Commissioners approve SART resolution

The Hays County Commissioners Court adopted a proclamation related to the creation of the county’s Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

“This will definitely formalize the process, it will move, progress the work that we have already started so we know that there’s a couple of things dictated by the statute that we’re going to start enacting,” said Melissa Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer of the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center. “One very obvious thing that we need to do is form a protocol so it is something we will do, we know it will strengthen the team.”

Rodriguez mentioned that she recently learned part of the reason why the requirement for a SART statewide was due to there being less than 10% of Texas counties that had an existing SART.

Updates and further details will be presented following the SART’s first meeting. 

The commissioners adopted a proclamation declaring April 25-May 2, 2022 as National Infant Immunization Week.

“The Hays County Health Department would like to use National Infant Immunization Week as a reminder to keep parents up to date on their vaccines,” said Juli Barksdale, Hays County Epidemiologist. 

Following that proclamation, the commissioners went on to recognize various law enforcement agencies and officers by first declaring May 15-21, 2022 as Police Week and May 15, 2022, as Peace Officers Memorial Day.

“Our officers out here every day see families who are impacted by the duty that they share,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith. 

Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler mentioned that the memorial ceremony to honor officers who have passed away in the line of duty will be held on Tuesday, May 10 at noon at the Hays County Government Center. 

The court also declared May 1-7, 2022 as National Correctional Officers and Employees Week. 

“A lot of times our corrections officers are out of sight, out of mind so you don’t see the work, the hard work and dedication that they actually provide the citizens of Hays County, so thank you for recognizing them today,” Capt. Julie Villapando said.  

Following the proclamations, the court received an update on the  Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) from the Director of Countywide Operations, Tammy Crumley. 

According to Crumley’s report, there has been an additional $2.7 million allocated as of April 21, making that an additional $395,000 that has been allocated through the ERAP since the last report. 

There are 400 open tickets with 230 pending citizen completion, 60 under auditor’s reviews and 100 waiting for case manager review. With many of them being additional assistance requests. 

“They are doing outreach in the Kyle area for those who have not maybe heard of the program or realized that it still exists so that’s going out in English and in Spanish,” Crumley said.

The commissioners also authorized the Local Health Department Community Outreach Program to establish the Hays County Public Health Essay Competition. 

This will include the utilization of DSHS grant funds in the amount of $5,000 to purchase five Apple MacBook Airs that will be awarded to the top five high school student essay writers. 

“We have the extraordinary opportunity to have this scholarship opportunity for our students who are in the underserved community throughout Hays County through our grant program,” Crumley said. 

Matthew Gonzales, Community Program Manager for the Local Health Department, spoke further of the opportunity. 

“This is an opportunity for [younger generations] to directly provide feedback on how the county can improve what they’re doing and also their experience so that ways we can kind of internalize that and understand how we, as the fastest-growing county in Texas can improve upon,” Gonzales said. 

Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe and Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell expressed their support for this opportunity for students in the county.