate a community meeting in the coming weeks to continue this important discussion and explain more about the constraints that all Texas cities face in dealing with this pressing issue.”

Residents pushing for the right to hold a recall vote are planning on a petition drive, though the City Council has yet to voice any support for putting the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot.

That was the latest take on the contentious issue following the July 9 council meeting when members on the dais received the finalized list of seven recommended amendments for a city charter election.

Also during the meeting, in addition to seeking public feedback and a possible vote in September on limiting data-center growth, council members discussed safer striping for downtown parking and a $34 million water grant.

Meanwhile, the council decides which amendments actually make it to the ballot for the general election. One issue still not on the list: Giving the public the power at the ballot box to recall council members.

Some residents are now initiating a petition drive to add a recall measure to Taylor’s city charter. The group is working on making the petition available for the public to download and sign.

The council took no action on the item, but a public hearing on the amendments will be held before the final vote to add recommendations to the November ballot.

The seven recommendations before the council include establishing term limits for officeholders and improving public notification before voting on previously codenamed developments.

The Charter Review Commission discussed the recall topic twice, but proponents could not get majority approval and it was not included on the final list of suggested changes.

“From my perspective, it was a healthy discussion,” said Charles Zech, an attorney with Denton Navarro Rodriguez Bernal Santee & Zech who advised the commission.

“Ultimately, it was a split vote to not recommend placing recall on the ballot.”

The commissioners’ vote failed 5-4, though one member later stated he was confused about what he was voting against and would have changed it to a “for” vote, potentially causing it to pass.

John McDonald, who chaired the commission, said there were concerns about frivolous recalls and about the potential to recall a majority of a sitting council, leaving the city unable to conduct official business until new members were elected.

According to the Texas Municipal League, as of 2011, 90% of home-rule cities such as Taylor have recall provisions in their charters.

Street work on Second

The city is also looking at changing parking spaces along a busy downtown corridor.

The repaving of West Second Street this month will give the city the option to revise how parking spots are designated along the street by striping them at a different angle. The city also could potentially relocate handicapaccessible spaces to provide a buffer from the intersections at Main and Vance streets.

Jacob Walker of HDR told the council changing the angle of the parking slots by as little as 5 degrees can have an effect.

“A regular crew cab F-150 long-bed (Ford truck) can back up and stay in the lane, barely. A delivery truck or an extra-long heavy-duty truck, when it backs up out of these spots, their envelope does cross over the double yellow, barely. That’s the current configuration,” Walker said.

The engineer said a computer program can determine the safest angle for the parking lines by modeling the dimensions of current vehicles. Walker also suggested widening the parking spaces from 8.5 feet to 9 feet wide.

Another recommendation was to remove the two parking spaces closest to Main Street alongside the Second Street Station restaurant. The spaces are close enough to the intersection to cause potential impacts when people turn from Main onto Second Street.

Walker said Police Department records show there have been only three reported vehicle collisions on West Second in the last five years.

Council members remarked on the low number of collisions, noting the number does not reflect the real hazard of parking along that road, mainly the limited visibility when backing into Second Street traffic.

Taylor applies for water grant

A $34 million infrastructure project could become less painful for local taxpayers if the city receives a $21 million grant from the Texas Water Development Board, the council heard.

The government agency has $1 billion available for onetime, 100%-funded Water Supply and Infrastructure Grants.

Taylor can apply for a maximum amount of $21 million, according to Assistant City Manager Tyler Bybee.

The council approved $25,000 for HDR engineering firm to prepare all the necessary items to apply for the grant.

Bybee told the council the application will help fund the FM 619 water line project, a vital piece in the city’s water supply infrastructure.

“It is our secondary line. It opens up development to the east. It fixes many, many problems with pressure and is vital to what we do in the future. Can’t stress the importance of that line,” Bybee said.

The project is a large water transmission main line with a dedicated supply from the Brazos River Authority plant. If approved, the grant would allow the city to proceed with full design and acquisition, with some funds possibly left over for construction.

According to city documents, Taylor’s existing water infrastructure cannot provide the supply needed to support projected development on the city’s southeast side. That area is served by a series of small pipes with no redundancy.

A recently completed water supply study recommended the enhanced FM 619 water transmission line, and it is being included in the city’s water and wastewater master plan.

“ “Ultimately, it was a split vote to not recommend placing recall on the ballot.”

— Charlie Zech

Taylor council members say despite a resident-led movement to put datacenter regulations before voters Nov. 3, state law ties their hands and means a push instead for a local ordinance subject to city approval.

Officials plan to allow public comment in July, followed by a City Council vote on a possible zoning change in September.

The reaction from many of those packing City Hall Thursday, July 9, to hear the council’s decision?

Anger and disappointment, with several indicating the council merely found a state loophole to prohibit rezoning based on a popular vote decided by the people.

