County opposes salamander's endangered species listing

Two environmental groups, the Center for Biological Diversity and Save Our Springs Alliance, requested emergency listing for the Jollyville Plateau salamander Jan. 9 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In response to the filing, Williamson County commissioners Jan. 31 approved sending letters to the environmental groups as well as USFWS voicing the county's opposition to the listing.

Commissioners appoint new ESD board members

Williamson County commissioners appointed board members Feb. 7 to two new emergency services districts near Cedar Park that voters created in November.

Prior to the creation of the ESDs, the neighborhoods, which are in Cedar Park's extraterritorial jurisdiction, had received emergency services from the Cedar Park Fire Department without a contract. The City of Cedar Park started a process in 2010 that required the residents in the non-contracted areas to take steps to either provide fire protection themselves or create a funding mechanism that could contract with Cedar Park or some other fire service provider.

Commissioners appointed Carlos R. Garza, Thomas W. Griffiths II, Evelyn Brengle, Mitzi Jones and Doris Rapp to ESD No. 11, which includes the Shenandoah neighborhood south of Cedar Park.

For ESD No. 12, which comprises Breakaway, Caballo Ranch, Whippoorwill, Lakewood Country Estates, The Place, Sam Bass and other neighborhoods east of US 183, the commissioners court appointed Daniel W. Martillotti, Kurt Michael Prossner, Anthony Clark and Michael Airhart.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long said the ESD will have a drawing at its first meetings to determine who will serve two-year terms and who will serve one-year terms.