08/21/2026
We normally would not address something like this publicly, but because The Butchers of Hill County has been named in a public post alleging possible governmental misconduct, and a personal photo belonging to one of our owners was used to support those allegations, we feel it is important to provide the facts.
We have never met or spoken with the individual operating the BZ Watchdog page, and until these posts were brought to our attention, we had never heard of him.
Our involvement with the City of Hillsboro regarding our sign began because WE contacted the City to make sure we were following the proper procedures.
On July 12, before beginning our renovations, we emailed the City specifically asking what applications, permits, licenses, plan reviews, inspections and approvals would be required for our butcher shop. We made it very clear that we wanted to do everything correctly from the beginning and did not want to proceed without obtaining any required approvals.
The City responded and informed us that because our property is located within the Central Business District and Downtown Historic District, our signage would require additional approval. We were directed to the appropriate City employees and departments.
We followed those instructions.
We completed the signage application provided to us, submitted our proposed design and renderings, obtained our building owner’s signature, and communicated directly with City staff throughout the process.
When City staff reviewed our original design and advised us that the proposed window graphics exceeded the applicable guidelines, we changed the design. We ultimately removed the window signage from our proposal entirely and submitted an updated rendering.
We were then told that our application would be placed on the Historic Preservation agenda. The meeting originally discussed for August 6 was subsequently moved to August 12. We attended that meeting, and our sign was approved by the Historic Preservation Commission.
At no point did we attempt to circumvent the process.
Yes, the physical sign was temporarily installed before the subsequent City Council meeting.
There was a very simple reason for that.
The image Council had available was an AI rendering of the proposed sign. Since the actual sign had been completed, we asked our sign company to temporarily place it on the building so Council could see what it actually looked like on the storefront rather than relying solely on a computer generated mockup.
The sign was easily removable. Had Council denied it or requested changes, it would have been taken down.
There was no secret agreement, special treatment or attempt to bypass an approval. We had already spent weeks communicating with the City, submitting documents, making requested changes and attending the Historic Preservation meeting.
We have the emails, applications, renderings and correspondence documenting that entire process, and we are sharing portions of that documentation with this post so people can see the timeline for themselves.
We also want to address the personal photograph being circulated alongside these allegations.
The individuals pictured with one of our owners are friends. They were not involved in our signage application, the submission of our documents, our communications with the City, or the approval process described above. Our correspondence concerning the sign was with the City personnel we were specifically directed to work with.
Taking an unrelated photograph from a business owner’s personal social media account and placing it beside allegations of governmental misconduct creates an implication that simply is not supported by what actually occurred.
Whatever questions or concerns someone may have regarding how the City of Hillsboro establishes, governs or operates its boards are matters they are certainly entitled to investigate and address with the City.
But The Butchers of Hill County is a private business. We did not establish those boards. We do not determine their legal authority. We followed the process City officials instructed us to follow.
We operate businesses in multiple Texas cities and are very familiar with permits, applications, inspections, annual approvals and the substantial amount of paperwork that comes with operating businesses and events. Following those requirements is part of doing business, and we take them seriously.
We do not cut corners.
When we don’t know what is required, we ask. When we’re given an application, we complete it. When we’re told something needs to be changed, we change it. When we’re told we need another approval, we obtain it.
That is exactly what happened here.
We have worked extremely hard to bring The Butchers of Hill County to Downtown Hillsboro, and we are not going to allow our business, our personal friendships or photographs taken from our personal social media accounts to be used to imply that we participated in wrongdoing when our own documentation shows otherwise.
We followed the process we were given from the very beginning, and we have the receipts to prove it.
