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ACC outlines Lockhart annexation plan; local workforce and EMS updates highlight training and service expansions
Summary
Austin Community College officials presented an annexation and service plan for Lockhart ISD territory, detailing program expansions and tax implications; county and nonprofit workforce programs and Lockhart EMS provided updates on training, funding and an ESD 5 timeline toward a Jan. 1 operational target.
Lockhart, Caldwell County — Representatives of Austin Community College and local workforce partners addressed the Caldwell County Commissioners Court on Oct. 8 about education, workforce training and emergency medical services expansions in the Lockhart area.
Dr. Chris Cervini, vice chancellor for community and government affairs at Austin Community College District, told the court that voters in the Lockhart ISD territory will decide in November whether to join the ACC taxing district. He said annexation would allow ACC to provide locally delivered instruction and workforce programs, including nursing and dental hygiene expansions, manufacturing and semiconductor training aligned with regional industry demand, and partnerships with Lockhart ISD for early college programming. Cervini outlined the district's tax rate (0.1013, or about 10.13 cents per $100 valuation) and described existing exemptions for seniors and disabled residents; he also described a free‑tuition pilot for in‑district high school graduates and estimated approximate household fiscal effects of annexation based on median home values.
Earlier in the meeting, Ramon Rivera introduced SOETC Career Tracks' programs, funded in part through the Good Jobs Challenge, that are operating in Caldwell County: commercial driver's license classes, HVAC, allied health (including CNA and LVN training), EMT/paramedic training, bookkeeping, and online IT upskilling. Rivera said 50% of candidates must be low‑income and that the program partners with more than 120 employers across four counties to place graduates at prevailing wages.
Sean Charles, director of Lockhart EMS, provided a timeline for ESD 5 implementation: DSHS licensing paperwork was in process, DEA registration is an online next step, charting and billing platforms are being onboarded with a projected operational target of Jan. 1, and asset transfers (Luling completed; Lockhart appraisal pending) and interlocal station agreements are in progress. Charles said staff hiring notices would be posted mid‑October and the target crew was about 30 paramedics and five trucks, with contingency plans if asset appraisals or transfers are delayed.
No formal action was required for the ACC presentation; commissioners thanked the presenters and asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the meeting. County officials said they will continue to coordinate on workforce training opportunities and infrastructure needed to support EMS and related programs.
