Hays County’s governing body resumed course towards up to $74 million in capital improvements and bond sales after dropping anchor briefly last week to check for dark economic clouds on the horizon.

Amidst news of a projected tax increase next fiscal year and fears of a decline in county-wide property appraisals, Hays County Commissioners talked this week about slowing their dash towards massive capital improvement expenditures planned for the near future. As commissioners wait on more precise revenue projections for the coming year, projects on the drawing board could wait in limbo, including a $73 million government center, a $50-60 million jail, $48 million in road work and $10 million in parks and open space allocations.

Receiving the inspection results they hoped for, Hays County Commissioners are about to challenge the state’s order that they shut down the kitchen in the Hays County Jail.

Hays County commissioners voted unanimously last week to initiate an expenditure of $1,455,388 to avoid a possible closure of part or all of the Hays County Jail by state authorities.

Hays County commissioners unanimously chose Balfour Beatty and HDR Tuesday to design and build the largest and most costly structure ever attempted by the county. But the building won’t be as expensive as once thought.

Hays County officials took two more steps in their 14-year-old quest for more office space earlier this month, narrowing their list to five teams of construction firms to undertake the county’s largest ever building project, then authorizing the acquisition of nine more acres for the structure.