Changes to the way the Hays County Commissioners Court agenda is posted will be up for discussion this morning at the commissioners’ meeting.
On March 12, the commissioners discussed early publication of draft agendas before court meetings. The commissioners directed the county’s general counsel to come up with amended guidelines for agenda postings. The new guidelines the commissioners will discuss today include posting the first draft agenda two Mondays prior to the commissioners court meeting, with a second draft published on the Thursday morning prior to the meeting. Drafts will have a dedicated page on the Hays County website. Once the final agenda has been published, the draft agendas will be archived. Emergency posting of agenda items and executive session agenda items will need review by the general counsel and authorized by the county judge or three commissioners.
The last time the commissioners’ agenda guidelines were amended was in 2007.
The commissioners will also review and approve the county’s preliminary budget calendar for Fiscal Year 2020. The proposed calendar begins on April 2 with budget notifications being sent to all departments. The first budget workshop would be held Aug. 2 with a second on Aug. 13. A vote on the proposed tax rate and proposed budget would be held Aug. 20, with public hearings on the tax rate (if needed) slated for Sept. 3 and Sept. 10 and a public hearing on the 2020 budget slated for Sept. 17. The county would adopt the budget after making final changes, set the tax rate and levy taxes on Sept. 17 and file the final budget with the county clerk on Sept. 30.
In other business this morning, the commissioners will consider items related to several road projects. The court will consider a professional services agreement with CP&Y Inc. for corridor preservation study services along State Highway 21 from State Highway 80 in San Marcos to U.S. Highway 183. The study is part of the SH 21 Corridor Improvements Project and will include traffic studies, public involvement, mapping, surveying, drainage studies and environmental services. The commissioners will also consider an advance funding agreement between Hays County and the Texas Department of Transportation related to the SH 123/Farm to Market Road 110 project. The agreement is required for the project to receive federal construction funding. The commissioners are also set to consider selecting Pape-Dawson to perform a feasibility study for road improvements and the relocation of utilities on Centerpoint Road in Precinct 1.
The Hays County Commissioners Court will meet at 9 a.m. on the third floor of the Hays County Courthouse, 111 San Antonio St. Meetings are also streamed live at https://bit.ly/2svTGVY.
