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2020

Volume 33, Issue 24

www.LHIndependent.com

Brewer retiring after 33 years

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer For over a decade, the presence of assistant principal Shellie Brewer has remained a constant in the halls of Liberty Hill Elementary. For 33 years, Brewer has remained a presence in the world of education. As the school year comes to an end, so does the veteran educator’s long and accomplished career. After more than three decades, Brewer is retiring. “It’s so hard to put into words the blessing of having a family as I have in Liberty Hill, they’re just so amazing,” Brewer said. Brewer began her career in the small town of Springtown, Texas, in 1986, the ﬁrst of three school districts where the longtime educator would work. “I had some great ﬁrst grade teachers that helped me grow there (Springtown),” she said. “From there, I had the opportunity to work in Eastland, Texas, and I guess that’s where I found the gift of leadership. I was allowed to lead a teachers’ organization there. I realized that I liked being able to make a difference.” With offers from both Liberty

Liberty Hill Elementary Assistant Principal Shellie Brewer. Brewer is retiring after working 33 years as an educator for three school districts. (Courtesy Photo) Hill and Pﬂugerville, Brewer, not realizing it would be her home for over a decade, chose Liberty Hill. “I received a job offer from Pﬂugerville, but Liberty Hill was just tugging at my heart,” she said. “I don’t know why, but it was.” Before working her way up the ladder, Brewer began her

See BREWER, Page 10

Katie Ann Prescott was named Liberty Hill Junior High Teacher of the Year. In the photo above, Prescott (right) welcomed former astronaut Daniel Bursch for an event at the school along with Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell and LHJH Principal Travis Motal earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo)

Passion for written word drives librarian

LHJH teacher ﬁnds new calling among bookshelves

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Katie Ann Prescott has a passion for words. To be more particular, the written word and the books they compose. So, when the teacher-turned-librarian is surrounded by thousands of bound tomes in the library at Liberty Hill Junior High School, she’s right in her element. Prescott was named the school’s Teacher of the Year in her ﬁrst full school year after – ironically enough – switching over from teaching ninthgrade English Language Arts for 12 years, a move that was predicated on her passion and a natural progression when the chance appeared to have the best of both worlds. “I chose a career in education because I wanted to serve others. I wanted to make a differ©2020 The Liberty Hill Independent

ence every day and education afforded me that opportunity. I had always loved working with children and becoming a teacher was a natural course for me to take,” said Prescott, who taught in Leander before moving to Liberty Hill this school year. “When I decided to change careers and become a librarian, I wanted to do so because the reading aspect of being an ELA teacher always was my passion. Matching kids to the right book, engaging in powerful discussions about the novels they were reading, sharing book recommendations, igniting a kid’s love of reading – this was always my favorite part of teaching and now I get to do this every single day as a librarian.” In her newfound position, Prescott is able to have a more wide-ranging relationship with the entire student body, as well as her peer group and her interaction with community members, she said. “Serving as the LHJH librarian allows me the unique

See PRESCOTT, Page 5

News@LHIndependent.com

May 7, 2020 | 50 Cents

Campbell ﬁles grievance with City

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Former Liberty Hill Police Chief Maverick Campbell has ﬁled a grievance with the City, seeking reinstatement following his March 9 termination. The grievance was ﬁled April 9 -- one month after Campbell was terminated without public explanation by the City Council. “The grievance seeks that he be reinstated,” said Campbell’s attorney Tiger Hanner. “He shouldn’t have been terminated and they violated his contract as it is. Ultimately that’s the request in the grievance that it be investigated and he be reinstated.” In the motion to terminate Campbell on March 9, the Council cited Section 13 of his contract, which spells out the causes for termination, including “willful misconduct, gross negligence, dishonest

or fraudulent conduct, or such other acts in bad faith which result in injury to employer.” No further explanation was provided, but on March 11, the City provided documents alleging misconduct by Campbell during a conference in New Jersey in late February. But interpretations of the details of the incident and how the City’s own investigation of Campbell – which led to his termination – was conducted have left questions unanswered. Hanner said that at no time did the Council speak to Campbell about the incident. Hanner said he did not get a response to the grievance until he was informed by the City on April 30 that an independent investigator was being hired. It was the ﬁrst response he had received from the City regarding the

See GRIEVANCE, Page 8

LHI FILE PHOTO

Maverick Campbell, who was terminated as police chief by the City Council on March 9, has ﬁled a grievance at City Hall requesting reinstatement.

BERTRAM

Restaurant owner goes above, beyond for his community

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor BERTRAM -- Al Redzematovic felt a need to help. The Bertram restaurant owner knew he couldn’t simply sit on the sidelines when the entire world – but, even more importantly, his own community – was busy battling the COVID-19 outbreak. So, he decided to do something about it. “One of the things we’re still doing from the ﬁrst day of the coronavirus breakout was to offer anyone who was struggling ﬁnancially, or have lost their job an opportunity to order food for no charge,” said Redzematovic, who owns Mambo Italiano Ristorante and Fratelli Pizza in Bertram. “All they have to do is let us know how many members are in their household and we will provide enough to get them through that day and they can do that each day, no questions asked. We’re blessed we’ve been able to have helped a lots of families – they give us a chance to be blessed by ordering and we do our best

Al Redzematovic, who owns a pair of restaurants in Bertram has offered free meals, as well as flour and cooking oil to community members in need during the pandemic. (Courtesy Photo) to make them comfortable by “We also provided to all could afford them or not, so doing so because we should all who were in need of flour and that helped a lot of people and be the same in this situation.” cooking oil because during we were very happy with the However, it’s more than the first few weeks those were outcome.” ready-made food that Redzem- the items you couldn’t find See GIVING, Page 4 atovic has offered. in stores regardless of if you

EDC talks grants, interim director

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation (EDC) brieﬂy discussed an outline of a new grant program focused on business impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but plans won’t be ﬁnalized until the board’s May meeting. The basic outline of the proposal would be to take $100,000 of EDC funds and make available up to 20 grants for up to $5,000 each for local businesses. “What this is is we are going to be setting aside $100,000 out of the EDC coffers to help businesses in Liberty Hill that have been effected by the Coronavirus,” said Board President Johnny Johnston. “The Board will review the applications. We have no responsibility to automatically give anybody any money at

all. We can flat refuse to do pact of COVID-19. that or we can decide to cut “We have the total discretion the amount from $5,000 to in giving out this money and between $0 and $5,000.” they have to provide docuThe draft criteria stipulates mentation of why they need it to be eligible a business must and how they’ve been affecthave 50 or fewer em- “We have no responsibility to autoployees, have matically give anybody any money a publicly at all. We can flat refuse to do that accessible loor we can decide to cut the amount cation within from $5,000 to between $0 and the corporate limits of $5,000.” Liberty Hill, ~ Johnny Johnston must not be EDC Board President home-based, have been in continuous operation over ed,” Johnston said. “There’s the previous 12 months, in a whole laundry list of quesgood standing with the City tions they’re asked and reregarding fees and financial quired to fill out. If they don’t obligations, and must provide fill it out in total then we autoa current sales tax certificate. matically reject it.” Businesses must also demonThough no decision was strate current or anticipated voted on regarding the applideclining revenue beginning cation or eligibility, Johnston March 1, 2020, due to the im- said it would focus on local

businesses. “It is not for big corporations or anything like that,” he said. There were a few questions raised by board members, though, including Council member Liz Rundzieher wanting more speciﬁcs on which businesses would be eligible. Board member Jamie Etzkorn also questioned the time period a business had to be open to qualify for assistance. “My only concern is that we have had so many retail businesses and restaurants open within the last eight months that if we put they had to have been in business one year that we could potentially lose some really great businesses here in Liberty Hill,” Etzkorn said. “I think we may need to think about that.” With details needing to be

See EDC, Page 5

Page 2

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Liberty Hill Police Blotter

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Week of April 27- May 3 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 347 incidents resulting in eight cases, 15 citations, 10 warnings and two arrests. Weekly Highlights: - On April 27 at approximately 9:26 AM, officers responded to the 300 block of Loop 332 for a disturbance. - On April 27 at approximately 2:36 PM, officers responded to the 300 block of Loop 332 for a disturbance. - On April 27 at approximately 11:53 PM, officers responded to the 100 block of US 183 for a suspicious person. - On April 28, at approximately 3:43 AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious incident. - On April 28 at approximately 2:14 PM, officers responded to the 600 block of Loop 332 for a stray animal complaint. - On April 28 at approximately

