Joint county, city park to pay tribute to Wright

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

During an extremely brief meeting of the Caldwell County Commissioners Court on Monday morning, a long-discussed joint venture between Caldwell County and the City of Lockhart drew one step closer.

After a few weeks of discussion, the two bodies entered a joint resolution to assign a name to what is commonly referred to

as the “wetlands park” on Highway 183 near the Plum Creek Bridge. The site, which was originally set aside by the Texas Department of Transportation as a wetlands reclamation site and later designated as a park, will be called the H.T. Wright Memorial Park.

Wright, who passed away in April after a brief battle with lymphoma, was the seated County Judge during the negotiations with TxDOT regarding the site, and was instrumental in leading the charge to have the area turned into a park.

Often, he scolded other Commissioners, stating frequently,” Caldwell County doesn’t have enough parkland.”

When TxDOT chose the banks of Plum Creek as the site where they would replace the wetland habitats destroyed in the construction of State Highway 130, he, along with City of Lockhart officials, saw an opening. They worked together with TxDOT officials to turn the area into parkland.

Upon completion of the park, most of the land will fall under the responsibility of Caldwell County. However, the county’s portion of the park will be a true “wetlands area,” with few trails and no amenities. The front portion, nearest the highway, will be maintained by the City of Lockhart, and will include amenities such as a playground, picnic tables and restrooms.

No clear timeline for the opening of the park is presently available.

In other news during the meeting, the Commissioners opted not to impose an outdoor burning ban for at least another week. According to Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Parker, recent storms in the Gulf of Mexico have produced ample rain to keep Caldwell County in the “safe zone.”

The Court also approved a fee schedule for vehicles registered in Caldwell County.

Although options are available through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to impose additional fees for county roads and bridges or fees to help support child safety, the Commissioners opted not to impose any such fees.

The County paid bills in the amount of $216,543.11, which includes $11,317.43 in indigent legal defense expenses.

The Caldwell County Commissioners routinely meet on the second, third and fourth Monday of each month at 9 a.m. in Room 100 of the Caldwell County Courthouse. The meetings are open to the public, and citizens are encouraged to attend and participate.