Williamson County Commissioners approved Tuesday over $1 million for archiving historical documents and preserving record books in the county and district clerk’s offices.

County Clerk Nancy Rister asked the court for $590,854 and District Clerk Lisa David asked for $488,403 to continue their work in archiving historical documents that date back to the 1800s held within their offices.

The money will be put in the records archive fund, a separate account outside the general budget that is funded by fees, County Public Affair Manager Connie Odom said.

Rister said the county clerk’s office is working on archiving film as well as digitalizing county documents that will allow for easier searches. She said by the end of the month all of the county’s Commissioners Court minutes will be restored and accessible through a link on the county website for anyone who wishes to use it.

David said the district clerk’s office will continue to restore old record books and ensure they are properly stored. The pages of the books will not be scanned but will instead be put in protective layers to allow individuals to thumb through the pages without destroying artifacts, David said.

The county is still a few years out from catching up on archiving needs, David said, because of the number of documents the county has.

“It is ongoing,” David said.

In other business:



  • Bob Daigh, the county's senior director of infrastructure, said that as of Tuesday morning the county has not needed to close any of its roads due to flooding. The county has seen steady rain since Labor Day and will continue to get rain throughout the week and weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

  • The court addressed a few final budget programs and projects during the meeting but voted to hold a workshop Oct. 23 to further discuss budget allocations for certain funds. One project the court will discuss is the additional $4 million the Parks and Recreation Department is requesting to continue working on the River Ranch County Park. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

  • The court approved Hutto’s Zone Project Plan and Finance Plan for the city’s reinvestment zone No. 1. In January, the county and the city of Hutto entered into a $5.5 million agreement that would use property tax revenue to help develop the city’s entertainment district. The proposal included plans for drainage systems, road improvements, utility relocation and public parking.