From clean audits to a Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority waterline project, here are five government stories from the latest government meetings in March.

Boerne receives clean audit report for FY 2024-25: In an audit of the city of Boerne's fiscal year 2024-25 budget, no major findings were identified, showing a positive financial position for the city. Audit Partner Patrick Simmons said the clean opinion given to the city is the highest level of assurance that can be given on a financial statement.

Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department sees increase in annual calls for service, decrease in cases reported: On March 19, Fair Oaks Ranch Police Chief Todd Smith gave the annual police department report, showing that in 2025, the city of Fair Oaks Ranch received 5,312 calls for service, the majority of which were animal services calls and security checks. 

A nonprofit organization specializing in theological education is planning to launch in Boerne in the 2026-2027 school year.

Some details: LifeWise Academy—an organization that provides off-campus religious education during school hours—is now pre-enrolling students for the upcoming year, Program Director Kelly Kuhl told Community Impact.

LifeWise, which was founded by Joel Penton in 2018, has 1,400 schools across 38 states, said Aaron Braswell, South Texas state director at LifeWise Academy.

The academy's instruction is intended for children in grades 1-5. Kuhl said the program has narrowed it down to two elementary schools where students can enroll directly for the upcoming school year, which will be announced at a later date.

The program, which will be offered weekly, will have students transported with LifeWise vehicles to a local church or community center to receive instruction, according to the academy's website. This is both with parental permission and in accordance with Texas Senate Bill 1049, Kuhl said. 

• Serving the Boerne area

Check out four transportation projects across the San Antonio Metrocom, including upcoming improvements to Babcock Road and the ongoing construction of Loop 1604.

Upcoming projects
North San Antonio
Babcock Road (West Hausman to UTSA Boulevard) project: Part of San Antonio’s 2022-27 bond program, the project will widen roughly 0.4 miles of Babcock Road into a four-lane roadway with a center turn lane. The project will also add sidewalks, curbs and driveway approaches, build a mid-block pedestrian crossing and add drainage improvements. San Antonio City Council approved a construction contract with E-Z Bel Construction LLC on Jan. 29 in an amount not to exceed $6.17 million, with $88,955 to be reimbursed by the San Antonio Water System and $241,143 to be reimbursed by CPS Energy.

New Braunfels
Coll Street Drainage Improvements: The roadway will see improvements to drainage, right of way and underground utility conversion on Coll Street between Castell Avenue and the Comal River, agenda documents state. On Jan. 26, the New Braunfels City Council approved a motion to begin the process of finding contractors.

At least 257,000 students have applied for Texas’ inaugural education savings account program, according to the state comptroller’s office. Less than half of those applicants are likely to be accepted.

The overview: Applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts close at 11:59 p.m. March 31. Students enrolling in private schools will receive $10,474 to spend on tuition and related expenses, while homeschool students can get up to $2,000 each, and students with disabilities may qualify for up to $30,000 each.

Through March 29, about 23% of applicants had indicated they would be homeschooled while 77% of applicants said they wanted to attend a private school, state data shows.

Program funding is capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, meaning between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted.

By the numbers: About 34,000 students indicated in their application that they have a disability, per the comptroller's office. Students who have a disability and are considered low- or middle-income will receive priority acceptance into the program under state law.