A coalition known as HALT Taylor Data Centers a few weeks earlier presented the council with a petition containing 1,400 signatures asking the city to support tighter zoning controls on the development of data centers, including putting the matter to a vote in November.

The agenda item before the council last week was an ordinance to amend the city’s land development code to remove and prohibit data centers in all existing zoning districts.

“I’m angry,” Carrie D’Anna told council members while speaking during a public forum. “I know you told us before we started speaking to be civil, but I’m angry.”

D’Anna, who supported the amendment, helped found HALT Taylor Data Centers.

“HALT is a group of citizens that have come together to ask the city to create zoning regulations around data centers,” D’Anna said.

“We want to bring everything to a halt so we can have a conversation about what we need as Taylor continues to grow.”

D’Anna and members of her group are asking the city to put a pause on data center construction in Taylor.

According to a city release, the petition signatures were certified by Williamson County officials, but a consultation with “outside legal counsel” made clear state law “does not allow a city to enact or change its zoning by popular vote.”

Much of the public chagrin over data-center development sprang from plans proposed by the Blueprint Projects Data Center for Taylor’s South Side on land neighbors have argued was intended for a park.

City seeks cooperation

City leaders said they want to work with residents.

“We have heard the concerns raised by members of our community, and I want to be clear that this is a determination about the legal process available to the city, not a judgment on those concerns,” said Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Cmerek. “Texas law does not allow zoning to be enacted or changed by popular vote, so the council cannot place this measure on the ballot. But the concerns behind the petition are exactly what we are working to address through our Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code.”

Cmerek urged those who “invested time and energy” in the petition drive “to stay involved as we develop these new regulations.”

The council member added, “The input we have received is shaping how we protect our neighborhoods, and we want that work to continue.”

Prior to the start of the meeting, D’Anna expressed concerns about data centers in general.

“The main concern is how data centers affect people and land,” she said. “The scale and speed in which they are moving into neighborhoods in the city are quite alarming. We’re looking for land and human centered zoning. We want a guideline and structure around these decisions.”

According to elected officials, Taylor is looking at amending its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code and wants to address not only data centers but all digital infrastructure.

The proposed amendments would create new requirements for such uses, including environmental protection, performance and compatibility measures to protect neighborhoods, noise mitigation, air quality and water conservation.

The draft regulations are now available on the city’s website for public feedback and comment at https:// fni.mysocialpinpoint.com/ taylor- comprehensive- planand- ldc.

Public comments will be accepted through July. Taylor anticipates an ordinance coming before the council in September for approval, following the public input and required notifications.

Pros and cons

Critics of data centers say they worry about noise, water consumption and drains on the electrical grid from a data center. Proponents note data centers are needed for artificial intelligence, banking, communications, and military and national security.

Supporters also say while data centers do not employ a large workforce, they create temporary construction jobs and pump millions in tax revenue into schools, hospitals and other entities, In another matter regarding data centers, Gov. Greg Abbott called for a ban on data centers in rural neighborhoods June 30.

Abbott also called for the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to take action to ensure data centers lower residents’ energy bills and foot their own bill for electric infrastructure.

Data center advocates note many facilities are using water-conserving closed loop systems and building their own power plants, while also giving the U.S. parity against foreign enemies in the race to control the digital frontier.

“

“We want to bring everything to a halt so we can have a conversation about what we need as Taylor continues to grow.”

— Carrie D’Anna, HALT Taylor Data Centers

GEORGETOWN — The Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center expansion project celebrated a milestone Friday in a topping-out ceremony as employees signed a beam that will be raised to the center’s highest point.

The $90 million renovation of the building at 200 Wilco Way will add 48 new beds, an associated learning and exercise area, a regional courtroom focused on family services, a new dedicated control room, and a larger intake and release area, according to officials.

Existing spaces will also be reorganized to create additional visitation, counseling and administrative areas.

An anticipated completion date for the project is early 2027.

“We are all getting very excited to see the completion of the first phase of this addition coming together, and we are anticipating early 2027 for a ribbon cutting,” said Williamson County Juvenile Services Executive Director Scott Matthew in a prepared release.

“I would like to thank our (county) commissioners and the juvenile board of judges for making this addition and renovation a reality and investing in Williamson County’s youth and families,” Matthew added.

He also thanked BLGY Inc. architects and SpawGlass Contractors Inc. for their collaboration on the renovation.

In addition to addressing growth, the expansion project aims to create a facility that reduces repeat offenses by treating the juvenile offender rather than focusing on the crime, officials said.

“This center is about giving young people the support and opportunities they need to move forward while helping Williamson County serve its families for decades to come,” said Austin region SpawGlass President David Paden.

Editor’s note: The debate in Hutto over establishing a cityowned Fire Department near the Hutto Megasite, spurred in part by area growth including new neighborhoods, is picking up speed. City leaders argue that taxes supporting the county-based Emergency Services District 3 should be flowing into city coffers instead. Proponents of the ESD, however, note the agency has provided reliable service to the area for a quarter of a century and question why the city should spend money, time and resources on a Fire Department when one already exists.

