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.

Throughout Prevention Education Week , Nov. 16-19, Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) will be conducting workshops on how every family can play a role in preventing child abuse in their community. The free workshops will address parents and children from all age groups.

Hays County officials said last Friday that they met a 30-day deadline with a letter on that day to show the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) progress on bringing the county jail into compliance with state regulations. The TCJS indicated that it would accept a letter for the purpose of meeting the Oct. 31 deadline.

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.

The Hays County Jail remains out of compliance with state standards. If the problems aren’t fixed by the end of October, the jail may have to shut down its kitchen and the county may have to send more inmates to other counties.

As facilities needs take on urgency, Hays County commissioners are trying to figure out how they can finance capital projects that could approach $400 million without placing too much pressure on the property tax rate.