Votes slated on flood recovery funds; feral hog program

The allocation of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds is back on the agenda for the Hays County Commissioners Court this morning.

The commissioners are expected to vote on a contract with the General Land Office for the CDBGDR program. Hays County will conduct street infrastructure improvements to help improve drainage. The project total is just over $9.1 million; the county will contribute $4.1 million, and CDBG-DR funding will make up the rest.

An agreement with Texas State University’s Meadows Center for Water and the Environment for help with the Hays County Feral Hog program is also on the agenda. The Meadows Center will provide general project management, website development and a social media campaign, landowner outreach events, feral hog removal tracking and damage assessments, a hog trap sharing cooperative and the feral hog bounty program for the county. The Feral Hog Abatement Grant Program will provide $6,000 to pay for the services.

Commissioners will also consider authorizing the Office of Emergency Services to repair two low water crossing monitor poles that were damaged in vehicular accidents in May. The master poles at Chapparal Road and one flasher pole at York Creek Road were hit on May 4 and May 17, respectively.

In other business, commissioners will receive County Judge Bert Cobb’s delegation of a county officer to hear applications for alcohol licenses. Cobb is assigning that duty to Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones until Dec. 31 or until Cobb rescinds the authority. Commissioners are also expected to appoint Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell to the Greater San Marcos Partnership board as a replacement for Will Conley. Conley resigned from his position on the commissioners court to run for county judge, and his seat on the GSMP board must be filled by a current commissioner.

The Hays County Commissioners Court will meet at 9 a.m. on the third floor of the Hays County Courthouse.