Caldwell County Commissioners paid respects to a fallen veteran, discussed outdoor burning and authorized a grant application at their June 24, 2025 regular meeting.
(Pictured l-r: Pct. 1 Commissioner B.J. Westmoreland, Pct. 2 Commissioner Rusty Horne, County Judge Hoppy Haden, Pct. 3 Commissioner Ed Theriot, Pct. 4 Commissioner Dyral Thomas)
Commissioners pay respects to PFC Menchaca
Commissioners kept an annual tradition alive by honoring a Gary Job Corps Center alumnus who lost his life 19 years ago while serving the United States Army in Iraq with a proclamation.
Private First Class Kristian Menchaca was killed in 2006 following an insurgent attack on a U.S. Army checkpoint while assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airbome Division. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals.
Prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army, Private First Class Kristian Menchaca was a student at Gary Jobs Corps, the residential vocational program with facilities located in the Caldwell County portion of San Marcos.
Menchaca earned a security officer certificate from Gary Job Corps in 2005.
Local honors Menchaca has received include annual proclamations recognizing his sacrifice and a stretch of FM 21 that has been designated the PFC Kristian Menchaca Memorial Highway.
The Gary Job Corps Center, which is scheduled to shut down operations at the end of the month following a Department of Labor order to cease operations at all contractor-run job corps centers, has been open since 1965.
Job corps students joined Community Relations Director Randolph Goodman at Commissioners Court on Tuesday for the proclamation presentation.
Goodman said he appreciated how commissioners have paid respect to Menchaca and other veterans throughout the years, including helping fund the PFC Kristian Menchaca Memorial Highway signage.
“Those signs on 21 were not cheap,” Goodman said. “Thank you for understanding the sacrifices of our veterans and for recognizing them. As long as [highway] signs like these are up, people driving by can take a moment [to reflect] on who these people were.”
Steady rainfall has helped Caldwell County retain enough ground moisture to leave the burn ban off.
Commissioners voted on Tuesday to continue allowing outdoor burning at the recommendation of Chief Emergency Management Coordinator Hector Rangel, who said the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) remains well below the drought threshold.
Rangel said the average KBDI for Caldwell County was at 303 as of Tuesday morning. Drought conditions are considered to be present when the KBDI is at or above 575.
“Rain is predicted for every day this week, with chances of 20% or higher,” Rangel said. “It’s green, it’s not drying out and humidity levels are staying at 90%.”
- Approved a short form plat for Thompson Acres consisting of four residential lots on 9.7 acres at Old Colony Line Road and Thompson Road.
-
Approved a final plat for Mesquite Meadows Subdivision consisting of 22 lots on 32.9 acres at FM 672 and Barth Road.
-
Approved a funding request of $2,884 for the FY 2026 Air Quality Program.
-
Approved the proposed 2026 Appraisal District and Collections budget from the Caldwell County Appraisal District.
- Approved a resolution authorizing Caldwell County to apply for the 2025 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Election Security Grant.
June 19 - also known as Juneteenth - commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas and became a day of jubilation and liberation for former slaves, specifically the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston learned of their freedom when Maj. General Gordon Granger arrived and announced all Texas slaves were free.
It is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States and was officially designated as a federal holiday in 2021.
Caldwell County Commissioners approved a proclamation at their last meeting recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day.
Caldwell County administrative offices will be closed Thursday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. Offices will resume normal operations at 8 a.m. Friday, June 20.
County administrative offices will close at 3 p.m. today for the Chisholm Trail Roundup. Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, June 16.
Motor vehicle dealers next month will begin issuing metal license plates directly to buyers of new and used vehicles, ending the practice of placing temporary paper tags on a vehicle after a sale.
The rule change stems from HB 718, which was passed in 2023. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
The law changes the way vehicles are licensed whether you buy new or used from a dealer, trade in your vehicle, or buy/sell as a private party.
Consumers buying or selling a vehicle in Texas on or after July 1, 2025, may notice changes in how their license plates are issued or transferred.
Buying a Vehicle from a Dealer
Customers who purchase a vehicle from a Texas dealer will receive metal license plates at the time the dealer delivers the vehicle, allowing them to immediately display the plates and operate the vehicle while awaiting their registration window sticker.
Trading In a Vehicle to a Dealer
Effective July 1, 2025, when customer sell or trade in a vehicle with general issue plates, dealers will remove the plates and may transfer them to another vehicle of the same class sold within 10 days. Consumers with specialty and personalized license plates will retain their plates.
