Click here for the original notice. This Notice is posted according to the Texas Open Meetings Act. (VERNONS TEXAS CODES ANN. GOV. CODE CH.551). The Hays County Sheriff’s Office Civil Service Commission will hold a meeting at 10 am on the 17 th day of April 2025 , in the Hays County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Building, 1 st floor, Media Room located at 810 South Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, Texas 78666. An Open Meeting will be held concerning the following subjects: 1. Call the meeting to order 2. Roll Call 3. Public Comments, if any 4. Approval of March 20, 2025, minutes 5. Discussion and possible action to appoint a member of the Civil Service Commission to the Board of Examiners (Kresta) 6. Discussion and possible action to approve the selection of Donnoe and Associates for promotional exam and assessment services. (Kresta) 7. Discussion and possible action to appoint an e-mail address and physical address for Public Information Requests to be received. (Kresta) 8. Adjournment Executive Sessions The Civil Service Commission will announce that it will go into Executive Session, if necessary, pursuant to Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, to receive advice from Legal Counsel to discuss matters of litigation and personnel matters as specifically listed on this agenda. The Civil Service Commission may also announce it will go into Executive Session, if necessary, to receive advice from Legal Counsel regarding any other item on this agenda. ADA Compliance Hays County encourages compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the conduct of all public meetings. To that end, persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids such as an interpreter for a person who is hearing impaired are requested to contact the Director of the Civil Service Commission at (512) 393-7838 or via e-mail at Sandra.Galvan@hayscountytx.gov as soon as the meeting is posted (72 hours before the meeting) or as soon as practical so that appropriate arrangements can be made. While it would be helpful to receive as much advance notice as possible, Hays County will make every reasonable effort to accommodate any valid request regardless of when it is received. Braille is not available.

To view the original notice, click here. To: All interested Agencies Groups and Individuals Date of publication: March 28th, 2025  This is to give notice that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) will conduct an evaluation as required by Executive Order 11990 and Executive Order 11988, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands to determine the potential effect that Hays County single family disaster recovery Homeowner Reimbursement Program (HRP) and Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) actions in wetlands and surrounding Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplains will have on the human environment. The GLO was allocated HUD funding to help address unmet housing needs as a result of the 2024 Texas severe storms and flooding, including Hurricane Beryl (Beryl). On May 15, 2024, a request was declared for a major disaster due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on April 26, 2024, and continued for several weeks. From July 5 to July 9, 2024, Beryl caused extensive wind damage, flooding, and power outages across multiple regions, particularly along the Texas Gulf Coast and inland communities. Wind gusts exceeding 90 mph and rainfall totals surpassing 15 inches in some areas led to significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and businesses. The State of Texas Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) will fund two residential housing programs for eligible county residents whose homes sustained damage from the 2024 disasters. The HAP provides funding primarily for low-to-moderate-income homeowners with direct construction support for storm-impacted owner-occupied single-family residential housing. The activities covered by this program include demolition, rehabilitation, reconstruction, manufactured house replacement, or new construction and their associated elevation, mitigation, utility, site improvements, and relocation assistance, as needed. The HRP provides funding for low to moderate-income owner-occupied single-family housing (including manufactured housing). It allows homeowners to be reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses including Small Business Administration disaster home loans, incurred for repairs to their dwelling including elevation, wells and septic needs, reconstruction, rehabilitation, manufactured house replacement, and mitigation. The size of the proposed site, proposed number of units, and project footprint are not currently known, however, as specific sites are identified, they will be assessed for potential impacts related to land use, floodplains, and wetlands. Mitigation measures will be applied as necessary to minimize adverse effects. Within Hays County, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) effective maps include 26,763 acres (6.2%) in the 100-year floodplain Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) Zones A/AE/AO, 11,808 acres (2.7%) in the regulatory floodway, and 0 acres (0%) within the Coastal High Hazard Areas Zone V/VE. Zone X encompasses 5,689 acres (1.3%) of Hays County within the 500-year floodplain and 388,631 acres (89.9%) of Hays County outside all SFHA-designated floodplains. Approximately 7,052 acres (1.6%) within Hays County are designated as wetlands. This includes freshwater emergent wetlands, freshwater forested/shrub wetlands, freshwater ponds, lakes, and riverine wetlands. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain will be determined at a site-specific level using the 0.2 percent flood approach (0.2PFA) or the freeboard value approach (FVA) when appropriate. In addition, siting within the Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA)/Coastal A Zone will be determined at the site-specific level. Activities within the LiMWA will carry the same mitigation and protection strategy as siting within a coastal high-hazard area (Zone V/VE). The floodplains and wetlands within Hays County serve important environmental functions that contribute to the county’s ecological health and community resilience. These areas provide floodwater storage and conveyance, helping to absorb and slow floodwaters, which reduces downstream flooding and protects nearby properties and infrastructure. Additionally, they support groundwater recharge and discharge, maintaining local water supplies and sustaining the base flow of rivers and streams. The natural vegetation within these floodplains and wetlands also plays a key role in erosion control, stabilizing soils, and preventing sedimentation in waterways. Furthermore, these areas contribute to water quality maintenance by filtering pollutants and sediments, ultimately improving both human and ecological health. In inland counties, they help regulate watershed health, agricultural water retention, and riparian connectivity, ensuring the stability of local water systems and ecosystems. Beyond their ecological significance, these floodplains and wetlands hold intrinsic values that benefit the community. They provide recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and kayaking, contributing to tourism and outdoor enjoyment. These areas also serve as educational and scientific resources, offering opportunities for research and environmental education on hydrology, ecology, and resilience. There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in the FFRMS floodplain and wetland and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the FFRMS floodplain and wetland, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate project impacts on the FFRMS floodplain and wetland. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about the FFRMS floodplain and wetland can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in the FFRMS floodplain and wetland, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk. Written comments must be received by GLO at the following address on or before April 14th, 2025: Texas General Land Office ATTN: David Camarena, Director Community Development & Revitalization (CDR) Division PO Box 12873, Austin TX 78711-2873 A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M on weekdays at the address above. Comments may also be submitted via email at env.reviews@recovery.texas.gov.

