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2020
Volume 33, Issue 41
www.LHIndependent.com
Canady residency in question
Council member claims she gave false address on loan form
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Is Council member Kathy Canady a resident of Liberty Hill? The question was raised when a notarized affidavit surfaced from a loan application where Canady claimed a homestead in Burnet in May 2019 -- less than two months prior to her appointment to the Liberty Hill City Council. That, along with questions on the legality of residing in her downtown business since before her appointment poses the question – does Canady meet the residency requirement to hold office in Liberty Hill? Burnet address? The loan document, signed by Canady on May 29, 2019, is a “Designation of Homestead and Affidavit of Nonhomestead” and was part of the pa-
News@LHIndependent.com
September 3, 2020 | 50 Cents
LHISD goes Back to School
First day enrollment in LHISD was 5,429 compared to 4,993 on the first day of school in 2019. On Aug. 27, 65.3% of students attended class in person compared to 34.7% online. (Photos provided via Facebook. com/libertyhillindependent)
Kathy Canady said she will not resign her seat despite not having a permanent residence in Liberty Hill and admitting to falsifying an address on a legal document to secure a loan. perwork connected to financial dealings regarding her 1100 Loop 332 business, an auto repair garage. On the affidavit, Canady claims 402 S. Boundary Street in Burnet as her homestead
See CANADY, Page 4
PANDEMIC PASTIMES
Lacy finds balance through Kung Fu
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Balancing the duties of being a mother, maintaining a sense of normalcy for her son, and working from home, Liberty Hill resident Megan Lacy is turning to the Chinese martial art of Kung Fu to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. When the pandemic first reached the area, Lacy was admittedly worried about what this meant for her and her family. “I would say I was concerned; I mean, we’re living through an unprecedented situation in our lifetime, and certainly it was disconcerting,” she said.
“I was concerned and worried -- worried I was making the wrong decisions for my family. I was just trying to gather the best information possible on what to do and what not to do and protect my family.” With a demanding career as an account director for food and marketing agency, Wild Hive, maintaining normalcy for her son while working from home at the same time was the priority for Lacy. “I think as a parent, I felt that it was really important to keep as much normalcy as possible,” she said. “When the pandemic hit and the schools shut down, my son was at home, and they transferred all of the
Kung Fu to a zoom class. They were doing it on the computer, and it was great because it was the one constant that we had. It was that, and chess. My son did chess, and they switched to an online format.” It was watching her five-yearold son Jack take Kung Fu lessons at home that served as the first spark of interest, but before diving in headfirst, Lacy had her doubts. “I was watching him do his thing, and I thought gosh it looked like fun,” Lacy said. “At first, I thought I was too old to learn a new skill. I grew up riding horses. I thought I’m
See PASTIME, Page 8
Inspired by her son, Liberty Hill resident Megan Lacy is taking on the challenge of learning Kung Fu, using the Chinese martial art to find mental and physical balance during the pandemic. (Courtesy Photo)
LIBERTY HILL BUSINESSES
Texas Taco Kitchen puts focus on fresh, homemade ingredients
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer The tortillas? Homemade. The salsa? Homemade. The chips? Homemade. The dressings? You guessed it—homemade. At Texas Taco Kitchen, owner Jordan Melchor takes pride in offering customers delicious foods, from the high-quality meats to the freshly chopped vegetables. “I wanted to give Liberty Hill a nice fresh option,” he said. “We are a scratch kitchen. We break down all our own pork and beef, and our veggies are chopped fresh every day. There is fast food everywhere around here, but we wanted to be able to provide meals that are quick as well as high quality and fresh.” Melchor wanted to open a taco restaurant because of his love for Mexican food, and several family recipes from his grandmother, aunt, and parents that he knew would be good quality and well executed. His background is in the restaurant hospitality industry, where he ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent
RACHEL MADISON PHOTO
The new Liberty Hill location of Higginbotham Brothers will have 10,000 square feet of retail space as well as two large lumber sheds and more than 50 parking spaces for customers. The store is set to open in October.
Higginbotham Brothers chooses local for next hardware store
RACHEL MADISON PHOTO
Jordan Melchor, owner of Texas Taco Kitchen, shows off a couple of his restaurant’s most popular dishes, like the beef fajita taco and build-your-own salad, in the dining area of Texas Taco Kitchen. The restaurant is not currently open for dining in, but curbside orders are available. spent several years working for Smokey Mo’s BBQ. “My family owned several Smokey Mo’s franchises, so I was brought up through the restaurant world,” Melchor said. “I started as a dishwasher and eventually moved up to the business side of things. I guess
I liked it so much I decided to get out and open a restaurant on my own. I love interacting with people and building relationships. It’s not just about serving food and running a restaurant, it’s about the
See TACO, Page 4
By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer Across the state of Texas, dozens of small towns are home to Comanche-based lumber and hardware store Higginbotham Brothers, and Liberty Hill is about to be added to that list. Jace Mattinson, chief financial officer for Higginbotham Brothers and Liberty Hill resident, said the company opened its first store in 1881 and has been expanding ever since. The stores, which provide everything from lumber and building materials to lawn and garden products, are staples in a number of small towns across Texas—and one
in Oklahoma—and are still owned by descendants of the original Higginbotham family. The Higginbothams moved to Dublin, Texas, from Water Valley, Miss., in 1880. The very first Higginbotham Brothers store, opened in 1881, was a general mercantile in Deleon. By the early 1900s the brothers, along with other relatives, had opened eight more general stores in Texas towns like Ballinger, Comanche, Dublin, Rising Star and Stephenville. The organization continued to grow and evolve into a hardware and lumber supplier, and in 1999, current CEO Rufus Duncan, Jr., a great-grandson
of one of the original founders, purchased Higginbotham Brothers. Duncan also owns several Big Tin Barn hardware stores in Texas. The Liberty Hill location will be Higginbotham Brothers’ 42nd store. “This store is being built from the ground up, basically to custom fit the Liberty Hill area,” Mattinson said. “Liberty Hill has been growing like wildfire and a lot of people have to go into town to either Lowes or Home Depot for hardware and lumber, which is really quite a way to go to get the products they want.” The parking lot will have
See BROTHERS, Page 5
Page 2
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Thursday, September 3, 2020
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Tommy Dan Roberts, 77 years of age, passed away August 21, 2020, at his home. Tommy was the husband of Kay Roberts. They shared 52 years of marriage together. Born in Lockhart, Texas, he was the son of Geraldine Marie Roberts Turley and Frank Buford Roberts. Tommy was a car salesman and a delivery driver. Tommy loved to ride his horses and take care of his lawn. He loved to ride his lawnmower!
Tommy is survived by wife Kay Roberts, daughter Dana Clark, son-in-law Steven Clark, and granddaughter Hannah Clark, brother Ross Roberts, and sister-in-law Carol Roberts. The memorial is on September 4, 2020 at 10 a.m. at Beck Funeral Home, 1700 E. Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park, Texas 78613, (512) 259-1610. Flowers may be sent to Beck Funeral Home.
