Doug Weiss won the Pflugerville mayoral runoff election, receiving 56% of the vote after all vote centers reported, according to unofficial election results.

Weiss received 3,293 votes, defeating Pat McCord, who received 2,587, out of 5,880 ballots cast.

What they’re saying: After the results, Weiss said he felt relieved and grateful to voters.

“I’m feeling relieved,” Weiss said. “I feel like the city of Pflugerville showed up, and we will continue to be in good hands.”

Weiss said his immediate focus as mayor will be improving communication between city leadership and residents.

All results remain unofficial until canvassed.

Fritz Park improvements remain on track to open next year, with phase two construction continuing and completion expected in early 2026, according to city officials.

About the project: The $11 million project is part of Hutto’s capital improvement plan approved by City Council in 2023. Funding comes primarily from a voter-approved parks bond passed in 2018, with design costs covered by the city’s Parkland Development Fund.

Improvements include expanded parking, a lighted perimeter walking trail with solar lighting, a new splash pad, modern restroom facilities, new playgrounds for children ages 2-5 and 5-12, renovated basketball courts, a pump track and skate park, and additional open space.

The project also incorporates water conservation measures by reusing an existing well to supply a pond that will irrigate the park, said Jeff White, Hutto Parks and Recreation director.

City and airport leaders on Dec. 10 marked the completion of a new outbound baggage handling system at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, a key milestone in the multibillion-dollar expansion now underway, airport officials said. The upgraded system can process roughly 4,000 bags a day and roughly 37 million passengers a year, helping the airport keep pace with Central Texas’ rapid growth.

Some context: ABIA continues to break traffic records. October saw more than 2 million passengers, an increase of nearly 9% from last year, while the Monday after the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix set a new single-day record with more than 45,000 departing travelers screened by TSA.

Officials said the project supports hundreds of local jobs and is part of a broader effort to expand long-term capacity. The airport’s $4 billion program will add a new concourse by 2030, but staff anticipate further upgrades soon after. Current planning for Concourse B targets capacity for 32 million passengers annually as projections show Austin reaching 30 million yearly travelers sooner than previously expected.

Texas has grown rapidly in recent years, and data indicates that development is not slowing down. The Lone Star State gained about 168,000 jobs from September 2024-September 2025, leading the nation in job growth, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The overview: Texas is attractive to businesses looking to relocate or expand their operations due to its tax incentives and grants, lack of a personal income tax and roughly 200 higher education institutions, business leaders said during a Dec. 10 summit held in College Station by industry network YTexas.

As businesses of all sizes continue to move to Texas, local governments and associations also need to “support the ones that are already here,” said Dean Browell, the chief behavioral officer for Feedback, a digital ethnographic research firm.

Zooming in: In an October study, Feedback found that long-term Texas residents want to live in growing communities with strong education systems and plentiful job opportunities. That growth, however, can lead to rising property taxes and living expenses before residents begin feeling the benefits, Browell said.

Check out the top trending Community Impact stories Dec. 8-11. 

1. Dozens of Lake Austin properties move to disannex; city to lose nearly $300M value

2. Buffalo Wild Wings closes its doors in Cedar Park

3. New development to bring almost 400 homes to Georgetown

4. Kudos convenience store heads to Adelton in Bastrop

5. Local police coordination concerns arise for EISD following September incidents

6. $210M state library and archives building underway in Pflugerville