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4:20 PM, officers responded to the 16000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office with a traffic complaint. - On April 28 at approximately 6:27 PM, officers responded to the 17000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office with a major accident. - On April 28 at approximately 9:50 PM, officers responded to Drystone Trail to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office with a missing person. - On April 29 at approximately 10:19 AM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RM 1869 for a suspicious incident. - On April 29 at approximately 2:28 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Ave for a disturbance. - On April 29 at approximately 6:39 PM, officers responded to 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a disturbance. - On April 29 at approximately

7:31 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Ave for a custody issue. - On April 29 at approximately 10:11 PM, officers responded to Trellis Blvd for a runaway. - On April 30 at approximately 7:23 AM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a missing person. - On April 30 at approximately 11:56 AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a fraud complaint. - On April 30 at approximately 9:45 PM, officers responded to Continental Ave for a missing person complaint. - On April 30 at approximately 9:54 PM, officers arrested a male adult for driving while intoxicated as the result of a traffic stop. - On May 1 at approximately 5:27 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Ave for a harassment complaint. - On May 1 at approximately

7:22 PM, officers responded to Magpie Goose Lane to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On May 1 at approximately 7:56 PM, officers responded to Trellis Blvd for a dog bite complaint. - On May 2 at approximately 3:25AM, officers responded to CR 279 to assist the Liberty Hill Fire/ EMS. - On May 2 at approximately 9:24 PM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 29 for a reckless driver complaint resulting in the arrest of a male adult for driving while intoxicated. - On May 3 at approximately 11:23 PM, officers responded to Carson Ave for a suspicious incident. - On May 4 at approximately 1:57 AM, officers responded to Freedom Parke Ave for a disturbance.

Library kicks off curbside service

The Liberty Hill Public Library took the ﬁrst step in reopening this week, beginning a curbside pickup service on Tuesday. “It is really a huge relief to get back to serving the community,” said Librarian Angela Palmer. “You feel so helpless, and this is not a huge thing but it’s something we can do for the community.” The library had 30 to 40 cars coming by to pick up items on the ﬁrst day, according to Palmer, with just as many scheduled for the second day. Curbside is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and from 3-7 p.m. Thursday. “So far, no hiccups and the system is working pretty good right now,” she said. “It looks simple but there are a lot of moving parts.” Cardholders – either online or by calling the library – can hold as many as 10 items for pickup. Once items have been put on hold, patrons will wait for a call from library staff telling them the items are ready for pick up. The health and safety of patrons and staff is a top priority, said Palmer, adding that the library would appreciate if patrons picking up items would wear a cloth covering or mask and remain in their car. “If you are currently experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or been in contact with any friends or family who have had it, please do not use curbside service at this time,” she said. “Staff will wear masks and gloves and practice social distancing precautions. While we follow all CDC and ALA procedures for decontaminat-

The edible DNA kits are among the ﬁrst being prepped of nearly 8,000 2GoKits library staff is putting together for the Summer Reading Program to kick off in June. The library has an Amazon wishlist of items needed to put together the variety of kits for those who would like to donate, and the link can be found on the library Facebook page. (Courtesy Photo) ing library items, there is no guarantee that all items are 100 percent safe. A handout will accompany your library materials with suggestions for additional safety procedures that you can take at home.” Anyone needing help ﬁnding something to read for themselves or a family member can call the library at (512) 778-6400 and ask to speak to Palmer. When picking up, patrons will pull into a spot with a sign that has a number on it. Simply call the library number on the sign and give the spot number for delivery of items. Inside the library, staff is busy putting together almost 8,000

2GoKits for the children’s summer reading program, with the ﬁrst being edible DNA kits. Palmer said they hope to begin giving out the kits daily during the ﬁrst week of June. The library has established an Amazon wishlist for craft items needed to put the kits together and the link can be found on the library’s Facebook page for anyone wanting to purchase items as a donation to the program. For now, Palmer also asks that no one bring donations of books and media to the library as storage is limited in the building due to the curbside program and preparations for the Summer Reading Program.

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Thursday, May 7, 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Throwback Thursday

The photo of downtown Liberty Hill above shows a hotel on what is now Loop 332, but does not clearly identify the establishment as the one built by Samuel Benton Cox (below) in 1865. (Courtesy Photos)

Cox built hotel in downtown Liberty Hill

By JAMES WEAR Columnist It was just this week while glancing through some old Liberty Hill newspapers I came across a column I had written back in 1999 in which I mentioned Lola King had dropped off some information regarding a hotel that had once stood in Veterans Park. Lola died back in 2000, but during her lifetime was highly regarded as one of Liberty Hill’s historians. Her home was ﬁlled with documents she had collected over the years. She told us of how Samuel Benton Cox, who was born in 1830, married Lavinia Rose Wilkinson in 1854. Cox had

The Independent has made 15 requests to the City of Liberty Hill under the Freedom of Information Act so far this year for information pertaining to a number of different ongoing issues and questions. Below is a current list of all requests made in 2020 and their disposition: Request sent April 30: • “Grievance document ﬁled April 9, 2020, with the City of Liberty Hill by attorney Tiger Hanner on behalf of Maverick Campbell. The grievance was emailed to City Attorney Tad Cleaves and copied to Interim Police Chief Royce Graeter.”

spent most of his youth around Missouri, but after the couple married and had a couple of children they came to Texas in 1858 with three covered wagons serving as their mode of transportation. Initially, the family lived in Kimble, near the Llano River, where Cox is said to have ranched and served as a Texas Ranger. Upon moving to Liberty Hill in 1865, Cox built a two-story hotel for about $5,000, with the rock used coming from Goliad. Cox eventually moved his family to Glen Cove, Colorado, after trading his property in Liberty Hill to Noble Bryson for some good horses, according to Lola. That column appeared in the March 24, 1999, issue of the Shin Oak Ridge Reporter. Other news grabbing the headlines that week included the Austin bomb squad being dis-

patched to a location off CR 282 with firefighters standing by for hours while the bomb techs detonated dynamite. Plans for the annual Easter egg hunt were announced with organizers noting the hunt would include 4,000 eggs and prizes. Members of the UIL One-Act Play ensemble were set to perform the play “Eden,” which was described as “controversial” due to its subject matter. Six persons had filed for two openings on the Liberty Hill school board.

Page 3

EDITORIAL:

Remember, newspapers are business as usual

When a Williamson County Commissioner said in a public meeting last week that money didn’t really need to be spent to promote a new county program through newspaper advertising, she quickly followed the comment by saying, “But we hope they will write a story.” That’s the black hole of the communication business newspapers fall into when things get blurry and we remember few people have ever considered how a local newspaper gets published each week. We act as though it just might magically appear in our mailbox. Perhaps we’ll ﬁnd that stray reporter with nothing to do who can go sit at a meeting for a few hours and can subsist on a handful of meals per week. Maybe there’s a designer who only wants a creative outlet, not money for rent. We all want a wide variety of businesses in town, including multiple retail and restaurant options, auto repair facilities, gas stations and more. We also expect there to be a newspaper and a way for us to share or gather information about the community when we need it. But just like being able to pick up your favorite sandwich or have a new tire put on your car, that service doesn’t come without a cost. Reporters must be paid. Printing has a cost and distribution is not free. Utilities and a roof make it possible to get the work done for most of us in the business world. It all works the same for your business. It also works the same for government business. I’m sure the Commissioner has heard time and again that a road needs repaving on the same day they’ve been told our taxes are too high. She probably looks for constructive ways to explain that roads don’t grow on trees or something like that. Well, newspapers are made of trees, but they don’t grow on them either. Nothing is free, not even news and information. If you consider the newspaper a public service, we appreciate that. We operate as a public service when we report on community news. Otherwise, we would just report on whoever is willing to buy the biggest ad each week. So there would be no story on third graders at Liberty Hill Elementary, no game scores from

Panther sports, and no updates on City Council decisions on how they spend your taxes. But if you want the reporting and the vehicle to share and learn community information, you have to invest in it. We don’t expect anyone else to offer their goods and services for free. In fact, the newspaper is often urged to “support local businesses” as though we are on the outside looking in on the business landscape. We did write a story on the Williamson County small business grant program because it is our responsibility to share that information. We shared it the same afternoon it was first discussed publicly, then printed a more in-depth look at the program in this edition of the paper. And the County didn’t buy an ad to promote it. We were going to do so regardless, but the idea that the newspaper should do the work for free is as silly as the County asking you to write them an insurance policy, build a new park playground, or pave a road at no charge. When the pandemic put a crimp in all our business plans, we adjusted as necessary, but didn’t sacrifice when it came to our service to this community. In the last five weeks of this pandemic, The Independent staff – under the same challenging circumstances everyone has faced – has produced more than 60 stories to keep the community informed, published a restaurant guide, filmed a handful of videos, and generated dozens of community-responsive posts on social media to boost local businesses. To date, The Independent has directly invested nearly $10,000 in advertising grants awarded to partner businesses in the community. What we ask is that the community we serve remembers the newspaper needs the same patronage to thrive as any other valued member of the business community. We believe it is important to point out that this is a partnership between businesses that grow best together. There is a sense of value from the community that knows where to turn for the most timely, trusted, in-depth reporting on what is happening locally.