Jean Weathers
Jean Weathers of Leander, Texas, crossed the finish line of this life on August 20, 2020 and is sitting alongside her Heavenly Father. Jean was born in Brownwood, Texas to Abraham and Pearl Caffey on April 2, 1934. Jean is survived by her children Donna Jean (Jeanne) Carlisle Weathers of Arlington, Texas and Jerry Clayton Weathers of Liberty Hill, Texas, grandchildren Josh, Heather, Lindsay, Jeremy, Megan, Logan, Kyla and Shay and 14 great-grandchildren. Jean was preceded in death by her son Jackie B. (Benny) Weathers Jr. Jean was a proud mother, devoted friend, wonderful grandmother and loving greatgrandmother. She loved to
travel, lived in Germany and traveled throughout Europe and Asia. Once the travel bug subsided, Jean focused her live on her grandkids and could always be found in the stands of their activities. She was a staple at Friday night football games and if the Aggie football team was playing, you knew Jean was watching with her Aggie Grandma shirt on. Jean enjoyed bowling, crossstich, cooking and could always be found outside visiting with her neighbors. A “Celebration of Life” is being held at 10:00 AM on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at Greenleaf Cemetery, 2615 US-377, Brownwood, Texas 76801 with a reception following at the Holiday Inn Express, 128 Early Blvd., Early, Texas
76802. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations to First United Methodist Church, Georgetown, Texas. Arrangements entrusted to Weed-Corley-Fish Leander Funeral Home.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Throwback Thursday
Page 3
Shin Oak Ridge Bulletin Board
Send news to: News@LHIndependent.com Liberty Hill Garden Club meets Sept. 8
Jarrell has rebounded from the 1997 F5 tornado that took more than two dozen lives and destroyed many homes. (Courtesy Photo)
Jarrell overcomes tragedies, continues to grow
By JAMES WEAR Columnist Ask most folks about Jarrell, and perhaps the first thought that will come to their mind is the devastating tornado that struck the community back in May of 1997. The F5 tornado, with winds reaching as high as 261 miles per hour, claimed the lives of 27 people, injured another 32, and wiped out hundreds of livestock. Most of the damage occurred in a subdivision located in the northwestern portion of Jarrell known as Double Creek Estates, with 38 homes totally destroyed, leaving only concrete slabs. The 1997 storm was not the first to hit Jarrell. Back in May of 1989, a F3 tornado claimed the life of one Jarrell resident. Two-thirds of the town received damage, including two school buildings that were destroyed. To the credit of the community, Jarrell has bounced back. Residents voted to incorporate in 2001 and the population grew to nearly 1,000 by the end of the decade, with that number estimated to have doubled by 2020. Jarrell was originally formed in the early 1900s by real estate developer O.D. Jarrell. Settlers were drawn to the town as it was located at the intersection of a stagecoach road and a railroad that was under construction. Many
from the nearby community of Corn Hill moved to Jarrell because of the location of the railroad. Within 10 years, the community had a couple of stores and a saloon with a bank and newspaper soon to follow. By 1914, a movie theatre had been built and residents had electricity and indoor plumbing and the population zoomed to 500. With the downhill slide of the cotton industry and the closing of the railroad, the population declined, and by the 1960s the school did not have enough students to field an 11-man football team, although the Cougars would find success in the mid-1970s and reach the state title game in six-man football. My brother and I attended one of those six-man games one Friday night when our Florence football team had an off night, and I recall being astonished at the pace and excitement of the game. Both teams combined for more than 100 points or more in a single contest. During my teen years, our family was often in Jarrell as my mother had found work as a waitress at one the town’s two truck stops. Later she would join the women’s auxiliary of the Jarrell American Legion, perhaps following in her mother’s footsteps as my grandmother had been the first president of that organization and my grandfather and uncle both belonged to the Legion after having served in the military during the world wars. Mom often worked the kitchen on bingo nights, which were every Friday except for football season, and the Amer-
ican Legion Hall would be packed with locals and out-oftown visitors hoping to win the jackpot at the end of the night. Jarrell, in the 1970s, wasn’t much more than a bank, a grocery store and a lumberyard downtown, although the community boasted of a loyal volunteer fire department that annually held a barbecue and street dance that attracted hundreds of folks from all over the county. Out on the service road that ran parallel to the interstate highway that divided Jarrell, one could find a number of beer joints, including one known as the Speedway Inn that only in the past few years was closed and torn down. The Speedway had a reputation, but perhaps another bar, the Hitching Post, a mile or so down the road had an even rougher reputation. There was the afternoon a customer rode his donkey into the bar while a pair of musicians were playing a Saturday evening gig and a table or two might have been knocked over while getting the donkey and his rider out. But that somewhat humorous event pales in comparison to the night my older brother was playing poker with three other fellows, one of whom, perhaps angered by his bad luck, reached into his pocket and drew a knife, ready to cut the fellow across from him. Brother Pat blocked the thrust and if I recall correctly the fellow with the knife was quickly subdued by others present. A fellow by the name of Joe Hoes often played his guitar at those bars. Joe, who dubbed himself as “Country Johnny Harris,” even released
a record, but his big claim to fame, as he often reminded us, was he was the co-writer of a song that appeared on a Conway Twitty album that got a bit of airplay. “I Didn’t Lose Her, I Threw Her Away,” was the only tune of his for another artist to record. In his later years Joe settled down and ran a barbecue place. Across from the Speedway and up the road apiece, towards Georgetown, was a family tavern known as Raymond’s Place and that was where I saw my first color television. On a December day in 1969, my folks, brother Pat and I joined Raymond and his other customers as we watched the University of Texas football team come from behind to defeat Arkansas and claim the national title. President Richard Nixon was among those at the game. During my teen years, the Jarrell school system was much like Liberty Hill had been in the earlier years with limited athletic facilities and the entire school system packed into a single building. After the tornadoes the district launched on building new and improved facilities. It didn’t hurt that a large portion of the Sun City development located within the district’s boundaries helped boost the property tax base. Today, the school district has more than 1,000 students and is projecting a growth rate of nearly 10% in the next few years. Housing developments and businesses continue to spring up. Jarrell, like other communities in Central Texas, is experiencing explosive growth.
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The Garden Club returns from summer vacation on Sept. 8. Wayne Rhoden, a Good Water Master Naturalist, will present a program on Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants. The meeting will be held via Zoom, starting at 10 a.m.; come a little early to socialize. If you would like to visit our club and program, please contact us at gardenclublibertyhill@gmail.com. More information on the Garden Club can be found at our website www.libertyhillgardenclub.org, or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ lhgctx.
JG Fisk Chapter meets Sept. 12
The Judge Greenleaf Fisk Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas will hold its first meeting of the year on Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. at the Cross Tracks Methodist Church in Liberty Hill. The church will be sanitized, and we will be wearing masks. Social distancing will be observed. The program will feature Wayne Courreges speaking on the topic of The Texas Navy. Wayne is a native Texan, former marine and graduate of UTA. Wayne has served as a volunteer in many organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Wounded Warriors and the Veterans Hospital at Temple. He is President of the Moses Austin Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas,
Brigade Commander for the State of Texas and National Color Guard Commander of the General Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge. He is President of the General Societies for the War of 1812 and the Colonial Wars for the State of Texas. Wayne is presently Command Officer of the Edwin Moore Squadron, Texas Navy Association, homeport Austin. Membership in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas is open to any woman of lineal descent from an ancestor who lived during the period of the Republic (1836-1846). Associate memberships are also available to women who are interested in Texas history of this period. Associate dues are $25 per year. For more information, please contact Chapter Registrar Joyce Parsons at jnparsons1112@gmail.com, or president, Mariann Laughlin at truetexaswomen@gmail. com.
Johns/Mitchell Reunion set Sept. 12
The Johns/Mitchell families will hold a reunion Sept. 12 at the Hopewell Cemetery. The all-day event will feature a barbecue lunch provided by the families. The Hopewell Cemetery is located on CR 285, which intersects with CR 1869 twice. From Seward Junction (intersection of US 183 and SH 29) go north west on SH 29 to intersection with RM 1869. Turn left on RM 1869 and take the second intersection left with CR 285.
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Page 4
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Commissioners adopt 2021 budget, tax rate
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer GEORGETOWN -- The Williamson County Commissioner’s Court voted unanimously last week to approve the 2021 proposed budget of $394,690,355, a slight increase over the previous budget of $393,843,886, and only very subtle changes to the current budget. “The most notable differences from last year to now are the transfer of positions from one department to another,” said County budget officer Ashlie Koenig. “The court said they did not want to add to our headcount, so instead, they looked at needs around the county and moved positions around to meet those
TACO
Thursday, September 3, 2020
needs.” Four of the six positions transferred were in support of the county’s pretrial program that allows people navigating the justice system to work while awaiting trial. “I think one of the things that Commissioner (Valerie) Covey brought forward was our pretrial program and getting that staffed,” said Pct. 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long. “It’s a really cool program that has helped our individuals going through the justice system. It allows them to make bail, be supervised pretrial if necessary, and make sure that individuals have the opportunity to continue to work and not sit in jail while awaiting a trial. It’s a very helpful program.
Continued from Page 1
impact you can make on a community.” Although Melchor has decades of experience in the restaurant industry, he, like the rest of the world, wasn’t prepared for the coronavirus pandemic. He opened his restaurant in early March, and after eight days, had to close and redesign his entire business plan. “We had an excellent eight days, and then once everything happened, we decided to shut down and reconvene and figure out what we needed to do to fit the climate,” he said. “That’s when we brought in family meal packs and went to curbside service. We had spent over a year designing the guest experience and layout of the restaurant and we basically had 10 days to trash that plan and change it totally.”
