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Higher Education Campus Officially Opens
Temple College and Texas State Technical College host the official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
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On August 29, 2011, Temple College and Texas State Technical College began offering classes for the Fall 2011 semester in Hutto. Though the planned higher education facility that will be located off of SH130 on a 57-acre campus will not open until 2013, Temple College and Texas State Technical College are utilizing Hutto ISD's vacated Veteran's Hill Elementary School to start establishing a solid student base and begin aiding residents pursuing higher education and technical training. A partnership with Texas A&M Central Texas is also being pursued so that within 2-4 years, 3rd and 4th year courses, as well as graduate level courses will be offered alongside state of the art technical training and local community development.  | |
Video Presentation of the August 10, 2011 East Williamson County Higher Education Center Ribbon Cutting at the Veteran's Hill Campus.
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The Official Ribbon Cutting for the temporary campus was held August 10, 2011, at Veteran's Hill Elementary. Over 200 people were present at this landmark event. Area residents were joined by elected officials, representatives from both Texas State Technical College and Temple College, as well as Texas A&M Central Texas. Higher education officials have signed a lease agreement for Veteran's Hill for two years while the permanent campus is being developed. For more pictures from the event, click here. For video from the event, click here. Veterans Hill is located at 555 Limmer Loop, Round Rock, Texas. 
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| Hutto EDC Offering Entrepreneurial Academy
The Inaugural Entrepreneurial & Small Business Academy coming to Hutto this Fall
 Beginning this Fall, the Hutto Economic Development Corporation, in conjunction with Temple College, will begin offering a specialized course for Hutto business owners and entrepreneurs. Whether you are  looking to start a business or whether you already own an existing business, this 10-week FastTrac® Course is designed to aid businesses in the startup stages of business growth as well as help those with mature businesses to identify existing issues, identify potential roadblocks, and develop a plan for future growth.
How the Program Will Work
This program is broken into two sections: 1) The Introductory Seminar (please note that there is one for business start-ups and one for existing small businesses), and 2) The 10-week FastTrac® course. The Introductory Seminars will be held to introduce participants to the concepts encountered during the 10-week course, allowing participants to decide whether or not they wish to make the commitment to the 10-week FastTrac® course. The 10-week FastTrac® course will consist of ten, weekly, 3-hour sessions with relevant homework.
To Sign Up
For more information and to register, click here to download the Informational Flier and Introductory Seminar Registration Form. Additional information about the application process is outlined in the Informational Flier.
Dates
Launching Your Entrepreneurial Future: September 12, 2011
Listening to Your Business: September 19, 2011
2011 Dates for the 10-week FastTrac® course are as follows:
October 3, 17, 24
November 1, 7, 14, 21, 28
December 5, 12
All seminars will be held from 6 to 9pm at the Hutto Holiday Inn Express.
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| SH130 Infrastructure Project Kicks-Off
Construction begins on waterline, opening hundreds of acres to development
Construction has begun on the SH130 Waterline, a joint project by the Hutto Economic Development Corporation and the City of Hutto, which is designed to open hundreds of acres to development along SH130. Designed by the engineering firm of Walker Partners, McLean Construction began work on constructing the Waterline during August. Under a separate bid, construction on the planned Wastewater Line will begin this Fall. Top of Page
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| Hutto Community Presented with the 2nd Annual Pigskin Preview at the August Power Breakfast
Hippos Head Coach Steve Hale presented to Hutto leaders
Hutto Hippos Head Football Coach Steve Hale was the featured presenter, giving the 2nd Annual Pigskin Preview, at the August 11, 2011 Power Breakfast. Coach Hale presented on his coaching philosophies, team goals and strategies, and what to expect from the Hutto Hippos this upcoming football season.
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Hutto Hippos Head Coach Steve Hale addresses the Hutto community at the August 11, 2011 Power Breakfast. To view the video, click on the image above.
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In case you missed the event, be sure to visit the Hutto EDC YouTube Channel by clicking here to view the complete presentation. For pictures from the event, click here.
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| Texas Workforce Commission to Present at September Power Breakfast
Business Specialist to Address the Hutto Community
 Mick Normington, a Business Specialist with the Texas Workforce Commission will be the featured presenter at the September 8, 2011 Power Breakfast. Normington will be on-hand to present information on regional economic trends, changing employer demands, occupational growth areas, and the changing demographics as they relate to the local workforce.
This event will be held at 7:30am at the Holiday Inn Express in Hutto, and like all Hutto EDC Power Breakfasts, this is a free event open to the public.
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| 3rd Annual Year-In-Review Banquet to be Held in October
Mark your Calendars for the Annual Hutto Economic Development Corporation Year-In-Review Banquet
Be sure to mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Year-In-Review Banquet. This event will be held on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 6:00pm, at The Golf Club at Star Ranch. Though this event is open and free to attend, RSVP's will be required due to limited seating. If you would like to attend, please be sure to RSVP to Erin Graves by clicking here or by calling 512.759.2806.
