LH Independent 6-4-20 by The Liberty Hill Independent

CLASS OF 2020

Congratulations on your graduation and our best wishes for your continued success!

2020

Volume 33, Issue 28

www.LHIndependent.com

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June 4, 2020 | 50 Cents

Stephenson steps into leadership role on LHISD Board of Trustees

LH INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

The Liberty Hill City Council agreed that former Police Chief Maverick Campbell, pictured here during a special called meeting of the Council in March, will not be reinstated. An independent investigator recently issued ﬁndings stating the Council’s decision was justiﬁed.

Council stands by Campbell’s termination, silent on the allegations against Mayor Hall

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor An outside investigator, Bruce Mills, has concluded that the Liberty Hill City Council was justified in terminating former Police Chief Maverick Campbell. “It is my opinion that the City of Liberty Hill followed its policies and procedures in taking the actions that it did to terminate the employment of Maverick Campbell,” Mills said in the report conclusion. In light of the report and its conclusion the City Council did not take any official action on a grievance at its May 26 meeting. Instead, the City issued a statement through Facebook calling the matter closed. “The City engaged an outside investigator to review the City’s internal investigation and Mr. Campbell’s termination. His final conclusion speaks for itself: ‘Although the terms ‘willful misconduct’ and ‘gross negligence’ are not defined in the employment agreement between the City

of Liberty Hill and Maverick Campbell, I believe that the chiefs’ actions, un-disputed, clearly violated those standards and warranted termination by the City of Liberty Hill.”

allegations against Mayor Rick Hall regarding his involvement in the police department and relationship with Campbell. It instead focused on the incident at a conference in New Jersey between Campbell and his spouse that “If Maverick has complaints led to local police inabout the Mayor, whether volvement. that’s relevant to his firing, No arrests were made I don’t know.” and no ~ Tad Cleaves charges were Liberty Hill City Attorney filed in the incident. The investigation had been “We had to look into whether requested through a grievance his complaint that his termifiled with the City in April by nation was invalid or impropAttorney Tiger Hanner on be- er, and what steps were taken half of Campbell. there,” said Liberty Hill City In the grievance, Hanner re- Attorney Tad Cleaves. “Mavquested the City retain an in- erick (Campbell’s) attorney dependent investigator, which requested that we hire an outit did in Mills. But the extent side investigator to handle the of Mills’ investigation did not grievance process, which the consider the nearly five-page City did, and that investigator statement from Campbell in- did his investigation and came cluded in the grievance, which See CAMPBELL, Page 5 spells out an extensive list of

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor If Clint Stephenson is conﬁdent of one thing from his new position at the center of the dais as LHISD Board President, it’s that he can always pick out the smartest person in the room. “We all feel like the smartest person in the room is the room,” he said. “That’s been good because I’ve learned a lot from a lot of great individuals.” That belief that a board room full of elected members and school district administrators can come together to solve any problem and answer any challenge leaves Stephenson humbled to lead. “I get to work with such a great group of selﬂess individuals,” Stephenson said. “That’s been very rewarding

to me. It’s taken a whole lot more time than I anticipated in the beginning, but I really enjoy it and I love to serve. I’m all in and I feel like that’s the way everybody on the board feels as well. They dedicate themselves to it and everybody has got a lot of good input.” Stephenson has been in Liberty Hill 22 years and has served three years on the LHISD Board of Trustees, and the opportunity to lead is one he felt right about. CLINT STEPHENSON “I’m excited about it,” he LHISD Board President said of his new role. “We decided where we are as a disBeing prepared to lead in his trict right now this would be a good ﬁt for me. Anybody new capacity is something he on the board could step into credits others for. the president’s role. We just “Clay (Cole) has been just dyhave a lot of really high-cal- namite throughout his whole iber, quality people on the board.” See STEPHENSON, Page 5

District focus shifts to fall preparations

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Friday’s graduation event will put an exclamation point on a school year like no other, but district ofﬁcials in Liberty Hill will not be stopping to catch their breath when it’s over, having instead already started preparations for the unknowns of the 2020-21 school year. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has raised many questions around the future look of education in the state, and districts all over Texas have found themselves working to nail down those questions and develop answers. “Things will change rapidly and we’ll continue to get guidance from the state,” said LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell. “TEA has presented year-round calendars and the districts who have been shar-

ing those and presenting them have been on those calendars for quite some time. TEA has put out an encyclopedia worth of information for us to use to help plan for next year.” In addition to sharing ideas for year-round calendars, ideas such as lunch in classrooms and teachers changing classrooms rather than students have been thrown on the table. For now, Liberty Hill ISD is considering all possibilities, but focused on preparing for the traditional plan for a new year as much as possible. “A year-round calendar would represent a culture shift and to me would require much more planning than a couple of months over the summer,” Snell said. “Where Liberty Hill is going to be focused is how can we keep our students and our faculty safe?

What protocols can we put in place that maximize student safety?” The district has formed a number of task forces that will focus on the variety of challenges and long list of questions dealing with COVID-19 has presented. “How do you provide social distancing on a school bus that’s overcrowded because of fast growth?” Snell said. “How do you provide safety and social distancing at PE, in the cafeteria and on the playground at recess? The TEA has also pushed out things like staggered schedules with half the kids coming one day and half the kids come on another day, but we’re not ready to say that’s our plan. I think our focus will be a lot on hygiene and healthy practices.”

See LHISD, Page 4

A family and home

Hope House has forever mission By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As one of the seven charities taking part in the 2020 Day of Giving on June 26, Hope House is aiming to use the opportunity to bolster its longtime mission of providing those with severe mental and physical disabilities a place where they can receive high levels of care. “Hope House has been in Liberty Hill for over 50 years serving the community and surrounding areas,” said Hope House Development Director Erland Schulze. “We’re helping those who are severely or mentally disabled.” The charity began in the mid1960s and continued to expand over the decades. “We have four homes for residents,” said Schulze. “All of our senior adults were kids in the mid-60s still living here now. They get home as long as they need us.” Three of Hope House’s locations are in downtown Liberty Hill, and the ﬁrst home is just ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

Editor’s Note: This edition features the beginning of a series of stories on the seven local charitable organizations selected to participate in the Liberty Hill Day of Giving on June 26. Learn more and contribute at www.LHIndependent.com/liberty-hill-day-of-giving.

Hope House serves as a forever home for children and adults with severe disabilities. For over 50 years the organization has been an important part of Liberty Hill and the surrounding area. (Courtesy Photo) six miles out of town and home these special people. We keep to 18 people. Hope House is these beds open for as long as currently home to 35 residents. they need us, and we become For the residents, this is the their family.” only home they’ve known for The service the organization decades because of its status as provides is vital in the area bea forever home, and Schulze cause it’s one of the very few wants the community to know to offer this level of long-term this is the most important rea- services. son to help. “There are no long-term “Many of the children who homes in this area,” said came in during the 60s are still Schulze. “There may be some living at Hope house today,” he outside of town or in another said. “One of the unique things area of Texas, but there are few about Hope House is that it is to no long-term homes in this a long-term forever home for

See HOPE, Page 8

The Panther Pit Crew before a Liberty Hill tailgate. The organization provides food for the community and distributes all funds raised to the various youth organizations of LHISD. (Courtesy Photo)

Pit Crew cooking for charity

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Joining several other charities in the 2020 Day of Giving, the Panther Pit Crew is hoping to raise enough money during the event to help more LHISD students than ever before.

