Grant aims to ensure safe, secure election

The Hays County Elections Administration Office was awarded a $289,000 grant from the Center for Technology and Civic Life for the Elections Administration Office to help ensure a safe and secure election in 2020. 

The funding will go towards poll workers, personal protective equipment,  supplies, election materials and equipment.

Various locations for COVID-19 testing are starting this Friday including the Triangle in Dripping Springs which will be open Fridays-Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other locations will begin operation Monday through Sunday 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. including the Kyle Performing Arts Center, the San Marcos Activity Center and the Buda Senior Center. The Wimberley CommuniCare offices will be open for testing Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The tests being used were donated by the state to be administered free of charge. These curative tests, or cheek swab tests, have a turnaround time of 24 hours, according to Director of Countywide Operations Tammy Crumley. 

Positive tests will be counted in the county case totals, but a PCR or molecular test is recommended for confirmation of a positive. 

In Tuesday’s Commissioner Court meeting, two $2,500 sponsorships were awarded to support homelessness and mental health organizations in Hays County. 

At the request of Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra, one sponsorship was given to support the Homeless Outreach, Mitigation, and Emergency (H.O.M.E.) Center of Central Texas for prevention and education efforts to address homelessness in Hays County. 

H.O.M.E Center is a volunteer-based group that recommends services and seeks resources through a screening process for those in need; the funding will go towards educational materials. 

At the request of Commissioner Walt Smith, another sponsorship will go toward supporting the Dripping Springs Education Foundation for a Mental Health Initiative for students and families.

The $2,500 will offset mental health expenses for staff and supplies within the Dripping Springs Independent School District to launch virtual counseling sessions, virtual toolkits for parents, community resources and a social media campaign for mental health awareness. 

Smith spoke to the increased mental health issues that came along with the pandemic and also to the commonality of mental health issues that go unseen in communities. “One in five adults are dealing with mental health issues ... kids are developing issues at a very early age,” Smith said.

The county declared October as Hill Country Night Sky Month and Manufacturing Month, highlighting a national effort to keep manufacturing jobs. 

“It's a true asset for our region to have manufacturing as we do, especially clean manufacturing,” Becerra said. 

In other business, the commissioners approved the submission of an application to Floodplain and Mapping project with the Texas Water Development Board Flood Infrastructure Fund for the Onion Creek Watershed Study. 

In a discussion about providing flu vaccines to Hays County employees and their dependents, Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider urged residents to get a flu shot this year. 

“There is a weapon we have against the flu that we don’t have against COVID-19,” said Schneider. “Of all years, this is the year.”

They also voted to add two additional RN positions and one administrative assistant position for the Hays County Jail’s health services. Both positions are needed to assist with additional workload related to the increased inmate population and jail expansion.