To read the original notice, click here Notice of Open Deliberations Pursuant to Section 174.108 of the Fire and Police Employee Relations Act, this public notice is provided regarding deliberations relating to collective bargaining between: Hays County, Texas and the Hays County Law Enforcement Association (HCLEA) as the exclusive bargaining agent on behalf of the police officers of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office and the Hays County Constable Offices Date/Time: Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Location: Hays County Public Safety Building Room 1304 – Dispatch Training Room 810 S. Stagecoach Trail San Marcos, Texas 78666 Subject: Contract negotiations providing for collective bargaining between Hays County, Texas (“County”) and the Hays County Law Enforcement Association (“HCLEA”). Public Notice Members of the public and press are permitted to observe and monitor the deliberation, but active participation in discussions or presentations is expressly prohibited unless permitted by the Ground Rules established by the County and HCLEA. Representatives for either the County or HCLEA may suspend the meeting at any time during the proceedings for consultation with their respective attorney. Pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code, the County’s deliberations during this period are closed to the public. Accessibility Statement for Disabled Persons. This meeting site is accessible to disabled persons as follows: the meeting room is on the first floor of the building and entrance to the building is accessible. Parking spaces reserved for disabled persons are in front of the entrance. The use of cellular phones or sound activated pager is prohibited while deliberations are being conducted. Please step outside the meeting room should you elect to utilize these devices.

SAN MARCOS , Texas - Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced today that the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the indictment charging former Hays County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer Isaiah Garcia with the third-degree felony offense of deadly conduct. On December 12, 2022, Garcia shot and killed 36-year-old Joshua Wright while working as a corrections officer for Hays County. Wright was in the Hays County jail and had been transported to Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle the previous evening after complaining of a medical problem. Garcia was assigned to guard Wright at the hospital and was preparing to transport Wright back to jail when the shooting occurred. As Wright exited a restroom, Garcia attempted to replace the handcuffs that were removed from Wright. Wright forcefully shoved Garcia and attempted to escape by running through the emergency room toward the public exit. Garcia shot and killed Wright during that escape attempt. The investigation into the shooting was reviewed by a Hays County Grand Jury in April 2023. The grand jury considered the possible charges of murder and manslaughter in connection with the shooting of Wright. Under Texas law, a corrections officer or peace officer may be justified in using force, including deadly force, if he reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to prevent the escape of a person in custody. After hearing the evidence and the relevant law, the grand jury declined to return an indictment for either of those charges. The grand jury did, however, return an indictment charging Garcia with the third-degree felony offense of deadly conduct. The indictment alleges that Garcia discharged a firearm at or in the direction of one or more individuals by shooting at Joshua Wright in a medical facility when patients and staff were present. While the indictment did not charge Garcia with an offense directly related to the death of Wright, it did accuse him of deadly conduct for the circumstances in which he fired his weapon in a crowded emergency room. “During the investigation and prosecution of the case, the District Attorney’s Office has been communicating with the family of Joshua Wright. This includes allowing members of the Wright family to see the body-worn camera footage of the shooting,” said Higgins. “We are aware that the Wright family, as well as many in the community, was deeply disappointed in the grand jury’s decision not to indict Garcia for murder or manslaughter.” In all criminal cases, the District Attorney’s Office represents the State of Texas and must make decisions about the resolution of cases with justice and the interests of the community in mind. The wishes of a victim or the family of a victim are always considered, but other factors that must be considered include public safety and fundamental fairness, Higgins said. Weighing those factors, the State moved to dismiss the case against Isaiah Garcia today and the court dismissed the case. Prior to the dismissal, Garcia agreed to a permanent surrender of his corrections officer license and further agreed not to seek any license or certification in the future to work as a peace officer, corrections officer or armed security guard. “This case was dismissed at the request of the Wright family. They communicated their wishes to have the case dismissed after consulting with their legal representatives. After subsequently viewing the body cam footage of the shooting, the family persisted in requesting the dismissal. The reasons offered by the family for their request were carefully considered and, ultimately, found to be persuasive,” said Higgins. “We have chosen to respect the family’s privacy and will offer no additional discussion of those reasons. We encourage others to also respect their privacy.”

