County considers disaster declaration extension

Hays County Commissioners Court will consider voting to extend the COVID-19 Local Disaster Declaration for another 62 days.

The original order set on March 16 is set to expire on Tuesday. If the new order is approved, the declaration will continue into mid-September. 

In other business, the commissioners will discuss designating funding related to counsel for the new Hays County Cite and Divert program. 

The program, announced last week, will allow people who qualify the chance to meet with a prosecutor from the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office rather than appearing before a magistrate. The prosecutor may determine that a course of diversion is appropriate and after a person satisfies the requirements determined by the prosecutor, the program ends and their record remains clear of the offense. 

The budget amendments will decrease countywide contingencies by $1,300, increase District Attorney Appointed Attorney Expenses by $900, increase District Attorney Staff Salaries by $330 and increase District Attorney Fringe Benefits by $70.

Sheriff Gary Cutler will give a presentation about a new app called the Sheriff's Mobile App, TheSheriffapp.com. The company builds custom apps for sheriff departments that include most wanted subjects, public emergency notifications, jail information, submitting a tip and sex offender and inmate searches.

The commissioners will also vote on approving three grant applications to Burdine Johnson Foundation, Summerlee Foundation and Austin Community Foundation for the Old Hays County Jail Restoration. 

The Hays County Historical Commission began the restoration efforts of the Old Hays County Jail in mid-2009 and is now working on the completion of the interior restoration. The interior of the jail will be restored to include a museum with various exhibits. 

The $150,000 request from the Burdine Johnson Foundation will be for the funding toward the structural interior components. 

The $25,000 request from the Summerlee Foundation will be for the funding towards South Gallery Exhibits of the Old Hays County Jail. 

The $25,000 request from the Austin Community Foundation will be for the funding towards the North Gallery Exhibits within the Old Hays County Jail. 

The commissioners will also be considering a resolution supporting the development of legislation amending the State of Texas Transportation Code to achieve the goals of establishing scenic roadways in Hays County. 

The resolution would allow Hays County to determine which roadways within its boundaries would receive the designation. It would also establish a Hays County Scenic Roadways Commission to receive input from private property owners, county residents, businesses and others to create a process by which roadways would receive a scenic roadway designation.