On May 2, the Hays County Commissioner’s Court recognized the hard work of local and state law enforcement and discussed the local watershed.
Judge Ruben Becerra and commissioners recognized May 15-21, 2023 as Police Week and May 18, 2023 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. 
“I want to invite the citizens of Hays County, the court and everyone here to our memorial day at the government center, it will be May 18 and it is to honor the fallen law enforcement officers of Texas,” Hill Country Lodge #23 President of the Fraternal Order of Police, and Hays County Sheriff’s officer Lieutenant Ronnie Strain said.
The court met with the new coordinator of the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership Watershed Protection Plan, Sean Melvin, to discuss Plum Creek and efforts to restore it to a healthy environment and ecosystem.
“Since 2004 [Plum Creek] has been listed as impaired for contact recreation. The main impairments that impact the Plum Creek Watershed is E. Coli, high levels of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphorous, as well as impacts to instream habitats, most reportedly fish kills” Melvin Said.
Commissioner Walt Smith, who raised some concern that the Watershed Partnership, which currently has 12 partners, may suffer from competing interests suggested working with the USDA’s Grassroots Source Water Protection Program.
“They bring together all of the stakeholder groups to create an overall source protection plan for that area,” Smith said. “Why that is important is that you don’t have an environmental group versus a developer versus a city versus a county who all have different priorities.”
For more information on the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership Watershed Protection Plan and upcoming events, visit their website.
The Hays County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. on select Tuesdays each month. For more information, visit its website.