(Credit: City of Lockhart)
The Northern Caldwell County Coalition (NCCC) hosted its 3rd annual “State of Northern Caldwell County” public meeting at the ML Cisneros Education Support Center in Lockhart Tuesday evening. The event provides community and business members and leaders an overview of developments in the region. NCCC members are comprised of representatives from Caldwell County, the City of Lockhart, and Lockhart Independent School District.
Judge Haden began the panel discussion with an overview of Caldwell County. Poverty levels in the county have decreased by 2.1 percent since last year, and unemployment is at 3.6 percent, down from 5.2 percent in 2014.
In 2018, the population of Caldwell County was 43,247. “We’re growing like crazy. I have been telling people we’re going to explode in ten years, and I’m finally right,” said Haden regarding the growth.
As the county continues to grow, so does the need for adequate road infrastructure to support it. In this past year, the county purchased $1.2 million in road construction equipment, replacing an aged fleet in poor condition. The county also funded engineering and environmental studies for FM 150 and Yarrington Road extension projects, looking to extend those roads towards the toll road from Highway 21 and IH-35. There is work underway on an ambitious plan to pave all county roads over the next 12 years.
To support growth, residential opportunities continue to expand. Some of the approved subdivisions in 2019 included El Dorado on Highway 21, Fox Meadows at FM 713 and Fox Lane, Tower Meadows at Tower Road and Blanke Ankle Road, and Heartland Ranch Alexander Acres on Ivy Smith , Compostela on Williamson Road, and Lytton Hills on 1854 are pending subdivisions.
Haden highlighted construction related to economic development, including construction for Bluebonnet Electric. Other businesses new to Caldwell County include Turner Company, Family Dollar, and Visionary Fiber Technologies, and Promogo.
Haden said, “Economic development is number one. I once had a boss that said no company will ever shrink its way to greatness. You have to grow, and so that’s the way to do it.” Haden spoke of the creation of a Caldwell County Economic Development Corporation, which is intended to bridge the gap for unincorporated areas not be served by the economic development corporations for Lockhart and Luling.
