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Noteworthy happenings at City Hall
Council gives nod to Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Columbus Day got a name change during a recent City Council meeting in which leaders received a briefing on holidays observed by the municipal government.
The city now recognizes Oct. 14 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“What is the appetite of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day?” Councilwoman Joy Casnovsky asked her colleagues.
“It’s harder to spell,” quipped City Manager Thomas Mattis, “but outside of that ...”
Council members had no questions. The five members in attendance — Casnovsky, Matthew Callahan, Chuck Swain, Mayor-at-Large Theresa McShan and Mayor Pro Tem Sue Brashar — voted to approve the name change and proposed schedule.
All regular, full-time Elgin employees are eligible for 14 full-day paid holidays per year, city leaders heard.
During these observances, City Hall is closed.
The dates are:
• Indigenous People’s Day, Oct. 14
• Veterans Day, Nov. 11
• Thanksgiving, Nov 28 and 29
• Christmas, Dec. 24 and 25
• New Year’s Day, Jan. 1
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 20
• Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17
• Good Friday, April 18
• Memorial Day, May 26
• Emancipation Day, June 19
• Independence Day, July 4
• Labor Day, Sept. 1
PFLAG meeting moves to Bastrop
An advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer persons known as PFLAG no longer meets in Elgin and will now gather at Calvary Episcopal Church, 1028 Main St. in Bastrop at 6:45 p.m.
the first Tuesday of each month, the City Council learned.
Brett Douglas, chairman of Bastrop Pride, noted the change during the public-comment portion of the Oct. 8 meeting.
“PFLAG is a facilitator- led support group that provides a safe space for discussing any kind of issues,” Douglas said. “Anyone who isn’t part of the LGBT community can come in and ask questions with no judgment. We accept everyone, and we want to answer everyone’s questions and provide advice and just share our stories.”
Dougl a s al so announced the organization will hold a free drag performance at the Lightnin’ Bar, 109 Central Ave., Oct. 25 during the Hogeye Festival street dance.
“We are excited as all get-out for Hogeye Festival. Since our inception, we have been at a booth every year,” he said.
Noting there will be a “huge” performance, Douglas added, “It’s going to be big, lots of prizes, lots of fun, lots of music and it’s going to be right there downtown for anyone to come enjoy. There’s no cost, it’s all free.”
The 37th annual Hogeye Festival runs Oct. 24-26 downtown, 310 N. Main St. Information about the drag event can be found at Bastrop- Pride.org.
Peyton Standifer named city secretary
Police Department employee Peyton Standifer has been hired as the new city secretary, City Manager Thomas Mattis said, “This is a little bit of a unique situation for the council and our city charter,” he said. “Although the city secretary works directly for the city manager, our charter also requires that the council confirm that position, presumably because, as council knows, there is a lot of interaction with the city secretary.”
Mattis said more than 30 candidates applied for the job.
“Peyton rose above the rest to be our No. 1 candidate,” he told the council. “She doesn’t have direct experience as a city secretary in the past, but we’re confident she’s the right person for the job.”
Standifer, who spent some time growing up in Elgin, is a 2016 graduate of Taylor High School in Taylor. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tarleton State University, specializing in elementary education.
She was hired as Police Chief Chris Noble’s executive assistant in 2023.
Standifer will split her time between the Police Department and City Hall until her former position can be filled.