The Panther Pit Crew raises money through events like its tailgates during football season and during their cook offs. The funds are distributed to help various youth organizations, providing them with funds for their programs to do things like taking club trips or

purchasing needed supplies. “What we’ve done in the past and what we continually strive to do is provide opportunities to the various organizations in Liberty Hill, whether it be cheerleading or the

See PIT CREW, Page 8

Page 2

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Thursday, June 4, 2020

County reaches $18.5 million in grant awards

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer To ﬁght the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Williamson County budgeted $25 million to help area small businesses, and to date, the program has topped $18.5 million in disbursements under the program. The County received the funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “Part of that law was to provide funding to state and local governments to assist with COVID related expenses,” said County Treasurer Scott Heselmeyer. “Any county or city with a population of more than half a million was provided with direct funding from the U.S. Treasury.” Williamson County received a total of $93 million in funding that is dedicated to COVID related expenses that won’t count toward this year’s budget. The County is using part of that

money for the new small business grant program. “Along with that, the Treasury gave us some guidance on what were and were not allowable expenses,” said Heselmeyer. “One of the things in the guidelines stated that a county could create a grant program to assist small businesses to assist with losses due to COVID related closures.” Small businesses are actively taking advantage of the grant program. Williamson County has seen more than 3,000 applicants since the program opened. “Most of those (applications) came in the ﬁrst two days of the program,” said Heselmeyer. “There are still people applying, and the applications are still open. We’re receiving fewer each day now, but it’s just over 3,000.” So far, Heselmeyer says the program is working to efﬁciently and quickly release funds. “Overall, it’s worked ex-

tremely well,” he said. “We’re three weeks into the program. Some days it feels like we’re three days into the program, sometimes it feels like three years, but we’ve been processing applications. In three weeks, we’ve sent out over 16,000 checks.” Williamson County, as of June 1, has sent out $18.5 million to local small businesses. “One of our priorities was to get this money out as quickly as possible. We issued our first checks within 24 hours of opening the applications,” said Heselmeyer. “There are some applicants who applied on the first day that are just now receiving checks because we received about 1,700 applications in the first 24 hours.” Despite an overwhelming number of applications, the Williamson County staff is handling the weight of aiding small businesses well. “I think if we managed to process 3,000 applications in less than 30 days, that’s pretty

good given that the manpower that we have,” said Heselmeyer. “I think we’ve gotten some much-needed assistance into the hands of local businesses. Now that they’re able to open back up, in these cases, the funds are what is helping those businesses get their inventory and their employees back.” The application for aid is at Wilco.org for small business owners who need assistance and may not have already applied for a grant from the County. “If you just go to Wilco.org, there’s a link on our main page,” said Heselmeyer. “The application is filled in online on the website, and it’s a fairly simple application. We do request some backup documentation. There are two options. A payroll-based option or a fixed cost-based option. Businesses can fill in one of those, and it can be done online.” Small business owners can still apply online until June 30.

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Week of May 25-31, 2020 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 382 incidents resulting in six cases, 25 citations, 64 warnings and three arrests.

Weekly Highlights: - On May 25 at approximately 7:17 PM, officers cited a female adult for possession of drug paraphernalia, as the result of a traffic stop on the 10000 block of W. SH 29. - On May 25 at approximately 11:47 PM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident. - On May 26 at approximately 12:02 AM, officers responded to Limestone to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On May 26 at approximately 5:28 AM, officers responded to the 18000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County

Sheriff’s Office. - On May 26 at approximately 2:16 PM, officers responded to the 300 block of Loop 332 for a suspicious person. - On May 26 at approximately 4:38 PM, officers arrested a male adult with an outstanding warrant for possession of child pornography, on the 12000 block of W. SH 29. - On May 27 at approximately 10:16 AM, officers responded to the 11000 block of W. SH 29 for a theft complaint. - On May 27 at approximately 12:39 PM, officers responded to the 700 block of US 183 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On May 27 at approximately 8:19 PM, officers arrested a male adult for driving while intoxicated as the result of a traffic stop on the 2000 block of RM 1869. - On May 27 at approximately 6:19 PM, officers responded to

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the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a fraud complaint. - On May 28 at approximately 8:36 AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a fraud complaint. - On May 28 at approximately 9:27 PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a suspicious incident. - On May 29 at approximately 7:57 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a fraud complaint. - On May 29 at approximately 11:36 PM, officers responded to Limonite Lane to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On May 30 at approximately 1:04 AM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident. - On May 30 at approximately 2:45 AM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident. - On May 30 at approximately 4:45 PM, officers responded to Bryson Bend for a trespassing complaint. - On May 30 at approximately 11:41PM, officers arrested a male adult for resisting arrest as the result of a traffic stop on the 14000 block of W. SH 29. - On May 31 at approximately 2:46 AM, officers responded to Golden Butterfly to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On May 31 at approximately 11:08 AM, officers responded to Stubblefield for a traffic complaint. - On May 31 at approximately 4:20 PM, officers responded to the intersection of Loop 332 and RM 1869 for an accident. - On May 31 at approximately 10:37 PM, officers responded to San Gabriel Ranch Road to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

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Thursday, June 4, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Honoring The Fallen on Memorial Day

Local Boy Scouts from Troop 196 honored fallen military service members on Memorial Day by placing American Flags on their grave sites in the Liberty Hill Cemetery. Scouts observed social separation guidelines and wore masks. (ABOVE) Ross and Ryan Moore prepare to replace worn ﬂags while Connor Ford (right) places a ﬂag at a soldier’s grave site. (RIGHT) Dalton Svatek, a new member of the Troop who recently crossed over from the Cub Scout Pack 196. (Courtesy Photos)

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LHLA cancels Gala

Dear Editor: Every year we look forward to hosting the Liberty Hill Livestock Association Gala, but after careful consideration we regretfully announce the cancellation of this year’s Gala for the health and safety of everyone in the association as well as our sponsors. We thank everyone who contributed to the LHLA this past year. It is these individuals

and companies who have gone above and beyond. We look forward to your continued support. These sponsors include: Lonesome Pine Event Center, Suzy Lyon, Owen Metal Buildings, Cade Riley Memorial Scholarship Fund, Brown Distributing Co., P&R Propane, P&C Communications, Boatright Construction, Becker Equipment Company, LLC., LCS Design and Construction, Comanche Trail Veterinary Center, Liberty Hill Pharmacy, Research Pest

Control, Duncan Auctioneers, A Texas Girl’s Guns, Jardin Corona, and Austin Telco. We know this will come as an enormous disappointment, not only to the members, but also the sponsors. Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we feel this is the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented situation. In place of the Gala, we are planning other ways for our community to get together and support the students in the

upcoming WCLA 2020-year, whatever form that takes. Updates will be shared on the Facebook page “Liberty Hill Livestock Assn”. Please join us in becoming a member and support our FFA and 4H students with their projects. Again, we thank everyone who has helped our young people by whatever means, and we look forward to this year’s events. Liberty Hill Livestock Association

Page 3

The thing about having power and authority over others...

By WILT CUTTER Columnist The past few days we’ve all been reminded of power and authority and how bad it is when it’s misused. Humans seek to find and hold power for the exhilarating prestige it brings. All our fault lines are highlighted by our choice of priorities when we find ourselves in a position of authority over others. There is clearly no interest like self-interest. But then comes the incredible responsibility that power brings. The power of a parent comes to mind. Or maybe the power of a position -- like teacher, police officer or politician? Jesus became a human but used his power in surrendering to suffering and death for others. Hitler actually believed he was using his power for the betterment of humankind. Terrorists think that, too. The luckiest thing that can happen to a kid is to have parents that provide safety and love. But just as important is to have a parent with an eye for the long game. Love equals making the kid do things that may be difficult or less enjoyable but builds their character and chances of success in life. A good parent isn’t interested in their own power, they are hoping for a brighter future for someone else.

