Burnet County commissioners posed several questions April 1 in regard to joining the new Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation (SDC).
The commissioners deliberated and pondered possible participation in an SDC during a public workshop at the county courthouse.
More than 50 interested residents attended.
Williamson County Economic Development Assistant Economic Director Scott Smith and Firefly Chief Operating Officer Dan Fermon indicated their support of the SDC.
The corporation plans to promote local affordable housing, more employment opportunities, improve local transportation infrastructure, also more federal and state funding for space research and testing, Smith told the commissioners.
“We want to support an industry that is already here,” Smith said, referring to both the Briggs-based Firefly Aerospace plant and SpaceX command center in Cedar park. “We want to organize so we can be more successful.”
The Texas legislature has put aside about $150 million to promote new facets of space exploration and technology, Smith added.
“Texas is the space state and Central Texas is already a hub of the industry,” he said. “It (the SDC) would benefit our entire region.”
Smith affirmed the SDC would not involve funding launching rockets into outer space from Briggs.
Instead, joining the non-profit entity would support “infrastructure and development in the fields of specialized launch and landing facilities for space crafts, rockets and satellites,” according to wilcotx.gov.
On March 11, Williamson County Commissioners Court approved the creation of the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation during its regular meeting in anticipation of a partnership with Burnet County.
“The (Williamson County) court also approved the bylaws for the corporation, as required by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act. The Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation will be governed by a seven-member Board of Directors, which will have the powers and authority granted to Space Development Corporations under Chapter 507 of the Texas Local Government Code,” as reported in a media release on wilcotx.gov. There are currently five SDCs in Texas.
The media release unveiled that Williamson County officials assumed a “partnership with Burnet County” already existed to support the corporation.
Clearly, during the Burnet County Commissioners public workshop April 1, the commissioners indicated no ready consent to Burnet County involvement with the SDC.
The SDC formation would leverage the success of existing neaerby space industry to garner support.
In Briggs, the FireFly Aerospace plant covers about 200 acres, and its payroll supports 450 employees, Fermon told Burnet County commissioners at the workshop.
He added, the plant is geared mainly for engineering configurations to support high-performance propulsion.
County Judge Bryan Wilson, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle, Pct. 3 Commissioner Chad Collier and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery listened for several minutes to Smith and Fermon.
Two commissioners raised questions.
In response to a question from Beierle, Fermon claimed the Firefly plant in Briggs daily water consumption is mostly for fire prevention and rest room use.
Fermon estimated that the plant uses an amount of water each day equal to the average amount of water that could serve six households.
Then, Beierle referred to the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that stipulates government entities cannot acquire private property for public use, unless the property owner receives just compensation.
Yet Beierle asked whether the SDC board could bypass government restrictions to purchase private property “that would not be sold to them otherwise.”
Smith responded, Texas law does allow public agencies to acquire private property for “economic purposes” or “safety purposes.”
The SDC intends to follow and observe state law, and they would include that intention into their by-laws, Smith added.
In response to a question from Dockery, Smith commented the SDC board would not include any paid members, nor would it occupy one specific meeting place just for itself.
From time to time, the SDC could seek funds through federal or state grants but would not receive funds from any “single-dedicated revenue stream.”
“We are not asking the county (of Burnet) for one staff person,” Smith said.
In response to another question from Dockery, Fermon said FireFly intends to grow in Briggs within its current boundaries.
“I do expect to see some level of (employment) growth during the next several years, “Fermon added. “But we have seen no offer to buy land. We do plan to stay on the 200-acre campus we have (in Briggs).”
During time for public comment, Briggs resident Richard Holifield asked whether the commissioners could consider setting up one space development board packed solely by Burnet County residents.
“Why partner with Williamson County?” Holifield asked. “Let’s do our own development in our own county. Or else, y’all are going to give power to somebody from another county.”
Soon after Holifield spoke, without indication of another time for future discussion, Wilson adjourned the meeting.
Associate Editor Connie Swinney contributed to this report.