WIMBERLEY, Texas — Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell announced today that construction for the RM 3237 intersection safety improvements at Rogers Road and at Flite Acres Road will begin on June 10, 2024. With $5.1 million in construction funding from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the 2016 Road Bond Program funding project development costs, the intersection safety improvements consist of widening RM 3237 at Rogers Road and Flite Acres Road to add shoulders and accommodate new turn lanes, and to widen existing travel lanes on Rogers Road and Flite Acres Road at RM 3237 within construction limits. “This project is the first of several phases of improvements planned for RM 3237 in an effort to make our roads safer,” said Shell. “Of course, this would not be possible without the support of TxDOT and we appreciate our partnership on these much-needed safety improvements.” At construction start, the westbound (northern) travel lanes of RM 3237 at Rogers Road and at Flite Acres Road within construction limits will be closed to accommodate construction and traffic will be shifted to the eastbound (southern) lane, which will operate as a two-way road with one-lane in each direction. The project team consists of the following: American Structurepoint, Inc., design engineer; Lone Star Sitework, LLC, contractor; and the Texas Department of Transportation, construction engineering inspection. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025. # # # 

WIMBERLEY, Texas — Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell announced today that construction for the RM 3237 intersection safety improvements at Rogers Road and at Flite Acres Road will begin on June 10, 2024. With $5.1 million in construction funding from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the 2016 Road Bond Program funding project development costs, the intersection safety improvements consist of widening RM 3237 at Rogers Road and Flite Acres Road to add shoulders and accommodate new turn lanes, and to widen existing travel lanes on Rogers Road and Flite Acres Road at RM 3237 within construction limits. “This project is the first of several phases of improvements planned for RM 3237 in an effort to make our roads safer,” said Shell. “Of course, this would not be possible without the support of TxDOT and we appreciate our partnership on these much-needed safety improvements.” At construction start, the westbound (northern) travel lanes of RM 3237 at Rogers Road and at Flite Acres Road within construction limits will be closed to accommodate construction and traffic will be shifted to the eastbound (southern) lane, which will operate as a two-way road with one-lane in each direction. The project team consists of the following: American Structurepoint, Inc., design engineer; Lone Star Sitework, LLC, contractor; and the Texas Department of Transportation, construction engineering inspection. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

SAN MARCOS, Texas - Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced today that 38-year-old Andrew Brown of Dripping Springs was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Wright-Reneau of the 207 th District Court on May 30. On January 26, 2024, a Hays County jury found Brown guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 years of age. The evidence showed that the defendant had sexually abused an eight-year-old child for more than a year. The victim was the child of a family friend. The evidence showed that Brown had, on numerous occasions, volunteered to care for the child while his wife and friends were out and that the abuse occurred during these times. Brown, a real estate agent who also worked with young children as a cheer coach, was released on bond before the trial. Following his conviction, Brown’s bond was revoked, and he was taken into custody for a sentencing hearing in front of Judge Wright-Reneau. Evidence in the punishment phase showed that the defendant had also possessed thousands of pornographic images depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The child pornography was discovered after he made calls from jail asking a family member to destroy the storage device containing the images. This case was investigated by Hays County Sheriff’s Office Detective Brian Wahlert and prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Shelby Griffin and James Peplinski, with assistance from ACDAs Miranda Ebersole and Allison Buess.  “We would like to thank the victim and their family for the bravery and strength that it took to come forward and face the defendant in court,” Griffin said. “The sentence in this case shows that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated in Hays County.” # # #

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced today that 28-year-old Bradley Don Simpson was sentenced to 32 years in prison for indecency with a child in Hays County. Simpson was charged pursuant to an investigation that occurred in February of 2020 following an outcry by the 8-year-old daughter of the family that had, in an act of kindness and charity, taken Simpson into their home. Simpson pled guilty on April 1, 2024, to three counts of indecency with a child. Simpson appeared for sentencing on May 23, 2024, when Judge Tanner Neidhardt sentenced him to 15 years each on two counts and 17 years on the third count, ordering the third count to run consecutively, for a total of 32 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The case was prosecuted by Hays County Assistant District Attorney Abigail Whitaker, who stated that the outcome in this case has brought closure to the family and justice to Simpson. # # #

KYLE, Texas — The Hays County Environmental Task Force led by the Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), held a Tire Collection Event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m on May 4 at 2171 Yarrington Road in Kyle, Texas. According to Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins, volunteers from various Hays County departments collected more than 1,00 used tires, keeping our county clean. “The effort to make Hays County a cleaner, safer home for all of us begins with small steps,” said Higgins. This has been a learning experience for all of us in the DA’s Office. The lesson I have taken from this event is that even a seemingly trivial things like collecting discarded tires has a real effect on the quality of life for the residents of Hays County. More than 1,000 tires are now headed for recycling and other new uses, and our beautiful county is now that much more beautiful. It’s nice to know that mosquitoes have a thousand fewer places to hatch, too.” Higgins gave special thanks to the volunteers from the Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Transportation Department, Health Department, Recycling Department, Development Services Department, Kyle Police Department and the city of Kyle and the residents of Hays County who properly disposed of their tires. “I am very proud of the volunteers who donated a Saturday of labor, and especially proud of the work of the Hays County Environmental Task Force for putting together the event and making sure it was a success,” said Higgins. # # #

