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Liberty Hill ISD trustees nominate local business owner Clint Stephenson to Williamson Central Appraisal District board
Summary
Trustees debated optics and representation before nominating Clint Stephenson to the Williamson Central Appraisal District board. The nomination was approved by voice vote; the Oct. 15 nomination deadline was noted and trustees said nomination does not guarantee election.
The Liberty Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees voted Oct. 13 to nominate local business owner Clint Stephenson for a seat on the Williamson Central Appraisal District board of directors.
Trustee Neighbors moved to nominate Stephenson and Trustee Hargrove seconded. The board approved the nomination by voice vote; the chair called for “aye,” no “nay” was recorded and the chair announced the motion carried.
The nomination drew both support and concern. The board president, who introduced the item, said Stephenson reached out expressing interest and that, based on prior experience serving with him, “He was an asset to the district, so I felt like he would be an asset to the WCAD board as well.”
Trustee Ferguson said the timing and optics could create appearances the district should avoid, saying the situation raised “a lot of red flags.” She urged caution and suggested consulting the district’s consultant or counsel about perception and potential conflicts.
Other trustees argued the district has the authority to nominate and that local representation on the WCAD could benefit Liberty Hill taxpayers and business owners. One trustee said, “I think the good outweighs the bad in this case,” and noted that nomination is not a guarantee of election because WCAD voting is weighted by district size.
Trustees clarified a few procedural points during discussion: nominations to the WCAD board were due Oct. 15, nominations are made by taxing entities, and any election on the WCAD board is decided by a weighted vote among taxing entities; Liberty Hill’s relative voting weight is smaller than larger districts such as Round Rock ISD. Trustees also said Stephenson told them he did not have a negative agenda if elected and wanted to serve to provide a voice for Liberty Hill residents and business owners.
The board president said the district had not previously received interest from residents to serve on the WCAD board and described the nomination as a community member’s request for the district’s support. The board set no additional conditions on the nomination at the meeting.
The board announced its next regular meeting for Oct. 20 at 6:00 p.m. and adjourned at 5:16 p.m.
