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Dripping Springs Council Keeps News Dispatch as Official Newspaper
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Summary
Council voted to designate the News Dispatch as Dripping Springs' official newspaper for the coming fiscal year after staff and the communications director recommended staying with the Dispatch; Century News also urged consideration during public comment.
Dripping Springs City Council voted Nov. 4 to designate the News Dispatch as the city’s official newspaper for the 2026 fiscal year.
Ashley Conner, owner and publisher of the News Dispatch and the Hays Free Press, addressed the council in public comment and asked the city to select the Dispatch, saying the paper had increased circulation, expanded local coverage and consistently posted the city’s legal notices to the statewide public notice site since September 2023. Dalton Sweat of the Dripping Springs Century News also spoke, asking council to consider the Century News given its long history as the city's paper of record.
City staff advised the council that two local papers — Century News and News Dispatch — met statutory criteria for publication of required notices in Hays County. The city communications director also recommended staying with the News Dispatch, and planning staff said the Dispatch’s deadlines align better with the city’s agenda-posting schedule.
Councilmember Wade moved to continue the city’s service with the News Dispatch; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The record shows council approval, with the mayor announcing the News Dispatch as the selected paper.
The decision replaces a prior year in which the Century News served as paper of record; both papers had submitted timely applications to be considered. The council did not record individual roll-call vote tallies in the transcript beyond verbal affirmative responses.
