United Way grant approval on Tuesday's court docket

Hays County could receive additional funds for its 2020 census effort during Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting.

The Hays County Commissioners Court will discuss and take possible action on Tuesday 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 court ratified a submission of application to the United Way on Nov. 26, 2019 for $3,000. The United Way, however, recognized an additional need and opted to award the county $8,000 to be facilitated by the County's Complete Count Committee. 

Hays County’s Complete County Committee is aiding in 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 grant contract spans from Jan. 1 - July 31. According to the contract up for discussion, any funds not expended by Hays County and/or not encumbered shall be returned within 30 days following the termination of the contract.

If approved by the commissioners, payment of $8,000 is expected on Jan. 30. 

In other business, the commissioners will discuss and take possible action to use 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. 

According to the agenda item, the county set aside $195,000 for the establishment of a magistration division for fiscal year 2020. “The District Courts and the County Courts at Law would like to move forward with this process in order to establish the positions and begin the hiring process. The associate judge position will be established effective Jan. 27 and appointed by both the District Judges and the County Courts at Law judges, with a salary not to exceed $100,000 (annualized). The justice clerk position will be established effective Feb. 17 with a starting salary of $28,738 (annualized),” the agenda states. 

The court will also discuss and take possible action to authorize 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. 

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 9 a.m. inside the Hays County Historic Courthouse.