The Record of Requests (See related story, Page 4)

The City of Liberty Hill responded to this request asking that it be resent with a signature. The document was signed and resent May 3. No other response has been received to date. Request sent March 10: • “Documents and records from the internal and external investigation of former Police Chief Maverick Campbell as related to his termination March 9, 2020.” This request was met the following day, March 11. Requests sent March 2:

DOMESTIC • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

• “Body cam or police unit video and audio of former Liberty Hill Police Department Ofﬁcer Farmer between July 2018 and August 2018 involving a pursuit where Mayor Rick Hall was a passenger in the vehicle.” The City of Liberty Hill has ﬁled with the Texas Attorney General seeking to withhold the information due to an ongoing investigation. • “Expense receipts, reimbursement amounts, reservation dates and costs for airfare and hotel, event registration information, and purpose of

Murray Hoggarth • Wanda Hoggarth 2601 S. Hwy 183 | Leander, TX 78641

design, production and mounting) for the new metal, backlit sign in the Municipal Court Building hanging behind the dais. The name of the individual that authorized the project and cost. The name of the company contracted to design and produce the sign.” Hall clariﬁed in a phone call May 5 that the total for design and construction of the sign was $2,825, with installation done by City staff.

Requests sent Feb. 19:

• “The total price (including

See REQUESTS, Page 6

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trip, for a trip to Colorado and a separate trip taken to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, by Mayor Rick Hall and Council member Steve McIntosh between May 2019 and the present.” Information on one-day round trip airline tickets for Mayor Hall, McIntosh, and Public Works Director Wayne Bonnet, as well as car rental billing, has been provided to The Independent. No expense information was provided regarding the Cabo San Lucas trip as Hall said that trip was entirely funded by a vendor.

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Page 4

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Mayor pledges more transparency

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The number of requests for information submitted to the City of Liberty Hill by The Independent has reached 15 since January, with mixed response in providing the information. Mayor Rick Hall said Tuesday that new policy and guidelines for requesting information – as well as the City’s response – would be discussed at the May 11 Council meeting in an effort to improve that process. “We have a public information act policy that will be at the next council meeting that is going to help define all of this stuff so that it will be public record of what we will be charging for, what we won’t be charging for, why we will charge for things, and it is all directly out of the Public Information Act,” Hall said. “There hasn’t been any really good consistency as far as how the City is asking our requesters to provide us information.” Recently hired City Attorney Tad Cleaves and new Chief Operating Officer Lacie Hale will be working with Hall to improve the process. “Now that we’ve got our own legal counsel here, we’ve got Lacie (Hale) here, and between the three of us we are working tirelessly to clean up some of our policies within the City and this is one that definitely needs to be cleaned up,” Hall said. “Hopefully, with the change to this policy it will clean up a lot of the inconsistencies we’ve had in the

GIVING

past. My goal is to make this as seamless as possible.” Section 552 of the Texas Government Code addresses open government issues, governing access to public information, defining what constitutes public information, exceptions are allowed to disclosure, how information should be requested, how governmental bodies can bill for the gathering and production of the requested information, and the timetable by which it must be produced. The Code opens with a general policy statement on the philosophy of open access to information. “Under the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government that adheres to the principle that government is the servant and not the master of the people, it is the policy of this state that each person is entitled, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, at all times to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know.” But the Code also spells out more than 50 specific exceptions that allow governmental bodies to withhold requested information. To do so, the body must file a request for exception with the Texas Attorney General’s (AG) Office and wait for a ruling on wheth-

Continued from Page 1

Redzematovic, along with his wife Sabina and seven children moved to Bertram nearly three years ago and has embraced the local community ever since, he said. “As owner of two restaurants in a small town, I’m blessed to be part of this community and I realized this is a time to give back to a community that supports you,” said Redzematovic. “But, it wasn’t just me doing it – once people found out what we were doing, they would come and leave a donation to go with those activities I was doing, so this is

the entire community getting together in a rough time.” According to Bertram Chamber of Commerce President Lori Ringstaff, Redzematovic is exactly the kind of business owner one would want in a community. “It’s wonderful,” said Ringstaff. “You always know Al is one of the businesses you can count on to participate and help out with anything you ask for. He’s always more than willing to do anything to help the community.” As a result of his kindness and generosity, the town of

er the information must be disclosed or not. The City has informed The Independent of two such AG requests – pertaining to the purchase and installation of security equipment in City Hall, and body cam and patrol vehicle camera footage from a Liberty Hill Police incident. “We’re waiting on a response back from the AG (Attorney General), and we’re expected to have that back sometime around May 25,” Hall said of the request regarding the camera footage. “That is still an active current case right now and because the person involved, riding the motorcycle, has not been apprehended it is still an active case we need the AG’s approval for that.” The case is open for multiple jurisdictions, Hall said, including with Liberty Hill Police. The Attorney General can make an exception to the Freedom of Information Act regarding law enforcement investigations, but the agency itself – in this case the City and police department – have the option of releasing the information. The request was for “Body cam or police unit video and audio of former Liberty Hill Police Department Ofﬁcer Farmer between July 2018 and August 2018 involving a pursuit where Mayor Rick Hall was a passenger in the vehicle,” and was made by The Independent to determine the accuracy of allegations

See PUBLIC, Page 9 Bertram recently honored Redzematovic with a display of thankfulness, which included a parade – a gesture that left him ﬂabbergasted, he said. “It was great to see all those cars along with the local police and ﬁre departments,” said Redzematovic. “It was an unbelievable feeling because we’re all in this together. We’ve been in Bertram for almost three years and I’m very pleased to have two restaurants in this town and to have four of my kids attending Bertram Elementary School

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Increased need in aid continues for OLH

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer With the number of layoffs seen across the state during April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for assistance is more critical than ever at Operation Liberty Hill. In recent weeks, the organization has seen an increase in the number of people requesting aid. “We’ve seen an increase in numbers,” said Director Susan Baker. “The biggest increase we’ve seen is in new people we’ve never assisted before in the pantry, which is understandable because people are without work.” From February to April, OLH saw an increase of 239 households requesting aid. February, a typical month, saw them serve 283 households, with 302 in March followed by a large jump to 522 in April. While many may be seeking temporary aid as a result of the current situation, what worries Baker is how fast those numbers are rising. “It may just be during the crisis that they come for help, but those numbers are increasing pretty rapidly, and in just one day, we might have about 10 new people come,” she said. Despite the difﬁculty of receiving donations because of the quarantine, the OLH pantry is still well stocked and able to provide food to the community. “We’re giving out quite a

and they’re very happy. My other three kids are still little and they stay home, so that being said, God has blessed me to have a beautiful family. It’s an awesome feeling, an unbelievably great feeling.” Redzematovic said his motivation for reaching out to the community was fueled by a personal fundamental philosophy. “The biggest reason for us to do this is it’s my belief the only things I possess are what I give away,” he said. “The things you give away are really the only things you have.”

