The Hays County Commissioners Court voted June 10 to establish a stand-alone Parks and Natural Resources Department and directed the county budget officer to include funding for the department in the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
The overview
With the vote, the department will receive a dedicated budget and specialized staff, including a director, according to agenda documents. Hays County previously had a parks division that operated under another department.
In a June 11 Facebook post, county officials said that as Hays County continues to grow and prepares to implement major capital improvement projects supported by a bond, transitioning parks into their own department reflects the increasing scope and complexity of the county’s parks responsibilities.
According to the post, a stand-alone department will allow for leadership focused solely on planning, delivering and maintaining parks and natural resources assets. The new structure is expected to support more direct oversight of bond-funded projects, better align with long-term community needs and enhance access to grants and funding.
What the commissioners are saying
With limited discussion during the meeting, many commissioners later shared their support on social media.
“This change will help improve long-term planning, expand access to funding, boost community engagement, and ensure our parks evolve with the county,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe wrote in a June 11 Facebook post.
Some context
Hays County voters approved the Parks and Open Spaces Bond in 2020, allocating $75 million toward 39 projects aimed at conserving land and expanding future parks and open space, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
The bond funded projects such as Buda’s 70-acre Eastside Regional Park, Garison Park and Kyle’s outdoor sportsplex. Over the past five years, more than 2,700 acres of parkland have been improved or purchased with bond funds, according to the bond website.
