Pflugerville - Hutto Edition | March 2026

Government

BY GRACE DICKENS & MANUEL HOLGUIN JR.

Pugerville city manager retires

Hutto creates downtown incentives program The Hutto City Council has approved a new incentive program aimed at encouraging rein- vestment and revitalization in the city’s historic

Downtown incentive program area

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Pugerville City Manager Sereniah Breland announced her retirement Feb. 24 during a City Council meeting. What happened Council approved a voluntary exit agreement that will keep her in the role through July 1, after which she will serve in an advisory capacity through the end of the year. More details about the transition will be discussed at future meetings.

downtown district. Two-minute impact

Council members voted Feb. 19 to adopt the ini- tiative, which city ocials said is intended to help business owners and property owners improve aging buildings, preserve historic structures and spur additional activity in the area. The program was crafted with input from the Downtown Hutto Business Association, whose members have advocated for policies that bal- ance economic growth with preservation of the district’s character. City sta worked alongside local stakeholders to design what ocials described as a more accessi- ble and streamlined process for applicants. Under the program, eligible participants may receive assistance for facade upgrades, structural repairs and restoration eorts. Seven candidates le for Hutto City Council Multiple candidates led to run for two Hutto City Council seats that will appear on the May ballot. Place 1 and Place 4 on City Council will be

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The incentives also include potential reimburse- ments for certain development and permitting fees, as well as tax-based tools intended to oset reinvestment costs over time. “These incentives reect the city of Hutto’s commitment to revitalizing its historic downtown, the heart of the community,” said Gracie Mat- thews, a representative of the Downtown Hutto Business Association.

"This decision is not about leaving something behind. It’s about recognizing that this chapter, the one that we created together, is complete and it’s strong." SERENIAH BRELAND, PFLUGERVILLE CITY MANAGER

Central Texas re departments, Pugerville FD adopt AI-driven tool to monitor area wildres

A new articial intelligence-driven tool adopted by four Central Texas re departments could improve how ocials prepare for and respond to

wildre threats. Diving in deeper

up for election May 2. Meet the candidates Five candidates led for Place 1: • Jerrel W. Reynolds • Sarosh Jafri • Brandy McCool

Known as the Mitigate platform, the new tool has been adopted by Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Pugerville Fire Department, Westlake Fire Department and Travis County Fire Rescue. Developed by re science company FiSci, Mitigate combines data on vegetation, weather and topography to simulate how wildre could spread, according to a news release. Mitigate uses proprietary AI and predictive analytics to produce maps highlighting risk areas, how fast res could spread and more. “Central Texas is a patchwork of grasslands, wooded corridors, and dense neighborhoods. Each of those environments reacts dierently to re,” said Ken Bailey, Travis County Fire Rescue re chief, in the news release. “This modeling helps

• Suzana Beni (Beni’s candidacy remains subject to voter registration verication) • Luiz Dunham Two candidates led for Place 4: • Brandon DeLeon • Corina Zepeda To vote, residents must be registered at least 30 days before the election.

A prescribed burn led by Travis County re crews earlier this year was meant to reduce wildre danger.

HALEY MCLEODCOMMUNITY IMPACT

us see those dierences clearly and plan around them, well before smoke is in the air.” The platform also allows agencies to test re mitigation in a virtual environment, and has been used in evacuation planning for communities with narrow roads or limited exits.

PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION