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2020

Volume 33, Issue 35

www.LHIndependent.com

News@LHIndependent.com

Call to action

LHISD planning for all possibilities

Movement designed to bring pressure on City government

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Better Together Project is a new movement in Liberty Hill that its founder – Sally McFeron – hopes will live up to its name on the community’s political stage.

The Political Action Committee (PAC), created and registered with the Texas Ethic Commission on July 10, is intended to bring accountability and transparency to City Hall, but also to make sure everyone is a participant in the community.

“This is going to be a way for the entire community to pull together to do good things and do them in the right way,” she said. “Right now, this community needs to hear from the folks who are

not politicians or employees being paid by City Hall. We need to listen to our community and pull back the veil.

Let’s have some participation and have some transparency in our local government.

Let’s have some accountability for the decisions being made and demand that.”

McFeron, the former Director of Planning for the City, who was terminated in early July, is the PAC treasurer and the first two committee members are former City Administrator Greg Boartight and Christopher Spaeth.

“Those are the first two committee members to get this moving and we will go through an opportunity for

See PAC, Page 6

Cross Tracks Church welcomes new pastor

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Cross Tracks Church, a staple of Liberty Hill for over 150 years, is under the new leadership of Pastor Michele Lott.

Originally from Norman, Oklahoma, Lott arrived in Liberty Hill at the beginning of July. A Texan since moving to the Austin area in 1998, the new pastor has known since she was in her teens this was the path she was to travel.

“I said yes to be a pastor when I was in high school right before I went to college,” she said. “The first time I went to college, I went as a religion major and then dropped out and took a break. Then I decided I wanted to be a teacher, but I realized I was called to ministry.

That’s when I got into youth ministry full time.”

Early on, Lott wasn’t sure about moving up into the position of senior pastor. After a few years, she decided to accept the advancement.

“When I moved to Texas, I was still in youth ministry, and I did that for 25 years,” she said.

“Then I ended up moving to La Grange to get a job as director of youth ministries. It was there that the senior pastor said ‘you know you’re supposed to be an elder in the church’. I said that I couldn’t because I’m old and I have four kids. I had all these great excuses.”

When Lott knew it was time to become a pastor, she felt she needed to get more schooling. She decided to earn her bachelor’s degree in human resources from the University of the Incarnate Word. The ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

MICHELE LOTT Pastor, Cross Tracks Cross Tracks pastor had confidence in her lifelong faith studies. She felt being more equipped to work with people would be better suited for her position.

“I decided to get a bachelor’s degree in human resources because I realized many pastors don’t know how to hire and train, I’ve just seen so many bad staffing decisions,” she said. “My focus on human resources was leadership development.

I figured that would help prepare me for creating a structure for how the church gets things done.”

Lott received her Master’s of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary to continue to work within a local church while attending seminary.

In her long calling with the Methodist Church, Lott served several churches in cities all around Texas.

“I served for one year in La Grange, then I went to Corpus for four years and served in a fairly large church. I was an associate pastor there,” she said. “Then I went to Driftwood on the opposite side of Austin for a couple of years, then it was off to San Antonio for two years, and that’s where I just came from.”

See CROSS TRACKS, Page 8

July 23, 2020 | 50 Cents

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

Liberty Hill’s fall sports teams will begin practice on Sept. 7 following a UIL announcement of an adjusted calendar for the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UIL announces adjusted fall sports calendar

LHHS will begin practice on Sept. 7

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Liberty Hill’s wait to begin play as a Class 5A school will have to wait a bit longer as the UIL has announced all Class 5A and 6A schools across the state will begin fall sports practice on Sept. 7 – about a month later than usual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ironically, Class 1A to 4A schools will begin on Aug. 3, which was when the Panthers would’ve gotten the green light if they hadn’t been moved up in classification entering the 2020-21 school year.

The UIL earlier announced students who enroll in distance learning -- as opposed to physically attending class – will remain eligible to participate in sports.

Liberty Hill athletic director and head football coach Jeff Walker expressed relief when word was handed down.

“Being a sports guy, it’s exciting to be talking about it again,” said Walker. “Now, our kids are going to have the chance to compete – that was my first thought.”

Head volleyball coach Gretchen Peterson expressed similar sentiments.

“First and foremost, I’m so thankful we’re going to have a season,” she said. “So, let’s take some time to celebrate the positive in that.”

Peterson added although things won’t be the same, the bright side is she and her team will be able to coach and play

See SPORTS, Page 4

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Many administrators, staff, teachers, and even parents, in Liberty Hill ISD have spent much of the last four months beginning nearly every sentence with “What if” or “How do we”.

The questions have not stopped since the first COVID-19 cases in Texas led to school closures across the state and preparations began for how to safely return to school this fall.

It may not prove to be the final one, or the one people want to hear most, but in a five-hour marathon meeting of the LHISD Board of Trustees Monday, there was an answer for every question.

Superintendent Steve Snell circled Aug. 1 on the calendar as the date LHISD would announce details of its back to school plan, and he said that was still on.

A decision was not announced Monday on whether the district would delay in-person classes up to a month as many area districts have announced, but Snell knows a decision on that question and others will have to come soon.

“I think we’re going to make it sooner and that’s just mainly due to the fact that the community just keeps asking,” he said. “I think it’s very important to wait a little bit, see what the virus is doing and make an informed, patient decision, but the demands of community and staff say they need that a little bit sooner.”

As with all plans over the last five months, Snell is re-

minding everyone that plans change often.

“The hard part is it’s always subject to change depending on what the virus does,” he said. “If we see some more spikes that plan might have to be delayed a little bit. If by some reason the numbers drop we can feel a little more comfortable moving forward quicker.”

Even with detailed, throughly vetted plans, the district knows there is some amount of risk inherent in any plan.

“We’re trying to meet the needs and desires of our community and staff and keep everyone as safe as we know how,” Snell said. “I think everybody realizes there’s no way to eliminate risk, we just have to do everything we can to reduce the risk. We think we have solid plans and they’ve been vetted through by a lot of people and we’re going to put them out there and give everyone a choice at this point on whether they want to come back or whether they want to stay online a little bit.”

In the most recent survey sent to parents – which resulted in 4,184 responses – 59 percent of respondents said they would send their students back for in-person classes, while 41 percent said they would choose online learning. The Texas Education Agency has mandated that schools across Texas give parents both options for learning this academic year.

“The first time we did a survey it was 95 percent were going to send their students

See LHISD, Page 6

Council to consider future of swim center

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When the Liberty Hill City Council meets Monday, it could be deciding if the future of the long-awaited swim center is now or whether the dry spell will continue when it comes to a community pool.

The Council will meet with the Parks Board, which guided the project from inception to a groundbreaking last summer, to discuss options for the project that now faces questions over projected increased costs and funding sources.

On the chopping block is the previously approved project that was voted on by the Council in the Spring of 2019, which at the time had a price tag of $1.35 million after factoring in a $500,000 grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Mayor Rick Hall said that project now has a price tag of $2.19 million -- an estimate also provided by Halff Associates which designed the project. No explanation was given on how the estimate increased more than $800,000. Hall did not clarify if the new cost pro-

jection was inclusive of the $500,000 grant, and did not respond to a request for an interview with The Independent on the issue.

In light of the new cost projection, Hall’s suggested alternative resembled a plan he proposed back in October, which the Council rejected at that time.

When the Council discussed the issue July 13, Hall emphasized this time the shrinking of the building in the project, and simplifying some other parts.

“The building design is, and this is a comment from the engineer, the building design is way too large as far as the equipment space room, the chemical space room. He said you’ll probably use 25-30 percent of that for the pumps and equipment for the pool, so there’s a lot of additional cost in that.”

He said the simpler proposal made it more affordable.

“This design is more typical of what municipalities do,” Hall said of the new proposal. “It’s just a square rectangle pool, and again, like with the

other design it was shaped, it wasn’t square lines, so that also had increased price for the pool.”

The second plan includes a smaller building, no zero entry, and replacing the splash pad with a kiddie pool.

The new plan is proposed at just over $1.5 million based on projections from Halff Associates.

When the Liberty Hill Master Parks Plan was developed, more than 60 percent of respondents to a community survey wanted to see a splash pad or water feature, and just under 60 percent said they wanted a city swim center – by far the two most popular wishes from the community in the survey.

In March 2019, the city council approved plans for designers with Halff Associates to move forward with detailed plans and bid documents to seek construction bids for the project.

The swim center is set to be built just north of the basketball courts at City Park on County Road 200.

The swim center as ap-

proved includes a roughly 1,300-square-foot open-air pool house facility with restrooms, pavilion area, vending and changing rooms.

There would be no heating or air conditioning.

As plans were drawn up, the option was included to have restrooms and a potential vending area accessible year round for park users, even when the pool was closed.

The previously approved pool design would be about 4,800 square feet, with a zero entry grade on one end and reaching a depth of five feet on the other. This allows children to play in the shallower end more easily, and creates greater ease of entrance for everyone.

Plans also include fencing, shade structures, landscaping and grass areas surrounding the pool deck.

A parking lot with approximately 60 spaces, along with an improved entrance on County Road 200 and the decomposed granite half-mile trail around the southern half

See POOL, Page 4

Page 2

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Our caring, professional staff is focused on keeping your family healthy. And like you, we live in Liberty Hill and are working to make a difference in our hometown. From coaching youth sports teams, sponsoring community events and contributing to local causes, your hometown pediatric clinic is investing in Liberty Hill.

OBITUARY

Christopher Henry Torti

Christopher Henry Torti, of Liberty Hill, made his transition on July 12, 2020.

Chris was preceded in death by his parents, Hank Torti and Gloria DePasquale, his sons, CJ Torti and Dominic Torti, and brother-in-law Joseph Taliuaga.

He is survived by his wife, Leah, and step-daughter, Sofia Miller, mother-in-law Danna Hooper; sister-in-law Heather Drake; daughter Priscilla Torti and her husband Cruz Lopez, granddaughter Maegan Wilson and her wife, Katie Wilson; grandson Tristan Lopez, daughter-in-law Amanda Torti; daughter-in-law Christina Torti and granddaughter Katherine; grandson Aidan Hughes; sister Cathy Torti, sister Geri Taliuaga and her partner Ray McClain; brother Bob Torti and his husband Chuck; brother Mike Torti and his wife Karen; step-brother John DePasquale and his wife Gab; step-sister Dianne Searight and her husband Tom; as well as many nieces and nephews. We would be remiss not to include his ACS “brothers” Mike Dany,

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SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE FOR LHISD STUDENTS

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Danny Ingram, and Steve Zamzow, and all of the other folks who he cherished and spent so much time with.

Born in Bayshore, NY on September 28, 1949, Chris “got to Texas as soon as he could”.

Following graduation from Sul Ross University, Chris always planned on being a teacher and coach. Fate had different plans for him, though. He began his career with the American Cancer Society in 1973 as a Field Representative for 18 West Texas counties surrounding Midland/Odessa.

Between 1973 and his retirement, he served as Executive Director for El Paso, Income Development Director for Dallas, Executive Director for Dallas, Division Vice President for Field Services (1984), Senior Vice President (1992), and Chief Operating Officer (1995), all for the former Texas Division.

His professional accomplishments include winning the award for the best fundraiser in the Division (1975); first staff person to raise $100,000 in El Paso, TX (1978); staffing the first Gala event in Texas to raise over $100,000 (1979 Dallas CBB); he became the first staff person in Texas to complete a successful capital campaign (Dallas Office-1980); became the only Area/Metro manager in the history of the Division to win all ten staff

achievement awards in the same year (1983); managed the first $3,000,000 Area in the Division (1983); staffed the first Hispanic Summit (1996) and African American Summit (1998) in the Texas Division; created Division Associate Vice President positions for Diversity (2000) and Learning and Development (2001); and created the Texas Division Relay For Life Business Unit (2002). He was named Chief of Staff with the merger of the Texas Division with the Heartland Division to form the High Plains Division in 2005. He retired on May 1, 2013, after almost 40 years of service.

Chris was described by his friends as “a complex but loving man”, both “gruff and tender”. He never met a stranger and would regale anyone who would listen with stories of his constant near brushes with death, keen powers of observation, and unmatchable wit. He was brought to tears by every sappy movie he ever saw, yet would let out a string of cuss words that would make a sailor blush if someone didn’t use their turn signal. When his step-daughter’s father was ill, he drove an hour and a half each week, to hang out and play checkers with him. Next to his family, the loves of his life were the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers (his cat’s name

is Ranger), and riding his beloved motorcycle. He even wrote a book about it!

Chris died of congestive heart failure. He was peaceful and surrounded by family. Although his death was not anticipated by the medical staff, we believe that he made the decision to leave his body. He wouldn’t have wanted to live a diminished life and was, we are sure, happy to be reunited with his “boys”. A celebration of life will be held once travel and large groups are safe again.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor to the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association are appreciated.

The family would also like to thank Dr. Vaissman, who stepped into the huge shoes of Dr. Kalife and filled them well, the staff at Seton Ascension Round Rock, and his nurse, Heather.

Supplies for Teachers donation

The Liberty Hill Garden Club recently provided supplies for the Special Education group via the Supplies for Teachers program through their sponsor, Hughes & Company Real Estate. From left, are Adrienne Hughes, Cheryl Stephens of Hughes & Co., Lynn Waller (treasurer), Vicci Conway (parliamentarian/publicity chair) and Jeanette Roache (president) from the Liberty Hill Garden Club and Angel Noble, Special Ed teacher, seated. (Courtesy Photo)

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Thursday, July 23, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Throwback Thursday

Former publisher remembered

By JAMES WEAR Columnist Earlier this month marked the 21st anniversary of the passing of Jim “Linzy” Hudgins, founding publisher of The Independent.

Jim passed on July 8, 1999, just two days shy of what would have been his 65th birthday.

More than 100 people gathered the Saturday following his death for a memorial service at the pavilion in Lions Foundation Park where he was remembered as a kind father and grandfather, and an outspoken individual who loved Liberty Hill and worked towards the betterment of the community.

Hudgins, who was better known simply as “Linzy” among readers and advertisers, was born in San Antonio and had spent all of his adult life in radio, television and the newspaper industries.

The late Troy Joseph was among those who called Linzy a friend and said, “He was hell to get along with and we didn’t see eye to eye, but we could

talk about it.”

Another friend, the late Jimmy Waterston, credited Linzy with raising a lot of money for Foundation Park by organizing various golf tournaments over the years. Sam Blair was among those who played in the tournaments and remarked, “He was among the greatest of men and was involved with almost everything in Liberty Hill. Liberty Hill owes much of its future to that man.”

The late Bill Burden said Linzy “used good judgment in reporting the news and certainly had Liberty Hill’s interests at heart.

“Jim didn’t mind saying what he thought,” said Burden, “and I guess that’s good...it keeps things interesting.”

Linzy was instrumental in the development of the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce and served as the organization’s president during its first two years. He would also serve on the Liberty Hill Development Foundation’s board of directors. He was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Chamber and the Masonic Lodge recognized him with the “Community Builder of the Year Award.”

He joined the Liberty Hill

Linzy served as master of ceremonies for many events, including the Little Miss Liberty Hill contest in 1997. (Courtesy Photo) Volunteer Fire Department and was also an active member of the Lions Club.

The late Gloria Myers said, “We’ve lost a true pioneer.

Hardy, outspoken and sometimes abrasive, Jim was a starter. When he came to Liberty Hill he saw some things

that could be changed for the better, and he set out to make them happen.

“Jim cared deeply for Liberty Hill and its people,” she continued. “You could love him or hate him but you could never ignore him.”

50TH ANNIVERSARY

Page 3

EDITORIAL:

Community swimming upstream

A number of years ago the City of Liberty Hill reached out to the community to find out which outdoor amenities residents wanted.

A community pool was near the top of the list, and favored by a majority.

The Parks Board developed a Master Parks Plan that included a swim center.

The City Council approved a swim center on three different votes. The funds were set aside. A groundbreaking was held.

Thirteen months later, Liberty Hill residents are no closer to taking a dip in a community pool than they were before a ceremonial tossing of dirt in June 2019 signaled the beginning of construction.

This swim center is what the community wanted, it was discussed and engineered for three years, budgeted for and the funds were set aside well over a year ago. It needs to be built.

Or, Mayor Rick Hall and the City Council need to explain to the residents of Liberty Hill why their priority then is not a priority today.

There have been a few understandable contributors to the hold up – the award of a $500,000 grant and the decision to not have construction at City Park during the 2019 Independence Day festival – but it appears part of the hold up now is it is just not a priority.

The price tag has changed dramatically without explanation, and twice Mayor Rick Hall has brought a plan to the City Council to trim the cost and scope of the project. He has not talked about how to come up with the funds to cover the cost of the project the community wants either time. He has only talked about the need to do less of what was already approved.

The first time it was brought to the Council in October to be changed, the Council said no. If at first you don’t succeed, you just bring the plan back nine months later with a higher new price tag and news that the City just can’t afford it.

Where did the money go?

Why did the price increase dramatically?

Perhaps there are savings to be found in the project, but with so many planned projects put aside or altered dramatically to suit a new vision, it is not unreasonable to wonder if this project will sink or swim.

In the time between this project being approved and today, the City has spent an untold amount on new security devices, it has purchased property from the County with plans to build a community center and is now looking at making an offer on Lions Foundation Park.

If funds are limited, how does a pool fit in with new projects that were not budgeted for in the first place?

If residents can’t count on a pool now, how can they count on being heard in the future?

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Celebrating 50 Years Together!

Larry and Debbie (Townsley) Schuessler, high school sweethearts, reach a major milestone celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary on July 24, 2020. They were united in marriage on July 24, 1970, at Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church in Austin, Texas, by the Rev. Perry L. Moore. Larry and Debbie reside in Liberty Hill, Texas. They have been blessed with three children, Dennis Jr. (Christie), Darren, and Dana. Larry and Debbie are proud grandparents to six grandchildren. Their celebration has been postponed due to the current pandemic situation. However, they will reschedule their celebration at a later date. Congratulations!

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Page 4

POOL

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 1

of the park were also included.

At the July 13 Council meetings, Council member Kathy Canady pushed to have the issue considered at the July 27 meeting when the Parks Board could be present for the discussion.

When it comes to funding, the project falls under capital improvement projects, but there was no clear answer whether there were truly finds available for the project – at least not the originally approved project. According to former City Administrator Greg Boatright, the funds were set aside and available for the project at the time, but Hall and City Finance Director Becky Wilkins questioned the current availability of funds for the original plan.

“Currently, we don’t have the funds

SPORTS

to do the first plan,” Wilkins said.

“It’s all contingent on the grant so if we don’t get the grant then that’s another half-million dollars we would have to come up with that we probably do not have at this point for that project.”

Hall said he thought there was currently $1.1 million to $1.2 million left in the CIP funds.

“We need to have this discussion, because like Becky (Wilkins) said, if we don’t have it, then the next item would be to pull that money out of reserves to finish this project and that’s not a smart project to do with reserve money because reserve money is for emergency purposes, not building swimming pools.”

Council member Tony DeYoung asked for an update at the July 27

Continued from Page 1

the game they love – although there remain unknowns heading into what is sure to be an unprecedented and unique campaign.

“Of course our season is going to look different -- it’s not what we’re used to or what we wanted exactly, but that’s life right now, nothing is what we’re used to,” she said. “But, this is just the time we’re currently in, so we make the most of it.”

In addition to football and volleyball, the Panthers’ cross country and tennis squads will also begin practice on Sept. 7.

Despite the fact all teams will begin practice on the same day, competition will start at different times.

Cross country and tennis can begin competing on Sept. 14, while volleyball and football can open their seasons on Sept.

14 and Sept. 24, respectively.

Peterson is confident those involved are capable of doing what is necessary to make the entire endeavor successful, she said.

“There are plenty of things we’re still processing through and figuring out what that will look like in action,” said Peterson.”But, now we have a plan and we can start moving towards that -- this won’t be a forever fix -- this is just a year -- we can do this.”

Both football and volleyball summer camps will go on as scheduled, as football will be

held on July 27-29 and volleyball on July 28-30. More information and registration forms can be found on the school’s website, www.libertyhill.txed. net.

Peterson also acknowledged those who were charged with making the call to proceed and also realizes there are bound to be bumps in the road moving forward, remaining optimistic despite question marks, but in the end is simply grateful the opportunity has been presented.

“I don’t envy the UIL or any administration teams on this -they have very tough decisions to make and someone will always be upset,” she said. “You can’t make everyone happy and nothing is going to be 100 percent perfect. The unknowns are tricky and scary, but we’ll make it work -- that’s what teachers and coaches have always done. We will make this work, too – I’m just glad we have a season and school year to do so.”

Walker traded his athletic director hat for one of the coaching variety in gauging his emotions concerning the announcement.

“As coaches, we know now we’re going to play,” he said.

“We’re no longer in limbo not knowing. Having that carrot to dangle in front of our athletes is super-important to me and now we have a plan, which is good.”

LH INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

The City held a groundbreaking ceremony in June 2019 for the new swim center at City Park. Participating were Mayor Rick Hall, Councilman Steve McIntosh, then City Administrator Greg Boatright, then City Planner Sally McFeron, Public Works Director Wayne Bonnet, members of the Parks Board, and local girl scouts who conducted a survey among students that showed overwhelming support for a public pool.

