DSISD Board Approves Interlocal Agreement

At its meeting April 27, the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees approved an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Dripping Springs, the Dripping Springs Community Library District and Hays County to formally begin negotiations to enter into an agreement that will involve the conveyance of property – approximately 11.7 acres where the DSISD Administration Building is currently located – for future use as a Town Center Project, which will serve as a common location for City, Library District and County offices and potential facility use by the District.

“This interlocal agreement is an important step in the development of a Town Center for Dripping Springs, and is the culmination of years of planning, beginning with the Sustainable Places Project in 2012,” Dave Edwards, TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) Board Chairman, said in a statement to the Century News. “The Town Center will help create and maintain the character and sense of community for Dripping Springs. This is especially important as our area experiences unprecedented growth.”

The DSISD Board of Trustees has been working collaboratively with the City, Library District and County since September 2017 to study and evaluate the potential for the eventual construction of a Town Center.  Through this time, the DSISD Board of Trustees has thoughtfully considered, planned, and coordinated the maximum use of district facilities in a manner that best serves taxpayers and our educational community.  As this project has progressed, the Board of Trustees has determined, along with the other parties to the Town Center project, that the timing is right to begin negotiations to consider the conveyance of the District property in exchange for monetary and/or property transfers that ensure the receipt of fair market value and serve the best interests of DSISD and its students. 

“We are excited about this opportunity to begin negotiation discussions towards an agreement with the City, Library District and County that will be fiscally beneficial to the district, mutually beneficial to all entities, and serve the long-term needs of the community by providing a Town Center,” said Superintendent Todd Washburn.  “This ILA creates a unique opportunity for DSISD to further collaborate with the City, Library District and County as we look to maximize community resources, bring a central governmental location, and enhance our downtown area while creating a unifying defining center for the city of Dripping Springs.” 

As part of the 2018 bond package, the DSISD Administration Offices are scheduled to relocate to the current Walnut Springs Elementary campus in 2022. Walnut Springs Elementary will move to a new building next to Dripping Springs Middle School in the fall of 2021.