Reporter: Ellie Mahan
August 17, 2023
The City of Hillsboro and Hill County officials have been planning since spring for the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, which is expected to draw a crowd of science lovers to Hill County. Hillsboro has spearheaded the effort with its “Eclipseboro” planning teams, and a town hall meeting was held Monday, August 7 to provide information to community members.
Allyson Cliett, special projects coordinator for the City of Hillsboro, gave an overview on the potential impact that the eclipse could have on Hillsboro. An organization called Great American Eclipse is predicting that anywhere from 180,000 to 720,000 visitors will travel to Texas for the eclipse. Many of those visitors will likely travel to larger cities, while others are seeking out rural locations with lower light pollution.
Since Hillsboro falls on the path of totality and was ranked as an optimal viewing location, city-wide planning for eclipse-related events and safety measures has been underway, with four Eclipseboro action teams officially launching exactly one year prior to eclipse day.
Cliett said, “We also are very conveniently located on I-35, so we can expect people who live regionally to come to Hillsboro to get a better view.”
To accommodate travelers, the city is listing tent campsites at Wallace Park, RV campsites at the outlet mall and aviation campsites at Hillsboro Municipal Airport.
Cliett said, “Housing is something that we are putting a lot of time and effort into. At our hotels in Hillsboro, I think we have a total of 598 rooms, and they’re almost completely full at this time. Some of the hotels are charging almost $1,000 a night with a three-night minimum, and people are paying that and flying here from all over the world to see the eclipse.”
Hillsboro consulted with city leaders in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, a town that was on an eclipse’s path of totality in 2017. Based on conversations with people from Hopkinsville and other research, Hillsboro is expecting to begin seeing eclipse tourists Thursday, April 4, with an increase in visitors throughout the weekend leading up to eclipse day, Monday, April 8.
A university study found that the types of people who visit towns on the path of an eclipse’s totality often fall into the following categories: eclipse enthusiasts, nature lovers, cultural tourists, art lovers, photographers, spiritual seekers, adventure seekers, socializers, foodies, family travelers and last-minute travelers. Cliett said, “At the city of Hopkinsville, their citizens were concerned about the types of eclipse tourists to expect. They had zero incidents and no spring break party people. They were all fun-loving, curious, adventure seekers, nature lovers and science enthusiasts.”
Richard Reinhardt, Hillsboro planning official, noted that more information regarding short-term rentals would become available at a later date. People leasing out property or rooms in their homes are required to go through a licensing process. A future town hall meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 26, to discuss the topic of short-term rentals in further detail.
Megan Henderson, Hillsboro city manager, later told the crowd that the city is aiming to get a sense of the public interest in short-term rentals. She said, “We want to hear from you before we figure out what this looks like. What you need to know is that there are a set of rules around short-term rentals that require, among other things, a permit, so that we can put eyes on the place and make sure that it is safe.” She said that after the September town hall meeting for short-term rentals, Hillsboro City Council will vote on policy, to reflect the needs and concerns raised during the town hall meeting.
Leann Richmond, Hillsboro City Council member, listed the four Eclipseboro action teams: health, safety and logistics; communications and public relations; public sites and events; and private businesses and organizations. Although the action teams launched and gained engagement in April, discussions of safety precautions and potential plans began in September 2022. Richmond said that in total, almost 100 individuals have been working hard to ensure that everyone in Hillsboro has a safe, spectacular eclipse experience. As details of the eclipse plans progress, planners are seeking to educate the public and raise awareness for what is to come.
Richmond said, “We want to embrace the opportunity to showcase our downtown and all the positive aspects of our community, and we want to encourage active participation in the eclipse activities by all interested residents and businesses. We feel like to make this a success, we need as many people as possible to be involved in this process.”
Tony Cain, chief of the Hillsboro Department of Public Safety and assistant city manager, said that the health, safety and logistics team has been corresponding with authorities in other states and cities to determine focus areas to consider. Local first responders identified the following potential issues while in conversation with their counterparts: increased traffic, parking, cell phone service, concerns of the 9-1-1 system not being able to handle all the calls and people not using safety glasses.
Cain indicated that residents should expect delays on the road, prepare for traffic changes and be patient. One of the biggest concerns related to parking is people blocking driveways and roadways, impeding the ability of local firefighters and other first responders to efficiently travel to emergencies.
To reduce the number of incoming 9-1-1 calls during the weekend leading up to the eclipse, Cain advised residents to refrain from calling 9-1-1 when involved in an accident, unless there are injuries or an emergency. Those needing to reach law enforcement agencies can reach them through non-emergency numbers.
The Texas Department of Transportation estimates that one million visitors will come to Texas for the eclipse, so Cain announced that residents should be prepared to see a surge of people traveling through Hillsboro on Interstate 35. He urged people to consult drivetexas.org when traveling, to view delays and traffic events.
Eduardo Berdegue, owner of Divine Home Care Services, joined the Eclipseboro planning group in the early days of its formation. Berdegue said, “Where I think we need to focus is the opportunity that this represents for the community, the community as a whole, its businesses, its institutions and its individuals. It is a tremendous opportunity to make money or shine or perhaps both.” He pointed to eclipseboro.com as a place for learning how to get involved and how to profit from the once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Hillsboro residents who want to use the Eclipseboro logo, graphics and slogan on merchandise can purchase the branding package for $50 at http://www.eclipseboro.com/product-page/eclipseboro-lo go-package.
Berdegue shared his thoughts that residents should embrace the special recognition and the fact that Hillsboro has been put on the map as the seventh best place to view the eclipse in North America. He referred to Hopkinsville’s annual festival held in honor of the town’s 2017 total eclipse experience. The festival attracts both locals and tourists each year. Berdegue said “Our contributions can make this a place where those who come may want to come back.”
Lynette Hearrell, director of Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce, expanded on options for business or income. She said that during the prime time for eclipse visitors (April 4-April 8) local businesses can look into: opening their doors on days that they are typically closed, extending their hours of operation, increasing seating or business capacity onto the sidewalk, staffing additional employees and adding eclipse-themed merchandise, drinks or meal options.
Addressing those who are not business or nonprofit owners and do not want to create business for themselves, Hearrell said, “Help your favorite church, or your favorite nonprofit or that business you love the most. Help them plan and prepare. The city is also looking for volunteers, and that is a great way to meet new people and get connected, but planning takes time; please start now. Talk it over with your team this month.”
She highlighted that when hosts of events register their event on the Eclipseboro website and pay a $20 fee, the city will promote the event to visitors who are planning their weekend activities, meals and events. Registering events also informs members of the health, safety and logistics team of the entrances, exits and other details of the event. Hearrell encouraged the audience to explore the Eclipseboro website and follow the Facebook pages of the City of Hillsboro, Eclipseboro and Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce.
To stay up to date on all eclipse-related news and information for Hillsboro, subscribe to the Eclipseboro newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of the page at www.eclipseboro.com/residents and providing a name and email address.
Speakers will repeat presentations to the public in a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 22, at Historic City Hall, located at 127 East Franklin Street. Community members are welcome to attend and ask remaining questions regarding the eclipse.
The Lakelander 