CANADY
Today, the dining room at Texas Taco Kitchen is still closed, but seating is available outside on the restaurant’s patio, and curbside is still available. “We see 150 to 200 people a day, so we’re just not ready to reopen our dining room yet,” Melchor said. “I’ve got my grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law who are [immunocompromised] and we don’t want to risk that. Most people do online orders, which we just rolled out a few weeks ago, and we’ve gotten a fairly good response to it. Most people have been very understanding.” Melchor, who is a part of the Liberty Hill community along with his wife, Nikki, and three daughters, said he chose Liberty Hill for his restaurant because he loves the area and is
Continued from Page 1
property. The address is a triplex in downtown Burnet. In signing, according to the affidavit, Canady is swearing that: “(She) does not now and does not intend ever to reside on, use in any manner, or claim (her) Nonhomestead Property as a business or residence homestead.” “The above-described Homestead Property is designated as the homestead of (her) family.” “(She) now owns and resides on, uses, claims, and designates (her) Homestead Property as (her) only legal homestead, exempt from forced sale under the Constitution and laws of Texas.” But in an e-mailed response to questions from The Independent, Canady denies ever residing at the Burnet address, and said she was told “by the title company that it was a formality and that I should give them an address to close.” The title company listed on the affidavit is Independence Title in Liberty Hill. “It was to make it easier for my lender to foreclose on me if I was late on payments and was a formality to allow that,” Canady wrote, explaining the affidavit. “I had no problem giving him that latitude as I felt I owed him that for making me the loan...I was going to meet Paige (Canady’s daughter) after the closing and so I chose that address as I thought it would be what my
lender would want.” She added that at the time of the loan she was still partially living at the home she had sold at 3302 RR 1869, and continued to receive her mail there, and was also staying in her office at 1100 Loop 332 and then some with family. “It was a formality to close my loan and I never thought about it again,” she told The Independent. Liberty Hill zoning issue Despite signing a legal loan document claiming her residence in Burnet, Canady contends she has lived at her business address for the Quick Service Garage, 1100 Loop 332, since that time, which also contradicts the sworn affidavit. When Canady filed to seek election to City Council last February, she listed the business address as her residence on the filing form. But that address is zoned C2 - Downtown Commercial, and is not eligible for home occupation under the City’s Unified Development Code (UDC). City Attorney Tad Cleaves wrote in response to questions from The Independent about the issue that, “Living in a property zoned C2 is not necessarily against City ordinance, and no complaint or investigation was pending against Ms. Canady at that time.” According to the UDC, the C2 zoning category does al-
They have to be low risk.” The new General Fund budget is $222,981,680. Following the mandate to take a conservative approach to this year’s budget, commissioners determined the best way to aid departments in need of more employees was to move positions from one department to another based on need. A total of six positions were shifted. The court approved a tax rate of $0.458719 per $100 of valuation along with the budget. The adopted tax rate is comprised of the General Fund, Road and Bridge Fund, and Debt Service Fund tax rates. The Road and Bridge Fund budget is $44,862,760, and the Debt Service Fund budget is $126,845,915. This includes
$25 million to pay down debt early. “The Commissioners Court has made paying down debt a priority as part of our annual budget process. Over 20 years, Williamson County has saved more than $135.6 million in interest through its efforts to pay off debt early and refinancing,” said Covey. Part of the conservative approach to the budget included no increases in pay for county employees. One of the most significant changes from the proposed budget to this approved budget is law enforcement and corrections step pay increase of two percent and up to two percent merit earned, lump-sum payments for civilian employees.
“Initially they talked about not funding any increases, and what ended up happening is they found the money,” said Koenig. “They reduced the budget by $1.4 million to be able to fund a two percent lump-sum merit for civilian employees. The policy says you can give anywhere from zero to five percent, but what was funded was two percent.” Raises for civilian employees will be determined by department heads and managers based on performance reviews. “HR strongly encourages doing performance reviews for every employee, and the merit is there based on performance the prior year,” said Koenig. “It’s up to managers and de-
partment heads to look at if they want to give zero percent or up to five percent. It’s at their discretion.” With a reserved approach by the commissioners, the budget is seeing an increase of only .00214 percent. “In a typical year, you will see on average about a five percent increase,” said Koenig. “If we had a five percent increase, you would have been looking at almost a $20 million increase, and we’re only at an $800,000 increase.” The adopted 2021 budget is available for residents to review on the Budget Office website and can be found under the “Budget Overview” section.
excited about the growth projected over the next several years. The most popular dish at Texas Taco Kitchen is the beef fajita taco, Melchor said, because its marinated overnight, has nice marbling and is super tender. “I dare anyone to find a tough piece of meat in the fajita taco, because it’s just so tender that it melts in your mouth,” he said. Another favorite menu item is the green chili pork taco, which is pork butt broken down into cubes, seasoned and fried on a flat top grill to caramelize it. It then goes into a stock pot with a culmination of spices and tomatillo sauce and stews for two hours. “We also have salads in big taco shells,” Melchor said. “It starts with a bed of romaine
lettuce, and everything is customizable. It’s a build-yourown-style concept, so how you want it is how we make it. We also have bowls that come on a bed of rice, and you pick your protein and your toppings.” Lastly, Texas Taco Kitchen’s family meal packs have been a big hit since the pandemic began. Melchor said those packs have been a saving grace for the restaurant, raising the ticket averages from $14 to $30. “We really do appreciate the response we got when we opened and the continued support from the community,” Melchor added. “We have a handful of guests coming in multiple days a week, just because they want to see us through this. We love getting that support and seeing people wanting us to make it.” For now, Melchor’s goal is
to keep his restaurant’s foundation strong, but he hopes in the near future he will be able to reopen his dining room so people are actually able to see the ingredients and get to know the employees. “We want to talk to people about what things are and bring those taqueria-style flavors more mainstream,” he said. “We want people to experience flavors they haven’t had before, whether it’s queso fresco or carne asada.” Melchor added that guest experience is a huge part of his business, which is what sets his restaurant apart from others. “We want to make your brain and your tummy and your heart feel good,” he said. “I believe food is about 45 percent of your experience, and the rest is how you felt when
you walked in and how you felt when you left. I want my team to be genuine and provide hospitality for everyone who comes in or calls in an order. That’s what separates us.” As far as growing the restaurant and expanding to other locations, Melchor said that’s not on the table for now, but in the future, he plans to expand to other nearby cities. Texas Taco Kitchen, located at 14125 W. SH 29, is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Curbside orders can be placed by calling 512548-5383 or visiting www. texastacokitchen.com.
low for residential use, but the property must be designated a business or residence and is not eligible to serve as both. “Living in town hoping to refinance my property and apply for a mixed use permit was a plan I was trying to see come to fruition, but it all takes time and money along with overcoming the financial devastation that cancer and death bring about that I have been working my way through,” Canady wrote. But neither Canady or the City of Liberty Hill responded that a conditional use permit had been sought during the 14 months since her Council appointment. Canady’s business is an auto repair garage, and the UDC also specifies under Section 4.12.02 that home occupations are prohibited in garages -one of nine business type prohibitions listed. She said she has recently been forced out of the garage, alleging a complaint was filed with the City. However, City officials said they have received no complaint. “Now staying at my office is no longer an option due to the complaint filed by someone because of the zoning issue,” she wrote. “I am now staying with friends in the city limits of Liberty Hill and visiting my children to see that I have a roof over my head while I continue to work my way to having my own home again.” According to Canady, her liv-
ing arrangement was no secret to City leaders at the time of her appointment in July 2019, saying Mayor Rick Hall, Mayor Pro Tem Liz Rundzieher, former City Administrator Greg Boatright, and former Director of Planning Sally McFeron all knew she was residing at the business address. “I didn’t try to hide anything from the City,” she wrote. “It was my intention to stay a resident of the city of Liberty Hill before being on the council and still continues to be my intention to stay a resident of the city of Liberty Hill.”
for 12 months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six months immediately preceding the following date: for an appointee to an office, the date the appointment is made.” He went on to write that Canady currently resides in Liberty Hill, though not at the 1100 Loop 332 address, but did not provide her current address. He said no one has come forward to challenge Canady’s eligibility to either hold office or run again. “If someone challenges the facts in the Application or Council Member Canady’s candidacy, the City will deal with the situation at that time. The same is true if her eligibility to serve is challenged.” The Council has no plan to take action on the issue, he said. The City response concluded that Canady “has lived in the Liberty Hill for nearly four decades” and said “there is no reason to doubt that her intention, while both serving the City and running for office, is to ‘reside’ in Liberty Hill for purposes of qualification under the Election Code.”