People in authority either approach their power over others with thoughtful fear and trembling and awareness that decisions lead us to tomorrow, or they use their power in a soulless egotistical orgy of psychological gluttony. “The road goes on forever and the party never ends.” We’ve all met a boss, preacher or politician who was fixated on the power of their position. Doesn’t matter if it’s around a campfire, pulpit or any place with a gavel. You can always tell. Everybody knows. And in the reverse, the person pouring out their soul in red ink along the margins of our life. Encouraging, correcting, and begging us to find our better angels. The person with the worried look seeking to make it all work. The person clapping furiously at the mundane victories, always trying to elevate others. That’s the well-used power that empowers others. It’s not just wealth that counts or we would celebrate Wall Street crooks and cartel lords. It’s not raw power of winning that creates lasting value or we would still be in awe of the school yard bully. It’s how we behave when we have power over others that separate the heroes from the bullies. Wilt Cutter has fought bullies and lost and won. He has ridden an actual bull for less than eight seconds. (Not a make-believe, mechanical bull for carpet baggers and drug store cowboys.)

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Teacher of the Year inspired by grandmother LHISD

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor When Cheryl Russell was a young girl in school, she had someone always there to provide both instruction and inspiration. Grandmother Alice Speis, who spent an entire career as a teacher on the front lines of education, served as a shining beacon to her granddaughter. “One great influence and one defining moment led me to this career,” said Russell, who was recently named Bill Burden Teacher of the Year for 201920. “My grandmother was my greatest influence. She was always around to take my sister and I to and from school as she taught at the same school we attended. She let us help in her classroom from time to time, helped us study and she was always reading to us. She gave me a love for reading to children because I could tell she enjoyed it so much. She decided to get her education degree after losing her husband in an oil field fire. She had four children and her teaching job provided a stable home. “The defining moment came in high school when I was helping a friend who struggled in algebra. I will never forget the feeling I felt when at the moment I was able to help him understand. It was so satisfying,” Russell said. Fast-forward a couple decades and Russell has just wrapped up her 21st year as a teacher and seventh at Burden – all part of a career that has seen her ply her trade at different schools from the Gulf Coast to the Texas Panhandle, as she has taught first, second, fourth and fifth grades at various points along the way. According to Russell, who currently teaches second grade, she chose the elementary level due to the formative time of her students’ lives she can take part in, which takes her to a gratifying state of mind. “I love that I can make a positive difference in so many lives,” said Russell. “Also, I love and adore children. They make me happy. When I’m down about something before school and I enter a room full of kids, I forget about every-

Cheryl Russell, who recently named Bill Burden Elementary School Teacher of the Year, was influenced to pursue a career in education by her grandmother, who also taught. (Courtesy Photo) thing. The world is suddenly a safe and happy place.” Russell added being bestowed with such an award by those who work alongside makes it that much more invaluable. “I truly appreciate the honor especially since it’s one given by my teaching peers. These are the people that see me interact with kids on a daily basis, so it’s important to know they see me as a leader in our school and someone they can trust with our most precious assets,” she said. “I have been blessed to teach many of their personal children and their previous students. Nothing touches my heart more than being honored by those who trust me enough to love on and educate their children.” Burden Elementary Principal Tanya Lambert lauded Russell as one who always finds a way to get objectives accomplished. “There’s not a challenge I can think of Mrs. Russell isn’t willing to meet head on,” said Lambert. “She’s going to do what is best for her students no matter how difficult it may be. The love and care she provides her kids is second to none. Mrs. Russell is deeply respected and loved at BBE by students and staff, has earned

the title of Teacher of the Year, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for her.” For Russell, she relishes the opportunity to interact with students who are only beginning their respective educational journeys – to the point where she is more at home with them than people her own age, she said. “Teaching the youngest of students comes naturally to me,” said Russell. “I don’t know how different it is from other levels because I’ve always taught in the elementary grades. I imagine it might take a little more patience and additional effort to work at their developmental level. However, I actually ﬁnd it more comfortable to hang out and converse with children under the age of 10 than most adults.” Being a teacher has certainly undergone its fair share of changes over the years, all of which are good, she said. “The profession has certainly changed over the last 21 years. Lesson planning and instruction are much more intentional and focused, teaching is better supported with collaborative teams and the state standards are more in-depth,” said Russell. “When I ﬁrst started teaching, a computer on every

child’s desk was hard to imagine – but the time is here. I think my style is still to bring as many fun, hands-on, real-life experiences to kids as I can. Technology has definitely made that easier to accomplish.” Russell said it’s the daily challenge of teaching that fuels her fire – as far as the psychological aspect of the profession in guiding young students on the right path – be it educational or behavioral. “The best part of being a teacher by far, is interacting with kids. I love to know what they’re thinking and I enjoy how their thoughts guide the learning and teaching in a classroom,” she said. “The hardest part is helping children who struggle with social-emotional control. My hope is students begin to take responsibility for their actions and create solutions, so emotions don’t become a deterrent to their success.” These days, Russell finds herself having traded places with her grandmother and hopes to have the same kind of influence on the students of today – by leading by example and never giving up.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Continued from Page 1

In addition to a safety and operations task force, there is another for teaching and learning, focusing on what learning might look like next fall. But before they can plan, leaders want an idea of what the community is comfortable with. “We’ve started sending out surveys that get our parents’ and our staff’s opinion on their thoughts of returning to school,” Snell said. “We have to plan for what’s the traditional school model where kids come to school every day and teachers come to school every day.” School may start normal, but next year districts plan to be ready for similar situations to what they experienced this year. “We’re also going to have to plan a hybrid model for learning at home should school have to close or should there be increased breakouts (of the virus), or any kind of change,” Snell said. The safety of students is not the only concern, as the district has hundreds of employees it wants to take care of as well. “We also have a task force for human resources and policy,” Snell said. “How do we protect our employees? We might have some employees who are in high-risk categories, or maybe they have an elderly grandparent living with them or a child who is high-risk, how do we accommodate them?” The district is also taking a hard look at what the situation will be for athletics and extracurricular programs. “What will marching band look like, what will athletics look like or locker rooms?” Snell said. “Will there be fans in the stands in the fall when football kicks off? I believe football will start in the fall, and volleyball, too, but I think it will look different.” Since the beginning of preparations to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts across Texas have been communicating and working together to collaborate on solutions. “We’re all having the same

conversations around the same topics,” Snell said of the meetings. “We’re using all the same data and I think the ﬁrst step, the data we really need to know, is from those surveys to our staff and our community to get their thoughts on how they feel about sending their kids back to school or not. How do we make sure they get the same quality education at home they would get in the classroom?” Snell said. Financial concerns were eased somewhat when TEA announced that next year’s funding was still in place per previous projections and plans. “We got word from the (TEA) Commissioner, based on conversations with the state and CARES Act that schools will be fully funded next year,” Snell said. “That’s very good news for us, but we’re still going to plan very conservatively because we see the economic impact and cost that COVID-19 has had on our state and country and we usually lag behind a year in that funding. We’re just going to be very conservative planning for the future so we’re not caught by surprise if our funding gets cut by the state.” That assurance allows LHISD to get to work on next year’s budget, which has to be approved in August. “Now that we know the funding will be there we can start talking about compensation plans for staff and teachers and see what everything looks like,” Snell said. Snell said looking ahead, though, he anticipates a need for change in how school funding formulas are set. “I think the state’s going to have to look at a new model for funding,” Snell said. “It might be by contact and engagement versus seat time and who is here on any given day.” Attendance counts have always been the key, but with the unknowns of students possibly not returning to the classroom, or even potential future COVID-19 outbreaks, attendance could look very

