Hill Country Village officials mull special election to support City Hall project

Hill Country Village officials are planning for a November special election, which they said could play a major part toward improving the existing City Hall campus.

In a May 18 City Council meeting, Mayor Gabriel Durand-Hollis said city officials considering setting up a Nov. 7 election where local voters would be asked to repurpose unspent money from the city’s $8.5 million, which voters approved in 2019 to fund a recent citywide road project.

Durand-Hollis said the city has spent more than $5.4 million from the 2019 bond toward improving several streets. He added, if voters give permission at the polls, the city could reallocate remaining bond funds toward improving and expanding the existing municipal facility at 116 Aspen Lane.

“There might be something north of $2 million left to repurpose,” Durand-Hollis said. “It would be up to the citizens to repurpose the money. If they say no, then we still have $2 million left for roads.”

Local officials previously considered possibly relocating City Hall to part of an undeveloped city-owned tract at Tower Drive and Bitters Road, but after pushback from residents, council decided to hold the municipal facility in place and keep their options open for the city-owned property.

Aug. 21 is the state’s deadline to order an election for Nov. 7. City Administrator/Police Chief Frank Morales said bond consultants would help come up with proper language in a potential bond repurpose ballot measure.

City officials said a citizens committee tasked with helping consider City Hall improvements is tentatively slated to have public meetings at the municipal facility May 23, June 22 and July 13.

A public forum is tentatively set for June 8, and council is expected to meet in a special session June 15, with all discussions focused on potential City Hall upgrades.