Hill City Council,” she wrote. “I have lived in the city limits since 1993. I am lucky that I have been able to visit my children and stay at the shop while I pursue permanent housing in the corporate boundaries of the city of Liberty Hill. “It was not a problem for any city official or council member until recently – I assumed it was because it was a temporary issue and everybody knew I have been trying to find a place to live.” She said she is still living within the city limits, though she did not provide a specific address. “I am still looking for permanent housing in the city limits. I am now also able to stay with friends in the city limits, continue to visit my children, am on a waiting list for an apartment and I am still able to stay at the shop periodically albeit in limited capacity, all while looking for new permanent housing in the city limits.” As far as conflicts posed by being on the Council and making decisions on zoning issues and variance requests that may come before the Council, Canady said she does not see her own violation of the ordinance to be an issue. “I have not voted on anything in the zoning or UDC concerning this type of issue and would have recused myself if it had become necessary.”
City response When asked about the question of residency in relation to Canady’s eligibility to serve on the Council, Cleaves wrote in his response to the newspaper that “‘Residency’ or the idea of ‘residence’ or ‘residential’ has different meanings depending on the legal context. The meaning of ‘residential’ in a zoning context is inapplicable to the ‘residency’ requirement for a person to serve in public office under the Texas Election Code. It is the understanding of the City that Council Member Canady has resided within Liberty Hill during her entire term and continues to reside within Liberty Hill as required by the Texas Election Code.” According to Texas Election Code, to be eligible for public office, a person must “have resided continuously in the state
Canady response Canady said she does not plan to resign her position over the questions of the loan affidavit or her living arrangements since her appointment. “I have no intention to resign my position from the Liberty
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Thursday, September 3, 2020
BROTHERS
upwards of 50 parking spaces, and the retail store itself is 10,000 square feet and will have products for all areas of home improvement, like lighting, plumbing and electrical, Mattinson added. “One thing that’s unique is that every one of our stores is different in its footprint,” Mattinson said. “We cater to local markets’ needs and desires, so in West Texas you’ll find different things in our stores than you’ll find in our East Texas stores. We’ll have all the typical hardware products as well as some harder-to-find hardware items, plus a small farm and ranch section, Eagle-brand
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Continued from Page 1 power tools, and two large outdoor lumber sheds. There will be a pretty big lawn and garden department as well.” Mattinson said opening a new store in Liberty Hill was a “natural fit” for the company. “We hadn’t really gone to central Texas yet, even with the company being around for 140 years,” he said. “This is a new area for us. The closest stores to Liberty Hill are probably in Gatesville and Goldthwaite, so in terms of market opportunities and under-served communities, Liberty Hill was a good fit. Plus, we found a great piece of property.” The Liberty Hill store, located
next to Meridell Achievement Center on the north side of State Highway 29, is just under four acres. Construction on the project is nearing completion, Mattinson said, with just finishing touches left to do. Once complete, the hiring process will begin. The store will employ approximately 15 to 20 people. “We’ll likely have a soft opening the last week of September or the first week of October, and then we’ll do a grand opening in mid-October,” Mattinson added. “We are just working out all the details now.” Typically, when Higginboth-
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LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Liberty Hill has been asked to review and approve the following application(s), to wit: A request for a Zone Map Amendment from the General Commercial / Retail (C3) zoning classification to the Single-family Residential (SF3) zoning classification on the following property: Lots 1 and 2, Twenty-Nine Ranch Addition, Williamson County, Texas; generally located along the south side of State Highway 29, near its intersection with Orchard Ridge Parkway and identified as Assessor’s Parcels Number R-331210, R-331209 and R-548200. In accordance with Section 211.006, Texas Local Government Code, a public hearing on this application will be conducted by the Planning and Zoning Commission (Commission) on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, beginning at 6:30 PM. Upon receiving a recommendation from the Commission, the City Council will conduct its own public hearing on this matter at 6:30 PM on Monday, September 28, 2020 and take final action. Both public hearings will be held at the Municipal Court Building, Council Chambers, 2801 RM 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas. For more information, you may either visit the Development Services Department at 100 Forrest Street, call (512) 778-5449, or send an email to planning@libertyhilltx.gov. By order of the Development Services Director on September 1, 2020. (9/3) LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Liberty
Hill has been asked to review and approve the following application(s), to wit: A request for a Zone Map Amendment from the Agriculture (AG) zoning classification to the Light Industrial (LI) zoning classification on the following property: Lot 4, Cimmaron Business Park, Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas; generally located along the west side of Holmes Road, north of State Highway 29, and identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number R-472193. In accordance with Section 211.006, Texas Local Government Code, a public hearing on this application will be conducted by the Planning and Zoning Commission (Commission) on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, beginning at 6:30 PM. Upon receiving a recommendation from the Commission, the City Council will conduct its own public hearing on this matter at 6:30 PM on Monday, September 28, 2020, and take final action. Both public hearings will be held at the Municipal Court Building, Council Chambers, 2801 RM 1869 in Liberty Hill, Texas. For more information, you may either visit the Development Services Department at 100 Forrest Street, call (512) 778-5449, or send an email to planning@libertyhilltx.gov. By order of the Development Services Director on September 1, 2020. (9/3)
Page 5
am Brothers builds a new store, they flatten the land before erecting the building, but in Liberty Hill, they decided to try something different—they left a large oak tree right in the middle of the parking lot. “We ended up leaving the tree there, somewhat to our dismay at the time, but now it provides a very unique view in the middle of the parking lot and it’s a really pretty tree,” Mattinson said. “It’s really a statement piece on the property, so we’re super happy with that decision now. That’ll definitely be one of the first things people notice when they pull into the parking lot.”
Mattinson said Higginbotham Brothers has a goal to continue to provide products the community needs with a hometown, family feel. “Going through this pandemic we’ve figured out how essential a lot of businesses really are,” he said. “Our business is a very non-sexy business in a lot of ways, but it’s very essential, and being able to provide the products for the community and the people who need them in a timely manner is important. As we continue to grow and Liberty Hill continues to grow, we hope to be able to fuel that growth by providing the products to
build the homes and barns and everything else people in the area are building.” Higginbotham Brothers is located at 12500 W. SH 29. Hours for the store are scheduled to be Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store will be closed Sundays. For more information, visit www.higginbothams.com.
of the new 2,400 sq. ft. building connected to the existing facility with matching materials. Site work is to consist of resurfacing a portion of existing asphalt and the addition of new asphalt paving. Finished building to be 4,800 sq. ft. Bids must be submitted on the complete project. Bids must be enclosed in a sealed envelope and will be received by the City of Liberty Hill, Attention: Jay Holmes, P.O. Box 1920 (926 Loop 332), Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 until 2:00 PM local time on Thursday, September 17, 2020 at which time the bids received will be opened and read. Bidding documents will only be made available electronically. To obtain access to the files at no charge, please contact Curtis Steger, Steger Bizzell at 512.930.9412. Bids not accompanied by Cashier’s Check or Bid Bond will not be considered. Bids received after the date and time of bid opening will be returned unopened. After receipt of bids, no bid may be withdrawn within ninety (90) days after the date of bid opening. The City of Liberty Hill reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informality in bids received. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference for this project will be held Thursday, September 3, 2020 at City Hall, 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas 78642 at 2 PM. The project site will be available for inspection by prospective bidders immedi-
ately following the pre-bid conference. Representatives of the Owner and Engineer will be present to discuss the project. Bidders are encouraged to attend and participate in the conference. Engineer will transmit to all prospective bidders of record such addenda as Engineer considers necessary in response to questions arising at the conference. Oral statements may not be relied upon and will not be binding or legally effective. A bid bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid issued by an acceptable surety shall be submitted with each bid. A certified check or bank draft payable to The City of Liberty Hill or negotiable U.S. Government Bonds (as par value) may be submitted in lieu of bid bond. (9/3)
(9/10)
BID PROPOSAL: Manhole located at the intersection of County Road 213 and HWY 29, on the Texas Materials property, needs to be fully replaced while it is in service. Manhole measurements are approximately 36’’ wide X 30’ deep. Another manhole that is located north of work being performed on County Road 213 needs to be replaced while in service as well. Will need to meet 2- 3 days prior to the bid start date, to look at the project. To set up a time and date please call Brian Paul - Wastewater Superintendent at the City of Liberty Hill (254) 226-0094.
SUBSCRIBE 512.778.5577
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. (9/24)
LEGAL NOTICE Application has been made with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a Wine and Beer Retailer’s Permit (BG) and a Food and Beverage Certificate (FB) by RAW Agape, LLC dba Agape BBQ, to be located at 3610 RM 1869, Liberty Hill, Williamson, Texas. Owners of said Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) are Brandon Reinoehl (General Manager), Jeremy Archer (Pitmaster), and Timothy Wendling (Business Manager).
