Next meeting 

Thursday, May 14 

Commissioners keep burn ban off 

The burn ban remains off following action taken during the April 23 meeting of the Caldwell County Commissioners Court.  

The burn ban was temporarily suspended on April 13 due to improving conditions following significant rainfall. Commissioners voted unanimously to keep the ban off to allow residents in unincorporated areas of the county to continue reducing fire risk by burning brush. 

Recent rainfall has improved ground conditions to the point that fields are saturated. The average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Caldwell County was under 200 when Chief Emergency Management Coordinator Hector Rangel checked it prior to the meeting, he said.  

The KBDI threshold for drought is 575. 

County residents are reminded to burn only natural brush. 

Best burning practices published by the TCEQ are available in brochure form: 

• English 
• Spanish 

Proclamations recognize nurses, air quality and economic development 

Commissioners approved a trio of proclamations at their regular meeting. 

• May 9, 2026 was proclaimed Retired Nurses Group of Caldwell County. (RNGCC) and RNGCC Certified Nurse’s Aide Training Program Recognition Day. The group, which was founded by retired nursing professionals, has contributed to public health in Caldwell County by supporting vaccine distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic and establishing and continuing the Nurse’s Aide Training Program which provides training and mentorship for students entering the healthcare workforce. View the proclamation. 

• May 4-8 was recognized as Air Quality Awareness Week. The proclamation highlights the importance of maintaining good air quality as it relates to controlling annual fine particulate matter to preserve public health, the region’s economyand transportation planning. View the proclamation. 

• May 4-8 was also recognized as Economic Development Week, highlighting the role economic development professionals play in cultivating thriving communities. View the proclamation. 

Other Action 

Commissioners: 

• Approved a development agreement for Lockhart Property, LLC regarding the future Prime Data Centers to be located on approximately 205 acres off FM 2720. Read the terms of the agreement. 

• Approved a pair of reimbursement agreements between the county and Union Pacific Railroad for costs associated with engineering services related to a pair of upcoming road improvement projects involving/affecting railroad crossings. Read the agreements for the North Magnolia Turn Lane Addition project and the North Hackberry Avenue Truck Route project. Read about the projects themselves at caldwellroadbond.com/projects. 

• Authorized the county to post a Request for Proposal for Medical Service for Inmates at the Caldwell County Jail. 

• Authorized the submittal of a grant application to the Texas Historical Commission for a Texas Courthouse Preservation Program grant. If awarded, the grant could potentially fund both exterior and interior renovations at the historic Caldwell County Courthouse. Total cost of the projects is estimated at approximately $4 million if all suggested work in the courthouse master plan is completed. 

This is a brief summary of discussion and action highlights of the April 23, 2026  regular commissioners court meeting. See full agendas and official meeting minutes and watch full video of the meetings. 

Next meeting 

Thursday, April 23 

Commissioners approve development agreement for data center campus 

Commissioners unanimously approved  development agreements related to a  future data center campus that will be located in the Maxwell area. 

The campus, which will be owned and operated by Edged Energy, will be split into two phases  on approximately 330 acres off SH 142 near the LCRA Timmerman Powerplant. The total estimated cost of improvements is projected to be $7.3 billion. 

Two development agreements were approved that applied conditions to each phase. The agreement provides for conditions of operation, including requiring a closed-loop server cooling system that uses a finite amount of non-potable water. The end result: The facilities will only use potable water for ordinary plumbing fixtures like toilets, bathroom sinks and food prep areas. 

Read the full drafts of the development agreements here and here. 

The item approval built on action taken by commissioners at their March 26 meeting, when they approved a Chapter 312 tax abatement agreement between Caldwell County and EDC Austin LLC. 

Chapter 312 agreements are local agreements between a taxpayer and a taxing unit that exempts increases in the value of the property from taxation for up to 10 years. 

The Chapter 312 agreement allows the property owner to make pilot payments to the County in lieu of taxation during the years the agreement is in effect. Pilot payments allow the county to keep the property off the tax roll, allowing it to use its operation budget to optimally serve citizens and shift the tax burden to industries. 

Other Action 

Commissioners: 

• Voted to leave the burn ban on. However, a rainy weekend prompted Judge Hoppy Haden to temporarily lift the burn ban on Monday, April 13 through midnight on Sunday, April 19. 

• Voted to accept the Caldwell County Annual Financial Audit Report for FY 2025. The independent audit was performed by Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, which issued an unmodified — or clean — opinion of the county’s financial statements for the previous fiscal year. A clean opinion means that the independent auditor concluded the county’s statements were presented fairly and indicates the financial records are accurate, reliable and free from material misstatements. 

• Approved a $30,000 donation to the Hays Caldwell County Child Development Board. 

• Authorized the county to pursue grant funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $993 million FY 2026 Safe Streets for All grant program. The program supports planning, infrastructure, and behavioral and operational initiatives to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, motorists, and commercial vehicle operators. 

• Discussed potentially going out for bids to find a firm to help compile a 5-year Strategic and Operational Plan for Caldwell County that would run through 2030. 

• Approved a proclamation designating April 26-May 3 as Caldwell-Travis Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) Stewardship Week. 

• Recognized April 2026 as Caldwell County Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. 

• Recognized April 6-10 as National Community Development Week. 

• Recognized April 12-18 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. 

This is a brief summary of discussion and action highlights of the April 9, 2026  regular commissioners court meeting. See full agendas and official meeting minutes and watch full video of the meetings.