Commissioners approve WilCo Forward Phase III Service Agreements

GEORGETOWN – The Williamson County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved agreements for WilCo Forward Phase III to provide rent and utility assistance to residents that are in need through partnerships with local non-profits.

Terms of agreement were approved between Williamson County and The Caring Place, The Salvation Army, and the Round Rock Serving Center.

Phase III is funded with $5 million from a combination of Community Development Block Grant funds and the approximately $93 million the County received in federal CARES Act funds.

“Now that we have assisted thousands of small businesses in our community, it is important to turn our attention to supporting the residents

in Williamson County that have been dealing with the financial burdens COVID-19 has caused. We hope this assistance gives those in need some relief,” said Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey.

The three agencies will serve as conduits for assistance.

These agencies will be reimbursed by the County for rent assistance and/or utility assistance provided to residents across Williamson County between March 1 through December 30, for a total of up to $5 million. The County will monitor the total amount of funds spent to date so that the Phase III budget is not exceeded.

All three agencies will follow the criteria below to assess eligibility: · All residences assisted must

be located in Williamson County · Up to the rent amount based on the lease agreement plus late fees for up to a total of three months · For approved applications, the applicant must request additional funds after the first month of assistance on an as needed basis · Up to $1,500 of utility assistance per residence on an as needed basis · Applicant must show evidence that the assistance is needed due to issues caused

by COVID-19.

Each agency will handle the application and vetting process in their service areas, along with the issuing of the checks directly to the landlord, property management company, or utility company.

The following are the service

areas for each entity. · The Salvation Army: Liberty Hill, Cedar Park, Coupland, Leander, Taylor, Thrall, and all other areas of Williamson County not served by the other two agencies · Round Rock Area Serving Center: Round Rock, Austin (within Williamson County), Brushy Creek/Fern Bluff MUD, Hutto areas outside of Georgetown ISD · The Caring Place: Georgetown, Andice, Bartlett, Florence, Granger, Jarrell, Jonah, Schwertner, Walburg, Weir, Hutto areas within Georgetown ISD Residents will have to reach out directly to the agency serving their city to be able to request financial assistance.

Williamson County issues burn ban

GEORGETOWN -- Williamson County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved the implementation of an Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning in the unincorporated areas of Williamson County beginning Wednesday and continuing for a period not to exceed 30 days and to autho-

rize County Judge Bill Gravell to lift the ban if conditions improve during the effective period of the burn ban.

A person violates this order if they burn any combustible material outside of an enclosure, which serves to contain all flames and/or sparks, or orders such burning by oth-

STAY COOL!

E G HU !

E L A S

ers. The burn ban prohibits the burning of household yard waste, such as leaves, grass, brush and other yard trimmings. It also prohibits burning to clear land of trees, stumps, shrubbery, or other natural vegetation.

This order may be enforced by any duly-commis-

sioned peace officer. It is a Class C Misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine up to $500.

For additional restrictions, requirements and details relating to the Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning, the Order may be viewed at www.wilco. org.

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meeting on current capital improvement fund allocations and projected expenditures.

Despite agreement that discussions should take place with members of the Parks Board, DeYoung called it a “heavy price tag and a large project” to take on now. Council member Gram Lankford also shared his reservations.

“I don’t feel like it’s a good time to spend that kind of money on a project like this,” said Lankford. “I think there’s a right way to do it and in the future, potentially in the near future, we’ll have a better amount of funds to do something a bit more elaborate and I think the community would get a lot more out of it that way. I just don’t see it as the right time to spend a million dollars putting a pool in.”

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PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC POSTING FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY/ HUD CDBG GRANT

2020 annual action plan Citizen Participation plan Notice of Public hearing Williamson County has been awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocation of $1,596,257 to successfully support community development and affordable housing efforts for low and moderate-income areas throughout the County. On July 21, 2020 Williamson County Commissioner’s Court approved the proposed 2020 Annual Action Plan. In accordance with HUD regulations, the County encourages public participation to review and comment on the proposed plan.

Notice is hereby given that the Williamson County Community Development Block Grant is presenting an updated Citizen Participation Plan.

Direct written comments by August 7, 2020 to the following address: Honorable Bill Gravell, County Judge, 710 Main Street, Georgetown, TX 78626.

The proposed plans are available for review from July 24, 2020 – August 7, 2020 at www.wilco.org.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and in an effort to avoid public gatherings, the public is encouraged to contact the Community Development Block Grant office to discuss and/or comment. Contact Sally Bardwell at 512-943-3757 or sbardwell@wilco.org.

Williamson County is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,

as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 512-943-3757 (voice) or Relay Texas at 1-800-7352989 (TDD) for assistance.

Williamson County also offers, to all non-speaking English persons and upon written request, translated versions of all public documents and public hearing notices. Non-English speaking persons who desire translated public documents or public notices should formally request these items from the Williamson County CDBG Office during normal business hours.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities and for non-English speaking populations will be made upon request and as appropriate. Call 512-943-3757 or write to the address above to request information, documents, records or accommodations.

Bill Gravell, County Judge AVISO PÚBLICO DE LA FIJACIÓN DE WILLIAMSON COUNTY / HUD CDBG GRANT DESPLAZAMIENTO DE 2020 PLAN DE ACCIÓN ANUAL PLAN DE PARTICIPACIÓN CIUDADANA AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA El Condado de Williamson se ha adjudicado un Community Development Block Grant ((CDBG) (Beca de Bloque del Desarrollo de las Comunidad) la asignación de fondos de 1.596.257 dólares para apoyar con éxito el desarrollo de la comunidad y los esfuerzos

Page 5 de vivienda asequible para las zonas de bajos y moderados ingresos en todo el Condado.

El 21 de julio de 2020 la Corte Williamson del Comisionado del Condado aprobó el Plan de Acción Anual 2020. De conformidad con las regulaciones de HUD, el Condado fomenta la participación del público a revisar y comentar sobre el plan.

Por la presente se da aviso de que la Subvención para el Desarrollo Comunitario del Condado de Williamson presenta un Plan de Participación Ciudadana actualizado.

Los comentarios deben ser recibidas antes del 7 de agosto de 2020 a la siguiente dirección: Honorable Bill Gravell, Juez del Condado; 710 Main Street, Ste 101, Georgetown, TX 78626.

Los planes propuestos están disponibles para revisión desde 24 de julio de 2020 hasta 7 de agosto de 2020 en SitioWeb en www.wilco.org.

Debido a la pandemia de Covid-19 y en un esfuerzo por evitar las reuniones publicas, se anima al publico a ponerse en contacto con la oficina de Community Development Block Grant para discutir y/o comentar. Contacte a Sally Bardwell al (512) 943-3757 o sbardwell@wilco.org.

El Condado de Williamson se compromete al cumplimiento de la Ley de Americanos con Discapacidades (ADA) y la Sección 504 del Acta de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmendada. Modificaciones razonables e igual acceso a comunicaciones se puede proporcionar a petición. Por

favor llame a 512-943-3757 (voz) o Relay Texas al 1-800735-2989 (TDD) para obtener ayuda.

El Condado de Williamson también ofrece, a todas las personas que no hablen inglés y previa solicitud por escrito, versiones traducidas de todos los documentos públicos y avisos de audiencia pública.

Las personas que no hablen inglés que deseen documentos públicos traducidos o avisos públicos deben solicitar estos artículos formalmente en la Oficina de CDBG del Condado de Williamson durante el horario comercial normal.

