Small Town News

Hays County issues call for parks project

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The Hays County Commissioners Court on Tuesday authorized a call for projects for consideration of funding from the park bonds approved by voters in 2007. Applications will be considered for all types of active and passive parks and recreational projects as well as open space and endangered habitat lands.

The Parks and Open Space Advisory Board (POSAB), a citizens' group appointed by Court members which counsels the Commissioners Court on allocation of park bond funds and other park-related matters, will review and score the applications based on new criteria developed for this round of funding. The court will make the final funding decisions as early as October.

Since the $30 million bond approval, the court has okayed parks projects throughout the county, and until recently only $600,000 remained. But in August the County realized a savings on its acquisition of endangered habitat land, paying approximately $5 million for 1,000 acres of the Nicholson Ranch, less than the $8.4 million set aside for habitat land. The purchase is expected to bring some 800 acres of endangered golden-cheeked warbler habitat into the County's Regional Habitat Conservation Plan. The original call for projects requested a preferred tract size of 500-plus acres.

Applications must be submitted to the Hays County Grants Administration Office by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1. Additional information and applications are available under Quick Links at www.co.hays. tx.us and from the Hays County Grants Administration Office, 111 E. San Antonio Street, San Marcos, or 512-393-2209.



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© 2011 The Free Press Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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