An open meeting is slated for Saturday to give folks a chance to discuss the possibility of a third municipality in Blanco County, an idea that has divided area residents.
“We did not have the chance to voice our opinion because everything is being done secretly by the people who are for this city,” said Mitchell Liesmann, who lives in the area that would become part of a new Class C city, Hobbes, if voters approve the incorporation next month. He answered questions from the News in an email this week. “Our county judge, Judge Brett Bray, had a Town Hall last year before he would sign the order to get it on the 2024 ballot. His wife owns land in the proposed city so he did a very good job of being impartial to both sides of the aisle. After 50+ people showed up to get information, Judge Bray did not sign the order and recused himself.”
However, many folks were not aware that the notion of Hobbes was alive and well even though it did not make it onto the ballot last November.
“We feel that the citizens should have a right to discuss this issue publicly,” said Liesmann, who is one of the organizers of the meeting. “The upcoming meeting is for everyone, so there is nothing hiding in the shadows when we step up and vote. Issues being brought up will be a list of pros and cons of becoming a city, such as taxes, road maintenance, emergency services, which all are costs that will rise due to becoming a city. Any false or misleading statements will be brought up as well.”
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on April 12 at the Johnson City Community Park Building, 620 North Nugent Ave.
The area that would be incorporated as Hobbes is located around Miller Creek RV park and is near Johnson City. If voters approve, the new city would be led by a 3-person city council consisting of a mayor and two members.
HOBBES: A HISTORY
In his order signed on March 14, Judge Dibrell “Dib” Waldrip—the presiding judge for Texas’s Third Administrative Judicial Region— approved a petition by the “Blanco Citizens for Local Control” and ordered the Blanco County Elections Administrator to hold an election to decide the matter. Waldrip is the same judge who previously denied the petition in September of last year because he wanted more proof regarding the number of inhabitants who would be impacted.
After apparently receiving more information, Waldrip ordered that incorporation will be included on the May 3 General Election ballot. Early voting begins on April 22.
One person who is behind the push for Hobbes is area resident Paul Diehl.
“Our primary goal with Protect Our Texas Hill Country has always been to strengthen the sense of community among our Miller Creek neighbors,” he said in an emailed statement this week. “By that measure, the effort has already been a success—regardless of the election outcome.”
The News previously reported that Hobbes would be a “Liberty City” with fewer taxes and less government than most municipalities.
According to Waldrip’s order, at least 10% of area residents were in favor of incorporation; however, some have questioned the methods used to reach the required threshold.
“People were being told that creating this city would stop surrounding cities--such as Austin, San Antonio, Johnson City, Blanco and Dripping Springs--from annexing our land,” Liesmann said. “It was also said that we would gain control to stop a bypass road that was being proposed for Johnson City and that we could control all of the development in our area. By signing this petition, people thought they would get protection and would not even have to incur any additional taxation. These statements were all misleading and unfortunately some residents signed it. In some cases, every voting member of households signed this petition thinking that they were ‘protecting’ their lands. Also, many of the residents that did originally sign the petition would not sign it today. They were even able to use the residents of the RV park who do not share any ownership in the park.”
Liesmann’s family did not sign the petition.
“There is no logic in becoming a city to prevent becoming a city,” he said. “The only thing that is a constant in this world is change. I’m not opposed to it and neither do I wish to control other people’s desire of it. I just want to play in my little sand box and wish others would play in their own sand boxes of thousands of acres.”
The News will continue to follow this story.