PUBLIC NOTICES
CITY OF LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS COMMUNITY CENTER ADVERTISEMENT AND INVITATION FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the City of Liberty Hill, Texas for the LIBERTY HILL COMMUNITY CENTER. SCOPE OF WORK: The construction of a new Community Center consisting of renovation of existing 2,400 sq. ft. building, and a new 2,400 sq. ft. building. The construction consists of adding insulation in walls and ceiling, the addition of new trusses and interior walls, and the addition
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, September 3, 2020 Page 6
Panthers’ parents’ handbook lays down the law
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Every Thursday evening during football season, each and every Liberty Hill varsity football player gets a phone call. On the other end is a Panthers football coach checking up on one of his charges the night before a game. Doesn’t last long – perhaps a few minutes – just to make sure the player is cognizant of getting proper rest and nutrition. But, there’s more to it than just what meets the ear on the surface, said Liberty Hill head coach Jeff Walker. “Communication is critical to what we do here,” he said. “We expect our players to do what’s best for our team.” Being a member of the Liberty Hill football program certainly comes with an entire set of rules and regulations in order to ensure everyone stays on the straight-and-narrow – a code of conduct of how players on the Panthers’ roster are expected to carry themselves on and off the field, as well as in and out of the classroom. However, it’s not only the players who are held to a high
standard. Parents are also expected to behave with grace and humility while supporting their sons on the gridiron – something that is laid out in no uncertain terms in the “Panther Football Parent Booklet,” a 15-page document that is accessible on the school’s website on the football page. Just about everything under the sun is covered as far as how all parties concerned should conduct themselves in the name of Liberty Hill football, but especially compelling is a section entitled “Ten Commandments of Football Parents,” which details what is expected from parents, including areas such as remaining positive, respecting the coaches and their decisions and insisting on good grades. All good ideas and important tenets for all involved to understand and apply in the correct manner, said Walker. “It’s been a very good thing,” he said, of the manual which has been part of his coaching doctrine his entire career. “But, 95 percent of our kids will buy into what we want them to do.” However, there are always
those who want to buck the system, said Walker. “We always have those guys I like to call turkeys,” he said. “Kids who want to skirt authority, not be respectful to teachers and so forth. Earlier in my career, I probably would’ve got rid of them, but then I realized they needed me more than I needed them, so I always get them to walk the line. But, a lot of times, those are the ones who come back years later and thank me because they realize what you did for them in changing their life and doing what was best for them.” Later on are included such concepts as making sure mothers and fathers don’t live vicariously through their sons, which can often lead to envy of other parents and their sons as a result of playing time and performance. It includes encouraging players to believe in themselves and playing for the love of the game without the pressure of trying to earn a college scholarship. One particular passage talks about how every parent thinks their son is the best – which, of course is always a heavily-biased and often times, unrea-
ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO
Panthers head coach Jeff Walker provides parents with a handbook of everything which is expected of their sons – and themselves – in forming a successful program. sonable view – something that Walker knows he must handle with proper care – while still making his team-first point. “It’s a fine line and is sometimes the hardest part of coaching,” he said. “But, we always want to have the 22 best players on the field.” In previous years, Walker and his coaching staff would personally visit each family of a varsity player and present them the handbook, but then he decided there was a more
effective way to lay down the Purple-and-Gold law, he said. “We realized it was better if all the parents got to meet each other,” said Walker. “So, we started to do a group meeting.” Walker said only one parent over the years has gotten upset with the Thursday-night check-in phone calls and the handbook has been warmly received as not a replacement for parenthood, but rather a supplement in how to be a proper football parent.
Walker knows in order to run a successful program, which not only wins games – but, more importantly produces good, young men – there must exist a bridge that extends from the field house to the residential version – with everyone on board together. “Great players come from great parents,” he said. “We have great players.”
ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO
Liberty Hill’s girls’ cross country squad breaks from the starting line at the Panthers’ home event last season.
Runners rise and shine earlier than most
With the start of school, the cross country team days just got even longer
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor All of them rise well before the sun each morning. Who are these gluttons of punishment who chose to begin their respective days even before local roosters sound off with their trademark alarm? Liberty Hill’s cross country squad, that’s who. With the start of school already in the rear-view mirror, those 7 a.m. practices, which had already been taking place, just got bumped back even earlier – 6 a.m. It’s dark for another hour and the runners’ brains are still filled with equations and grammar from homework finished only a few hours earlier.
Of all of the Panthers’ varsity teams, only the trail runners conduct workouts before school each day, which makes each one that much longer and leaves less turnaround from one day to the next. However, cross country runners aren’t your typical garden-variety athletes, as the very nature of their chosen sport involves much suffering and discomfort under any conditions. But now add inconvenience to that list and you’ve got one trying daily routine, which can ultimately rear its ugly head in the form of diminished race results if not managed properly, said Liberty Hill head coach Kim Holt. “Now that school has start-
ed, the kids will be doing homework – sometimes staying up late, so this can affect their performance,” she said. “But, this is just part of the sport. We hope they manage their time properly so they can get enough rest. Some of them even have jobs, so there are many factors.” Another obstacle, which can be a potential roadblock to running success, is the simple fact once school begins, many things clamor for attention that weren’t there before the first bell of the fall rang. But Holt said despite possible distractions moving in, her athletes are more than capable of weathering the physical and psychological storms brought
on by a typical, busy teenage existence. “Sometimes it can be difficult, but for the most part, these kids love the sport or they wouldn’t be out there and I think they want to do well – they’re all working so hard,” she said. “As the season goes on, there are many factors involved and we as coaches try to help the kids deal with things the best we can. Getting up early for practice and then school and then homework makes for a very long day, but these kids are tough and they work hard at practice and at school.” But, it’s not only the athletes whose mettle is tested once school is back in session – the
coaches, who are also teachers – are also loaded down with heavy schedules. “Well, it’s a lot of work and it’s a very long day for us, too,” said Holt, who teaches college algebra. “Sometimes it gets stressful, but we love the kids and we love coaching them. Seeing them do well at the meets makes me forget about all the stress.” Holt added the newness and excitement of a brand new school year can actually enhance the entire experience for her team. “I think it helps,” she said. “I know the kids are excited for their first meet on Sept. 12, so with the start of school it just helps bring that a little closer.”
By the way, throw in new health and safety guidelines due to a global pandemic and the equation is even more daunting, but not anything her runners can’t handle in stride, said Holt. “We have to do some extra stuff in the mornings with COVID going on, but it hasn’t really affected us,” she said. “We do our check-ins in the morning, then we get to practice. I know it will be different at the meets this year with the kids wearing masks while not racing and spectators wearing masks, but I think the kids have adjusted and they’re ready to race.”
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Thursday, September 3, 2020
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Page 7
Purple-and-Gold lives matter, and that’s the beauty of it
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor What with the continued national firestorm concerning civil rights and all the unrest that has been caused by the mindless, unforgivable and deplorable acts of a few, we’re brought back to considering why sports continues to be such a vital part of the fabric of our society. Don’t get me wrong. Black Lives do Matter – immensely. But, sports provide a platform for which we judge individuals – rightly or wrongly – for one’s athletic ability with no regard to race, color, creed or anything else. So, when we see professional sports leagues across America canceling games as a unified sign of protest over these despicable acts of senseless violence we’re forced to keep dealing with on a regular basis, something must really be up. Which, of course, it is. But, all the symbolic acts in the world won’t do one single, solitary bit of good if those acts aren’t followed up with action by those who are in a position to really affect change. One thing being in the mili-
tary teaches one is inclusion. A decade in the U.S. Army caused me to interact and run in the same circles with people of every different kind imaginable – people you probably wouldn’t have the chance to do so with under ordinary civilian conditions, for whatever reason – be it economic, social or anything else that tends to divide people in a form of self-segregation. Didn’t matter for a moment what color someone was because we were all the same color. Green. As in the uniform we all wore every day and the flag on our shoulders. The U.S. Armed Forces are perhaps the very best living example of what America is supposed to be all about – a true melting pot where nobody is ever excluded for less-than-honorable reasons. Which brings us back to the entire color theme. Let’s face it. Liberty Hill is very much a white-majority community where it’s easy to lose sight of the fact there are some very wrong things going on out there – seemingly so far away from this nice little piece of God’s Green Earth here in central Texas. However, it’s certainly all too real. But, when we go to watch the Panthers compete – at any sport – everyone suddenly
forgets what color the skin is under the facemask, above the net or blazing down a trail. When Zaila Smith wins a cross country race or Lloyd Johnson makes a play on the gridiron or Kindsee Escamilla smashes home another kill on a volleyball court, suddenly race doesn’t matter – which is how it should be all the time. So, why is it so difficult to apply the same lessons of acceptance and tolerance we’ve learned in the name of athletic competition to our everyday lives? If we can be united under the Purple-and-Gold, certainly we can be united under any and all conditions – can’t we? For me, it’s absolutely astounding how we can still form an opinion about an individual or group based simply on color – almost as if we’re pre-programmed with societal stereotypes. We’re all guilty of it in some way, shape or form over the course of our lives – no matter how brief or fleeting it may be until we return to our senses. With all this talk of bubbles in the sports world these days, we can learn some valuable lessons from an environment in which we evaluate someone’s merits as a human being by how well they perform with a ball or a puck as opposed to their appearance. What a concept.
