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Hays County approved additional funding for its 2020 census effort during Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting.
The Hays County Commissioners Court voted to execute a grant award contract with the United Way of Greater Austin for $8,000 for the Get-Out-The-Count effort in the county.
The commissioners previously ratified a submission of application to the United Way on Nov. 26, 2019 for $3,000. United Way recognized an additional need in the county and opted to award $8,000 to be facilitated by Hays County’s Census Complete Count Committee.
The court also approved the purchase of consumable items for the Census Complete Count Committee meetings and event from January through June in the amount of $1,300.
The CCC is aiding the county’s outreach effort to ensure hard-to-count populations including: persons with low response rate in the previous census and minority and low-income populations concentrated in San Marcos and along and east of the Interstate 35 corridor are reached for the 2020 census. The committee plans to inform and assist 150 persons in completing their census.
The court also approved the use of budgeted funds to establish a Magistration Division, which will serve both the District Courts and the County Courts at Law under the umbrella of the District Court. The Magistration Division would include a new associate judge, new justice clerk and would require contracting for magistration, supplies and equipment.
“This is something that I know and speaking to the individual judges themselves, they see a real benefit in (the Magistration Division),” Precinct 4 commissioner Walt Smith said. “But also speaking to the defense Bar, the (District Attorney’s) office, centralizing this is going to be exceedingly helpful for both those who have been arrested but for the management of this process, knowing that there’s going to be someone there full time is an amazing thing.”
County Judge Ruben Becerra noted that magistration will no longer be in the hands of the justice of the peace but through the Magistration Division.
The commissioners also approved a change order of $7,316 to a professional services agreement between Hays County and Myers Concrete Construction for the Elections Public Entrance Remodel project.
According to the agenda item, the change order is needed for work regarding the Hays County Government Center Elections public entrance for the installation of handrails to the sidewalk.
