Comal County commissioners approved a FEMA agreement that gives residents with phone notifications enabled a path to receive county warnings targeted to the area around a local emergency.
Residents whose phone notifications are enabled can receive a county emergency alert when their phones are inside the selected radius. The June 18 minutes say Comal County had not previously had IPAWS access, although neighboring jurisdictions use it.
County Judge Kristen Hoyt told the court that the need became clear while the county prepared for an April 2 statewide notification test. The minutes describe IPAWS as a nationwide system that sends a signal through cell towers so enabled phones inside the selected radius receive an emergency notification. Commissioners Crownover and Leecock moved and seconded the agreement; the minutes record all votes cast in favor.
Road, subdivision and budget actions
Commissioners also extended construction bond No. 0864532 for Kyndwood Unit 4 by one year. Assistant County Engineer David Vollbrecht said the development was not ready for closeout because the county could not obtain the closeout documents. The court separately approved combining Mystic Shores Unit Three lots 251 and 252 into Lot 251R and authorized the county judge to sign the plat amendment.
The Sheriff’s Office received approval to return $8,933.92 left from its fiscal 2024 Senate Bill 22 Rural Law Enforcement Grant. Sheriff Mark Reynolds said the office used the grant for equipment and had money remaining because some purchases cost less than expected. The unspent balance was ordered back to the Texas Comptroller by electronic payment.
Road and Bridge received budget transfers for an equipment-barn installation, two replacement hydraulic hole diggers, paving-season overtime and herbicide. County Engineer Robert Boyd identified $20,000 for overtime and $10,000 for herbicide. The court also shifted $1,800 between accounts for a replacement Public Information Office laptop and moved contingency money to cover higher property and casualty insurance costs.
What comes next
The approved minutes say Appendix B contact information was to be updated after Emergency Management staffing was in place. The executed FEMA agreement, the revised contact appendix and a local test record will show when the new alert capability became operational. Residents can inspect the final minutes for each motion and vote, while the meeting agenda identifies the underlying item numbers and referenced attachments.