HUTTO — A plan by city leaders to phase out reliance on Williamson County Emergency Services District 3 and transition to a city-owned Fire Department is sparking plenty of debate on both sides of the issue.

ESD 3, one of 12 in Williamson County, has operated in the city for more than 25 years.

It’s also known as Hutto Fire Rescue.

Meanwhile, the public first heard of the city initiative in May, and the City Council has already approved a land purchase, engineering, survey and design contract for what is being called Hutto Fire Station 1.

Mayor Mike Snyder has said he hopes construction can begin this fall.

The proposed site is near the Hutto Megasite south of U.S. 79 and CR 132 and would ideally serve the area around Cottonwood Properties.

The Taylor Press asked Snyder, ESD Fire Chief Scott Kerwood and community activist Daniel Arenas to address some pressing questions being discussed on social media about the project.

Taylor Press: What would be the financial realities of Hutto transitioning from ESD 3 to a city-run fire department?

Snyder: The financial realities are that the city of Hutto will be able to grow as a city in a manner that allows property taxes to continue to decrease while we earn more sales taxes. The city of Hutto invests tens of millions in infrastructure and the return on those investments in a diversified tax stream by adding sales taxes.

As areas transition from ESD to Hutto, the property tax rate drops by (10 cents). The city will start earning 100% of the sales taxes in areas that are run by the city.

Kerwood: To date, WCESD #3 has not received a formal proposal from the city of Hutto detailing how a city-operated fire department would be staffed, funded, implemented or integrated with current ESD operations. For that reason, it would not be responsible for the district to speculate on hypothetical service models, financial impacts, tax authority, staffing changes or potential outcomes of a plan that has not been formally presented to us. Every tax dollar allocated to WCESD #3 supports public safety, including staffing, training, equipment, facilities, prevention, planning and emergency-response capabilities that protect lives and property. As Hutto grows, our responsibility is to plan for that growth while maintaining service continuity and using taxpayer resources responsibly.

Taylor Press: Several scenarios have been mentioned regarding how the city and ESD can work together to ensure the residents of Hutto remain safe. How do you see it working to guarantee a continuity of safety for residents?

Snyder: In each scenario, the public will never receive less than they do now in terms of fire coverage. An analysis will be done when Station 1 opens up, and that data will show the coverage area of Station 1 as 'the same or better' in terms of service.

What we hope for the taxpayers of Hutto is a strong relationship with ESD 3 where we all work together to ensure our taxpayers are covered in a responsible manner.

Kerwood: What we can say with certainty is that Hutto Fire Rescue continues operating as normal. Our firefighters and staff remain focused on providing excellent emergency services to the Hutto community every day. WCESD #3 has a long history of working with local governmental and public safety partners, and that commitment has not changed. If the city provides a formal proposal, the district will review it carefully and in good faith through the appropriate public process.

Until then, our priority remains exactly where it belongs: Serving the community and ensuring residents continue receiving the high level of emergency service they expect.

Taylor Press: What do you see as the biggest risks or benefits of this plan?

Snyder: I don't see risks as the city of Hutto will only be able to provide coverage that 'meets or exceeds' what is currently being provided. The biggest benefit is that Hutto will no longer have the continual fight with the board of the ESD regarding sharing sales taxes.

The city is unable to plan for the future when a sales-tax sharing agreement can be rescinded.

This already occurred in 2023. That was a wake-up call. We knew then that we cannot hire additional staff, borrow money or make other long-term commitments with regards to future sales-tax money that we may receive. When the fire chief sent us the letter rescinding our sales-tax agreements, we started having conversations then on how to make the future of Hutto be more stable and reliable.

Taylor Press: Since ESD 3 has not received a formal plan and Kerwood could not comment on the previous question, community activist Daniel Arenas was asked for his views on potential risks and benefits.

Arenas is the creator of HuttoTransparency. org and has been a gobetween working to get answers from the city for questions brought up by other residents and community leaders.

Arenas: The risk a city-owned fire department represents to Hutto taxpayers cannot be evaluated on opinions and good intentions. It must be evaluated on verified data. If this will save citizens money, the biggest risk to Hutto residents is moving forward without proving the math. Before anyone can support this, there are basic questions that remain unanswered: 1) Is there an independent feasibility study? 2) Is there a financial impact study showing that benefit?

One point all parties agree on is that ESD 3 provides an “excellent level of service,” as evidenced by attaining the highest rating available from the Insurance Services Office.

Critics of the city's fire station say it will be a hard bar for the city's proposed fire department to beat, and the ESD must agree the city can provide equal or better services before ceding its responsibilities to Hutto.

Officials said if Hutto and the ESD cannot come to terms, arbitration is a possibility.