Here is a recap of what was featured in the Wednesday, March 15 e-edition of the Taylor Press. The e-edition is emailed to subscribers and available at www. taylorpress.net.
New resources in fight against fentanyl
T-shirts and posters memorialized the ages of fentanyl-poisoning victims in Williamson County Expo Center’s South Hall March 7, as families came to hear the latest news in this war on opioids.
At the event, Williamson County Sheriff Mike Gleason awarded $25,000 each to Texas Against Fentanyl and A Change for Cam, to be used toward fentanyl awareness and education.
Founders of each organization shared stories of how they lost someone from fentanyl laced pills.
Texas State Representative Terry Wilson compared the number of United States fentanyl-related deaths to the Vietnam War.
Animal shelter urgently seeks fosters
By the end of summer, an expansion project will increase the Taylor Animal Shelter’s capacity from 17 to 30 kennels, but figuring out where to put dogs in the meantime is creating problems for the facility.
The no-kill shelter is already having to turn away dogs with 17 available kennels already filled with 17 canines, said volunteer Dawn Jones.
In the meantime, the shelter is asking for the community to step up and help if they are able.
Individuals able to provide a safe, temporary or permanent home for a dog, including having a fenced-in area, are encouraged come by the shelter any day between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to meet the available dogs, or they can call 512-352-5483 for more information.
Recordings missing from city hall
HUTTO – The city recently discovered that legally-required city council executive session recordings are missing. According to statements made at the March 2 council meeting, exactly how many, how and when they disappeared is unknown.
The executive sessions are recorded on a micro-digital recorder then transferred to thumb drives, according to city secretary Angela Lewis.
During the meeting, the city manager stated that the city secretary had just completed an initial audit. At least three recordings are known to be missing.
According to the Texas government code 551.104, the city must keep recordings of closed meetings, such as executive sessions for at least two years after the meeting, or longer if they are part of a legal action.
City seeks federal grant for nine new firefighters On March 9, the Taylor City Council unanimously approved Fire Chief Daniel Baum’s recommendation to apply for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant by March 17.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency would fund full salary and benefits for nine positions over three years.
If approved, the grant would provide approximately $2.2 million for the nine new positions, which would allow three extra people to be on staff each day over three shifts.
The city would be obligated to fill the nine positions within 180 days of accepting the grant, Baum said.
The springtime renovations will increase capacity from 17 to 30 kennels for dogs and provide an isolation unit for cats, among other improvements, officials said.
Photo by Nicole Lessin