See SCHOOL, Page 10

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CAMPBELL

back with a report saying the City followed its policies and that the termination was appropriate.” But the two sides differ on their opinion of what should have been included in the investigation. “He was looking into the City’s conduct as it related to the termination and whether the City followed its own policies,” Cleaves said. “If Maverick has complaints about the Mayor, whether that’s relevant to his ﬁring, I don’t know.” For Campbell, the lengthy statement was critical to the grievance and his request for an investigation. “The reason I included all of the information about the Mayor’s behavior in my grievance was to show the pattern of abuse that I know led to my termination because of threats against my job by the Mayor,” Campbell said. “The incident in New Jersey was simply an excuse and he reacted on emotions instead of facts, making false claims of an arrest when there was no arrest.” Campbell’s statement outlines nearly two years of what he calls increased involvement by Hall in department operations, pressure on certain personnel decisions, excessive

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 1 ride alongs and other accusations. Many of the comments and allegations in Campbell’s statement echo the allegations reported in The Independent in early March, all of which Hall continues to say are “absolutely” false. “I can tell you this, that the comments made in there are not valid,” Hall said. “At the initial point some of these comments were made, Becky (Wilkins) spoke to every one of the employees and there was no comments from any of the employees that came remotely close to all that. This is the typical thing that happens with a disgruntled employee, or ex-employee trying to divert the real things from them to someone else to try to discredit somebody else when they’re the ones in trouble.” In the investigation conducted by Mills, the report indicates he looked at the City’s initial investigation into Campbell’s conduct in New Jersey – conducted by Finance and Human Resources Director Becky Wilkins – and the supporting documentation. He also interviewed Wilkins and Hall, but no one else, including Campbell, as part of his investigation.

two issues appear to be separate from one another in his opinion. “If Maverick thinks he was fired for some other reason, if he wants to file a lawsuit, if he wants to do something like that it’s of course his right,” Cleaves said. “Anyone can always do that. But I don’t think that’s related at this point to the formal grievance that alleges the City didn’t follow its own policies. I think those two things are separate.” Hall reiterated his belief that if the allegations were true they would have been made previously. “In my opinion, when you bring up something that has supposedly happened for 18 to 20 months, after you’re terminated, but nothing is said before, then to me it looks like a witch hunt,” Hall said. “If any of it, even a small piece of it has any truth behind it, why wasn’t something said before?” While the matter may be closed from the City’s perspective, Hanner said legal action is likely. “At this point, we will be moving forward with appropriate legal action to address the City’s breach of Chief Campbell’s contract, as well as the actions of the Mayor,” he said. The Independent requested a copy of Mills’ report on May 29, but by press time Wedneswe didn’t stop our criminal day had only received a copy justice system.” from a different source. Many county employees filled emergency-related posts during the ramp-up response to COVID-19, but are now beginning to get back to their normal positions and operations. “We’re really grateful for the flexibility of our team but it’s time for us to get back to work and serve the people of Williamson County,” Gravell said. All tax offices are open, but an appointment is needed to visit. The Veterans Services office is open but conducting most of its business by phone. Gravell said parks and trails are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but per orders from Gov. Greg Abbott are still limited to only 25 percent capacity. One area of concern mentioned by Gravell was the anticipated increase in workload in the four Justice of the Peace courts. “We are not surprised by the outcome of the City investigation into Chief Campbell’s grievance,” said Campbell’s attorney Tiger Hanner. “The investigator never once called my office or spoke to Chief Campbell as part of his investigation. He never spoke to anyone in New Jersey affiliated with the conference. He merely rubber-stamped the City’s action.” But Cleaves contends the investigation and subsequent Council decision addressed the requests in the grievance even without consideration of Campbell’s statement. “As I think about the termination of Maverick Campbell, he went to New Jersey, we received phone calls from law enforcement in New Jersey raising lots of questions about Maverick Campbell’s conduct, so that’s why he was terminated,” Cleaves said. “The internal investigation turned up other details that were kicked off by Maverick Campbell’s activities in New Jersey. After he is fired he writes a letter with tons of allegations about misconduct from other people. It feels like a red herring situation, that’s why it is frustrating to me.” Cleaves went on to say the

Active COVID-19 cases decrease

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Despite a steady number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Williamson County each day – 52 total new cases in the last week – the number of active cases continues to decrease. Estimated recoveries have outpaced new cases, leaving an estimated 199 active cases currently in the county. Three more fatalities have been reported in the county over the last week bringing the total to 29. The fatalities were two males, one in his 60s and another in his 70s, and one female in her 80s. “Today, we reflect upon another life lost to COVID-19, and our hearts go out to this woman’s family and loved ones,” said Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell on Monday. “As we continue to re-open our offices, businesses, and churches, let us be sure to also take steps to keep each other safe. Stay home if you feel sick, keep at least six feet of dis-

STEPHENSON tenure here,” he said. “He is the standard as far as a president goes. I’ve been very glad to get to serve with Clay and to get to learn from him. He’s been a fantastic mentor, he and David Nix both for that matter.” Beyond the board and district administration, Stephenson says what he believes is the best school district in Texas is what it is because of everyone in the community. “Everybody is focused on the same thing, which is the kids,” he said. “It’s really good to serve with all of them. I view this as not just the best district in Central Texas, but in the state. That has to do with our parents, the faculty, kids, staff, everybody.” The district has recently put

tance between you and someone else, wash your hands and frequently touched surfaces often, and wear a mask in public. These things will protect you and those around you.” In Texas, total conﬁrmed cases has surpassed 66,000 with more than 44,000 estimated as recovered. The statewide fatality total is 1,698, an increase of 162 over the last seven days. There have been conﬁrmed cases of COVID-19 in 232 of 254 Texas Counties. Travis County ranks fourth with 3,360. Williamson County has had 636 total cases.

County reopening While more businesses reopen each week, Williamson County ofﬁces have begun to reopen to the public this week. “Many of our County ofﬁces have reopened,” Gravell said. “Most of these employees were working even during the pandemic. We didn’t stop our law enforcement, we didn’t stop our correctional services,

Council silence Because the City Council did not take any action on the grievance there was no public discussion of the complaint and request. None of the Council members were willing to discuss the allegations against Hall, with only Kathy Canady acknowledging she had seen the statement. She responded by saying she didn’t believe Campbell was a truthful person and that she didn’t know what might or might not happen in the future regarding the allegations against Hall. “I’m not going to discuss what we talked about in executive session,” Canady said. “We agreed with the investigator on what our grievance was and that’s all we have to worry about. I have no faith in anything Maverick has to say. I focused on the investigation that we did and I focused on things I have seen Maverick do that negates anything he could probably tell me.” Canady went on to say she didn’t need to look into the allegations in Campbell’s statement as the discussion was about Campbell, not Hall. “I really haven’t had a chance to go look at every last word,” she said. “I went off the investigator’s report and that’s what interests me. The issue at that meeting was Maverick Campbell, not the Mayor.” Canady would not say whether she would at any point in the future want to look into the allegations against Hall.

