.png)
City Council recently met to outline a roadmap for Elgin’s future, identifying six priority areas during a strategic planning session led by local government consulting firm SGR.
After a half-day discussion, the council highlighted economic development, industrial and commercial land use, infrastructure, maintaining Elgin’s unique identity, public safety and expanding healthcare services as key focus areas.
Specific goals and objectives for each category are expected to be shared in the coming months, according to city officials.
During the April 1 council meeting, Ward 3 candidate Tiffany St. Pierre expressed frustration over what she described as repeated inaction on critical issues, including the city’s heavy reliance on commercial, industrial and residential tax revenue.
“The time for excuses has long passed,” St. Pierre said. “We must demand urgency, vision and accountability from our leaders.”
She added that Elgin is “years behind where we should be” because previous councils did not act quickly enough on largescale projects.
Ward 4 write-in candidate Stephanie Lippke has also weighed in, suggesting Elgin tighten ordinances and refine planning and zoning to slow residential growth until infrastructure demands can be improved. She noted that robust retail development is needed to sustain the city’s population boom.
The council is expected to provide more details on its plans for economic development, land use and other priorities at upcoming public meetings. The next regular session is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the Elgin Library Annex.
St. Pierre will face incumbent Matthew Callahan for the Ward 3 council seat, while Lippke is matched with Liston Crim in Ward 4. Early voting for the May 3 general election will run from April 22 to April 29.
The main polling site will remain at the Bastrop County Courthouse Annex, 804 Pecan St. in Bastrop. Additional branch locations include the North Bastrop County Community Annex at 704 Bull Run in Elgin, the Smithville Recreation Center at 106 Royston St. in Smithville and the Bastrop County Cedar Creek Annex at 5785 FM 535 in Cedar Creek. Travis County voters can cast ballots at the ACC Elgin Campus, 1501 U.S. 290.