ESD sets budget, adopts tax rate
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Williamson County Emergency Services District #4 (ESD) – has set a lower tax rate and a higher budget for the upcoming fiscal year, able to capitalize on higher sales tax revenues and property values within the district. While the ESD Board originally planned to keep the property tax rate from the current year – $0.09825 per
$100 valuation – when appraisal numbers were certified from the County, the decision was made to lower the rate to $0.09325 per $100 valuation. A property owner with a home valued at $250,000 will pay $233.13 in ESD property taxes in the coming year, while a home with the same value last year would have paid $245.63. The reduction in rate is offset by ever-increasing sales tax
revenues. In 2019, $406,293 was generated in sales tax in the taxing district, and through only the first half of 2020, the district had generated $581,811. The total budget for the ESD for the 2020-2021 fiscal year is $5.3 million, an increase of $456,977 over last year. Much of the increase is due to higher operational costs
See WCESD#4, Page 10
LAURA COLEMAN PHOTO
Freshman Peyton Buckley is one of the new players Liberty Hill head coach Sherry Rhoden has on her roster this season.
Minimizing mistakes
Tennis is a game of errors -- making and avoiding them
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor When tennis players shake hands across the net at the conclusion of a match, the victor is usually the one who has made fewer mistakes than his or her opponent. Whether it be a result of actually committing fewer errors themselves or forcing the opponent into committing them, the result is usually victory. According to Liberty Hill head coach Sherry Rhoden, the critical factor is controlling the chaos that takes place during a point in order to swing the proceedings to one’s advantage. “In tennis, we have different ways of winning points. We can create flat-out winners and we can also win off forcing our opponents to make a mistake. Then we can also win points when our opponents make unforced errors,” said Rhoden. “Our goal is to have control over a rally and make our opponents make the mistakes. We want to create or force them to make mistakes. So many times, several errors happen during a rally and these errors can all add up to
a winning point. Tennis players have to learn how to make ‘good’ mistakes.” Sometimes, it’s as simple as recognizing what an opposing player is doing to have success during a match, then understanding why it’s happening and figuring out a way to correct the deficiency, she said. “Many times players will say something like, ‘My opponent keeps doing this or that to me.’ We look at how the opponent is able to create this situation – it almost always starts with the previous shot we hit,” said Rhoden. “We have to know what we’re doing to allow our opponents to win certain shots off us. To correct problems, we work on our consistency and control first and foremost. We practice hitting deep shots and adding direction through targets, work on being faster with our movements and we add spin, power and height to our shots to force our opponents out of position and hope to push them off the court.” In other words, make an opponent uncomfortable by forcing them into playing one’s
game instead of the other way around. As tennis is such a mental game that requires razor-like focus throughout the course of a match, it’s only expected there will be breakdowns in concentration, but limiting those moments to as few as possible is crucial in maintaining a winning edge. “There will always be unforced errors – we have moments when our focus breaks down,” said Rhoden. “Unforced errors have so much judgment around them – they happen for two main reasons – either we don’t execute well and miss a target or we choose the wrong shot to hit. Unforced errors usually happen in the mind, especially if we’re in a habit of changing our mind at the last second.” So, being decisive during the decision-making process is important and staying steadfast in strategy. Rhoden added she believes it’s her responsibility to get the most out of her players, but without overwhelming them
See TENNIS, Page 8
Statements required in notice if the proposed tax rate does not exceed the lower of the no-new-revenue tax rate or the voter-approval tax rate, as prescribed by Tax Code §26.061.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE OF MEETING TO VOTE ON TAX RATE A tax rate of $0.454559 per $100 valuation has been proposed by the governing body of City of Liberty Hill.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THAT: The City Council of the City of Liberty Hill, Texas, will convene a public hearing on Monday, September 14, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. at 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, Texas, in accordance with State Law (Local Government Code, Chapter 102.0065), to hear a report from the Mayor and to hear comments from the public regarding the proposed Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 beginning on October 1, 2020. This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $300,879, which is an 8.3% increase from last year’s budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $280,431. City Debt Obligations Total debt obligation for the City of Liberty Hill secured by property taxes is $2,690,143.50.
PROPOSED TAX RATE NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE
$0.454559 per $100 $0.454908 per $100 $0.454559 per $100
The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the 2020 tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for City of Liberty Hill from the same properties in both the 2019 tax year and the 2020 tax year. The voter-approval rate is the highest tax rate that city of Liberty Hill may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate. The proposed tax rate is not greater than the no-new-revenue tax rate. This means that City of Liberty Hill is not proposing to increase property taxes for the 2020 tax year. A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE WILL BE HELD ON September 14, 2020, at 6:30 PM at 2801 Ranch Road 1869, Liberty Hill, TX 78642. The proposed tax rate is also not greater than the voter-approval tax rate. As a result, City of Liberty Hill is not required to hold an election to seek voter approval of the rate. However, you may express your support for or opposition to the proposed tax rate by contacting the governing body of City of Liberty Hill at their offices or by attending the public meeting mentioned above. YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE TAX RATES MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS: Property tax amount = ( tax rate ) x ( taxable value of your property ) / 100 (List names of all members of the governing body below, showing how each voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase or, if one of more were absent, indicating absences.) FOR the proposal: AGAINST the proposal: PRESENT and not voting: ABSENT:
Steve McIntosh, Kathy Canady, Gram Lankford, Tony DeYoung, Liz Rundzieher None None None
The 86th Legislature modified the manner in which the voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of property taxes in the state. The following table compares the taxes imposed on the average residence homestead by City of Liberty Hill last year to the taxes proposed to be imposed on the average residence homestead by City of Liberty Hill this year. 2019 Total tax rate (per $100 of value)
$0.490187
2020
Change
$0.454559
$7% decrease
Average homestead $195,923 taxable value
$202,492
3% increase
Tax on average homestead
$960
$920
4% decrease
Total Tax levy on all properties
$1,575,292
$1,876,171
19% increase
For assistance with tax calculations, please contact the tax assessor for City of Liberty Hill at 512-943-1601 or proptax@wilco.org, or visit www.wilco.org/propertytax.
Page 8
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Pit Crew donates $6,000 to elementary PE departments
Thursday, September 3, 2020
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer The Panther Pit Crew, a local nonprofit, is helping Liberty Hill ISD with physical education needs by providing almost $6,000 in equipment to all four elementary schools in the district. “We were asked if we would be able to give money or equipment to the PE department to help with all the new procedures for COVID,” said Panther Pit Crew’s John Cleary. “It worked out well where we were able to do it, where other times, we might not be able to do it.” Liberty Hill Elementary PE coach Kasey Faurie reached out to the nonprofit, aware of their history of helping the district with supplies and funds. “I knew they would be interested in helping us because these materials and this equipment will touch every elementary kid in Liberty Hill,” said Faurie. “It’s not just one small group. It’s Kindergarten through 4th grade.”
The funds came from two events the Pit Crew held this year. “We raised funds multiple ways,” said Cleary. “We had a golf tournament recently where we raised about $10,000 for our group. We had a raffle this year as well. Those were the two main things to raise money.” The Pit Crew’s mission is aiding the school district’s students and staff when the need arises. The donated equipment is divided amongst the district’s four elementary schools. “I think the Pit Crew is here to help build community spirit and to help out the schools where we can,” said Cleary. “It’s about $6,000 worth of goods that I think we were able to provide. I think it’s about $1,500 per campus. It’s four elementary schools we’ll be providing to.” Over the summer, the PE coaches in the district met and realized the need for new equipment to adjust to new COVID procedures.