Who called who? There continues to be one unresolved point of contention regarding how the City was notiﬁed of the New Jersey incident. Hall indicated initially in March that the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) contacted the City following the incident. But Campbell’s attorney denied that claim, and Campbell has since said the call to Liberty Hill was made by LHPD Detective David Bonessi who was also in New Jersey. In two different interviews with the NJSP, The Independent was told no one involved in the incident from law enforcement in New Jersey did or would have called Liberty Hill about it. In Mills’ report he wrote that Hall was contacted by LHPD Lt. Jeff Ringstaff about the incident, but never indicates the NJSP called the City. Hall has provided the name of a lieutenant at the NJSP that he said contacted him, but The Independent has been unable to verify this through efforts to contact him. This question remains important in determining just how the local investigation into Campbell began. The Independent will continue to investigate this issue and the allegations raised in the grievance. Learn more about Campbell’s termination online at www.LHIndependent.com

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See COVID, Page 10

Continued from Page 1

a focus on learning what the community wants then developing a plan for the future to handle challenges of growth and change. “One thing as a board that we were moving toward fairly recently is we wanted to get a strategic plan in place to get community involvement and buy-in and get their take on things because it’s not the board’s district,” Stephenson said. “It’s the community’s district.” Amid the breakneck pace of growth, it is the ability to maintain certain things as they are that Stephenson sees as the biggest challenge. “Number one is maintaining the culture that’s been created here,” he said. “Really the reason why a lot of people move

Page 5

here is the schools and the culture that’s been cultivated throughout the years. It’s not to say we can’t improve, but we don’t want to lose track of who we are as a community.” For Stephenson, the best way to manage growth, maintain culture and continue on the right path is a solid foundation in two-way communication. “Having the community take a seat at the table, listening to them – and I’ll say again, it’s their district, not this team of eight’s – because we need to get input from them,” he said. “We have to educate, and I mean share the information we have like our demographics, the community and let everyone know what’s coming.”

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Page 6

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Arts and crafts have typically been a big part of the public library’s annual Summer Reading Program. (Courtesy Photos)

Liberty Hill Public Library’s summer program adjusts to unique circumstances

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Facing a summer stuck in the most unique of circumstances, the Liberty Hill Public Library is adjusting to COVID-19 precautions to remain committed to bringing the community its annual Summer Reading Program. “We’re still having it (Summer Reading Program), that’s the most important thing,” said Librarian Angela Palmer. “The program may look different, it may feel different, it may not be as engaging, but we are still doing it. Our theme is ‘Reconnecting’ this summer, so we’re trying to help people reconnect with the library, reconnect with the community and reconnect with their family.” While the program traditionally begins mid-May, this year, it’s getting off to slightly later start, beginning June 8 and running to the end of July.

“This year will be completely different,” said Palmer. “This year, for the ﬁrst time, we have online sign-ups. We will have a way for people to call us so we can sign up for them and log their minutes. We’ll also have a paper component for some people who may not have the internet.” The library is using a program called READsquared to make it easy and convenient for adults and children at home to log their minutes of reading. Palmer admits that while it may be a convenient way of doing things, she will miss some of the fun that comes with physical sign-ups. “People can go sign up – children, adults, and teens – for the program, and they can log their books and minutes online,” said Palmer. “Before, we’ve always had sign-ups where people would come in. We used to draw names and put kids on teams like

when we did Harry Potter, and everyone got assigned to a house. It was exciting, and the kids loved it.” With more time at home over the last few weeks, Palmer feels that kids might be overloaded on the amount of time they are on their phones, tablets, computers or TVs, and the library is ﬁnding ways to combat that with education. “Kids have so much screen time, and over the last couple of years, we’ve given out science pick-up kits,” she said. “They’re bags you can take home and do science activities. This year we don’t have any performers or anything, so we’re giving out over 14,000 kits.” Donations and sponsorships from the community help create the number of kits the library plans to provide. With such a large number of bags planned, the small library staff is working on overdrive

to get things prepared as fast as possible. “We have boxes everywhere,” said Palmer. “The community has been very generous. We’ve gotten some sponsorships, and people have given us things off of our Amazon wish list. We’ll be giving out 300 kits a day for ﬁve to six days a week. We have been working on this for a month, and we still aren’t there, but we’ll get there.” The most signiﬁcant adjustment to the Summer Reading Program aside from the new online aspect is that the library is closed for entry because of safety concerns and social distancing practices. The staff will still offer curbside service and have been doing so for the past three weeks. The plan for handing out kits and book pickups will be curbside until they can

See READING, Page 10

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 4, 2020 Page 7

Football boosters award scholarships 5 graduating Panthers each received $1,500

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Over the course of four years, Liberty Hill High School football players Drake Oberpriller, Hadley Weems, Brady Brewer, Jacob Cearley and Ryley Rosenbusch left it all out on the field for the Panthers. As a result, the Liberty Hill Football Boosters wanted to give something back to the quintet now that their time on the Purple-and-Gold gridiron is done. So, each of the graduating seniors was awarded a $1,500 scholarship to take with them when they begin attending their respective colleges in the fall. According to Liberty Hill Football Boosters President Shawn Lapuszynski, it was simply the right thing to do at the right time and a proper sendoff for players who put in the requisite time and effort in contributing to the Panthers’ program. “Liberty Hill football players are incredibly hard working and dedicated,” said Lapuszynski. “It’s been said by other programs we have the toughest offseason in the state. The black-sleeve letter jackets only football awards are special and what it takes to wear them requires a special kind of toughness. We want to recognize this by helping these young people a little in continuing their education.” Players were rated based on a points system, which are awarded for participation in all football activities, including the offseason and were required to write an essay. Lapuszynski said the quality of all the applicants caused the club to change its plans when it came time to award the scholarships, as there were to be only three players honored originally. “We saw the five applicants and realized they all repre-

sent exactly what Liberty Hill football is all about,” he said. “We also wanted to do something for the 2020 Seniors, so the LHFB Executive Board unanimously agreed to up the budget and award all five applicants $1,500 each.” Brewer is the only one of the group who will be continuing his playing career – at Sam Houston State – where he will major in business, and said it’s humbling to receive such a parting gift as he matriculates to the next level of education and athletics. “It’s a true honor to receive this scholarship – this whole system in Liberty Hill means so much to me and it goes to show how you get from something as much as you are willing to give,” said Brewer, whose senior season was cut short by a knee injury that he has almost finished rehabilitating. “I learned many things, but possibly the most important thing I learned is hard work prevails. I believe if you apply this in any aspect of your life, it’s hard to go wrong.” Oberpriller will be heading west to attend San Diego State University, where he will study international business and said life outside the lines will be surreal. “Without football, life will be strange,” he said. “No more suiting up, or long practices, or thrilling Friday night games – I’ll definitely have to get use to not having it, but I’ll just have to pick up another hobby.” Being recognized by the boosters was validating and has provided additional motivation for keeping a vital characteristic front and center, said Oberpriller. “The feeling you get when you receive a scholarship is an incredible feeling because it shows people believe in your future,” he said. “I learned many things while playing football, but the most import-

ant thing I learned and will always have is determination.” Rosenbusch, who will attend Texas A&M and study Wildlife and Fisheries in order to pursue a career as a game warden, also said it’s gratifying for his hard work not only to be recognized, but rewarded. “After giving everything to the football program the past six years, it instills a sense of pride in me that my hard work and commitment was noticed,” he said. “One of the most important things I’ve learned from this program is how to accept criticism as well as learn from your failures.” However, perhaps the biggest challenge moving forward will be filling the enormous void of no longer having football constantly on his radar, he said. “It’s going to be a real culture shock,” said Rosenbusch. “For the past six years, I’ve had something that deals with football every day. Whether that be practice, lifting, or just playing around with friends.” Weems will begin his pursuit of a business degree at Blinn College in Brenham before transferring to Texas A&M and will miss what he’s leaving behind, but knows it readied him for what lies ahead. “I’ll miss my teammates, coaches and all the camaraderie,” he said. “Being a part of a team gave me lifetime friendships, memories that will last a lifetime and taught me lessons that prepared me for the future.” Weems echoed his teammates’ sentiments as far as tireless work ethic being the most crucial element of success. “Being a part of the Liberty Hill football program has taught me that hard work and dedication matter – relationships and trusting others matters and when I get discouraged or feel defeated, keep trying,” he said. “Good things