Operation Liberty Hill director Susan Baker stands in front of a well-stocked pantry, but local need has continued to increase due to layoffs and business closings. (Courtesy Photo) bit of food because we’ve been blessed with a lot of food from grocery stores,” said Baker. “Even with meat being scarce, we were able to buy some from Mighty Fine.” Along with a need for food, Baker is seeing an increased need for financial help. To provide financial assistance OLH applied for and received the All Together ATX grant worth $20,000. “The good news is that we were able to get the ATX grant, and that’s helping us to provide financial assistance for rent and utilities for a lot of people,” Baker said. Even though the pantry is well stocked, there are still some of the hard to find household items OLH could use. “Of course, we need the same thing everyone is looking for,” she said. “Disinfectant wipes, sprays, masks, and other household items.” For people interested in donating items, OLH has several baskets donated by Target placed on their property where people can drop items off. Carts can be identified with the donation signs placed on their sides. “Any non-perishable items are helpful,” Baker said. “Refried beans are a big favorite here. Hamburger Helper meals, Chicken Helper, Tuna Helper, too, because we give out all those kinds of protein that people can mix with it to make a meal.” Baker emphasizes a need for items that fall into the lower end of the price spectrum. “Jelly is something we al-

ways need because we can buy peanut butter through the Central Texas Food Bank, but not jelly,” she said. “With the kids being stuck at home now, that’s a great item to have. We can always use spaghetti and pasta sauce, too.” With the closing of the thrift store, OLH is seeing a cut in the money coming in, money that allows them to keep them stocked with items people need. “Right now, resources like food are pretty good, but we could always use monetary donations since the thrift store is closed,” said Baker. “That way, we can still purchase the food that we need.” The thrift store will remain closed until it’s determined to be a safe time to reopen. As of now, Baker believes that may be able to open at the end of May but admits there’s still a considerable amount of doubt. “I’m saying the earliest we would open is probably May 26,” said Baker. “And it would still be with limited numbers in the thrift store, everyone wearing masks and still sanitizing things. I’m not convinced that’s going to be the opening date yet. I hope so because we lose money every day that we’re closed.” Despite her doubts about reopening, Baker is still impressed with people and their willingness to reach out and help. “I’m glad that people are sharing and paying attention to their neighbors, making sure that everybody is okay; that’s what we have to do right now.”

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opportunity to interact with every single student, staff member and community member that enters the junior high,” said Prescott. “I love being a librarian because every day is a new adventure. With my students, I love encouraging them to be curious, to try new things, to see the world differently and to step outside of their comfort zone. With my peers, I love being available to help in whatever way I can. I want them to know we’re all a team, we are all in this together and that by working as one, we can make the greatest impact on our students. I enjoy engaging the community members of Liberty Hill, asking them to visit the junior high when we host special events throughout the year. Liberty Hill is such a supportive and selﬂess community and I am so thankful the entire town invests in the junior high students and staff. It is often said, ‘It takes a village’ and Liberty Hill is the perfect example of how a supportive community can enrich a school.”

EDC

Junior High Principal Travis Motal certainly appreciates what Prescott brings to the educational table, he said. “Katie Ann is a hard worker and never settles for a minimum. She has exceeded every expectation I’ve ever had with her work and projects,” said Motal. “For example, she asked if she could sponsor a club and now she sponsors three clubs. She opens up the library to students every morning and supports teachers across all content areas from the cores to the electives, has become proﬁcient in many technology supports we use, and now has become a technology resource for students and staff. On top of all this, she is just a great and kind person with a giving heart and she loves to see kids succeed.” Prescott added although the award is an honor, she’s more pleased by having the opportunity to be in a situation to earn one. “I’m extremely humbled my peers would vote me as LHJH Teacher of the Year and I’m so

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ironed out, Johnston asked for a committee to work out details to have something to vote on at the next meeting. “I think there is some legwork we need to do since we haven’t been able to meet and talk about all these things,” Johnston said. “This is something that doesn’t need to sit on the shelf for a while.” The Board named Rundzieher, Etzkorn and John Clark to a committee to work on the issue and bring it back for consideration at the May 20 meeting. Interim director Based on the proposed duties spelled out in the draft job de-

scription, the Board approved the appointment of Matt Powell as the interim director of the EDC at 20 hours per week and a cost not to exceed $3,500 per month. Powell is currently under contract with the City and worked with Mayor Rick Hall on the city administrator search and will head the city charter committee. The ﬁrst contract dated Aug. 29 with Powell Municipal is billed at an hourly rate, but based on a sliding scale with an overall rate dependent on how many hours of work is done. Up to and including 10 hours of consulting services monthly the City would pay $2,100. If 11 through 15

grateful they chose to honor me,” she said. “Honestly, every day is a blessing to work at LHJH and I just feel so lucky I have the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of staff members who are whole-heartedly committed to putting their students first.” After spending the initial portion of her career in the classroom with high-school students, Prescott enjoys her new, younger pupils who are only beginning to scratch the surface of their formative years. “I actually love working as a middle school librarian. I love this age because they’re still trying to figure out who they are – it’s an age when students are still learning their own voice and their own values and belief systems. I love their personalities and how they are sometimes brutally honest. I love watching them become more independent and confident as the year progresses,” she said. “When middle-schoolers see a problem, they are more than willing to step in and help solve it. They

don’t see obstacles in their way and are passionate about ﬁnding a solution, are naturally curious and love learning new information – especially if it’s relevant to their lives. I also love the awkwardness of this age, too. The middle-school years can be challenging and I love being able to support and guide my students during this tough time.” Despite the fact she’s new to the library, Prescott realizes how much the job has evolved over the years since she was the one walking through the door as a student from a no-nonsense authority ﬁgure to an engaging educator in an environment that is now vibrant and alive as opposed to the morgue-like atmosphere of yesteryear. “Since I’ve only been a librarian for less than a year, I can only compare this profession to what it once was when I was in middle school,” she said. “The career has changed dramatically. Librarians used to be ‘book pushers’ who would sit behind the circu-

lation desk and glare at students as they walked into the library. If students made any kind of noise, the librarian of the past would ‘shush’ them – as the library was meant to be a quiet and secluded place. Now, the library is the heart of the school. It’s a bustling, interactive and sometimes noisy learning commons where students can learn how to code, play board games with friends, host book clubs, build LEGO structures, read a book, color, discover a new hobby, study, or just sit and relax with a group of friends. No two days are the same as the library is constantly changing with all of the different activities students can participate and engage in. Yes, students check out books, but the library is so much more than that.” However, currently the library sits dormant and without a sign of life due to the coronavirus outbreak – denying Prescott the most precious aspect of her profession, she said. “During the COVID-19 pan-

demic, this concept could not have been made more apparent,” said Prescott. “The best aspect of being a librarian is the constant interactions with both students and staff. The relationships you build day in and day out are what sustains you and without those connections, I feel lost. The worst aspect of being a librarian is not having those daily interactions due to this pandemic. I’m not alone as I know many staff members have expressed the same sentiment -- I miss my students and I miss my peers.” Looking back, Prescott is certain she made the right decision in moving from the classroom to the library. “Honestly, being a librarian is the best job on the planet,” she said. “What could be better than encouraging a love of reading, talking books every day, igniting a child’s curiosity, encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zone and building relationships with the next generation?”

hours of service are provided the monthly charge would be $3,050 and 16 up through 20 hours will be billed at $3,890. Above 20 hours the City will be billed at $175 per additional hour.

included in the meeting materials included a salary range between $98,051.20 and $137,259.20. In January 2020, Dean’s salary was $100,180.86 according to a salary report provided by the City. The Board was not able to vote on an ofﬁcial job description April 30, but plans to do so at its next meeting. The vote in March to accept Dean’s resignation was unanimous, with Director Steve Snell absent, and followed a 50-minute executive session on the matter. As part of the motion accepting the resignation, the Board also “authorized the EDC Board President to enter into a

consulting services agreement on the terms discussed in executive session”, but no more information regarding that process was made available between the March and April meetings. The Board ﬁrst put Dean’s future with the Liberty Hill EDC in question at a Feb. 20 meeting when it voted not to renew his contract. In that meeting, called for the sole purpose of discussing the issue in executive session, the Board chose not to renew the contract – which is structured to be renewed annually – based on the desire to make changes to that contract. According to Johnston at the

time, no details of the decision could be shared because the issue was a personnel matter taken up in executive session. When asked in February why the Board chose not to renew the contract versus negotiate changes through the renewal process, Johnston insisted it was necessary to vote to non-renew it. “We didn’t want it to stand for another year,” he said. “We had to cancel so it would not renew.”