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Resource Corner: Information For You
Conveniently Connected™ - The Regional Proximity of Hutto, Texas
Hutto is a lot closer to the many amenities of the Austin region than you may think. With the opening of SH-130, Hutto is Conveniently Connected™ to the region.
To view the above information in further detail, click here or click on the images above. If you would like more information on this topic or have any questions about other resources that may be available for your use, please feel free to contact Seanna at sroysden@huttoedc.com.
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|  Hutto is one of just sixteen Texas municipalities that were awarded Scenic City Certification by the Scenic City Certification Program of Scenic Texas. Hutto received Bronze Certification for its Hutto Hippo Statue program, on-premise sign regulations in its downtown district and its Green Hutto initiative that focuses on community awareness of environmental responsibility. Of the 1200 cities and towns in Texas only sixteen earned Scenic City designation in 2011.
The Scenic City Certification Program is the first in the United States to incorporate a comprehensive set of model standards for design and development of public roadways and public spaces into one program. Applicant cities present their existing standards for assessment and scoring against the model. Cities with the highest evaluation scores are certified.
Anne Culver, executive director of the Scenic City Certification Program, said, "Hutto exemplifies the idea that by implementing strong scenic standards citizens can enjoy a higher quality of life and businesses find it easier to attract customers and employees. This is a win-win situation for these cities, their residents and for the promise of future quality of life and economic development."
A reception to present these sixteen municipalities their Scenic City Certification will take place on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at the Four Season Hotel in Houston in conjunction with the annual conference of the Texas Municipal League.
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Hutto Council Approves City's Fee Schedule
| The City Council recently approved an amendment to the City's fee schedule which allows nonresidential customers with a 5/8" or 3/4" meter to utilize winter averaging to determine their wastewater bill. Currently, wastewater winter averaging is used for residential customers. Winter averaging averages a customer's water use between December and February to determine an annual average amount of wastewater is created. The winter months are chosen for this because use is limited to internal use such as showers, laundry, and dishwashing, of which the majority enters into the City's sewer system and requires treatment. Water use from summer irrigation, car washing, and pools is not calculated as part of the wastewater bill as this water does not enter the sewer system.
Non-residential customers are currently charged wastewater based on their water consumption. No winter averaging is used. Residences in downtown are beginning to change to commercial use, especially in downtown Hutto. As these houses shift, they are reclassified from residential to non-residential, causing increases to their monthly utilities because of a higher non-residential rate and because they lose the ability to use winter averaging for wastewater. These customers will continue to water landscaping and are currently charged wastewater based on all use, not just the portion that enters the City's wastewater system. For example, if a business typically uses 5,000 per month during the winter months, then approximately 5,000 gallons of wastewater is generated. During the summer, the business may have landscaping to water and they use 15,000 gallons in a month. Under the old calculation, the business would be charged for 15,000 gallons of water and 15,000 gallons of wastewater even though the water is used for landscaping and is not entering the sewer system.
The change enables non-residential customers with a 5/8" or 3/4" meter to continue to use wastewater winter averaging. Larger non-residential customers typically have separate irrigation meters in place to mitigate this issue.
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CIP Plan Adopted by Council
| On July 21, 2011, the Hutto City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2012-2016 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). The CIP is a planning document that identifies anticipated infrastructure needs and/or opportunities during the planning period. The plan contains five elements - Water, Wastewater, Transportation and Drainage, Parks & Recreation, and Municipal Facilities.
Projects were identified based on current planning documents (Strategic Guide, Growth Guidance Plan, Downtown Plan, Parks Master Plan), replacement of aging infrastructure, safety Issues, accommodating growth and development, contractual obligations, input from Council, Planning and Zoning, and other city boards, as well as current funding opportunities.
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Texas Bid System
| Effective September 1, 2011, the City of Hutto will be joining the cities of Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, and Taylor in addition to Georgetown ISD and Pflugerville ISD in transitioning to the Texas Bid System, a web-based vendor registration and bid solicitation database. The Texas Bid System will provide vendors with a convenient online access to bid information for all the above entities and any other Texas government entity that is currently using the Texas Bid System to post solicitations.
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Hutto Commercial District Accepted into the National Register of Historic Places
| The Hutto Commercial District in Hutto was listed recently in the National Register of Historic Places. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) assisted in the nomination of this property in recognition of its importance to the history of Hutto and the State of Texas. Noted for its historical significance, the district joins other properties in Williamson County and around the state with National Register status.