Drake Oberpriller (#4) was one of five Panthers seniors who were awarded a $1,500 college scholarship by the Liberty Hill Football Boosters. happen to those who work and volunteers – these people thers football. “The next priority is to see smart and hard.” really make it happen for our Cearley, who is an aspiring program,” he said. “Because how we come out of the huge business owner, will attend of the outstanding work of COVID shutdown. We’ll be Texas Tech and is eager to get our incredible volunteers and evaluating the availability his post-prep life underway, he the generosity of our business of contributions and revesaid. sponsors and community, we nue from our usual sources “I’ll miss playing high school were able to provide an up- such as concessions, events football with all my friends, coming uniform addition, a and business and general but I’m excited to go to Tech quality banquet, weekly audio membership donations, which and see what the future holds,” broadcast of varsity games, is uncertain at the moment,” said Cearley. “Hard work and awarding scholarships and nu- he said. “We had an incredibly strong first year and we dedication will get you far in merous other enhancements.” The club was founded prior were poised for an even betlife. Focusing on your goals and making them happen is a to the 2019 season after each ter second year. Regardless of sport was designated its own, coming out of a shutdown, our huge part of success.” Lapuszynski cited club Vice and Lapuszynski said mov- goals of enhancing the footPresident Gary Johnson, Sec- ing forward will certainly be ball program through funding retary Velvet Webb and Trea- challenging – especially with its leadership priorities and surer Sean Flinn as critical the global pandemic and all upgrading the players’ expecogs in enabling the organi- the repercussions it will pro- rience remain intact. We have zation to do what it does in duce. However, the goals of a community that is second to bettering the Panthers football the boosters remain the same none and together, we will get and they are steadfast in their there.” program. “We also have several out- resolve to continue to do whatstanding committee heads ever they can to improve Pan-

Ethan Wukasch had the most wins (62) and also received the Coaches’ Award. (Courtesy Photo)

Senior Lauren Crow was honored with the Panthers’ Number One Player Award as well as being named All-State Academic. (Courtesy Photo)

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

Panther tennis honors players with awards

Despite the fact the Liberty Hill High School tennis team ended its year early due to school closures, there were certainly plenty of bright spots, which were highlighted by the season-ending team awards. Leading up to the closure, the Panthers were dominating at tournaments and looking forward to the district and regional events with hopes of some reaching the state tournament. Varsity players were set in their individual events and ready to make a state run. Girls’ doubles teams of Sophie Sherman and Mackenzie Coleman (2019 Defending District Champions) and the

duo of Cassidy Sudekum and Ava Ortega had been tearing thorough tournament competitions finishing first and second, respectively, in the last event at Brownwood before spring break. In fact, Sherman and Coleman hadn’t lost a match together all spring and had hopes of going to the state tournament. In girls’ singles, seniors Lauren Crow and Ava Enstrom looked to finish first and second in the district, which would qualifying them for regionals after the pair both qualified in 2019 in girls’ doubles and mixed doubles. In boys’ singles, senior Tyler Franklin and junior Ethan

Warrington would have fought it out for second place at the district tournament and in boys’ doubles, Ethan Wukasch and Zach Kizer had placed in the top three at every tournament in the spring and would have gone to regionals. In mixed doubles, Liberty Hill would’ve gone one and two in the district with teams of Colin Garner and Eliza Homorodi and the brother-sister combo of Patrick Fay and Lorelei Fay. According to Liberty Hill head coach Philip Dodd, his players had worked hard to poise themselves for postseason success, only for the opportunity to be taken away,

something that was disappointing for him, personally. “They were ready for district and even after were still taking lessons and working out on their own in hopes to come back before end of the school year,” said Dodd. “My heart breaks for them on account of being this being our last shot in Class 4A – 5A is going to be a different monster next year with Georgetown in our district. They went to state last year in Class 5A team tennis and have eight courts at each of their middle schools with year-round programs. We were very good in 4A – now we have to play catch-up and improve quickly.”

Spring awards included Wukasch (62) and Enstrom (61) for most match wins on the boys’ and girls’ sides, respectively. The Coaches’ Award went to Lorelei Fay and Wukasch, while the Number One Player Award was bestowed on Crow and Patrick Fay. Finally, the Fighting Heart Award went to Coleman and Kizer and Most Improved was received by Homorodi and Garner. In addition, Crow, Enstrom and Lorelei Fay were named All-State Academic by the Texas Tennis Coaches Association. Dodd will be leaving the

program after two seasons in charge in order to be closer to family in Beaumont and had words of gratitude for all those who contributed in helping build the team during the course of his tenure, he said. “I would also say special thanks to (junior varsity) Coach (Sue) Davidson for all her hard work the last two seasons, as well as the parents, administration and the players for all their support and hard work. Liberty Hill tennis will also have a special place in my heart.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Baseball owners should be ashamed of themselves

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Originally this column was going to be about how both sides – players and owners – in the current labor dispute in Major League Baseball should be absolutely and completely ashamed of themselves. At a time when other professional sports leagues around the world have either returned or have definite plans to do so, our National Pastime continues to drag its collective feet over guess what? Altogether now. Money! Yes, it seems as if there are no boundaries or lines in the sand to cross when we’re talking about the almighty dollar. Even in the wake of this global pandemic, which has claimed thousands of lives and affected each and every person on the face of God’s Green Earth, the powers-that-be who act as stewards of the game so many people love – not to mention need now more than ever – have drawn battle lines and dug in for the long haul. We’re talking about billionaires against millionaires here, people. Everyone will still make boatloads of money without missing even a single meal regardless of the outcome. However, what began as vitriol to be spewed equally at both sides has become quite a one-sided affair, indeed. This the result of the initial “offer” made by the owners to the players – a situation that must be agreed upon before baseball retakes the field. Without getting into all the specifics, which require a Philadelphia lawyer to decipher, it basically comes down to this. Imagine, if after a two-month period of being laid off from work due to the current situation, your employer gives you a shout and says, “Hey, the good news is you can come back to work!”