“We were talking about the heat index and how we were going to be outside as much as possible so the kids didn’t have to wear masks and could honor social distancing,” said Faurie. “We knew that we would need shade, and we would need fans, water, a way to clean our equipment, and we would need a way to tell them where to stand. We needed extra recess equipment so each teacher could have their own, and kids wouldn’t be cross-contaminating.” With the smallest gyms in th elementary schools, and almost 400 students returning for the school year, PE will be exclusively outside. Because of the Texas heat, measures must be taken to keep kids cool. “The most important thing for us was shade because not all campuses have shade where PE will be held, and we need to let the kids cool down before we put their masks on,” said Faurie. “We have backpack sprayers to mist the kids
when it’s hot, so that’ll be fun for them. The fan will be used campus-wide to blow that breeze as kids go back inside.” Being outside allows the students to adhere to social distancing rules, minimizing COVID infection risks. “For social distancing, we needed something we could clean easily and pick up easily
By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last season, the senior trio of Ashley Nelson, Lauren LaDuque and Emily Huppee formed a valuable core for the Lady Panthers’ volleyball squad, which saw them dominate during their final season of Class 4A competition without losing even a single set during an undefeated district schedule. As the new campaign dawns this fall, that mantle has been passed to outside hitter Kindsee Escamilla and middle blockers Lilli Wilkins and Ashleigh Dubbs, who will be counted on by head coach Gretchen Peterson to provide the same kind of leadership as her club ventures into Class 5A for the first time in school history. But she also expects all of her players to share in that department. “We have so many returners, so they know the expectations and they take a lot of ownership in making it their team,” said Peterson. “We expect all our players to lead in any way they can.” Last season, Escamilla had an excellent bounce-back performance after rebounding from an injury that kept her
off the court for virtually her entire sophomore season, often teaming up with Nelson to provide the Lady Panthers with a powerful pair of hitters, which meant opposing defenses could never focus on stopping one or the other simultaneously. “I have no doubt Kindsee will contribute and be confident in her team,” said Peterson. “She loves her team like a family and she knows they feel that way about her, too -that’s what is going to get her through any bumps or struggles, but she’s a fighter – she won’t let it get her down.” With a solid junior year in her rear-view mirror, Escamilla is poised to be Liberty Hill’s top gun on the front line, receiving pinpoint passes and sets from juniors Emma Becker, Emma Parsons and Haley Kuhlmann. Wilkins grew into a dominant role in the middle of the net last season and along with Ailie Hair, formed a dynamic duo who could contribute offensively when the outside was shut down – but were even more valuable on the defensive side in blocking and altering opposing shots. Dubbs will likely fill the role LaDuque played so well last
season in providing a spark off the bench at critical times in matches and maintaining a positive approach at all times. But, Peterson said her entire squad is ready to attack the new season – regardless of what year in school they each are, but due to the chemistry created by last year’s club. “All of our players have come back with an excitement and energy and we’re a closer team now then we were last year because of the time they’ve spent together,” she said. “We all matured and put work in, which shows, and they battle to make each other better – they’ll push each other and bring out the best of one another.” According to Peterson, leadership is a spectrum that can be viewed from various perspectives – what really matters is an individual’s ability to recognize which way they are most effective in helping the collective group. “Everyone can be a leader. It may look different, but you lead in the best way you can with the gifts you were blessed with,” said Peterson. “It takes all sorts and sometimes you’re in the front and sometimes you’re tasked with being a fol-
Senior Kindsee Escamilla (#2) will lead the Lady Panthers’ front line this season after a strong junior campaign. lower – it’s a give and take, but more valuable than any on- amazing journey,” said Pegood teams know how import- court achievements, she said. terson. “We love them and ant this is.” “I want them to have fun, believe in them and they will However, if there’s one thing make memories and know leave here and do great things, Peterson wants most from her they’re valued – that the best but will always be a part of our seniors, it’s intangible, but gift we can give them is an family.”
The Panther Pit Crew donated nearly $6,000 in equipment to the district’s PE departments to help with the adjustment to new COVID-19 procedures. so the kids could know where to stand,” said Faurie. “So, the puzzle mats will be their home spot where they stand every day. The speaker system is huge, being outside in the wind, and with kids being separated, we want to play music and have the microphone so everyone can hear us.” With the new equipment,
coaches will provide students with a safe and comfortable PE experience. “This is the future of Liberty Hill. So, if we can make them work in a comfortable and enjoyable environment because PE is the most fun part of the day, then we’re doing our job,” said Faurie.
Lady Panthers’ seniors expected to step up
ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO
Pastime
ANTHONY FLORES PHOTO
The Williamson County Commissioners Court plans to create a 15-person committee to decide the future of the Georgetown Confederate monument. The issue is creating friction between opposing sides, often playing out on the Williamson County Courthouse steps.
Committee to weigh future of Confederate statue
By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer GEORGETOWN -- The Confederate memorial on the grounds of the Williamson County Courthouse is at the epicenter of an ongoing controversy. The statue is dedicated to Confederate soldiers and sailors and has been in place since 1916. In recent years calls for the removal and relocation of the statue have gained traction throughout the county. This momentum and the removal of similar memorials across the nation in past months have prompted the Williamson County Commissioners to create a committee to de-
termine the statue’s fate. “The idea is for each member of the court to appoint three members to gather information,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Russ Boles. “I’m not looking to see if the statue is appropriate or not. That’s not what I think the court needs help with. It’s appropriate, and it’s part of our history. The question is if that’s the appropriate spot for it at the courthouse.” Boles is behind the idea for a committee and felt it was necessary after the amount of feedback both for and against the statue from within the county. “The outreach has been tre-
mendous, I would say – the emails, the phone calls about it,” said Boles. “From where I sit, some people have the facts right, and some people have the facts wrong, and it’s a lot. I think a committee can kind of give us a cross-section of the county and get a feel for how people perceive it in 2020 as opposed to 1916.” At the root of the controversy surrounding the statue is that it represents different things to many people. For Shelby Little, who stands in opposition to removing the statue and is a member of the 6th Brigade of the Texas Sons
See STATUE, Page 9
Continued from Page 1
a mom, and I’m an old lady, and I was sure they didn’t even want me.” With her interest peaked, Lacy knew she wanted to give it a shot. Her first move was to reach out to the Seven Start Martial Arts Dojo, run by Sifu Jeff Remster. “I reached out to see if they did adult beginners’ classes, and they said, of course,” she said. “They let me try it out, and I fell in love with it immediately. It’s a great workout. With all the chaos of the pandemic, it made me both exercise myself physically, but also focus on myself for 30 minutes to an hour.” For Lacy, the physical adjustment to the martial art is demanding, along with the added challenge of giving herself the time necessary for her to give in to each session. “Getting your body to do what it’s supposed to do when you’re out of shape and also learning a whole new way of moving is very challenging,” she said. “There is the initial fitness level of overcoming that barrier, which I’m still working on. It’s also the moves
Tennis
and the focus and making myself disconnect from work and being a mom and saying I’m just going to focus on this right now.” Even if the execution isn’t perfect, Lacy believes the experience of trying repeatedly to perfect moves provides a sense of satisfaction. “The moves themselves, getting them down takes so much repetition, and I’m not even close to being great at any of them, but it’s fun to just work on them,” she said. “The pursuit of getting it right is really rewarding, even when you know you’re still getting it wrong. Adding this has given me more energy to do all the other things that I need to do.” Finding the time to take her classes two times a week is helped by her husband John, who puts their son to bed on nights when she has classes. “My husband has been so supportive and amazing. We usually alternate, putting my son to bed, so we coordinate around Kung Fu now,” she said. “He’s behind me 100 percent.” Throughout the pandemic,
Continued from Page 7
by being too critical or demanding to the point of being counter-productive. “I tell my players often I’m not here to put pressure on them – they put enough pressure on themselves,” she said. “I’m here to help them think and process. Each player needs to know their goal for the immediate point, the game, then the set. Great matches come when players can break down the big picture into smaller chunks - just like life.” With that approach in mind, methods – mental and physical – must be employed to ensure
players remain on point, said Rhoden. “As coaches, we teach them techniques to refocus. We’re constantly talking to them about when to breathe and how to breathe. We talk to them about posture and positive self talk and we talk to them about quickly flushing points and tackling the next point with the most immediate goal in mind,” she said. “They also need to know when they walk off the court, their coaches, their team and their parents will love them and treat them the same whether they win or
Lacy’s Kung Fu lessons have allowed for social interaction and given her a sense of control in a time where many things are out of people’s control. “The people in the class together are all connected doing the same moves and connected in the moment of time that we’re all focused on what we’re doing,” said Lacy. “It’s been both physically and mentally uplifting for me during a time when there’s a lot of uncertainty and very few things we can control. It’s one thing I can do and feel good about every day.” Lacy believes Kung Fu can be a great escape for those needing something to focus on during COVID. “For me, this was the right thing at the right time, and I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there needing something,” she said. “This has been a very positive thing amidst a challenging situation. If somebody is in a position looking for something uplifting or to be positively focused, then I think this could be the right fit for them.”
lose – both wins and losses create opportunities for learning and improving – so many life lessons.” However, at the end of the day, tennis remains a simple game on the surface and the one who stays the calmest and most composed usually comes out on top, said Rhoden. “The game is about staying in the point long enough that your opponent makes the mistake first,” she said. “Can we be more patient than our opponent? We just have to learn to make better mistakes.”