Se realizarán adaptaciones razonables para personas con discapacidades y para poblaciones que no hablen inglés a pedido y según corresponda.

Llame al 512-943-3757 o escriba a la dirección de arriba para solicitar información, documentos, registros o adaptaciones.

Bill Gravell, Juez del Condado (7/23) MISSING PROPERTY If you believe the police department may have a found item that belongs to you, you can call the Property Division directly at 512-548-5530 or email at ekrause@libertyhilltx.gov. When contacting the Property Division, describe the item(s) you are looking for, in detail, and we will let you know if we have it. If we do, we will make arrangements to get it back to you.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, July 23, 2020

OWBC donates storage building to Operation Liberty Hill

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Finding the silver lining during trying times can be difficult. Operation Liberty Hill Executive Director Susan Baker is finding hers in the increased cooperation and coordination that COVID-19 is inspiring between various nonprofit organizations.

With the amount of growth that Operation Liberty Hill has experienced over the last few years, space is becoming an issue when it comes to the storage of food.

“We had an issue with the amount of food we were able to order,” said Baker. “We didn’t have a place to put it. Even though we had access to food, we didn’t have the room for it, so we were limited to how much we could order from Central Texas Food Bank.”

While they have a container, the summertime conditions make it challenging to store food.

“It’s not climate controlled, and, in the summer, it gets up to 120 or 130 degrees in there,” said Baker.

Because of COVID-19, Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties canceled one of their upcoming events. The cancellation left extra funds on the table for spending, and the organization opted to use the money to help other nonprofits.

“When COVID hit, we knew we had some very vulnerable populations,” said Director of Development for Opportunities

PAC

Lauren McAndrews. “We predominantly work with low-income families, and we knew we had seniors that wouldn’t be able to get out. We had children and families who are what we call food insecure. We aren’t a food pantry, so we reached out to our food pantry partners and asked what we can do to benefit the community.”

McAndrews reached out to Baker to what their greatest need was going to be.

“I said we need space,” said Baker. “She said to figure it out and send her some bids on portable buildings. She said to give her our best, medium and lowest range, and she’d take it to her board.”

Not long after sharing their needs, Opportunities board members voted to approve the mid-range bid.

“At about 9 p.m. on a Sunday a few months ago she called me and said the board approved the middle-level building, a 12x24 garage with an overhead door,” said Baker. “I was just ecstatic.

I couldn’t believe it.”

The unit was provided by local business Moore Liberty Buildings and still needs a few adjustments before storing food, such as electricity, cooling, and heating.

“We are going to have to run electricity through it, insulate it, get shelving, and an air conditioner combo heater for it.

We’re hoping to get a lot of that donated,” said Baker. “We can store canned goods, which we purchase by the case. We

Continued from Page 1

people to join the committee and have a voice in it,” she said. “This is just to get things set up and get it moving forward.”

Whether it is what McFeron identifies as the changing culture at City Hall, a lack of transparency, the treatment of employees, or the way in which projects are managed, she said someone had to speak up.

“Watching all of it happen was painful,” she said. “I love the city of Liberty Hill. I’ve been in involved in one way shape or form with the city since 2006.”

While the PAC is a broadbased approach to generating community involvement, McFeron doesn’t hesitate to point to Mayor Rick Hall as a prime catalyst.

“To see the City go backwards under the leadership of a bully, basically, and a one-man team, I felt I had to do something about this,” she said. “There’s no transparency at City Hall. This community needs sunlight to shine in the windows to expose and to look at the Mayor and how he’s created an environment of back

LHISD

room deals and public safety questions.”

Even with that admission, she said the focus will be on issues, not personalities.

“The PAC is going to focus on issues,” McFeron said.

“What are the issues in our community and looking at the overall aspect of things. It has been established to talk about the issues and provide a voice.

I want to look for ways to improve the city. That’s really why I decided to move forward.”

Spilled milk?

Hall has referred to McFeron, and other former City employees who have spoken out in recent months, as “disgruntled former employees”, attributing all of their allegations and concerns to what he ultimately claims is their anger over being terminated. McFeron doesn’t hesitate to share her opinion on the terminations, but says this decision is not about her termination.

“I can’t cry over spilled milk.

I was fired,” she said. “As an individual you move on from being fired and you go on and get a job,” she said. “Right now, though, I don’t want that

Continued from Page 1

back and five percent were going to stay online, and that was based on the data at the time,” Snell said. “Now, obviously we see the spikes in cases and this virus is doing pretty much the exact opposite of what we would have hoped it would have done. So there’s a healthy amount of fear toward this virus and a healthy amount of concern about what we’re seeing in the community. So that 60-40 (breakdown) wasn’t necessarily a surprise but it definitely helps in terms of how we want to safely keep kids distant and manage a school day while putting kids at a minimum risk.”

Work remains on making sure teachers and staff are ready and comfortable with taking on that percentage of the student population – which as a whole is projected to climb to near 5,500 this year – in the classroom.

“When we dig deeper over this week, we might have to actually lower that number of who actually comes back in person,” Snell said. “We need to let our staff look through our plans and make sure they’re comfortable coming back and see how many we have and what adjustments we might need to make to that 60 percent number.”

No matter how many students return for in-class instruction, the use of personal protective equipment will be mandatory.

“The use of personal protective equipment will be non-negotiable,” Snell said.

“If you’re coming to school, you have to protect yourself and others. Keeping our teachers and workforce safe and healthy is as crucial as it is keeping our kids and their families healthy. We’re going to do everything we can to mitigate this spread and that’s part of the contract or agreement on coming back. You’re agreeing that if you come back you will be respectful of everyone and wear these masks.

“There’s plenty of data and information to show that masks help regardless of your opinion on it,” Snell said. “And we’re not willing to take the risk of not wearing that.”

Many judgments will have to be made on which type of mask or face shield to wear, based on circumstances. The challenge of communication in situations involving speech therapy instruction and hearing impaired students may mandate face shields or an alternate type of mask.

The Texas Education Agency has stepped up to provide a large amount of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to get districts across the state ready for school.

Liberty Hill is receiving 34,000 disposable masks in child and adult sizes, 11,000 reusable masks, 20,000 pairs of gloves, 36 touchless thermometers, 515 gallons of hand sanitizer and 600 face shields.

Snell also said the City of Liberty Hill has been helpful throughout the summer in getting PPE for the district, and is

ANTHONY FLORES PHOTO

Celebrating the new storage facility for Operation Liberty Hill are OWBC Director of Development Lauren McAndrews, OLH Executive Director Susan Baker, OLH driver and local pastor Russell Stanphill, owners of Moore Liberty Buildings Chad and Amanda Moore, OLH Board Chair Randy O’Dell, OWBC Secretary Kelly Dix, OLH Board member Debi Johnston, OLH Thrift Store manager Lisa Newton, and OLH volunteer James Baker. can store boxed items, which need to be kept at a certain temperature. We won’t have to compromise the space in the pantry where we’re already so limited.”

Because of the positive turn of events, Baker finds the silver lining in troubling times, thankful for the increased unity.

“The one good thing to come

spilled milk to hit the carpet. I don’t want the City to continue to go in a downward spiral.”

