At its May 12 meeting, the Hays County Commissioners court approved proclamations honoring police officers and nurses, and received an update from The Meadows Center on the Blanco-Cypress Watershed Protection Plan.
Hays County commissioners recognized May 10-16 as National Police Week and May 6-12 as National Nurses Week. Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, 25,950 law enforcement officers had been killed in the line of duty with seven of those officers serving Hays County, according to the proclamation.
“It is important that all citizens know and understand the problems, duties, and responsibilities of their law enforcement agencies, and that members of these agencies recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, protecting them against violence or disorder, and shielding the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression or intimidation,” the proclamation stated.
Hays County Sheriff’s Capt. Shane Smith, thanked county officials for recognizing the work of law enforcement officers and supporting staff by adopting the week of May 10-16 as National Police Week.
”This profession is not easy,” Smith said. “The men and women who wear the badge carry burdens most people never see. Long hours, missed holidays, difficult calls… yet, every day, [officers] continue to show up and serve.”
Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe thanked officers for their service and sacrifice, while Commissioner Michelle Cohen acknowledged the risks officers and their families face daily.
Commissioners also approved a proclamation recognizing May 6-12 as National Nurses Week. Commissioners praised nurses working in hospitals, schools, jails and the county health department.
The American Nurses Association is celebrating its 130 anniversary as the voice for nurses as the demand for nursing serves is greater than ever due to the aging of the population, emerging health challenges, expansion of life-sustaining technologies and the growth of home health care services according to the proclamation.
Hays County Health Department Director Matthew Gonzales said nurses remain central to the county’s healthcare system and public health response.
”Every single one of us here today can think of a loved one; a family member or a friend who’s a nurse, and just how thankful we are for them and the work that they do,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said the county health department expanded from one nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic to a staff of four nurses and a nurse practitioner. He said the department completed more than 1,000 appointments in fiscal year 2025 and has already logged more than 560 appointments this year.
Commissioners also received a presentation from The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment and The Watershed Association on the Blanco-Cypress Watershed Protection Plan. The protection plan is a long running regional effort focused on protecting Cypress Creek, the Blanco River and Jacob’s Well.
Jenna Walker, director of watershed studies at the Meadows Center, warned that new state projections show Hays county’s expected population growth to nearly double over the next 50 years compared to earlier estimates.
“We’re expecting even more growth over the next 50 years than we originally expected, so we have to plan accordingly and smartly,” Walker said.
Walker said conservation will play a larger role in the state’s future water strategy as groundwater supplies become increasingly strained. She showed images of low water flow at Jacob’s Well despite recent rainfall as evidence of worsening drought conditions and the increasing pressure on local aquifers.
Cohen said it is important to have regional cooperation and long-term planning to preserve the county’s water supply.
“We have a lot of work to do here in Hays County,” Cohen said. “It’s going to take partnership at the state level, the local level and within our own communities, all doing our part to try and conserve.”
On a select amount of Tuesday’s the Hays County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Find out more on their website.