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (May 2024) – As a part of the 2020 Parks & Open Spaces Bond Package, Hays County is developing a Plan for the future design of Cape’s Pond Park. This is the first open house for the development of the Plan and an opportunity for the public to provide input on potential park amenities and programmatic park elements. The open house will be an in-person format for participants to come and go as they please. Materials shared at the open house will be available online and a survey will be available for participants to provide their feedback. Situated near the San Marcos River just east of I-35 in San Marcos, Texas, Cape’s Pond Park is a 28.7-acre property that includes a 5.8-acre pond. Hays County acquired the land in 2020 through a 2018 transportation bond and the acquisition was originally intended to provide multi-modal connectivity throughout San Marcos, including the local trail systems. The project's scope expanded after the County met with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) which operates a fish hatchery next to Capes Pond Park and the project shifted to include TPWD’s ‘Neighborhood Fishin’ program which encourages families to engage in fishing by allowing children 16 and under to fish for free. Today, the County is working to develop a Conceptual Park Plan in collaboration with the San Marcos community. This collaboration enables Cape’s Pond Park to offer inclusive activities and amenities that reflect the desires and needs of the local community with a welcoming space to enjoy the natural landscape and water features. Hays County Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe encourages the public to visit the Open House and share their input so that Cape’s Pond Park can be an inclusive and well-rounded natural resource for the San Marcos community. In-Person Open House When: 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 2024 Where: Dunbar Recreation Center, 801 Martin Luther King Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666 Format: Open house style meeting; Attendees may come and go at their convenience and will not include a presentation. Online Survey When: Thursday, May 16 – Friday, May 31, 2024 Where: www.haysparksbond.com/projects/cape's-pond-park Format : All materials from the in-person open house will be available online and a survey will be available during the time frame above. Comments may be submitted through the website, in-person at the Open House, or through the online survey from May 16, 2024 to May 31, 2024. Visit www.haysparksbond.com/capespond-openhouse to learn more and share your input! ###

WIMBERLEY, Texas – The Hays County Parks Department announced on Tuesday, April 30 that Jacob’s Well Natural Area is suspending its 2024 summer swimming season until further notice. The summer swimming season, which typically extends from May 1 through Sept. 30 of each year, will be suspended due to below-average spring flow and water levels. Hays County officials plan to re-evaluate water conditions monthly to determine whether swimming might become possible at a later date. Swimming has been suspended at Jacob’s Well Natural Area since June 2022, when recorded spring flow dropped below average. Spring flow reached zero by October 2022, marking the fifth time in recorded history that Jacob’s Well had ceased flowing. Since then, Jacob’s Well has remained at or near zero flow for approximately two years. “Factors affecting Jacob’s Well’s deteriorated flow include a multi-year drought and the resulting increased demand on the Trinity Aquifer, which supplies Jacob’s Well,” said Katherine Sturdivant, Hays County Parks Department education coordinator. “Texas’ drought of record extended from 1950-57, but according to written and oral histories, Jacob’s Well did not stop flowing. Now, we’ve got a lot more folks relying on that aquifer, and we have seen Jacob’s Well quit flowing for a sixth time.” Although swimming is suspended, Jacob’s Well Natural Area remains open to the public from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily for hiking and viewing the spring. In addition, the Natural Area offers primitive and accessible trails, geocaching, self-guided audio tours, bird and wildlife watching opportunities, picnic sites, demonstration gardens, weekend Nature Center exhibits and a small children’s play area.  As a result of the suspended swimming season, Jacob’s Well Natural Area will also be extending its popular Saturday morning guided tour program through May. You can take a free guided tour down to Jacob’s Well with park staff each Saturday at 10 a.m. (upcoming tour dates include the following: May 4; May 11; May 18; and May 25). Guided tours last approximately one hour and depart from the Jacob’s Well Nature Center Pavilion. Bring good walking shoes and water. For more information please contact: Katherine Sturdivant (She/her) Parks Education Coordinator Hays County Parks Department (512) 214-4593 katherine.sturdivant@co.hays.tx.us