Williamson County, Texas, is on a trajectory to double its population from roughly 760,000 residents today to 1.6 million by 2055, and Judge Steve Snell is at the helm, steering the county through the complexities of such rapid expansion. In a recent episode of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, titled "Judge Steve Snell | Williamson County's Explosive Growth," Snell spoke with host Bryan Eisenberg about the multifaceted role of a county judge, which he likens more to a CEO or emergency manager than a traditional courtroom jurist.
Snell, who spent 31 years in public education, including leadership roles in Hutto ISD and as superintendent of Liberty Hill ISD, brought a three-ring binder to the interview, tabbed with budget lines, policies, and responsibilities—a habit he credits to his educator background. He oversees approximately 30 to 35 departments, from fleet services and animal shelters to the juvenile justice center and Sheriff's Office. The conversation covered the county's emergency response to historic July floods, with lessons observed from Kerr County, and the ongoing need for long-range transportation, water, and energy planning across cities like Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Liberty Hill, Florence, and Jarrell.
Economic development wins tied to major employers such as Dell, Samsung, Compal, Apple, Firefly, Kalahari, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the incoming Scheels in Cedar Park were highlighted. Snell also pointed to the county's designation as a spaceport in partnership with the City of Cedar Park, its strategic location between Fort Hood and joint commands in downtown Austin, and Firefly Aerospace as the anchor of a burgeoning space sector. He discussed trade education, workforce development, veteran employment as service members transition out of Fort Hood, and entrepreneurship classes in Liberty Hill high schools, where a chamber president now teaches students.
On the growth challenge facing unincorporated neighborhoods and Municipal Utility Districts, Snell told Eisenberg, "When you build 1,000 homes next to an old two-lane road and all the construction trucks tear it up, we need to come and fix that for mobility and safety, or we need to expand it." He also reflected on his motivation, saying, "at the end of the day, it's not about me. It's about service and it's about Williamson County."
Snell praised Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD, Cedar Park's Plug and Play, and partnerships with Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long on land acquisitions for future schools and parkland. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard, offering listeners an inside look at how one of Texas's fastest-growing counties is preparing for a future that will nearly quadruple its population by the end of the century, reaching 3 million. For more information on the podcast, visit Rock Solid.