McFeron believes she was terminated, though, over her opinions and stance on a number of problems she has seen at City Hall.

“I was terminated. I’m not a disgruntled employee, I’m extremely marketable. I’m just concerned about the community and the direction the City is going in,” she said. “I was fired for basically being a whistle blower to (Mayor) Rick Hall. As I have been employed in that position over about the last year since Greg (Boatright) left I’ve witnessed a series of unfortunate events that have hurt a tremendous amount of people. Not only staff, but our community as a whole and I just want to turn all of that into something good and positive in the community.”

In her view, it has been a systematic effort on Hall’s part to gain more control.

“Since August with the first termination – or dismissal – of Greg Boatright, then we went through Maverick (Campbell), then we went through Lance

able to purchase it at a reduced price.

Even with the equipment and strict protocols the district will have on buses, on campus and in classrooms, Snell said buyin to a new way of thinking among parents, students and the community at-large will be critical.

“Limiting exposure is part of the key as well, so face shields and masks and constant hand washing and sanitizing should mitigate the spread in the school building, but of course we can’t control outside the school building,” Snell said.

“One of our biggest challenges is changing the culture in Liberty Hill and across the state that when kids don’t feel good we tell them to tough it out and go to school. When teachers don’t feel good they say they have to be there. We’ve got to retrain our staff and students to where if you have any symptoms whatsoever related to COVID, or a fever, you have to stay home. You’ve got to protect yourself and everyone around you until we know you’re safe.”

That also means practicing all the habits enforced at school elsewhere as well.

“If we allow kids back in school, that doesn’t mean you can stop social distancing at home and limiting travel and stuff like that,” Snell said. “All the restrictions that are put in place in Texas are things we still have to practice outside of school as well and that’s something we can’t control.

out of COVID for us is our networking and relationships with other nonprofits has just blossomed. It was good before, but it’s incredible now,” she said.

After installing the newest unit, it’s becoming apparent that more space is needed as Operation Liberty Hill grows.

Baker believes the next step is eventually finding a new, more

spacious home.

“That’s the next thing I’ll be taking to our board,” she said.

“We really are going to need some donated land where we can build or even better-donated land with buildings on it.”

While Baker is aware of the need for more space, it’s just now that they’re ready to announce that they’re ready to move and need the land.

“We haven’t looked into purchasing land because we would also have to build buildings on them,” she said. “We need these things to be donated, especially the land. If we had a head start with the land, we could build one building at a time.”

The logo of the Better Together Project, a political action committee formed to provide the community a voice into city government. (Courtesy Graphic) (Dean), then Barbara (Zwernemann), then it’s me and Jonny (Ubelhor) a building inspector, all dismissed within 10 months, there’s a pattern.

That in combination with the decisions the Mayor has also made along the way, and the move forward in assuming power and total control is creating his power base. He’s done a good job of getting rid of people who are in his way.”

Grass roots efforts One of the first steps McFeron plans for The Better Together Project is a virtual listening tour, designed to get input and hear the concerns of people from every part of the community.

“We want to do that so that real people in Liberty Hill, not just the residents, but also the stakeholders of our com-

munity like business owners, residents in the ETJ or municipal utility districts, and give them an opportunity to have a voice,” she said. “What happens at City Hall impact all of us. Everyone needs a voice.”

Bringing them together, even virtually, is something she believes will show how the community truly feels about local politics and decisions right now.

“I think people right now are angry,” she said. “I think what they’re seeing happening at City Hall is not transparent and they are not being held accountable. They are seeing a one-man show with the City Council rubber-stamping things and turning their head on certain issues.”

Fundraising is not a focus for the new PAC, but it is some-

thing McFeron knows will have a place in the future.

“This is a grass roots movement,” she said. “There will be an opportunity for fundraising from individual citizens out there who are interested in helping spread the word and helping create a voice for our community. It will be lower key.”

Anyone interested in learning more about The Better Together Project can e-mail McFeron at lhbtproject@gmail.com.

“I just really want to turn this series of unfortunate events that have happened over the last two years into something good and positive for the community,” she said. “It is to bring awareness and understanding and let people have a voice.”

Our contract with parents is that they will not send a kid to school with fever. The one common thread with COVID is the fever. It’s not the be all end all, but the fever with other symptoms is pretty telling with this virus.”

He added that because online learning will be available to all students, no one should push themselves to come to school when feeling ill.

The district will be doing contact tracing for any positive COVID-19 cases discovered in school.

“Informing parents when there are positive cases is a part of our plan, preventing the spread is part of our plan, and the reason we will contact

trace is because we’ve got to make sure the people they were exposed to that those people were wearing protective equipment and it wasn’t prolonged exposure.”

General communication on what’s new, what’s changing and everything parents and students need to know for going back to school is going to be available in one place on a new district site, which can be found on the district’s current website.

“We’re rolling out a new website just devoted to coming back to school, called Return to Learn,” Snell said.

“We’ll have short videos on there about anything from how to wear a mask or what type of

mask, to what school is going to look like depending on the age group. It will have information on online curriculum, all of our safety plans and our safety handbook. Everything you can imagine we’ll put on that website and we’ll continue to add to that as we can.”

One additional need for the upcoming year with so much online focus on learning is making sure the school district has all the computer devices needed. The Board approved the purchase of 810 additional Chrome Books and 250 iPads at a total cost of $304,121 to complete the transition to a truly one-to-one device program for all students in the district.

July COVID increases continue City confirms one case among employees

The City of Liberty Hill announced Monday on social media that a City employee “displayed symptoms of COVID-19”. The City has not said whether the employee was tested and how many other employees had been potentially exposed.

All City facilities were closed to the public, and the social media post stated “as an additional precaution, all facilities have been sanitized accordingly, and we will notify our residents when we reopen to the public. As always, our top priority is the safety and welfare of our residents, businesses, and community.”

Liberty Hill zip code 78642 has between 50 and 200 confirmed cases, according to the Williamson County and Cities Health District, but no more specific data is available on local cases.

Despite repeated attempts by The Independent to obtain local case totals, the last time the City of Liberty Hill responded to a request was July 9 when 75 cases were reported.

In Williamson County, the confirmed case total was 2,230 on July 1 – dating back to the first cases in late March – but that number has more than doubled in the three weeks since with 2,751 new cases in

July. There were 39 fatalities prior to July 1 in the county, with 38 additional ones since then.

In Texas, there have been 181,753 confirmed cases of the virus in July, more than doubling the case count and bringing the total to 341,739.

The state death toll increased to 4,151 as of Tuesday.

Free testing Friday There will be free COVID-19 testing Friday at Liberty Hill Junior High. Testing is from 8 a.m. to 12 Noon and requires an appointment. Those seeking tests must preregister online on the WCCHD website.

SPORTS

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, July 23, 2020 Page 7

Quest for state title fueled Panthers’ fire A postseason game defeat was motivation for back-to-back championships

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor An old adage in sports is you learn far more from defeat than victory.

So, when the Liberty Hill Panthers walked off the field after a 42-12 loss to Cuero in the fourth round of the Class 3A state playoffs on Dec. 2, 2005, a fire was lit – one which refused to be extinguished until not only had the Purpleand-Gold returned to that same point the following fall, but went on to win back-to-back state championships in 2006 and 2007.

