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The City of Dripping Springs celebrated the completion of the city hall’s remodeling project with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 26. Members of the community and the Chamber of Commerce attended the event.
Mayor Bill Foulds, Jr. gave a bit of history on the various locations of the city hall, which has moved several times since the city’s incorporation in 1981. It started in the old fire hall, and then moved to the Episcopal church, and finally to its current location in the former Church of Christ building.
“We’ve always been down here in the heart of Dripping Springs,” Foulds said. “We actually moved in with the church and shared it for a while. They got their new building, we took over and didn’t do a thing to it.”
Foulds said the building served the city since 2007 without any remodel, but as the city and its staff have grown, a more updated space was needed.
“We’re still two to three people to an office, even after this remodel. But we actually have room,” Foulds said.
One part of the remodel was improving the technology infrastructure to support how much of the city’s business has moved online, including the permitting process.
“It’s going to help things for everyone in the business community and all the citizens,” Foulds said. “A lot of you folks with your businesses, it should make it a lot easier to communicate. You don’t have to come in, you can communicate electronically.”
Construction was completed on schedule, and staff who had been displaced have been able to move back.
“I’m proud to say that we made it on time. The building looks great. All of our city staff, we had them working out at ranch park in the rodeo arena sitting above it in the box seats. We’ve had people working from home, just everywhere.”
The city has around 70 employees now. Some have offices at Dripping Springs Ranch Park, some are located in the old PEC building, and the rest are in the remodeled city hall.
“I’m very proud of it, and I’m proud of our staff,” Foulds said.