Thursday, September 3, 2020
THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
Liberty Hill ISD amends mask rule after Day 1
By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Liberty Hill ISD made a change to its mask policy as students returned to class late last week, in a heightened effort to ensure the district is doing all it can to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus on campuses. In a letter sent to parents Friday, the second day of classes, Superintendent Steve Snell apologized for any confusion, but spelled out the reasons for the abrupt policy change that now requires students and staff to wear masks all day while inside. Masks were required under the original protocol, but more leniency was given to when they were required based on
STATUE
setting and social distancing practices. The primary reason for the change was the announcement of two positive COVID-19 cases among staff during the staff development period before school began. “The staff did everything we asked them to do, making sure to be more than six feet apart before removing their masks,â€? Snell explained in the letter. “In a room with just seven people, distanced as much as possible, the virus was spread to a second staff member by someone who contracted the virus outside of school and was asymptomatic. A few days later, both had symptoms and received conďŹ rmed positive tests. Based on the CDC proto-
Continued from Page 8
of the Confederacy, the statue is a testament to veterans who gave their lives serving a cause they believed in. “It’s been here since 1916, and longevity by itself is not a good reason,� said Little. “What this veteran’s memorial represents is honor, valor, and dedication to a principle of family and their societal norms that they had grown up with and that were the original principals of the U.S. Constitution as they were done in 1787. That is the main thing. This stands for a lot of things that we think of as basic American institutions.� Little believes the statue itself doesn’t express the ideas of racism, white supremacy, or slavery. “I always try to get the opposition to read verbatim what it says on the inscription in the front and what the inscription says on the back,� Little said. “There’s nothing about slavery
or the government of the Confederacy or succession, it’s all about the soldiers. If you’ll look at any of the veteran’s memorials anywhere, that’s what they’re about.â€? Georgetown resident and historian Kenneth Witherspoon believes that this monument gloriďŹ es the Confederacy. “Yes, the Civil War was about slavery. People don’t want to say that, so they make the Civil War about many things,â€? he said. Witherspoon, attempting to reach across to the other side, suggested adding a museum box to offer context to the statue and its history. “I spent some time a while ago trying to work out a compromise, and both sides thought about it, and neither side liked it, which probably made it a good compromise,â€? said Witherspoon. “It was to leave it where it was but also put a museum box and to let it
col, this constitutes community spread. Due to the fact that masks were not worn (even though they were socially distanced), multiple staff members had to be quarantined.� The letter goes on to explain that exposure to positive cases are minimized, requiring less quarantining, if the positive case and others in the room are all wearing masks at all times. Snell also cited the large number of students who have returned to on-campus learning, making proper social distancing at all times a challenge. While the State of Texas is requiring school districts to begin reporting COVID-19 cases, which will then be made public across the state through the Department of State Health
Services, Liberty Hill ISD acted locally early, launching its own COVID-19 dashboard this week to keep the community updated on local cases connected to the school district. The cases reported on the dashboard do not imply the positive case was a result of exposure or activity on campus, but reects a student or staff member that has tested positive. The district is reporting 12 total positive cases since July 1, with nine of those connected to the high school. At the high school there are seven reported cases among students, four of which are listed as recovered, and two among staff. Rancho Sienna Elementary
tell the story, that way you explain it and how the community feelings have changed.� During a protest last week, members of both sides of the issue took to the square to support their causes. Georgetown resident and Army veteran Brian Robinson attended the event to show support for removing the statue. For Robinson, the Commissioners’ move to create a committee is simply to allow the issue to lose heat and allow them to escape the situation without making a tough decision. “They purposely activated this commission after the election this year, at the end of the year when everybody is on holiday and not thinking about it,� he said. Lee Wallace, like Little, believes that the intention of the statue is not to support the causes and ideals of the Confederacy.
“The statue represents the soldiers from Williamson County that served in the Civil War. It was to represent the soldiers that went, not their generals. This (statue) is a private that’s up there. It’s not the politicians or any of their programs,� said Wallace. “This county voted to stay Union, so bear that in mind.� Wallace feels the move to form a committee serves as a way out of making the decision, and if that’s the case, it should be in the hands of the people to decide. Zack White, one of the younger attendees last week, is a lifelong resident and a graduate of Southwestern University. White feels what’s right is for the statue to come down. “Having grown up and lived here my entire life, I love this county, and I love my home, but this doesn’t look like home
lists two recovered staff members, and Liberty Hill Elementary lists one student as an active case. The dashboard can be found on the district’s Return to Learn webpage, along with a new form for after-hours COVID-19 case reporting for the community.
COVID-19 numbers August ended with 192,023 conďŹ rmed positive COVID-19 cases in Texas, representing 31 percent of all cases in the State since March. That case total, though, was almost 70,000 less than July, but there were fewer tests conducted in August, and throughout much of the month the positivity rate was considerably higher than at any point in July. There was a dramatic reduction in number of tests, with more than 400,000 fewer tests administered in August than in July. There were 1.29 million tests statewide in August, representing 26 percent of all tests since the effort began in March, compared to 34 percent in July.
Page 9
The daily positivity rate climbed as high as 24.5 percent in mid-August, spending much of the month between 13 and 20 percent, but on the last day of August it had dipped to 10.13 percent. Hospitalization numbers continue to drop, with 4,203 hospitalized on Monday, but in spite of that decline, there were 5,967 COVID-19 fatalities in Texas in August, representing 48 percent of the total since the pandemic reached the state. Williamson County added more than 2,200 conďŹ rmed cases in August, and more than 40 deaths, though the fatality numbers were adjusted down in late July after reaching 100 July 28. Five days later, when the new death total was published by the Williamson County and Cities Health District, it had dropped to 80. Despite requests from The Independent, the City of Liberty Hill is not reporting local numbers, but according to the County report, the total number of conďŹ rmed cases in the 78642 zip code since March remains between 50 and 250.
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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT
WCESD #4 with Fire Station #2 being online for its first full year. Last year, the ESD added six new firefighter positions, accounting for higher salaries – a $262,451 increase – but overtime is also being reduced by a projected $174,714. Additionally, the opening of the second station is increasing utility costs across the district. To meet one of the key goals for the upcoming year, which is to upgrade the physical evaluation of staff, the ESD
Continued from Page 7 budgeted $25,000 – an increase of $15,100 – for annual physicals. The Special Projects budget increased by nearly $200,000 to $331,383 with plans to purchase additional equipment for Station #2 and new radios at $98,800. The ESD plans to put a new brush truck in service in the new budget year, as well as enhance training with drill tower upgrades and expanded training funding to $68,500. The cost of personal pro-
tective equipment – which includes the traditional bunker gear – is expected to go up with a budget increase of $10,000 to $61,500. The District’s debt service total decreased by $47,252 after the final payment was made on Station #1. Future plans not impacting the current budget include a new ladder truck and the construction of Fire Station #3 in the west side of the District.
COUNTY
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Continued from Page 9
to me,” said White. “It looks like oppression for what my ancestors went through, and the statue’s got to come down.” White believes the opposite side of the issue comes from a place of ignorance and from people who don’t understand the reasons many feel strongly about removing the statue. The Southwestern University graduate believes the path to education for the statue’s supporters begins by reaching out to the opposition and listening to their story.
“I’d say talk to some peers who you may not talk to because they’re from the other side,” said White. “My dad was born and raised in this county as well. He was born in Taylor, lived in Round Rock in the late 50s’ and early 60s’. He doesn’t like this statue. He doesn’t like this monument. Talk to some of your peers.” December is when the Commissioners’ committee member choices will be announced, and the process in determining the statue’s fate begins. Com-
missioner Boles said he hopes that the public input plays into the final decision of the statue’s future. “We agreed to submit the names for it in mid-December, and I don’t know if we have a specific timeline after that, but I’m hoping that within 30 to 60 days after that,” he said. “I’m hoping to allow for public input, perhaps a centralized email or something the committee members can gather information from.”
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