According to Brent Bode, a senior running back on the 2006 squad, the quest for a title was something that consumed him and his teammates until the time all of their hard work and determination came to fruition in the form of a trophy.

“I had always dreamed of winning a state championship – that was my main goal in high school,” said Bode, currently an assistant coach at Marble Falls. “As players, we would constantly talk about and tell anybody who would listen we were going to win state in 2006. It’s hard to put it into words, but from the time we lost to Cuero in 2005 to when those final seconds ticked off the clock at Floyd Casey Stadium (Waco) the next season was just an unreal journey. Being able finish out that season with a state championship is something we’ll always remember and cherish.”

Bode certainly did his fair share of the heavy lifting for the Panthers as the leading rusher in the Slot-T offense, with 1,490 yards and 17 touchdowns, but he was quick to point out success was definitely a collective effort.

“Those teams in 2006 and

2007 were just different,” he said. “We all liked each other and played for one another. We had our squabbles and fights just like any team, but when the lights came on and we stepped out onto that field, it was all about ‘us’.”

Current Liberty Hill assistant coach Jordan Johns was a junior linebacker who played on both teams and backed up his former teammate’s assessment of the cohesion and camaraderie that existed down through the ranks of the roster and was a result of constant competition within the team as they strove for excellence individually and collectively.

“The thing that made those teams special is everyone competed every day with each other to prove who was the best,” said Johns. “Through all of this, it made everyone better and closer as a group.”

Johns added once the Panthers had ascended to the summit of the football mountain, getting back the following season was simply a matter of keeping the trains running with the momentum that had been gained during the first title run.

“The first championship was unbelievable – it was something you strive to do, but not many people get the chance to play for it all,” he said. “The second championship was more expected. We had the confidence we were the best Liberty Hill ever had and we were going to prove it each week.”

The Panthers followed up a 13-2 record in 2006 with a 14-0 campaign in 2007 under head coach Jerry Vance, who arrived in Liberty Hill in 2001 and went about building a powerhouse program – but only after being passed over for the job initially years ear-

lier, he said.

“I had actually applied and interviewed for the Liberty Hill job in 1998 when the district chose Hal Wasson instead. I had known the superintendent, Dr. Dean Andrews, for some years, first meeting him when I was coaching in Big Lake and later when his son Kyle and I both coached on Bruce Bush’s staff at Gregory-Portland,” said Vance. “When the position opened again in 2001, I applied again because I felt like the area was about to grow and there was great potential to build a championship program.”

Gray Lankford was an offensive lineman on the 2006 squad and attributed the side’s success to a synergy that had been developed among a core group who worked its way up the Liberty Hill ladder together, he said.

“We had a senior class of 16 guys that led that team (2006 state champions). These same guys started playing football together in 1999. The first year Pop Warner started in Liberty Hill, we were all in fifth grade.

Those two years of Pop Warner, we never won a game,” said Lankford. “In the spring of 2000, Coach Vance was hired. He came and talked to us. He spoke to us about ‘holding the rope,’ dedication to your craft and a chance to do something never done before.”

Bode said it was exactly that kind of brotherhood, which translated into a well-oiled machine, that would grind opposing teams into oblivion every Friday night.

“We definitely weren’t the most talented, biggest or fastest team around, but we played harder and were more physical than anybody we played,” he said. “Our defense was relent-

LH INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

Former Liberty Hill head coach Jerry Vance led the Panthers to back-to-back state championships in 2006 and 2007. less, constantly swarming and punishing opposing offenses.

Offensively, we just pounded teams into submission. Usually by the fourth quarter and sometimes by the end of the first, teams gave up. They didn’t like our brand of physical football. They didn’t like getting hit in the mouth play after play.”

During that season, the Panthers had an uncanny ability to remain easygoing off the field, while playing with the ferocity of their namesakes once the ball was kicked off, said Bode.

“The 2006 offense was actually a really lose bunch of guys. We joked around a lot and liked the have a good time.

Some of my fondest memories were actually the bus rides or just hanging out in the locker rooms or after PAC,” he said.

“The coaches worried early on in the season we weren’t fo-

cused enough, but they quickly learned when we stepped onto the field, it was all business. The confidence we had as a team was off the charts.

I’ve been around sports for a long time and I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

For Lankford, it was more than just winning a state title – it was who he got to win it with, which has proven to be most gratifying over the years since, he said.

“I got to win a state championship with two of my best friends to this day – two guys I spent every Friday night blocking for -- pulling, sealing and kicking out on the sweeps – Sammy Post and Brent Bode. Sammy is definitely the best of us – you only have to know him to know that. Brent walks to his own beat, but that’s what makes him special. I love them like my own

brothers. Lifelong friendships are the best thing you can hope for coming out of high school and I’m luckier than most to have a state championship on top of that.”

But, Lankford derives enjoyment from not only the past, but the present and also what the future holds for the program, as tradition is passed down from one generation to the next.

“I love that I can still go to a game and see the same faces in the stands,” he said.

“Our parents are now grandparents – and grandparents are great-grandparents. We’re now bringing our kids to the games and letting them go throw plastic footballs on the berm. There isn’t a better man than (Current head) Coach (Jeff) Walker to take over this program after Coach Vance.

We’re in good hands.”

Local travel team prepares future Panthers

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Rusty Richards certainly knows what it takes to get to the highest levels of baseball.

After standing on the mound as both a member of the Texas Longhorns and Atlanta Braves during his playing career on the diamond, the now-52-year old Houston native is passing along all the knowledge he has gained over the years to the youth of Liberty Hill as coach of the local 13-and-under club – also known as the Panthers.

According to Richards, keeping the roster composed of strictly Liberty Hill players is one of the most important aspects of how the team functions – as all the players live in the Liberty Hill ISD area, which means they’re on the path to someday being Panthers at the high-school level.

“My goal for this team is to prepare them the best we can to play high-school baseball,” said Richards, who played on Class 5A state champions Sharptown during his prep days and later went on to be head coach at Fort Bend Christian, along with stints at the college level as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas State University and head coach at Schreiner University in Kerrville.

“Liberty Hill baseball is in a good place. Families are moving here because of the school district and that’s bringing in more good athletes.”

But, only recruiting local players also has its drawbacks, he said.

“We’re playing against teams that recruit all over central Texas and we only have kids from Liberty Hill that are all zoned to LHHS,” said Richards. “We know that creates a disadvantage for us, but we want the kids to be challenged and play good competition.”

As the pipeline continues to produce more and more talent, Liberty Hill head baseball coach Steve Hutcherson is the primary beneficiary – something he acknowledges is critical in keeping his program competitive, he said.

“In a word, it’s crucial,” said

Hutcherson. “Without a strong youth program and especially a program that keeps them playing leading in to high school, it would be very difficult for us to know what we have coming up when they get to their freshman year.”

Unlike counterparts such as football, basketball and volleyball, baseball is not played at the junior-high level in Liberty Hill, which makes local youth teams even more significant in the impact they have at the prep level in getting players ready for what will be expected of them when they step on a high-school field, said Hutcherson.

“We want them to – if nothing else – know our style of play,” he said. “How we like to run bases, how we like to use the bunt and what we try to place a high level of importance on as a program – playing harder than our opponents.”

