EDIE ZUVANICH Special to the Press
New library hours, promotions
HUTTO — The Hutto Public Library, 500 W. Live Oak St. has announced extended hours. Effective Jan. 2, the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The announcement comes on the heels of two recent library promotions.
Hannah Duran was promoted to Children’s Librarian and Amy Sepulveda was promoted to library assistant.
“I’m glad Council decided to fund all of the library positions that were requested by staff. This has enabled them to expand the hours now that they have sufficient personnel to manage the workload,” said Mayor Pro Tem Peter Gordon.
More improvement coming to Mager Fields Mager Youth Baseball and Softball Fields, 100 Mager Lane, is set to get its second big upgrade of this decade, thanks to approval from the Hutto City Council at its Dec. 7 meeting.
Mager Fields received a major upgrade in 2020 that improved the baseball, softball and t-ball facilities. It added shade structures, scoreboards and fences as well as revitalizing the three fields themselves. Now, the city is replacing outdated lighting with LEDs, and adding a defibrillator station.
“The existing lighting system, established in 1993, relies on outdated bulbs, posing challenges in finding replacements and leading to excessive energy usage,” city documents state. The upgrades will come from Musco Sports Lighting and is one of the city’s Capital Improvement Projects.
The lights come with an extensive 25-year warranty. The $299,300 price tag covers upgraded LED lights, new galvanized steel poles and installation.
In addition to the lighting project, Council approved $22,500 for a “ZapStand”, a standalone emergency defibrillator.
“The primary purpose of ZapStand is to save lives. Each ZapStand contains an automated external defibrillator, also known as an AED, a lifesaving device used if an individual suffers sudden cardiac arrest,” according to the manufacturer.
Mager Fields also features concession stands, restrooms, pet-friendly amenities, stadium seating and a maximum capacity of 200.
Neighbors helping neighbors during emergencies
The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry is a free program that provides local emergency planners and responders with information on community needs. That helps the city assist those in need with severe weather or other emergencies strike.
During events that cause power outages or unsafe sheltering situations people who are medically fragile, have limited mobility or communication barriers and those needing transportation or medical assistance can be at higher risk. The STEAR program sends local volunteers to check on neighbors who have signed up and indicated they may need assistance during an emergency.
A severe weather emergency, such as the winter storms of 2021 and 2023, and the tornado that hit Hutto in 2022, creates an allhands- on-deck response that requires action from city departments as well as volunteers. Hutto’s website links to the state STEAR website where Hutto residents can sign up to help out during these times.
“The Hutto Department of Emergency Management staff, along with the volunteers of the Hutto Emergency Preparedness and Response Support Group, are seeking volunteers to serve in a variety of capacities during emergency situations,” says the city page, which then links directly to stear.tdem.texas.gov.
In addition to checking on neighbors through the STEAR program, volunteers are needed to help with damage assessment, sheltering and family assistance, supporting the emergency operations center workers, and community outreach.