Buying or Selling a Vehicle in a Private Sale
The process remains unchanged for person-to-person vehicle sales. Sellers remove their license plates and registration sticker from the vehicle and can transfer the plates to another vehicle they own—if appropriate for the vehicle class—by visiting the county tax assessor-collector's office.
Sellers of Texas-titled vehicles should submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification (VTN) to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles within 30 days. To process the VTN, the seller must provide the buyer’s full name, address, and telephone number, which should be collected at the time of sale.
Buyers must submit a title and registration application at their county tax assessor-collector's office and obtain new plates. For more information, visit Buying or Selling a Vehicle.
Caldwell County Commissioners discussed an order to authorize the issuance of bonds, a safety action plan related to future grant applications and the burn ban at its June 10, 2025 regular meeting.
.
(Pictured l-r: Pct. 1 Commissioner B.J. Westmoreland, Pct. 2 Commissioner Rusty Horne, County Judge Hoppy Haden, Pct. 3 Commissioner Ed Theriot, Pct. 4 Commissioner Dyral Thomas)
Commissioners authorize bond issue
Caldwell County has taken the first step toward accessing funding for transportation infrastructure projects voters approved last year.
Voters in November 2024 approved the issuance of up to $150 million in bonds that will be used to fund projects aimed at improving safety and mobility in Caldwell County. The projects include improvements to county roads, bridges and low water crossings as well as design work and future transportation studies.
Commissioners on Tuesday approved an order that authorizes the issuance of Caldwell County, Texas General Obligation Bonds, Series 2025 and levies an annual Ad Valorem tax for debt service associated with the bonds.
The first bond issuance will allow the county to borrow approximately $55.7 million in funding to get projects underway. The initial issuance amount is based on an increase in the county’s Interest and Sinking (I&S) tax rate of four cents per $100 property valuation to pay for debt service, or the principal and interest payments of the loan.
The county will have access to the funds when the sale closes on July 1.
Road to Zero, Safety Action Plan adopted
Commissioners adopted a plan that identifies the county’s most deadly roads and intersections and meets a prerequisite for federal funding for projects to make them safer.
The plan – which was approved in coordination with the county’s Road to Zero goal, which aims to have no traffic-related deaths or serious injuries by 2050 — identified eight corridors and seven intersections that have accounted for 84 fatal and serious injury crashes in Caldwell County between 2019-2023.
During that time frame, there have been 4,293 crashes with 63 fatalities and 222 people who were seriously injured.
A safety action plan is a requirement to apply for funding for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) implementation grants, a discretionary grant program authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Caldwell County plans to apply for grant funding through the program. Applications are due June 26.
-
- Approved the Caldwell County Environmental Protocol related to county-funded road improvement projects, including those that fall under the 2024 Road Bond. Environmental reviews and compliance protocols are put in place to ensure projects comply with relevant environmental laws and regulations, minimizing potential negative impacts on the environment and human health. The process analyzes the project's effects on the environment, people, and the site itself, and ensures that any necessary mitigation measures are implemented.
- Voted to leave the burn ban off.
- Approved the final plat for OCLR Acres consisting of five lots on approximately 10.010 acres on Old Colony Line Road at FM 86.
- Tabled action on the Rules of Procedure, Conduct and Decorum for All Commissioners Court meetings. The proposed document covers state-mandated changes to posting requirements as well as considers potential updated rules for dress code, conduct and discussion/action items.
- Approved a proclamation recognizing June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth, commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas.
- Approved an amendment to a resolution that authorizes the county to apply for the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority FY 2026 SB 224 Catalytic Converter Grant, which provides funding for Texas law enforcement agencies to combat catalytic converter theft.
Caldwell County Commissioners recently proclaimed June as Elder Abuse Awareness Month.
Abuse of older adults and people with disabilities is a community concern, affecting thousands of people across Texas.
There were 123,852 reports of abuse older adults and people with disabilities in Texas in 2024. Elder abuse is grossly underreported for reasons that include social stigma, embarrassment and fear.
Elder abuse is everyone's business, it's important to strengthen our efforts to prevent, report and address elder abuse.
Caldwell County urges all residents to work together to reduce abuse and neglect of older adults and people with disabilities.
To report elder abuse, call the Texas Department of Family Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400.
In the event of a life-threatening situation, please call 9-1-1.
Overnight rainfall of more than 3 inches in some parts of northwestern Caldwell County have led to intermittent water-related closures on multiple roads today.
Please be aware: Attempting to pass by a barricade on a road closed due to flooding is both dangerous and illegal.
Visit the county's road closures page for updates and follow atxfloods.com for more information about flooding in Caldwell County and the Greater Austin area.