SAN MARCOS, Texas - Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced today that 30-year-old Breana Nicole Smith was sentenced by Hays County District Judge Sherre K. Tibbe to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. Smith was found guilty by a Hays County jury on March 13 and elected to have her punishment assessed by the judge. The evidence at trial showed that Smith is a member of the criminal street gang known as the Gangster Disciples. During the punishment hearing, it was demonstrated that Smith had previously committed the offense of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Detectives with the San Marcos Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Griffith and Daniella Garcia prosecuted the case. Following the verdict, Griffith said, “We appreciate the dedicated efforts of the law enforcement officers involved in this case. We take offenses committed by gang members seriously, as these individuals present a clear danger to the safety of our community.” District Attorney Higgins added, “Hays County will not tolerate violent offenders selling drugs in our community.”

SAN MARCOS, Texas - Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced that a Hays County man, Zachary Kinsey, 34, was sentenced by Judge Wright-Reneau on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, to 10 years in prison for stalking and eight years of probation for violation of the protective order. A jury convicted Kinsey of the two crimes on March 5, 2025, in the 207th District Court of Hays County. The evidence at trial showed that Kinsey threatened to kidnap his child and force his wife and child to watch him commit suicide. Kinsey, who was supposed to be undergoing mental health treatment in Arizona, flew to Austin to carry out his threat. He had landed at the Austin airport and was waiting for a rideshare when a Texas Ranger located him and took him into custody. While in custody awaiting trial, Kinsey continued to threaten and abuse the victim via the email system provided to inmates. The Hays County District Attorney’s Office wishes to recognize the San Marcos Police Department and the Texas Rangers for their vigilance and dedication. Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Cyrus Morgan and Shelby Griffin prosecuted the case.  After sentencing, Higgins stated, “The victim in this case did not deserve the life-changing torture and abuse inflicted on her by Mr. Kinsey. Without the victim’s strength and resolve, our office could not have achieved this result.”