Leander ISD officials are continuing to map out a potential November 2026 bond and voter-approval tax rate election. Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Trimble provided the board of trustees with the latest update July 23. 

The big picture: A potential VATRE is tied to operational challenges while the potential bond is tied to capital challenges. LISD is facing pressure on both its maintenance and operations and interest and sinking tax rates, Trimble said. The district also has 10 campuses that will reach its 25-year lifecycle milestone between 2026 and 2030, and 13 campuses reaching that 25-year mark between 2031-35. 

On the other hand: Several board members expressed concern that the district would not be ready to go to bond or pass a VATRE by November.

Looking ahead: The Citizens Facility Advisory Committee is slated to present project recommendations at the July 30 board meeting, followed by further board discussion Aug. 6 to address any questions and next steps. The last day to call for a November bond or VATRE is Aug. 17. 

An iconic Canadian franchise has two new locations in the works in Leander. A Tim Hortons will be opening along Hero Way in the coming weeks while another location is planned for Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

The details: The Hero Way location has a planned soft opening date of August 15 with a grand opening to come in September, a representative from the business confirmed, a representative of the company said.

Additionally, a new Tim Hortons is planned for Ronald Reagan Boulevard, but has no set opening date at this time.

What they offer: Leander residents can expect the iconic snack Timbits, donut holes that come in a variety of flavors, to be on the menu.

Tim Hortons also offers a wide variety of hot and iced coffees, teas and other beverages. Beyond sweet treats, the chain offers breakfast burritos, sandwiches and biscuits.

Hero Way location

• Opening mid-August

• 1561 Hero Way, Ste. 100, Leander

Ronald Reagan location

• 15513 Ronald Reagan Blvd. Ste. 110, Leander

Williamson County’s gross domestic product is up about $8 billion since 2022, making it the 90th largest global economy, officials said.

Dave Porter, executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, presented an economic update and the organization’s five-year strategic plan to commissioners July 21.

By the numbers: This year, the county’s GDP reached $44.6 billion, up from $36 billion in 2022. Job growth rate stands at 2.5%, and the median household income is $111,340 for WilCo residents.

Looking ahead: The EDP’s newly finalized five-year strategic plan aims to encourage local employment with a “Live Here, Work Here” initiative. With a workforce of 435,000, over 202,000 residents currently commute outside the county for work daily, primarily to Travis County.

One more thing: Porter will retire as executive director at the end of December, and the EDP board of directors is now accepting applications for the position.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects

Austin Light Rail vehicle design to advance under $39M contract with Stadler: Switzerland-based Stadler has been selected to deliver the train cars for Austin Light Rail, the third and final major vendor brought on for the project's first stages this year. Officials with the Austin Transit Partnership advanced a $39 million contract with Stadler to design the fully electric vehicles July 15.

Ongoing projects

North-south route coming to Round Rock’s west side: Residents on Round Rock’s west side will soon have a true alternative to I-35 once the city and county complete the full extension of Wyoming Springs Drive, officials said in June. Ongoing and future road projects are set to help drivers and pedestrians reach their destinations faster and with less traffic.

Completed projects

New bridge over Onion Creek opens in Buda, increasing city access: The bridge will provide community members and first responders a faster route to travel in the city, connecting Cole Springs Road with FM 2770.

Texas’ power grid operator and regulator have laid out their plans to regulate data centers that connect to the state grid and ensure data center companies, not residents, pay for the industry’s growth.

What's happening: To shield Texans from the negative impacts of data center growth, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are:

• Prohibiting data centers from taking existing power resources off the grid
• Launching a new process to evaluate large projects looking to connect to the grid
• Creating standards that large consumers must meet before joining the grid
• Developing incentives for large consumers to reduce their energy use ahead of a grid emergency
• Requiring large companies to pay for the grid infrastructure needed to serve them
• Improving ERCOT’s process for projecting future demand