The Panthers began their season with a pair of tournaments in late February and early March in Georgetown and were 3-4 when the coronavirus pandemic temporary shut them down until they were able to resume in June and currently have a 5-7-1 record with one tournament remaining in the campaign.

However, much was lost during the shutdown that simply can’t be made up, said Richards.

“This is a crazy time and we’ve had to make adjustments in our schedule to make sure everyone feels comfortable,” he said. “We started practice again in May and complied with social distancing. Putting kids in small groups instead of one big group. We’ve been practicing as a team now for awhile and have played in two tournaments with one more to go, but we’ll probably miss a total of five to six tournaments because of the pandemic, which is a ton of baseball and breaks my heart these kids missed out on some development time.”

As a result, all the little things within the game that will eventually be second-nature to young players will perhaps

take that much longer now to come to fruition, said Richards.

“Baseball is a game where you need tons of repetitions. Missing out on so many reps this spring does concern me for our game,” he said. “Also, as you enter the teenage years, the learning curve does become steep in how to adapt to the game. Going from a 50-foot to a 60 feet-6 inches mound is a big difference, as is playing on bigger fields. “Base running, outfield play, cut-offs and relays become so much more important as you grow up – teaching them there is always somewhere to be -- respecting the game and playing it right.

Sometimes I feel we’ve lost that in how the game is played today. But, you’re talking to an old man that loves the tradition of the game.”

The players on the team are seventh and eight-graders who are just on the cusp of playing in high school, which makes their current level perhaps the most critical of the youth baseball ladder, when very particular questions are asked of the athletes as they stand on the verge of the fiercest competition they will have seen, said Richards.

“The kids on this team are great kids that love the game and want to get better. At this age, that’s all you can ask for,” he said. “Are you hungry to get better? Are you willing to put in the work? These kids are willing to put in the work and it’ll be fun to watch them as they grow up.”

Featured in the Panthers’ lineup is a quartet of .400 hitters in Garrett Lindgren (.455), Justin Carpenter (.440), Chase Breckel (.407) and Andrew Basey (.400) and all four contribute mightily to the team, said Richards.

“Chase plays catcher and pitches for us – he’s a great kid who absolutely loves the game and makes our team go with how important he is, while Andrew is a great hitter and also one of our better pitchers, who will make a very good highschool player,” he said. “Garrett is a great hitter that might

lead us in batting -- always puts the barrel on the ball and has played catcher and first base for us, but Justin might be our best hitter right now and has also developed very nicely at first base.”

Breckel leads the club on the mound with a 1.23 earned-run average and 16 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings, with Preston Lowery next at 3.23 with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

“Preston’s a great middle infielder, who pitches as well, with a good arm and has developed nicely,” said Richards. “He will continue to get better.”

In addition is a group of players who Richards believes will excel at the high-school level in a number of athletic endeavors, including Jaxson Scott, JD Richards, Braden Radziwon and Cade Beesley, while anchoring the middle of the park for the Panthers is Hayden McBeath.

“Hayden has great hands and plays a very good middle infield – he’s played shortstop and second base,” he said.

“Also, he helps us pitching and will only get better as he continues to grow.”

Hutcherson said once players reach him, there’s a stark contrast to the age range of the competition, which can pose problems for even a polished young player who is now up against others who are vastly more experienced.

“Typically, for many of them, it’s the first time in their lives they might play a game where the players on the other team could be two or three years older than them,” he said. “Sometimes a freshman or sophomore on the varsity may face an 18-year old senior that is basically a grown man for the first time in their lives and it can be an eye-opener.”

So, does Hutcherson and his coaching staff scout young, local players in the hopes of uncovering fresh talent?

Yes and no, he said.

“I wouldn’t call in scouting in the formal sense, but rather just going out and watching kids play in the summer. Just to get a chance to see them in

Members of the Liberty Hill 13-and-under baseball team show off championship rings they received after winning a tournament in Georgetown in February. (Courtesy Photo) their element and what kind of teammate they are, as well as how they respond when things are going good, as well as when things are going bad,” said Hutcherson. “I think summer ball is very important to serve as the development piece itself, but sometimes I think it turns into the opportunity piece of being noticed for guys that want to play at the next level. But, I’ve never had a really good player that played on a really good team that went unnoticed if our high school had some success.”

Due to the fact summer travel ball isn’t UIL-sanctioned, the players must pay to play, but Richards doesn’t see that as a stumbling block.

“We’re blessed to be able to keep the cost down and blessed the parents don’t mind pay-

ing money for their sons to get quality baseball,” he said.

“Parents pay for tournament fees, but the coaches are strictly volunteers, which keeps the cost minimal. I feel the kids are getting quality coaching and at the same time, we’re building our Panther pride in the rich tradition of this great community.”

With that being said, producing quality players for Hutcherson’s squad is simply the end product of what Richards is currently doing, he said.

“Coach Hutcherson is doing an incredible job at the highschool level – these kids are excited to go play for him one day,” said Richards. “My goal again for this team is to prepare them the best we can to play high-school baseball.”

Page 8

CROSS TRACKS When the decision to move Lott to Liberty Hill came, the Bishop felt that the goals of Cross Tracks lined up with Lott’s strengths.

“Because Liberty Hill needed a new pastor, the Bishop looked at what the church needs and which pastor would fit best, so they decided that I should move here,” said Lott.

“The cabinet explained why they wanted me to come here.

It was because we were looking to move in a new direction, and that’s one of the things I like to do, figure out where we need to go and set the right tools in

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Continued from Page 1

place, so we’re prepared.”

Becoming a more active entity in the community is the direction that the historical church hopes to go in.

“Cross Tracks has identified that they want to become more active in the community, both in trying to fill needs in the community, connecting with things already in place and do what we can to help make an impact on the community in Liberty Hill,” said Lott The plans moving forward for Lott and her new congregation focus on the growth Liberty Hill is seeing as families

continue to flock to the area.

“A lot of those things have to do with the incredible growth that Liberty Hill is experiencing,” she said. “Especially with young families, people with kids in school. Having that history in children and youth ministry and a passion for young families and connecting with the kids and the parents is a good fit for me.”

The growth and refinement of education is a significant goal for Lott moving forward. As with all things during the pandemic, a large part has to do with adjusting to COVID-19.

“So, we’re looking at ways we can do more with our preschool and bridge some of the gaps between the preschool and the public school.

Especially looking at where we are now and adapting to COVID-19,” said Lott. “When the school year starts, there’s going to be so many things that we can’t foresee. Families are going to need support, and we don’t know what it is yet.”

Lott feels she is ready to be in her role even while under pressure to be nimble and employ new methods because of the pandemic. Lott’s first service

for Cross Tracks was virtual, a necessary adjustment for safety.

“We have to look in new ways. This is forcing us to think outside of the box,” she said. “I love thinking outside the box. There’s always good.

We can always find good. Because it’s forcing us to think differently, we can do more.

We can do it better or differently. It’s easy to go along in the way you’ve always done it until something pushes us to do differently.”

Despite the current state of the world, Lott is finding her sil-

ver lining. The lifelong Christian embraces new ways of doing things instead of allowing them to break her down. Even in the face of uncertainty, Lott is prepared and also excited to face what comes next.

“It could be easy to be broken down at this point after five months,” she said. “But that’s not the case. We’re finding this season of hope and willingness to step in. I’m excited even though it’s a tough time.”

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