The Hutto City Council approved its 4B Economic Development Corporation and unanimously approved a new seven-member board to direct it at Thursday’s meeting.

After setting the 4B board, council members voted to relieve the 4A board members of their duties and replace them with the 4B members.

The city will likely go before voters in November to ask to fund the 4B corporation and dissolve the 4A. Under the 4A structure, the city funded its economic development efforts using a half-cent sales tax. The new 4B structure would utilize the same half-cent sales tax funding mechanism. Officials said it wouldn’t be an increase in taxes, just a new direction for the money that allows more flexibility in attracting businesses to Hutto.

The council meeting, which lasted nearly 5 hours, included the board actions after a lengthy executive session.

“The next motion does not come lightly,” said Council Member Nate Killough. “We’re not going to see eye-to-eye [and need] to clear the [4A] board and start over, start fresh.”

Killough said the decision to change the board was the council’s wish and not that of City Manager Odis Jones. Mayor Doug Gaul and Council Member Lucio Valdez dissented as the motion passed 5-2.

“I think there should be a transition period,” Gaul said. “I don’t agree with doing it overnight.”

Killough then made a motion to have the 4B board members serve on the 4A board in the interim.

Members of the 4A and 4B boards include Bill Gravell Jr., Daniel Thornton, Nelson Nagle, Russell Metcalf, Jason Wirth, Roger Harris and Bryon Borchers.

Off the 4A board are Chairman Mario Perez, who was appointed in 2005, Doug Fell (2011), Garry Guthrie (2016), Anne Cano (2008) Jeff Coombs (2015) Gerry “Kim” Engram (2015) and Jazlyn Wiles (2016). Three staff members will work with the new board.

The changes were initiated when Jones suggested City Council look at the 4B structure to offer flexibility in business recruitment to the city. He also, in a memo to council, called out the Economic Development Corporation’s expenses and lack of results.

Several members of the public spoke in favor of the work of the Hutto Economic Development Corporation, including former Council Member Cano.

She asked council members if they have attended an Economic Development Corporation meeting or know how the group works. She warned council members not to believe the “twisted truths, false accusations and slander” against the work of the Economic Development Corporation.

In a release by the city Friday morning, Killough said he wanted to "express my sincere appreciation to the Type A board that served in this leadership capacity."

He expressed appreciation for the groundwork laid by the Economic Development Corporation Board, including the educational and workforce development tool Hutto has in the East Williamson County Higher Education Center.

"[The East Williamson County Higher Education Center,] along with our open-for-business policy, incentives, new codes and ordinances, and a commitment to infrastructure make Hutto a great place for entrepreneurs and developers to invest in our growing community," Killough said in the release.