Job posting The board approved the posting of a hiring ad for the vacant position of EDC Executive Director, vacant since late March when Lance Dean resigned. “The backlog of e-mails, phone calls and messages are overﬂowing,” Johnston said. “And I don’t have time to address that.” The draft job description

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the City at City Hall to include locks, key card access devices, alarms, cameras, monitors, etc. The company or companies contracted with for these devices as well as installation of the equipment. A cost breakdown by item for these devices including installation costs.” Some clariﬁcation was provided by Hall in a phone call May 5, but no other speciﬁc numbers and details have been provided to date.

• “A list of all vehicles currently owned by the City of Liberty Hill, including year, make and model; date purchased; purchase price; which department the vehicle is assigned to.” The City has provided a list that includes the vehicles and the department they are assigned to, but not the cost of the vehicles. Requests sent Jan. 2: • “Notes, emails, memorandums, text messages and other correspondence relating to establishment of the August 2019 City of Liberty Hill budget process and budget discussions shared between City

staff and members of the City Council with any other staff or Council member between the dates of 06/01/2019 and 10/01/2019.” The response to this request from the City was that no such documents exist. The City sent approved minutes from two Council meetings and agendas from three others as the only documentation of correspondence regarding the budget process.

sponse deadline.

telephone.

• “A copy of the final City budget approved by the Liberty Hill City Council in September 2019.” The response to this request was to send a copy of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 by email on Jan. 21, after the Jan. 17 response deadline. The budget sent was the one originally proposed in August 2019, but included no changes made between that • “The current annual salary time and the official vote in for each City of Liberty Hill September 2019. employee by name and title or position, to include all Police • “Notes, emails, memoranDepartment staffing. Include dums, text messages and other date of hire and salary at time correspondence relating to the of hire.” process, planning and hiring The response to this request efforts related to the City of was a list of employees by Liberty Hill city adminisname with current salary, but trator search between Maydid not include the date of or Rick Hall and consultant hire, title or salary at the date Powell Municipal between of hire. 08/01/2019 and 12/31/2019.” No response has been provid• “A copy of the City of Liber- ed by the City regarding this ty Hill Employee Handbook.” request, but Hall said May 5 The response to this request that there is no such documenwas to send a copy of the em- tation because all discussion ployee handbook by email on was verbal in person or on the Jan. 21, after the Jan. 17 re-

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bursement?” request made for further inforNo response has been provid- mation pertaining to a request • “Details of who authorized ed by the City regarding this submitted in September 2019. the disbursement of (advance request. This was an additional salary to a City employee). How was the additional payroll disbursement requested? Who authorized it? Correspondence or document authorizing the disbursement, either For more than 32 years, THE INDEPENDENT has been by memorandum or electronic the trusted source of local news. During these rapidmail? Veriﬁcation that (City ly-changing, challenging times, you can continue to employee) received disbursetrust our coverage of COVID-19 and the virus’ impact ment of the regular payroll on our hometown. If you’re not already subscribamount on 06/06/2019, twice on 06/18/2019 and once on ing to the newspaper, please consider it now. Your 06/20/2019, with a credit back subscription (only $25/year) - either in print or online for one of those disbursements - helps our locally-owned small business continue to on 06/20/2019.” provide critical advertising support for other small No response has been providbusinesses in our community. Your subscription also ed by the City regarding this ensures that we can continue to provide you with request. This was an additional the most current news from trusted, experienced request made for further inforjournalists. Journalism Matters! mation pertaining to a request Thank you for reading. Subscribe today online at submitted in September 2019. • “Details of the travel (City employee) was reimbursed $1,244.30 for on July 3, 2019. What was the travel for (speciﬁc training or event), where was it located, when was it held, who authorized the travel and who authorized the reim-

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, May 7, 2020 Page 7

No spring raises fall questions Critical work in preparing for the season canceled due to pandemic

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Any football coach at any level will tell you one thing – football games aren’t won in the fall, they’re won in the spring. Months before a squad hits the gridiron under the lights to kick off a new season, a strict regimen of readiness is religiously adhered to in order to ensure all the “i’s” are dotted and “t’s” are crossed to go along with all the Xs and Os. However, this year those precious, invaluable hours spent to make sure everything is a go come the new season have been lost to everyone in the global pandemic and the Liberty Hill Panthers are certainly no exception. According to Liberty Hill head coach Jeff Walker, the spring is not only a time to practice, but perhaps even more importantly to take stock and inventory of the entire roster. “We will definitely have a lot of work to do when we get back,” said Walker, whose team is coming off a 7-6 season in which they advanced to the Class 4A state quarterfinals after rebounding from a 2-5

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

Spring football is an important time for Liberty Hill head coach Jeff Walker and his staff to evaluate players and get them ready for the new season – something which has been lost to the global pandemic. start. “The spring is a time for us to evaluate our athletes and fill in the gaps left by our seniors.” But, Walker knows the playing field will be level when it comes to readiness compared to the competition. “We’re all in the same boat,” he said. “It’s going to come down to what coaching staff is most organized and what kind of shape our players are in when they return.”

Running to stand still

For the Panthers in particular, the complex Slot-T offense they employ requires uncanny precision to properly execute, which means the fundamental building blocks must be firmly in place before they can be built upon and spring is a time to ingrain those foundational football skills, as well as determine which players are best-suited for what positions. “Spring is a time to slow down and coach some of the

basics that are very important to our success,” said Walker. “It’s also a great time to evaluate our athletes at their positions.” The fact the Panthers will be senior-heavy – with 33 on the roster next season – doesn’t worry Walker as far as them not having proper time to lead the younger players, he said. “There’s no doubt we will be counting on our big senior class to show the underclass-

man how to work and to lead by example,” he said. “But, I believe this senior class is up to the challenge.” One crucial aspect currently missing is the hundreds of man-hours spent in the weight room, leaving Walker and his staff to adjust the Panthers’ usual lifting plan once they do return. “We’ll have to lift for strength and gains during the season instead of maintaining,” he

said. “But, once again, I believe this group will be up for the challenge. I don’t believe we can make up for lost time, but I know our athletes will out work more than anyone in the state when we return. I know our team will show up ready to work. Every time we talk on the phone or on zoom, they’re all bored and really want to get back with their team.” Walker added the dress rehearsal conducted during the spring is especially important in properly grooming the younger players, as well as getting an idea of how all the players stack up against each other. “The evaluation process we do with our younger athletes – we were hoping to see lots of growth from a few key underclassmen and that didn’t happen,” he said. “Also, as of now, we’ll be behind or missing 7-on-7 and our lineman challenge. This is also a great time for us to evaluate our athletes and see what they are capable of doing against competition.” But, perhaps the most important element now missing is the day-to-day interaction between the players and coaches, which forms the kinds of bonds that pay dividends later on, said Walker. “I don’t believe many people understand how important the player-coach relationship is to a football team’s success,” he said. “It’s been difficult not seeing our athletes and getting to know them better – I know I really miss the handshakes and hugs.”

