El Rancho Cima | Photographer - Christopher Zebo for The Nature Conservancy
Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – Hays County voters who want to learn about the 2020 Parks and Open Spaces Bond that will be on the election ballot will soon see more information.
An outreach and education effort to provide details of the proposed bond will be underway in the coming weeks leading up to the November 3 election.
Hays County Commissioners Court, following a 4-1 decision (with Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra voting against), is allowing voters to determine whether the County will fund roughly $75 million for new parks, trails, and open spaces over the next several years.
That bond would help provide funding for projects submitted by groups, organizations, and municipalities earlier this year. Hays County submitted two proposals to be included in the bond; Sentinel Peak and Cape’s Pond.
The Parks and Open Spaces Commission (POSAC), with appointees by each member of Commissioners Court, reviewed 19 submitted projects and recommended funding of 16 over several budget cycles.
Through an outreach initiative, the county aims to provide voters details about the projects that would be funded including any benefits to the environment, water quality, flood mitigation, and connectivity, as well as public access on that land.
The outreach will include a dedicated website, videos, social media posts, story maps, and lawn signs around the County.
“We want voters to understand what the bond is about and help them be more informed about what they are voting on,” said Alexandra Thompson, the County’s Natural Resources Coordinator. “By the time early voting begins on October 13, we want voters to feel they understand the proposition and can make a decision at the voting booth that comes from a place of being well informed.”
During a discussion at Commissioners Court, it was established that saying yes to the proposition would not immediately obligate the County to issue any bonds.
Due to concerns expressed by some residents during the public comment period of the agenda item, the coronavirus pandemic was cited as a reason to hold off on the bond.
General Counsel Mark Kennedy told the Court that while the current situation and possible financial downturn was a consideration, saying yes to the bond would not mean the County would begin spending money right away.
“If the bond is approved, the Hays County Commissioners Court will have the opportunity to decide when the time is right to actually issue the bonds,” he said. “A majority affirmative vote of the bond proposition is just the mechanism that allows the sale of bonds to occur, after which Hays County would have a reasonable time to fulfill its contract with the voters. Because that is a relatively long timeline, Hays County can take the time it needs to gauge economic growth before it actually issues authorized bonds.”
Court members also expressed their viewpoints that with the 2020 election, more voters would have the opportunity to have a say in this proposition.
“With an item of this significance,” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said, “let’s allow the voters to decide if they want us to fund the bond.”
Look for the outreach effort to begin soon. Visit www.Hays2020ParksBond.com beginning September 21. Information will also be available on the County’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
The San Marcos City Council received a presentation on the Sidewalk Maintenance and Gap Infill…
The San Marcos River Rollers have skated through obstacles after taking a two-year break during…
San Marcos Corridor News has been reporting on the incredible communities in the Hays County…
Visitors won't be able to swim in the crystal clear waters of the Jacobs Well Natural…
Looking to adopt or foster animals from the local shelter? Here are the San Marcos…
The Lone Star State leads the nation in labor-related accidents and especially workplace deaths and…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Naw naw nope. This is all about funding provided for Conservation Easements on behalf of the super rich.
Namely one of the greater IRS scams of the twenty-first century. Most people don't buy properties with the purpose of getting easements. ... For its part, the IRS always bets these easements are "something else" and in March 2019 described the practice of conservation easements in its annual IRS “Dirty Dozen” list of the “worst of the worst” tax scams perpetrated by the super rich.
oh, and should I also ask you consider the source of this commissioner's court initiative ?
(puzzle clue: He's a judge who made $50, 000.00 for never having tried a case).