“This is a bond committee looking at potential future road projects, or parks projects,” County Judge Bill Gravell said. “If the committee comes back with a recommendation, the court will make a determination if we want to go forward, and our step forward would simply be to place the matter on the ballot.”
Each county commissioners appointed two members to the committee, while Gravell appointed David Hayes to serve as the chair. Precinct 1 County Commissioner Terry Cook appointed Meg Walsh and Larry Madsen; Precinct 2 County Commissioner Cynthia Long selected Joe Bob Ellison and Bill Chapman; Precinct 3 County Commissioner chose Steve Fought and Mike Russell; and Precinct 4 County Commissioner Russ Boles appointed Michele Sherwood and Bryon Borchers to serve on the committee. The group would need to bring a plan by August of this year in order to place a proposal on the November ballot.
This comes after funding from a 2019 road bond fell short of paying for all of the projects the court included in the program. To pay for the projects officials committed to completing, the court approved issuing $150 million of short-term debt March 21. However, with around $22 million of that going to a remodeling project at the Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center, the court would need to find additional funding to pay for remaining projects on the 2019 road bond list.
For example, the county has planned a project to extend Anderson Mill Road from FM 734 to Loop 1, but any dollars for its design or construction would come through a future bond, according to the county.