Great, you’re thinking. But, did you say something about good news, boss? Then what’s the bad news? “Oh, did I fail to mention you’re getting a 75 percent pay cut?” “My bad.” Yet, that’s exactly what the players are faced with as they consider a comeback to a diamond near you. The proposal calls for the players at the higher end of the salary charts to take the biggest cuts in pay, while those near the lower end will still receive nearly all of their money. Nothing like creating a havesand-have-nots caste system among a group of people who all earn $4.4 million dollars on average. But, look at it this way. The average American worker can view this situation like one of those ink blotches shrinks show to their patients in order to figure out what’s going on in the ol’ noggin. “I see a lovely tree in blooming in springtime, with plenty of fruit for food and leaves for medicine.” “Oh, yeah? Well, I see a fire-breathing dragon unleashing a reign of fire and wreaking death and destruction on an apocalyptic scale.” See, it all depends on one’s perspective. One can see a guy slated to earn $37 million having to “get by” on a measly $5 million. Or you can see a worker who is being asked to take a ridiculous pay cut nobody in their right mind would accept. Forget about all the zeros for a moment and simply consider the principle of the matter. Earlier, the players had already agreed to a 50 percent salary reduction based on playing only half as many games as usual with a 50-50 split of revenues between both sides. Okay, seemed fair enough. But, somewhere along the line with human nature being what it is, good, ol’ greed reared its ugly head. So, if you’re one of the affected players, you’ve got to be saying, “Wait a minute. I already agreed to a 50 percent

reduction in wages and now you want to take half of that? Don’t think so.” Which was exactly the players’ reaction. We don’t blame them, by any means whatsoever. Earlier we mentioned how everyone with a financial stake who is involved with this money war will all still be just fine no matter the outcome. But, what about the millions of us across the country and the entire world who have emotional investments in the game? We’re the real losers in all of this, as usual. Our fearless prediction is there will be no Major League Baseball this summer, while the NHL and NBA will both be up and running during a time of the year when baseball usually has the stage all to itself during the dog days. We also find something else quite peculiar. Whatever is agreed (remove the “a” and what do you have?) upon, it’s only for this half-season. Next year everyone can be back at business as usual anyway. How old were you in 1994? There was a season that year, but no World Series due to a labor dispute that ultimately canceled the remainder of the season and put the Fall Classic on ice as a result. A whole lot of people were very angry and turned off to baseball for a long time. We know because we were one of them and it took a while for the game to work its way back into our good graces. But, if it’s in your blood (which both sides know, by the way), you’ll be back (which they also know). Lastly, we’ll leave you with this. During this time of everyone seeking a return to some kind of societal normalcy, what could be more normal than baseball arguing over money? So, maybe we owe them one, after all. Maybe not.

LHHS offers update on summer conditioning camps

Liberty Hill High School has reinstated its summer strength and conditioning camps, setting June 8 as the start date. The program, also known as Panther Athletic Conditioning, had been on hold due to the UIL’s suspension of all activities due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but will now go ahead as scheduled. However, there will be an entire host of health guidelines that must be followed by all participants. Although the programs have the go-ahead, there will be strict restrictions in place for

Pit Crew

the resumption of workouts – some mandatory, while others are suggested, but not required. Among the mandatory restrictions are stipulations requiring at least one staff member in attendance for every 20 athletes in order to ensure proper social-distancing procedures are met, no locker room or shower access for athletes and all working surfaces must be sanitized throughout and at the end of each day. Included in the suggested guidelines are pre-screening athletes for COVID-19 before

Continued from Page 1

STEM group,” said member Arthur Zamarripa. “Any of those organizations. We try to provide resources to them to help fund programs they have throughout the year.” The pit crew came together in 2012, with the simple goal of raising money to help the students of Liberty Hill. “They (the Pit Crew) wanted to start a group to provide a direct fund to the youth groups they wanted to support,” said secretary Jake Bodine. “Around that same time, they started the tailgate, and it started as the pit crew going out there, setting up a tent and offering some food.” Since they began to raise money by feeding fans preparing for the Friday night lights, the pit crew is seeing more success than ever before. About five years ago, the pit crew began hosting competitions for various school organizations to show their school

spirit. As organizations earn points, they earn awards and money. “We started giving out awards, just a couple hundred bucks here and there,” said Bodine. “Last year we started doing a bigger pool and every week. Before we were awarding $500 or so and we had so many different entrants, DECA, Pride, Cheerleaders, and robotics. Everybody is getting out there these days.” How an organization shows its pride and school spirit is up to them. It’s different for each organization and judged based on a certain set of criteria. “We go vote every week on tailgate attendance and what they did to show their spirit,” said Bodine. “We base it on creativity and originality, then we total up the score and give out $500 for first place, $300 for second and $200 for third.” The success of this system is leading to more money getting

the start of workouts and at the beginning of each week, planning entry and exit strategies to reduce the number of people in high-traffic areas and limiting athletes to remaining within a single group for the entirety of each session. Incoming 10-12th-graders will work out each day from 8 to 10 a.m., while seventh to ninth-graders will do so from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration forms, a COVID-19 info sheet and a parking and drop-off map are available on the school’s website.

into the hands of the students who need it. The money generated by the pit crew led to students’ biggest giveaways during the last tailgate season. “This last year, we were giving away $1,000 a week,” said Bodine. “At the end of the year, we split up $10,000 between everybody who attended. At first, we had three or four, but now we can spread it out to have anyone who attended get points and, at the end of the year, get something.” The Panther Pit Crew hopes that this upcoming school year can see them handout the largest amount yet. With the help of the Day of Giving, the crew hopes to give various organizations a total of $20,000. The Panther Pit Crew is one of seven local charitable organizations selected to participate in the 2020 Liberty Hill Day of Giving June 26. Learn more at www.facebook.com/ LibertyHillPantherPitCrew.

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Thursday, June 4, 2020

LHISD Special Education receives $50,000 grant

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer After being awarded a grant for $50,000 by the Region 20 Education Service Center, Liberty Hill ISD is putting the funds to work to improve support for Special Education students. “The grant is from TEA, we applied for it to help support special education departments around the state,” said Director of Student Support Services Kimberly De La Houssaye. “We were able to put in a request based on what our needs are. It is handled through Region 20.” To take full advantage of the Special Education Fiscal Support grant, the district had to apply twice. “There were two different rounds that we applied for,” said De La Houssaye. “We applied for the first round earlier in February and were given $20,000. We applied for a second round in the spring and were given $30,000.” The funds received will be dedicated to evaluations, the process used to determine if a child meets the criteria for special education. “The funds are to support evaluations for special education and other additional support for students’ needs as we come back,” said De La Houssaye. “This is to support

students throughout the next school year.” The importance of the initial evaluations is paramount because they determine the plan for each student moving forward. “Part of the special education process is an evaluation to determine if they meet certain eligibility to be served through special education,” said De La Houssaye. “That’s the starting point for all of our services. We look at those evaluations and use them to know what the students’ needs are and help us plan for the services they might need.” As the district continues to grow, different departments must be prepared to grow to accommodate more and more students. “For me, our biggest need is this evaluation process because we are a growing district, and being able to adjust to the needs of the students and maintain our process is important,” said De La Houssaye. “If we didn’t have the money, we’d find it somehow, but this just helps the process.” Some students needed extra support due to this year’s closures and having to finish up the school year from home. One goal is to improve online instructional methods. “Part of these funds is to sup-

port some of the things that we have had difficulties doing while we’ve been out so that we can be ready to help students as we come back next year. We’re looking at what needs they might have if they have any, from the standpoint of online instruction,” said De La Houssaye. The special education department looks at each student to develop plans for them as they prepare to return to a regular school year. “The department thinks about each child, so we will be looking at that through the individual students and what they each need as we come back if that’s still the plan because right now, we’re not sure,” said De La Houssaye. “But this will help us have an idea of what we need for next year. We’re trying a plan for every different possible scenario.” For De La Houssaye personally, the grant helps her and her staff work more effectively and efficiently to help special education students. “For me, this helps me support the staff because it helps make our initial evaluations better,” she said. “So, it helps the staff do a better job as much as it helps the individual students get their needs met.”