The Hutto Commercial Historic District consists of 12 buildings in the heart of Hutto, approximately 25 miles northeast of Austin. Beginning in the 1870s, the town developed as a cotton shipping point along the International and Great Northern Railroad. Prior to 1890, all development in Hutto had occurred south of the railroad, but after a devastating tornado in 1886, the commercial center moved to the north of the tracks. The district was listed for its association with the development of the rural community, and for its intact and concentrated collection of commercial buildings. Most of the buildings are good examples of the Late Victorian Italianate style of the 1890s, and the early 20th century Commercial Style, applied to one and two-story brick buildings with a mix of wood, brick, and cast iron facades. The period of significance for the district spans from 1892, when the first two buildings in the district were built, to 1929, just prior to the decline brought on by the Great Depression. The once-small town has experienced meteoric population growth more than 1000 percent in the decade since 2000.
"Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is both an honor and a substantial contribution to the local economy through the state's heritage tourism efforts," said THC Executive Director Mark Wolfe. "The work done by property owners, local preservation organizations, THC staff, and the THC's professional review board results in an achievement that the community can be proud of as they join our agency in saving the real places that tell the real stories of Texas history."
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of cultural resources deemed worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a federal program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect the country's historic and archeological resources. The National Register includes more than 3,000 listings in Texas. Listing affords properties a measure of protection from the possible impact of federally funded projects, as well as access to technical expertise and grant funds to facilitate their restoration and preservation. Income-producing properties are also eligible for federal tax benefits for sympathetic rehabilitation work.
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Community Demographic Information
To view the current Economic Profile for the Round Rock-Austin MSA,
click here.
To view the current economic profile for the Rural Capital Area Workforce Development Area, click here.
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Type A Economic Development Sales Tax Allocation
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Fiscal Year
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July
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August
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Cumulative
Total
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1997/98
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$2,528.11
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$5,654.13
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$40,417.02
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1998/99
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$1,953.14
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$3,070.44
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$32,045.20
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1999/00
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$3,337.79
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$4,041.08
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$35,093.61
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2000/01
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$6,008.74
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$6,099.93
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$50,940.93
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2001/02
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$4,319.54
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$6,965.84
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$58,299.83
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2002/03
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$6,368.12
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$5,699.42
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$73,572.84
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2003/04
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$6,479.97
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$10,607.65
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$98,841.25
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2004/05
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$19,737.44
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$25,904.94
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$216,990.28
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2005/06
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$33,533.01
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$37,512.93
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$336,629.05
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2006/07
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$33,214.51
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$40,950.03
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$376,036.41
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2007/08
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$38,861.78
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$48,244.00
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$481,309.64
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2008/09
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$37,555.91
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$49,063.71
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$495,826.74
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2009/10
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$39,973.43
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$52,974.30
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$467,917.40
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2010/11
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$38,097.78
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$54,541.70
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$471,200.26*
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*Cumulative Fiscal year-to-date Data Figures
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Single Family Building Permit
Requests by Month
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Month
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2005
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2006
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2007
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2008
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2009
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2010
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2011
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January
|
63
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93
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71
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64
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18
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20
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23
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February
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51
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70
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49
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49
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15
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6
|
11
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March
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56
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101
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84
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47
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14
|
16
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22
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April
|
67
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91
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75
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46
|
48
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17
|
24
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May
|
53
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66
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37
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29
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22
|
36
|
12
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June
|
58
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68
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44
|
22
|
29
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17
|
10
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July
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61
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56
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34
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32
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39
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11
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10
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August
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78
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70
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25
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41
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22
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11
|
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September
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67
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66
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24
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28
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24
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7
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October
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65
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58
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51
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5
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19
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7
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November
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49
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37
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60
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9
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6
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17
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December
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46
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46
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7
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12
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7
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15
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July 2011 Unemployment Rates
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Area
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July 10
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June 11
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July 11
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Austin/Round Rock MSA
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7.3%
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7.6%
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7.6%
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Texas
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8.4%
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8.8%
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8.7%
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National
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9.7%
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9.3%
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9.3%
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Area
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|
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July 11
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Williamson County
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7.7%
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A Note from the Executive Director
August was an exciting month as you can tell by the information above. A ribbon cutting was held to mark the beginning of higher education in Hutto, a much anticipated public works project began, and of course the Hutto Hippos kicked off the football season with a 43-26 victory over LBJ.
I encourage you to go out and support the Hutto Hippos this season in football, basketball, volleyball, or other sport or activity. We are fortunate to live in a community with such strong school spirit and quality athletic and extracurricular programs. Support our schools and our kids as they work hard and make our community proud.
Please let me or the economic development staff know if we can be of assistance to you. I look forward to visiting with you at one of our Second Thursday Power Breakfast.
Warmest regards,
Scott Martinez, CEcD
Hutto Economic Development Corporation
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Did you Know... |
... that Hutto has a secure 27-mile waterline to the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer? Currently, Hutto is one of the few Central Texas cities without water restrictions!
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