CITY & COUNTY
News from Cedar Park, Leander & Williamson County
HIGHLIGHTS LEANDER City Council approved expanded organization duties and a name change for the Leander Public Arts and Culture Commission on Jan. 5. Previously the Public Art Commission, the organization’s board proposed a name change because it reects the organization’s expanded focus on other art forms and its role in cultural community events, including MLK Day, Juneteenth, Diwali and Cinco de Mayo. Cedar Park City Council will meet Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at 450 Cypress Creek Road, Bldg. 4, Cedar Park. 512-401-5000. www.cedarparktexas.gov Leander City Council will meet Feb. 16 and March 2 at 6 p.m. at 201 N. Brushy St., Leander. 512-528-2743. www.leandertx.gov Travis County Commissioners Court will meet Feb. 28 and March 7 at 9 a.m. at 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-4722. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court will meet Feb. 14, 21, 28 and March 7 at 9:30 a.m. at 710 S. Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER
Montessori school seeks expansion along RM 620 BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON EXPANDING BUSINESS, Anderson Mill to 183A Toll. City ocials said they cannot
Council grants the removal of trees at future substation site BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON LEANDER Four heritage trees were approved for removal at the future Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. substation site Jan. 19. Heritage trees are trees the city seeks to preserve to the greatest extent possible, according to past Leander City Council documents. Because of the construction of the electric substation and accompanying detention facility, PEC requested the trees be removed. The substation is being built to meet growing power demands in Leander.
County to begin inmate competency restoration program
WilCo raises ocer salaries to highest in area
COMPARING STARTING SALARIES Williamson County raised the starting salary for corrections ocers to the highest level in the region, surpassing those of Travis and Hays counties. The new salaries are eective as of Feb. 3.
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
CEDAR PARK City Council gave nal approval to a proposal to expand Austin Children’s Academy, granting a special-use permit for an adjacent building of the school Jan. 26. Sam Gupta, the Montessori school’s founder and CEO, discussed his desire to expand classrooms and day care to a second building he owns at 12308 N. RM 620. Gupta and four supporters of the project spoke to Cedar Park City Council on Jan. 12. Located at the northeast corner of North RM 620 and Blue Ridge Drive, the property is 0.57 acres, and the existing 3,500-square-foot build- ing’s uses include oce, retail and personal services. The main school building is at 12310 N. RM 620. Although the permit was approved by council, the academy’s expansion could be aected by the Texas Department of Transporta- tion’s plans to widen RM 620 from
WILLIAMSON COUNTY Commissioners approved pay scale increases for sheri’s oce personnel Jan. 24, raising wages to the highest starting salary for corrections ocers in the region. County Judge Bill Gravell called it the most signicant pay increase for law enforcement and corrections ocers in the county’s 175-year history, creating an addi- tional $2.4 million in expenses. The new starting salary for cor- rections ocers beginning Feb. 3 is $51,000, up from $42,153. Corrections peace ocers, ser- geants, lieutenants and command- ers also received pay increases in addition to raises for sheri’s oce deputies, sergeants, constables, lieutenants and commanders, dependent on years of service. “This will allow the sheri’s oce to boost recruitment for corrections ocers and help x the current stang issues in the
EXPANDING ROAD Austin Children’s Academy’s planned expansion could be in the right of way needed for future plans to widen RM 620.
predict when TxDOT will contact owners of the property on the north side of the road about selling their property for the project right of way. Ocials also were not able to say when the widening will take place. On the other side of RM 620 are Austin residential properties. Gupta, however, still hopes to continue with the academy’s expansion. “I think it’s all speculative right now, because I don’t know what time frame in which they’re talking about,” he said. “For me, it’s just capitalizing on the fact that I can actually change lives, ... so I’m going to take advantage of this time to be able to make that dierence.” Some council members expressed concerns over the day care center being so close to a major roadway. For better safety and to prevent the school’s trac from ¡owing directly onto RM 620, council
BY CLAIRE SHOOP
WILLIAMSON COUNTY In partnership with Bluebonnet Community Services, the county is preparing to start a jail-based com- petency restoration program this spring, according to a presentation to Commissioners Court on Jan. 16. These programs provide people deemed incompetent to stand trial with mental health services so they can proceed with their judicial process, according to ocials. Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said the state is supposed to provide such programs; however, it has a backlog. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission awarded Williamson County $500,000 with a match to start the program. The county will ask the Texas Legislature to continue funding it.
Before increases After increases Williamson County
1
$42,153
$51,000
LAKE CREEK PKWY.
Travis County
N
$50,000
SOURCE: AUSTIN CHILDREN’S ACADEMY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Hays County
$50,013
suggested directing the vehicles onto Blue Ridge Drive instead. “I love the fact that [council] showed some level of concern and actually showed support for us being a small business in the Cedar Park area,” Gupta said. “I really felt supported.”
SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT
jail,” said Charles Duvall, acting president of the Williamson County Sheri Deputies Association. Williamson County has 62 open deputy corrections positions.
N. BAGDAD RD.
LAKELINE BLVD.
N
CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
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