County announces completion of Southwest Bypass project

Submitted Content GEORGETOWN – Williamson County recently announced the completion of the final 1.5 miles of the Southwest Bypass project. This final segment will connect the City of Georgetown’s portion of the project, SH 29 to RM 2243, to the southbound access road of Interstate 35 at SE Inner Loop. This project is a key component in the overall Williamson County Long-Range Transportation Plan. For nearly two decades, Williamson County has planned this mobility project to be a critical connection to relieve congestion at main intersections of IH-35 in Georgetown as the area continues to grow. Thanks to the collaboration and teamwork between the County and City of Georgetown, this brand-new arterial roadway gives transportation options to those who live, work and spend time in the area. “Today’s celebration is the product of long-term collaborative efforts between Williamson County, the City of Georgetown, and Texas Crushed Stone. For nearly 20 years, local leaders have sought a west side bypass to enhance safety and mobility in a fast-growing area. Large neighborhoods on the west side of Georgetown, such

as Sun City, Serenada, The Village, Heritage Oaks, and many others now have multiple options to access the interstate and local businesses,” said Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey. Williamson County’s portion of the Southwest Bypass is unique because it runs through a large and active quarry. The Snead Family, owners of Texas Crushed Stone, have worked diligently with the County and City of Georgetown to make this road project a reality. The Sneads donated the necessary rightof-way for the project and even accelerated quarry operations near the roadway ahead of construction to ensure the safety of those building the roadway and that of the traveling public. “This is an important milestone for the City of Georgetown and for Williamson County,” said Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross. “With this opening, Georgetown completes a 4-mile loop around the southwest side of the city, providing a key connection from Highway 29 to Leander Road and now to Interstate 35 and, most importantly, fulfilling a commitment to voters, who approved two bonds to make this project possible,” said City of Georgetown Mayor Dale Ross.

The final portion of the Southwest Bypass, from Leander Road/RM2243 to I-35 was funded by Williamson County. This portion of the project cost approximately $19.8 million and was funded by voter-approved Road Bonds. The Southwest Bypass project is being celebrated by many since it has been a collaborative effort for almost 20 years. The plans to start the project date back to the time when former Precinct 3 Commissioner David Hays was in office. “We have needed a parallel route to I-35 through Georgetown for a long time. One of the reasons that it has taken nearly two decades to plan and build is trying to work through all the challenges of building a road around Lake Georgetown and the quarries,” recalls former Precinct 3 Commissioner Hays. “The opening of this connection from I-35 to Leander Road through Texas Crushed Stone and on to SH 29 is a huge achievement that will greatly enhance the ability of traffic to move around Georgetown,” added Hays. Williamson County and City of Georgetown held a virtual ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the bypass.

Hope House has four homes in the Liberty Hill area. (Courtesy Photo)

Hope

Continued from Page 1

area that gives them a place to live forever.” Hope House has 54 full-time staff members who work three shifts a day to provide care for their residents. The job is vital because of the severity of disabilities. Residents need help with things most of us can do with ease. “Our children can’t speak, so they’re unable to communicate, they aren’t high level and need our staff to help bathe them, use the restroom and eat,” said Schulze. “We have in-home speech and physical therapy.” During the Day of Giving last year, the organization raised enough funds to meet

and exceed their goal. “Last year, we were trying to raise $10,000 to remodel bedrooms and bathrooms for our four homes,” said Schulze. “Doug Frazier and his sister Virginia Jackson saw us because of the Day of Giving and donated $6,000.” The original goal for the 2020 Day of Giving was to raise another $10,000 to cover repairs and replace several essential items. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the original plans have changed. Schulze says that the money raised will now be used to support residents, pay staff, and sustain a high standard.

“We have some rigid standards we have to follow, so sanitizers are in critical demand,” he said. “The other issue we face is a 30 percent increase in our costs. We’ve seen them skyrocket with supplies and with salaries. We had these ideas about what we would like to use this money for, but at this particular time, I’m hoping people will consider helping us to sustain the residents.” Hope House is one of seven local charitable organizations selected to participate in the 2020 Liberty Hill Day of Giving June 26. Learn more about Hope House at www. hopehouseaustin.org.

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SCHOOL Continued from Page 4 different. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If a kid tests positive what does that mean? They have to go home for 14 days. What does it mean for the rest of the class? What does it mean for the rest of the school? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all in this together and all these superintendents are gathering the best brains in their districts and getting with each other to talk about every possible question that might come up and how we can handle that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deďŹ nitely a brave new world for public schools

READING

these days.â&#x20AC;? What Snell does know is that regardless of how everything looks in the fall, the growth challenge in Liberty Hill has not become less of a concern for planners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in touch with the Realtors and developers too in terms of what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing on home sales and Liberty Hill is still a hot spot,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It slowed down in April, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warming back up.â&#x20AC;?

Continued from Page 6

completely reopen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know when we can reopen, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing curbside service,â&#x20AC;? said Palmer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People can call or go online, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll bring what you need out to your car. If you go online and place holds, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call people when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready. Older people who may not want to do holds can call us.â&#x20AC;? For children, the library is making sure that it has all of

the popular titles they enjoy and has taken a look at the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommended reading list to help ďŹ&#x201A;esh their selection with multiple copies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have suggested reading, but the schools do so we try to make sure we have those books,â&#x20AC;? said Palmer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We make sure to have the perennial favorites. For the juvenile set, we have Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Dog Man, and

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

COVID

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Continued from Page 5

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As you know, the Chief Justice of the (Texas) Supreme Court issued a stay order on all eviction notices and small claim debt cases, and those eviction orders have been lifted and as of the 18th of (May) people could begin to ďŹ le evictions, so evictions have been backlogged so to speak through the pandemic, and unfortunately I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to see a spike for evictions from homes and apartments coming through our justice

courts,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are going to watch our JP courts and be there to support them in every way.â&#x20AC;? The Williamson County Commissioners Court began holding in-person meetings again Tuesday at the Courthouse in Georgetown. While the Courthouse will remain closed to the public until further notice, residents will be allowed to access the building when a Commissioners Court meeting is being held. Access

is available through the south doors off 8th Street. On the days that Commissioners Court meetings are held, the Courthouse will be open one hour prior to the posted start time of the meeting to one hour after the posted start time. Entry to the courthouse will be subject to a temperature check. Residents interested in taking part should be advised that there will be limited seating for the public in the courtroom with overďŹ&#x201A;ow seating avail-

able in the District Courtroom. The meeting will be streamed live online at https://www.wilco.org/livemeetings.

Captain Underpants. For the little kids, we have the Piggy and Elephant, the Pigeon books, and Fancy Nancy.â&#x20AC;? As kids reach speciďŹ c goals in their reading, traditionally, Palmer and her staff would take a photo of each kid and create a poster for them to take home. Despite changes, the tradition will continue differently. Parents will be able to send their kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; photos when

they reach their goals and get their posters made. Palmer believes the most crucial thing that participating in the program does for kids is continuing to educate them through the summer and keep them learning as they get closer to returning to school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When kids have summer break, they lose learning from the year before. Teachers know this, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called

the summer slide,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to read tons of books, but if they do, then they retain more of what they learned and are better prepared for the fall. The book subject doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter either; they still retain their math and science.â&#x20AC;? For Palmer, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program holds signiďŹ cantly more weight because kids were robbed of part of their school year by COVID-19.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much more meaningful because parents have so much to do and might be overwhelmed, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to try and keep the kids engaged for them,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If kids go back to school in the fall, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be as far behind as they could be. We want to try and help as much as we can.â&#x20AC;?

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G R A D UAT I O N C E R E M O N Y

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 at 8 PM GATES OPEN 6:30 PM Panther Stadium, 16500 SH 29 At the conclusion of the ceremony there will be a fireworks show. Thank you toCity of Liberty Hill and the Liberty Hill Fire Department.