Liberty Hill track team lost its season to pandemic

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Madison Sears has spent a good portion of her young life running in purple-and-gold. But, now those days are over as the Liberty Hill senior and the rest of her teammates on the Panthers’ track squad have had their season ended by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Sears, the overnight aspect of the season fading away was perhaps the most difficult factor to process and deal with. “The hardest part for me about this season ending is just the fact it was so sudden,” said Sears, who also competed in cross country over the course of her high school career. “Our last meet we got to run wasn’t supposed to be our last meet, but yet it was, so it’s been hard to get closure on that part and just the fact I didn’t know my senior season and whole Liberty Hill running career was going to end when it did, instead of either at district or as far as I could’ve qualified.” Especially after having held out hope in the early days of the UIL suspension of sports they would eventually resume competition, she said. “Hearing it was definitely canceled was definitely harder than hearing it may only be suspended. A suspension of the season still meant there was hope to finish out the season and all of the work we put in year-round could amount to

something and pay off,” said Sears. “It still gave us athletes something to look forward to and a goal to work towards, but then just as suddenly as the season was suspended, it was over for good, which was just a shock to everyone I think.” Liberty Hill head coach Gretchen Peterson reflected back on the suddenness with sorrow, but also with a renewed light at the end of the tunnel, she said. “Hope is a great and powerful thing – it keeps us going,” said Peterson. “Honestly, this whole thing has been heartbreaking – I can’t imagine what these seniors especially are going through. All the athletes, UIL kids, teachers, coaches, students, staff – none of them knew the last meeting, the last practice, the last game – was in fact that – it’s devastating for those seniors – it’s a year full of ‘lasts’ but to have their last year go like this without proper closure is crazy to think about. We held out hope for so long and deep down we probably knew this would be the outcome, but that didn’t make the news any easier to take. But, hope is also what is going to get us through this. We hold out hope we will all come out of this stronger, better and more united.” Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and its far-reaching ramifications, Peterson said the most critical thing one can do is to maintain

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Not to be negativ e , people, but with all the ideas floating around out there on the sports landscape at the moment as to how to get back to games as the entire world is shut down, it leads one to wonder. Do we really want made-for-television events with nobody in attendance, not to mention all the other restrictions that would be in place for say, a Major League Baseball

game to take place? Or the Stanley Cup or NBA Finals? Most people would probably say yes. Something is better than nothing. We say that’s not the case. Either wait until we can come back completely, as in 100 percent – or don’t bother. We aren’t interested in seeing sports leagues operate at 25, 50 or 75 percent capacity. What we want are our beloved games back with all the sound and fury we’re so passionate about – not some watered-down pseudo version of the real thing. Sometimes it seems as if each new concept someone wear-

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

Madison Sears and her teammates on the cross country and track teams were denied a complete season due to the pandemic. connections despite social distancing. “There is no playbook or script to follow, so we’re all just trying to do the best we can – that’s all any of us can do,” she said. “We’re all learning as we go, but the most important thing right now isn’t lessons or grades, but making sure we’re strengthening and building relationships. This can be a very lonely time – we have to show each other we’re there. People need to know we care – kids, parents, fellow coaches and teachers – that’s what family does – we stick around for each other.” Sears battled back from a potential season-ending injury during the cross country campaign in order to be back at full strength for track in the spring, a fact that isn’t lost on her, she said. “It’s definitely been a hard year of running for me physi-

cally, mentally and emotionally and this season ending only added to it,” said Sears. “I battled back for district cross country only to have the rest of the season (regionals and state) not work out, then I had to battle back through more complications to even be able to run again at the start of track and honestly I felt like I had to battle through the whole track season because I was so far behind everyone else as far as being in shape was concerned and now once again my running season couldn’t amount to what I hoped it would. I think track season has been harder for me to watch end because it’s the season that gave me hope and reason to start running again after my injury and now I feel like so much of competing and the sport that’s made me who I am has been taken from me my last year.” Despite the heartbreak and

devastation of the season being lost, Peterson said her athletes have handled that disappointment with a wisdom beyond their years. “I’ve been so proud of the maturity and strength our kids have shown. No doubt they’ve all had those breakdowns, but haven’t we all,” she said. “But, each time I hear from them or check in with them, they are upbeat and positive. Sad and disappointed, true, but they continue to show me what amazing people they are. They know there is something greater at work here – a plan we just don’t understand yet. They have faith, I have faith in them and in this community. The actions of so many to make sure our kids are being taken care of and shown how much we love them -- it’s what makes us who we are.” Peterson said the current conditions under which society is

being forced to live is most difficult because of the one thing which is most important. “It’s hard for me as an adult, so I can’t imagine what it’s like for students of all ages,” she said. “We need our people – we need that connection no matter how old we are. Technology has been a blessing during this time – you can feel connected, but it’s nothing compared to the actual human element of school. It’s what makes school what it is – it’s what makes us get out of bed and keep coming back – kids, teachers, parents, staff – we’re all missing that – we love our people.” Everything the seniors will now miss out on – more so off the field than on – is the greatest injustice the pandemic has brought down on the graduating class, said Peterson.

ing a very expensive suit in a boardroom comes up with is more preposterous than the last. Creating baseball biospheres in places like Arizona, Florida and yes, right here at home in Texas. Opening businesses at fractional capacities is one thing – something entirely different from games or concerts. Exactly how long would these guidelines be in place? Until a vaccine is formulated and mass-produced or a cure is found? Good luck with that one and don’t hold your breath waiting. Remember SARS?

Nasty little virus from nearly 20 years ago. A vaccine was never bio-engineered for it, but once it went away nobody cared – and guess what? We all got back on with our daily lives. Including sports, although there were never complete shutdowns in the first place and there wasn’t the global effect this pandemic has had. Bottom line is are we ever gong to feel 100 percent safe ever again when we find ourselves in close quarters with complete strangers in public places and if not, what’s an acceptable risk number – 75 percent, 85 or 95?

Is it something that can even be quantified at all? Ask yourself how long it was after 9/11 when you could once again step on a plane and the thought of what had happened – and possibly could again – stopped even crossing your mind. Was the threat completely gone? Of, course not. Were there stepped-up efforts to mitigate the chances of something so horrific ever happening again? Most certainly. But, at some point we decided – as a society – it was time to get back to business as usual.

Not at 25 or 50 or 75 percent. Full-on. Can anyone honestly say there will be a time – be it six months, a year or 10 – when you’ll be able to high-five a fellow spectator who you don’t even know at a game after a home run, a goal or a touchdown without having to worry? At some point, we simply have to assume some degree of risk and let the games go on. But, until then, no better-than-nothing options. Please.

Full return of sports or don’t bother

See TRACK, Page 8

Page 8

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, May 7, 2020

County grant program established for area small businesses

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Williamson County Commissioners met in a special meeting Friday afternoon to outline the plan for the Wilco Forward Small Business Grant Program. The program will be funded with $25 million from the $93 million in federal funds the County received through the CARES Act. “This is going to meet our needs and if my math is right, it could help up to 1,000 businesses,” said County Judge Bill Gravell. The program is what Commissioners are calling Phase 1 of the plan for how to allocate the entirety of federal funds. Wilco Forward was developed by an appointed team that including County Treasurer Scott Heselmeyer, Pct. 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey, and Pct. 4 Commissioner Russ Boles. “Our team worked with business and community leaders from across Williamson County to develop the Wilco Forward grant program,” Heselmeyer said. “We specifically made the application process as simple as possible to encourage businesses to apply.” The grant can be for a maximum of $30,000 per business, which will be allocated to qualifying businesses in the order applications are received until the funds are exhausted. It is open to for-profit and non-profit businesses, but is intended for sole proprietors and non-franchise businesses with 100 employees or less. Funds received must be used on expenses incurred between

Grievance

March 27 and Sept. 30 of this year. Applicants will receive grants under one of two options. The first option, set up similarly to the federal Payroll Protection Program, could grant businesses up to one month of their average payroll cost. The second option, based on fixed costs, would consider rent or lease, utilities, and property tax expenses. Calculations will determine which option best fits a business and will be awarded based on whichever is higher. There will be an adjustment to the amount prioritizing businesses impacted most by COVID-19 stay home orders. If a business was completely closed it would be eligible for 100 percent, while partially opened businesses would qualify for 75 percent, and those that remained open would qualify for 50 percent. Officials said they hope to have the application form online at wilco.org this week, and the deadline for applications is June 30 or when funds were exhausted. Businesses can’t have outstanding tax liens or legal judgments, and must have been in business since Feb. 15, 2020. Funds must be expended by Sept. 30 and documentation for audit must be made available to the County Treasurer’s office to ensure the funds were spent properly. Ineligible businesses include national franchises, real estate, hobby businesses, sexually oriented businesses, and lending-type businesses such as pawn shops.

