Little bits of big news
EDIE ZUVANICH Special to the Press
Council to consider new impact fees
HUTTO — Thursday’s City Council meeting will include several presentations and public hearings on topics which historically have generated heated community debate.
City Engineer Matt Rector will present updates to the water, wastewater and transportation impact fees, which were approved for recommendation at a July 2 Capital Improvements Advisory Board meeting. These fees would affect the price of new houses in Hutto, and any shortages could impact residential water fees in the future. The council will hear updated presentations on the future of the Hutto YMCA, the planning for a new public works building and the creation of another public improvement district. The athletic fields study will also be presented for consideration and adoption.
Public hearings will be held on planned unit development requests for four projects covering more than 450 acres of land in total. This meeting will be the first council meeting of the month, rescheduled because it would have fallen on July 4. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 500 W. Live Oak St.
Budget presentations to be scheduled for August The city’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget calendar showed a public workshop planned for Thursday’s council meeting, but that item was not on the published agenda. However, there is a special City Council budget workshop scheduled for Saturday, July 13. The meeting is posted for 9 a.m. at City Hall. Another budget workshop is posted on July 27 at 9 a.m.
The workshops will include discussions of the items the community ranked as important in its public budget workshop earlier this year as well as overall city expenses. Top priorities for the community included the building of a justice center, adding four addition police officers to the roster, building a recreation center and improvements to Old Town streets and sidewalks.
New traffic light
Williamson County will be installing a temporary traffic signal to replace the four-way stop signs at the intersection of Derby Day Avenue and Little Lake Road on East Wilco Highway from State Highway 130 to County Road 137.
A notice from the county said this traffic change will further enhance safety and mobility and message boards will be installed the week prior to notify drivers of the upcoming traffic change.
This portion of the County Road 138 upgrade is scheduled to be completed this summer. The next segment of the highway improvement is also expected to begin soon, but will not be complete until 2028.
Savion Wright to appear at Black culture festival
The second annual Crown Act Black Hair, Soul Food & Music Festival is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Hutto Family YMCA, 200 Alliance Blvd. The event is organized by Frofessionals and proceeds help fund mental health treatment for uninsured residents in the North Austin area.
The festival features Black and Latino vendors, textured hair care professionals, free haircuts and local medical and mental health providers. There will also be live music, cultural dance and spoken word entertainment, with American Idol winner Savion Wright headlining the evening.
There will also be a children’s area with young Black and Latino entrepreneurs, a children’s natural hair care clinic and other activities.
For ticket prices and vendor information, visit the Facebook.com/ Frofessionals
