More restaurant inspections on the menu for Taylor Officials note several temporary closures
A renewed commitment to food safety means Taylor eateries are seeing an increase in inspections from a countywide public health department, City Council learned at a recent meeting.
The Williamson County and Cities Health District is responsible for food viability at restaurants, day cares and other locations, said Caroline Hilbert, a physician and the organization’s executive director.
The agency’s role has been more visible lately as several popular local restaurants have experienced temporary closures by the WCCHD.
“It seems like Taylor restaurants have been getting hit pretty hard lately. Is that countywide or what is the reason for the uptick in closings?” Councilman Gerald Anderson asked Hilbert during the session.
Hilbert noted inspections of Taylor food establishments were up 36 percent in 2024, and permits for food service rose 37 percent.
She said the increased number of inspections was due in part to the increase in permits, but an added reason was a renewed commitment to inspect every facility.
“Several years ago, at the health district we put an increase in funding toward this program to ensure that all places across the county that had a permit with us received at least one inspection per year,” Hilbert told the council.
She added, “That’s part of what increased, in making sure we were providing that standardized approach across the county. In increasing the number of inspectors across the county, we are having our eyes on more things.”
Hilbert said there is a three-strike rule regarding food establishments that fail an inspection.
The first failure results in added education for the restaurant or mobile food vendor.
The second failure in a 12-month period results in temporary closure and permit suspension.
Three failures in 12 months results in closure and permit revocation.
A new rule this year allows new businesses to get their first inspection free of penalty. Officials with the department will show restaurant staff what the score would have been so they can address any compliance issues before the next inspection.
“It is not something where we are targeting a particular community,” Hilbert said. “We want to make sure everyone is being treated the same and everyone gets the same opportunity for education.”
In a related matter, Hilbert provided an overview of the agency’s budget and operations.
Taylor contributed $40,741.95 toward WCCHD’s fiscal year 2025 operating budget of $8,934,129. In all, about 41% of the budget comes from the cities the agency serves, which also includes Hutto, Leander and Liberty Hill.
In the last year, Taylor’s public health center at 115 W. Sixth St. has seen a rise in patients as many were re-routed from the Georgetown clinic, which is facing space issues, Hilbert said.
The Taylor clinic treated 177 indigent clients, a 108 percent increase, and provided 1,372 clinical-services visits, a 52 percent increase.
Clinical-services visits include vaccinations as well as other types of treatments.
WCCHD also administers the women, infant and children program, a federally funded supplemental nutrition program. In 2024, 658 Taylor residents received WIC benefits, making 10,277 visits to the Taylor public health center.
Providing health care for the at-risk population is a core function of WCCHD, the doctor said.
The agency also provides health education to the community, is part of the county’s emergency-preparedness strategy, works with mosquito control to minimize bloodborne diseases and investigates reports of contagious diseases.
Meanwhile, Hilbert said the measles outbreak in the South Plains and Panhandle has not led to any known local cases.
WCCHD offers a vaccine for people who are uninsured or under-insured at its public health center in Taylor, as well as locations in Round Rock, Georgetown and Cedar Park.