Continued from Page 1

grievance and did not include any further details, according to Hanner. “I have no idea who this investigator is going to be or whether they are investigating the things we wrote in the grievance or investigating the termination or what. I don’t know because I get no feedback from the attorney (Tad Cleeves),” he said. The grievance not only seeks reinstatement, but also outlines other alleged issues regarding the conduct of Mayor Rick Hall. “It is also to bring to light the actions of the Mayor and those supporting him,” Hanner said. “From the beginning this has been a personal agenda of the Mayor and not about any action by Chief Campbell. The termination clearly did not meet the legal basis to terminate the contract. We pointed that out and tried to make that clear and they went for it anyway.” Hanner said he hopes to get a response from the City, but added that Campbell would not hesitate to take further le-

gal action. “We will pursue appropriate legal actions,” Hanner said. “We are trying to give the City an opportunity to review this and correct it, but if they choose not to take that opportunity we will pursue the appropriate legal route. In filing the grievance, Maverick has been committed to serving the City. He’s also committed to protecting his rights under the contract. The grievance process is part of reviewing their actions and it is the first step we’ve taken in that regard.” The grievance was on the April 27 Council agenda under executive session, but the issue was not addressed in open session. Hall said the City had no comment on the issue and couldn’t discuss it. The Independent filed a Freedom of Information Request for the grievance on April 30, but had not received a response from the City as of press time Wednesday. The deadline to the allowable 10 business day period to respond to the request is May 14.

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Track

Continued from Page 7

“Each and every senior will handle this differently and they will work through it in their own way. But it’s so sad – so incredibly sad. They’ve been robbed of so much more than a game or a sport. It’s those last and final memories they don’t get to create – that’s what kills me – the stuff that matters, they don’t get to have it the same way prior seniors have had and their parents and coaches miss out on that stuff too,” she said. “There is so much more that goes into a season and to have it all gone so quickly is just devastating. But, this I do know. These seniors have been and will always be loved and valued for all they’ve given to Liberty Hill. In some way, down the road when this all calms down, I think we’ll find this was one of this senior class’ – parents included – finest moment.

They were hit with a crazy amount of challenges, but they didn’t give up, they didn’t back down, they found a way to make it work and do it with grace and class – and that’s the legacy they will leave for Liberty Hill.” Sears said the fact she and her fellow cross country teammates who also compete in track will never again have the opportunity to share a competitive synergy is one of the most painful aspects. “We’ve missed out on watching our work we put in pay off. Getting that ‘runner’s high’ after hearing you get a PR or winning a race is an unmatched feeling and we aren’t going to ever be able to feel that surrounded by our teammates again,” she said. “So many of the distance runners from cross country do track and we kind of only hang out

Williamson County Commissioners met virtually in a special meeting May 1 to iron out the details of the Wilco Forward grant program. There was some discussion among Commissioners at the May 1 meeting when the program was first discussed publicly, primarily regarding an original stipulation that grant amounts be reduced by the total a business may have previously received from another local program. Commissioner Russ Boles voiced his concern over the stipulation, citing grants from Round Rock Cares as being from private sources that should not create penalties for applying businesses. “I know there has been different programs in different cities, but the Round Rock Cares – I think they have been the largest group that raised more money and have given more money away – 90 percent of that money is private money,” he said. “On one level that’s just good people helping out

good people. I don’t know that I’m comfortable docking them if they’ve received money from a group like that.” Initially, Commissioners Valerie Covey and Cynthia Long opposed the change, pointing to the need to spread assistance from any source as widely as possible. “My concern is I think we are going to be at a place where even with a $25 million target in phase one, we’re still going to run out of money,” Long said. “I think you’ve got to figure out, regardless of where that money came from, they did receive help. We have to start somewhere. Those businesses got help, and I think it’s great that Round Rock handled it that way.” Covey’s main concern was making sure businesses in small communities aren’t left out due to fewer opportunities.

“One of my main concerns in this was for me to reach out to the smaller communities in our county and I’m very concerned about them because they don’t have the bandwidth that a Round Rock foundation would have or even some of the chambers would have to provide help to their businesses,” Covey said. “They have need also. Perhaps their need is a smaller portion but it is still very important for these small cities to keep those businesses going.” In the end, the Court agreed unanimously to strike the wording from the program so any funding received from other local programs will not be used to reduce fund eligibility with the county program. With the Commissioners Court approval, and the application going live on the County website May 6, Heselmey-

er said the process has been streamlined as much as possible, and was established to ensure fairness for all applicants. “The criteria is set out in the document, the auditor is just reviewing to make sure the documentation supports the application,” he said. “We’ve worked hard to have no subjective criteria. There is a formula, it spits out a number and if they are eligible they receive that grant.” Applications will be submitted online at www.wilco.org/ forward to the Williamson County Auditor’s Office. The funds will be issued as applications are processed until the $25 million budgeted funds are exhausted. The deadline to apply is June 30, and anyone with questions can e-mail them to SmallBusinessApp@ wilco.org.

Virus numbers continue to rise

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Despite new daily case numbers in the single digits in Williamson County since a spike April 26 due to a cluster of cases found in a Round Rock nursing home, the rise remains steady. Williamson County announced the twelfth death from COVID-19 Wednesday, a male in his 90s. It was the fourth fatality in the County in the last week. “I am reminded that we are still in the fight against this deadly disease, and it will take all of us doing our part to keep our loved ones, and others in our community safe,” said County Judge Bill Gravell. “When we make sacrifices to reduce the spread we save lives.” Eight of the county’s 12 fatalities have been over the age of 60. Liberty Hill has not announced a new case in more than a week, with five total cases – three of those reported as recovered. Six cases were identified as being in Liberty Hill previously, but a discrepancy of a patient’s residential address versus a Liberty Hill post office box address mistakenly placed that person in Liberty Hill. The total number of confirmed cases in Williamson County is 341 -- up 48 from the same time last week. Officials are reporting that 199 of those individuals have recovered. While Williamson Coun-

with each other at meets because of that family feeling between us and I was so excited to be able to do that again for track season, but this time being able to wear a uniform the same as them and get to finally run with them – unlike cross country season for me and now we’re missing out on that time together. It was another season to spend time with our family and make memories and I’m going to miss that most.” Peterson added maintaining a positive outlook despite the dreary situation can go a long way toward the healing process. “All athletes are affected and all kids – athletes or not – this stinks and it’s not fair, but we make the most of it and we keep pushing,” she said. “At some point, you focus on what you do have, instead of what you don’t have – that’s not

ty ranks 21st among Texas counties in confirmed cases, Travis County is fourth with 1,876. Seven counties have 1,000 or more cases and one or more cases of the virus have been confirmed in 216 of 254 counties. Burnet County has 24, Bell County has 210 and Milam County has 18. Across the state, the testing effort has increased dramatically, with more than 124,000 Texans tested in the last week. The total tested is 438,938, representing about 1.5 percent of the population. Public testing continues to be limited to individuals showing virus symptoms. With the increase in testing has come an increase in confirmed cases, averaging just over 1,000 new cases per day in the last week, bringing the state total to 34,422. The number of fatalities has also increased at a faster rate, with 23 percent of the total fatalities (948) in Texas coming over the last seven days (216). As of Wednesday, 1,812 were hospitalized in the state, representing only 10 percent of available hospital beds. The number hospitalized had surpassed 1,800 April 23, only to dip down to below that number for nine days before peaking Tuesday at 1,888. Across the country, the confirmed case total has surpassed 1.2 million, with more than 70,000 fatalities. Openings Many Liberty Hill business-

es have reopened since Gov. Greg Abbott announced new guidelines that would allow some to reopen on May 1. “I went around Friday to the offices or businesses I knew that were starting to open or planned to open and I talked to them,” said Liberty Hill Mayor Rick Hall. “It seemed like they were all adhering to the Governor’s orders of distancing inside and the 25 percent maximum of their occupancy. A lot of restaurants have taken tables out and set them to the side and reorganized their seating to accommodate that.” He added that some have decided to remain closed or continue with even more limited services, but the ones who had opened appeared to be handling the restrictions well. “(Businesses) seemed to be pleased, and they didn’t have any issues,” Hall said. “They are just trying to make it and I think it is a good start as long as the public and the business-

es adhere to the Governor’s orders I think we’ll still be okay throughout this reopening process and not have any further impacts.” Additional openings With new guidelines in place for a week that allowed retail and restaurant operations to reopen May 1, Abbott announced Tuesday that salons and barber shops could reopen Friday and that gyms and exercise facilities can do so May 18. The directive for Friday allows salons, barber shops, nail salons, and tanning businesses to open. Guidelines include urging businesses to schedule appointments to limit the number of customers in the business at once, as well as asking customers to wait in their cars rather than the waiting area until their appointment time. Businesses are expected to screen employees for symptoms of the virus, and encouraged to provide masks for clients.

