June 18, 2025

Annual contribution requests for nonprofit groups, water supply and potential water demand, a lease agreement and equipment purchase for police vehicles, and a Special Use Permit for a manufactured home were discussed at the June 17 City Council meeting.

Back row (L-R): Councilmember at-large Brad Westmoreland, District 1 Councilmember Juan Mendoza, District 4 Councilmember Jeffry Michelson, District 2 Councilmember John Castillo

Front row (L-R): Mayor Pro-Tem Angie Gonzales-Sanchez, Mayor Lew White, Councilmember District 3 John Lairsen

Annual Contribution Requests for Nonprofit Groups

City Council received presentations from eight nonprofit groups and special interest organizations requesting funding for an annual contribution from the City of Lockhart for FY  2025-26. The following requests and presentations were received:

• Ascension Seton Hays Foundation Care-A-Van - $10,000

• Caldwell County Food Bank - $10,000

• CASA of Central Texas - $12,000

• Combined Community Action - Meals on Wheels - $8,000

• Golden Age Home - $10,000

• Hays-Caldwell Women's Center - $10,000

• Lockhart Area Senior Citizen Center - $4,000

• Take Me Home - Advocates for Transport - $25,000

Officials with the Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) will provide a presentation to Council at a future meeting to consider an addendum to their existing Interlocal Agreement.

Funding allocations will be considered at the July 1 regular meeting.

Lockhart’s Water Supply and Potential Water Demand

City Council received an update from TRC, the City’s engineer, regarding the current and future projected water demand. The new projections incorporate new developments and their cumulative demands. The presentation included recommendations for upgrades to the City's well field as reflected in the City's Water and Wastewater Master Plan.

Council also received an update on the current status of GBRA's WaterSECURE project. This project is a long-term initiative for water supply to serve Central Texas communities. City staff will recommend entering a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GBRA for future participation in this effort.

Lease Agreement and Equipment Purchase for Police Vehicles

City Council approved a lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management for the replacement of four police department vehicles. Council also authorized the purchase and installation of emergency equipment, radios, and camera systems for recently acquired police department vehicles.

Public Hearing on Special Use Permit (SUP) for Manufactured Home

City Council approved an appeal for an SUP for a manufactured home, planned to be placed at 105 Cedar St., a Residential Medium District (RMD.) The request was originally denied by the Planning & Zoning Commission. City Council approved the appeal under the condition that the homeowner will add covered parking to the home.

City Manager’s Report

Temporary Relocation of Fire Station No. 1

Fire Station No. 1, 201 W. Market St., was originally built in 1914 as Lockhart’s first city hall and fire station. It has been in nearly continuous use as an operating fire station since then. The fire station will be closed for renovations until early 2026.

Renovations include an interior remodel with a focus on life safety, electrical upgrades, re-pointing of some brick masonry, improvements to existing windows, repainting of exterior doors and woodwork, including the cornice, improvements to roof (including asbestos shingles), and improvements to living areas for firefighters.

Fire department operations, including administration, will work out of Fire Station No. 2 on Borchart Loop during this time. There will be no changes to daily firefighter staffing and no impact on EMS.

Traffic Signal & Intersection Improvements at Mockingbird and San Antonio St.

Traffic signal and intersection improvements at Mockingbird Ln. and San Antonio St. are part of a joint project between the City of Lockhart and TxDOT. The design phase is now 100% complete. Bidding on the project will begin in early August, with construction anticipated to begin in November. The project is estimated to last 80 days and be completed by March 9, 2026.

The project will include the following work:

• Widening of pavement which will allow for 12-foot-wide driving lanes in each direction and center turning lane
• Reconnecting pedestrian accesses, connecting to driveways
• Installation of curb and gutter
• Installation of permanent traffic signal with arm masts

These changes will lessen traffic and bottlenecking during peak traffic periods, especially during school drop-off and pick-up times. The changes will also improve walkability in this area.

City-wide Neighborhood Watch Organizational Meeting

A neighborhood watch organizational meeting will be hosted by the Lockhart Police Department on Wednesday, June 18 at 6 p.m.

Residents will have the opportunity to learn about:

• What a Neighborhood Watch group is
• How to start their own group
• How to recruit neighbors
• How to create communication plans

City Offices to Close for Juneteenth

City offices will close on Thursday, June 19. Solid waste pickup will remain on its regular schedule. City offices will return to regular hours on Friday, June 20.

ATTENTION: This is a recap of the highlights of action taken at the June 17, 2025 Council meeting. The complete agenda can be found by visiting: City of Lockhart, TX (lockhart-tx.org).

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