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Commissioners decline to authorize work on most task-force road projects; 4-1 vote against proceeding
Summary
After public concern and internal debate, the court voted 4-1 not to authorize HNTB to proceed with the package of road projects recommended by the Transportation Task Force for funding with certificates of obligation.
Hays County Commissioners on Tuesday rejected a request to authorize consultant HNTB to proceed with a package of road projects the county—s Transportation Task Force recommended for funding by certificates of obligation.
The item, presented as action to move forward on roughly $200 million of projects, drew extended public comment from residents who said the county should hold additional local outreach meetings before starting work on several segments. Opponents told the court they worried projects could spur development in environmentally sensitive areas and asked for more meetings in Dripping Springs and Wimberley.
Judge Becerra and several commissioners described the package as largely "green-lit" on technical and environmental review, and said the court—s intent was to start work on the projects that had broad support while continuing outreach on projects that needed more public vetting. But other commissioners said the task force—s process lacked transparent, countywide public meetings and had allowed litigants in prior bond challenges to sit on project review groups.
After debate the court voted 4-1 against the motion to authorize HNTB to proceed with the attached road list tied to certificates of obligation. Commissioners Hammer, Inglesby, Smith and Cohen voted no; Judge Becerra voted yes.
Bobby Levinsky and other speakers read letters and urged the court to wait for open houses in Dripping Springs and Wimberley before approving the work. Commissioner Smith pushed back that many of the projects had been discussed in dozens of prior public meetings and that delaying work on projects with clear support would frustrate voters who had approved prior bond measures.
The court—s vote stops immediate direction to HNTB to begin design and coordination work on the bulk of the task-force list that had been presented to the court; staff said the county will continue refining project lists and public outreach plans.
No new certificates were sold as a result of the vote; the court—s action effectively delayed any sale tied to this project authorization until the court takes another vote.