easy – but I think when they reflect on the year, they’ll find the blessings in what they did get to experience and celebrate that. Not ideal by any means, but finding the blessings is what we need to help them do right now.” However, all that being said, Peterson still struggles with the current climate – until she once again focuses on the light instead of the darkness. “Just that – find the blessings in all this. But trust me, there are days when I am just done,” she said. “But when I stop my pity party and focus on what I get to do because of this all – be with my kids and husband, slow down to enjoy the simple things, build stronger relationships with my faith and family – I get to do those things. Those are great things I get to do – I really stop trying to focus on all the things

I don’t get to do and focus on the ‘get-tos.’” With so many speculating on exactly what everyday life will be like in the aftermath of the pandemic, Peterson is philosophical in finding a silver lining in such a black cloud. “Cliche, I know, but maybe normal wasn’t so good after all,” she said. “Going through something like this – we will all come out different and better and stronger if we let it. We’ve been broken down, but things get fixed, things get put back together and that’s what this is teaching me. Life after COVID-19 will be our best life ever.” For Sears, it’s cause for solitary reflection on all she’s lost – but even more all she’s gained during her time wearing the Purple-and-Gold. “I think this pandemic we’re going through, even though

it’s taken a lot from us – especially the seniors – has also been such an opportunity for growth,” she said. “Every time I run on my own now, it makes me somewhat sad I don’t have a team running beside me, but it also makes me so grateful for every single year I did have a team to support me and I think every hard opportunity I’ve gone through in this one year of running has ultimately just made me feel so blessed with the teammates I’ve had for the past four years, the coaches I’ve had be a part of my life and for all the memories I’ve been able to make. I hope this pandemic and all the losses we’ve had only make us realize how lucky we’ve been to be able to spend four years on this team.”

COURTESY GRAPHIC

The graph above shows the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in Williamson County.

Thursday, May 7, 2020

PUBLIC

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 4

made regarding Hall’s conduct during the incident. The second request for an AG ruling was over recently purchased security equipment for City Hall. “Because you’re asking for the security devices purchased I don’t know what kind of detail, but our ﬁrst thought was that’s kind of private,” Hall said, explaining the concern over compromising the security of City facilities. “We’ve sent that to the AG to make sure that it doesn’t break the security policy of municipalities by providing this information to you.” The original request, “The total price (including design, production and mounting) for the new metal, backlit sign in the Municipal Court Building hanging behind the dais. The name of the individual that authorized the project and cost. The name of the company contracted to design and produce the sign,” was made to gather information on how much money was spent on the security upgrades and what those upgrades were. Beyond the two requests for a decision from the AG – both sent on the 10th and ﬁnal day for a City response following the initial submission of the request – there are a number of requests that never received a response at all from the City,

while others were addressed with partial information, but not all that was requested. “I think there’s been a breakdown in the process of making requests, the consistency of response, the consistency of how each one is treated,” Cleaves said. “The City Council is going to be considering that public information act policy and I’m hoping in the future that will bring consistency to this whole process, that you’ll feel

like you’re being responded to in a reasonable manner.” There were also discrepancies in how different requests were handled. Among the 15 requests submitted since January, the City has responded with outlined fees for gathering and copying information for only one request. The charge was $2.70 for a 27page report, but the letter also spelled out options for additional information at between

$69 and $103.80. Most recently, for the ﬁrst time, the City responded to an e-mailed FOI request by asking that it be signed by the submitting individual. Cleaves outlined how things have changed, even in the last few months, having the requests being ﬁrst handled by City staff, then by the Bojorquez Law Firm, and now by himself as the City’s internal legal counsel.

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“Council is doing a lot to clean this up and they do recognize there was an issue,” he said. “No one is looking to play a blame game here or do any of that, but we are working really hard to clean it up and make it better.” Hall hopes potential changes coming Monday will eliminate past problems, and said he planned to respond to the missing items requested by The Independent within a

week. “The process was broke, and we are ﬁxing that process,” he said. “There’s no consistency in what was done and with this public information policy we’re bringing to Council on Monday night this will solidify the process and everything going forward should be black and white. There should be no gray area.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

BREWER

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Continued from Page 1

time in LHISD as a kindergarten teacher. Brewer’s principal at the time allowed her to work in the role of a team leader. This opportunity led Brewer to pursue an administrative position ofﬁcially. “A sweet parent-professional named Agnes Aldridge said ‘Shellie if you’re going to do the job of a principal you might as well get paid to do it,’” Brewer said. With some encouragement, Brewer, alongside two other teachers, went to Texas Tech, where they earned the education required to become principals. “It’s been the greatest blessing of my life,” said Brewer. “The opportunity to serve people and help people every day, especially kids, is wonderful.” Many young adults graduating high school face the uncertainty of what career path Shellie Brewer delighted students and staff with her many cos- is meant for them and what tumed characters every Halloween. (Courtesy Photo) they’d like to pursue isn’t a

crystal-clear image. For Brewer, the path of an educator came to her early. “When I was in high school, I was teaching Bible classes at my church, and I realized that I loved working with small children,” she said. “In high school, we had the opportunity to go and work in an elementary school, so I’ve been helping in the classroom since I was a junior in high school.” The fulﬁllment of working with children and broadening their horizons proved to be the most signiﬁcant draw for Brewer. “I just fell in love with helping kids and seeing the difference you can make in a child’s life,” she said. “Helping them learn, giving them the gift of being able to read and opening that world to them. It’s just such a blessing to see their little faces light up when they learn something new.” Aside from educating chil-

dren, Brewer’s experience provides lessons for other administrators. Liberty Hill Elementary Principal Heather Collison sees working with Brewer as an invaluable experience. “It’s been a learning experience, and that’s one of the great things about working alongside Shellie,” Collison said. “As she learned from me, I learned a lot from her. She has great relationships within our school and community. Watching how she caters to those relationships and how she helps parents and works kids through things, just observing that I was able to learn a lot from her.” Collison, who has worked alongside Brewer for three years, sees her as a strong complement to her style of leading. “She was a great compliment to my weaknesses,” she said. “She can get up in front of a

HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION

LHISD is grateful for all our amazing teachers!! Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and the care you give your students every day. You are building champions now and for our future! LHISD would like to announce our Campus Teachers of the Year - Congratulations!

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crowd and speak on the fly, and I’m someone who has to plan everything out. She’s very meticulous and detailed about her tasks. So, when I give her something, she focuses on it, and I don’t have to worry because I know in the end it’ll be done and done to perfection.” Brewer’s ability to manage time and her organization skills make taking on an educator’s most difficult challenge – time management – a much less intimidating mountain to climb. “The hardest part of doing this job to this day is having enough time to do the things you need to do,” Brewer said. “Our teachers are so motivated and so devoted and give 110 percent every day. It’s so hard to work in every single thing you want to do for those kids. You want to give them everything you’ve got, and there’s only so many hours in the day to do that.” With a three-decade career behind her, Brewer has witnessed many changes in the classroom and the advent of technology. Proving herself to be a consistent and unwavering presence, Brewer has rolled with the punches, making adjustments along the way. “In education, you have a pendulum that swings back and forth; you have one method of teaching, then you go to another way, and eventually it comes back,” she said. “I think the biggest impact I’ve seen in my career is technology. It was quite an experience as an older teacher to figure all of it out. Now technology is what we’re relying on to teach our kids, and the biggest change I’ve seen is how we deliver instruction in a way that is engaging to kids. Technology is their way of life. When I started teaching, I didn’t even have a computer in the classroom.” Rolling with the punches and keeping her head held high during hard times or when facing daunting odds is something Brewer does well. “Her key phrase in times where things were hard, in times when things were frustrating and challenging were always, ‘We’ve got this, take the high road, trust the plan, and God will take care of us,’ and that’s been her mantra since I’ve known her,” said Collison. The most valuable thing for Brewer is the relationships she has developed and the chance she has had to change the lives of the children who have entered her halls. “For me, it’s the relationships with the people,” she said. “And the love that you feel when you walk into Liberty Hill Elementary is just second to none. The hugs, how I’ll miss those. Just knowing that you have the opportunity to provide a safe place for kids every day and that they are loved and cared for and nurtured every minute, they’re there. I mean, who could ask for anything more?” As Brewer closes this chapter in her life, she has just a few words for the people she has worked with and the community she has served. “Thank you so much for allowing me to serve this community,” she said. “My prayer is that I have made a difference in the life of your family and your student.”

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