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August 31, 2022
Commissioners Court Briefings
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
A public hearing will be held Thursday, Sept. 8, for Bandera County’s proposed budget and tax rate. Commissioners are expected to vote to adopt the budget and tax rate during the same meeting, which begins at 10 a.m.
The proposed 2022-23 property tax rate is $.6095 per $100 valuation, decreased from $.6262 last year.
~ In an effort to make a cubic yard more easily identifiable, commissioners on Thursday, Aug. 25, approved the installation of illustrated charts at each of the county’s four compactor stations.
“It’s a guideline. It will help the customers understand…and helps the operator justify what he’s charging,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said.
The decision stems from revenue disparities at each station, which appeared to boil down to the weight and volume of open top containers, and customers not being charged enough.
Commissioners did not propose increasing the rates.
“This is not a profit making thing,” County Judge Richard Evans previously said. “We also don’t want taxpayers to subsidize - it should be self-sufficient.”
~ Commissioners approved the pursuit of a grant to pay for converting the lights in the Mansfield Park arena to LED 1000-Watt bulbs.
During their Aug. 11 meeting, Pct. 3 Commissioner Jack Moseley said Mansfield Park is not making a profit, but an impact study completed five years ago showed $3.2 million was raised in the community due to events held there.
“This is tourism,” Moseley said, adding he received quotes to change the lights that ranged from $27,000 to $8,100.
Evans queried whether the city’s Economic Development Corporation could contribute to the project. Moseley said most of the EDC’s next fiscal year contributions have been promised to other tourist events on Main Street and the rodeo, however he said the EDC paid for the 2018 Impact Study.
~ Commissioners approved 3-2 a motion to issue a Request for Qualifications for architectural and other professional services for development of a Visitors’ Center Complex at the site of the 1877 Courthouse and the 1881 Jail buildings, located at 202 12th Street.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Jordan Rutherford said he preferred to wait until the court could meet with administrative members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“I’d like to know exactly what they want before we start spending money,” Rutherford said.
Moseley said there would be time to schedule local meetings while the county advertises for and receives proposals.
Rutherford and Evans stood opposed.
~ Commissioners unanimously approved an order modifying the Rabies and Animal Control policy on barking dogs. County Attorney Janna Lindig said the current policy identified a barking dog as a nuisance, but did not specify a penalty.
“This proposal more carefully defines a barking dog as a nuisance and what you can do,” Lindig said.
“I understand some people ain’t gonna like it, but you have to control your animal,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said. “We don’t have an animal problem we have a people problem.”
~ In his monthly report, Sheriff Dan Butts said during July, deputies responded to 626 calls for service; travelled 29,451 miles; and averaged 14.41 minutes arrival time from tone to on scene for priority calls. The Sheriff’s Office made 14 felony arrests; 18 misdemeanor arrests; and investigated 32 property crimes and 59 crimes against a person. Butts said there were 6,285 calls to and from county dispatch; 1,107 incoming 911 calls; and eight calls county deputies responded to inside the city limits.
Deputies booked 50 people into the county jail; transported 14 inmates out of the county. The average inmate population was 72, with seven of those being contracted inmates from other counties.
There were 109 animal related calls; 23 dogs and five cats were picked up by animal control; the average dog population in the animal control facility was 13; the average cat population was two.
“We had 109 animal related crimes in one month, as opposed to 59 crimes against people. That’s time our patrol deputies can’t be out working on serious crimes,” Harris said.
“You hit the nail on the head when you said we have a people problem,” Butts said. “Neighbors don’t talk to neighbors anymore, unless they’re accusing them of something.”
~ EMS Director Shannon Griffin said for July, EMTs responded to 275 calls for service; travelled 13,871 miles, clocking 1.04 average minutes for tone to response time, and 10.45 minutes on average for tone to on scene.
The proposed 2022-23 property tax rate is $.6095 per $100 valuation, decreased from $.6262 last year.
~ In an effort to make a cubic yard more easily identifiable, commissioners on Thursday, Aug. 25, approved the installation of illustrated charts at each of the county’s four compactor stations.
“It’s a guideline. It will help the customers understand…and helps the operator justify what he’s charging,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said.
The decision stems from revenue disparities at each station, which appeared to boil down to the weight and volume of open top containers, and customers not being charged enough.
Commissioners did not propose increasing the rates.
“This is not a profit making thing,” County Judge Richard Evans previously said. “We also don’t want taxpayers to subsidize - it should be self-sufficient.”
~ Commissioners approved the pursuit of a grant to pay for converting the lights in the Mansfield Park arena to LED 1000-Watt bulbs.
During their Aug. 11 meeting, Pct. 3 Commissioner Jack Moseley said Mansfield Park is not making a profit, but an impact study completed five years ago showed $3.2 million was raised in the community due to events held there.
“This is tourism,” Moseley said, adding he received quotes to change the lights that ranged from $27,000 to $8,100.
Evans queried whether the city’s Economic Development Corporation could contribute to the project. Moseley said most of the EDC’s next fiscal year contributions have been promised to other tourist events on Main Street and the rodeo, however he said the EDC paid for the 2018 Impact Study.
~ Commissioners approved 3-2 a motion to issue a Request for Qualifications for architectural and other professional services for development of a Visitors’ Center Complex at the site of the 1877 Courthouse and the 1881 Jail buildings, located at 202 12th Street.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Jordan Rutherford said he preferred to wait until the court could meet with administrative members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“I’d like to know exactly what they want before we start spending money,” Rutherford said.
Moseley said there would be time to schedule local meetings while the county advertises for and receives proposals.
Rutherford and Evans stood opposed.
~ Commissioners unanimously approved an order modifying the Rabies and Animal Control policy on barking dogs. County Attorney Janna Lindig said the current policy identified a barking dog as a nuisance, but did not specify a penalty.
“This proposal more carefully defines a barking dog as a nuisance and what you can do,” Lindig said.
“I understand some people ain’t gonna like it, but you have to control your animal,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said. “We don’t have an animal problem we have a people problem.”
~ In his monthly report, Sheriff Dan Butts said during July, deputies responded to 626 calls for service; travelled 29,451 miles; and averaged 14.41 minutes arrival time from tone to on scene for priority calls. The Sheriff’s Office made 14 felony arrests; 18 misdemeanor arrests; and investigated 32 property crimes and 59 crimes against a person. Butts said there were 6,285 calls to and from county dispatch; 1,107 incoming 911 calls; and eight calls county deputies responded to inside the city limits.
Deputies booked 50 people into the county jail; transported 14 inmates out of the county. The average inmate population was 72, with seven of those being contracted inmates from other counties.
There were 109 animal related calls; 23 dogs and five cats were picked up by animal control; the average dog population in the animal control facility was 13; the average cat population was two.
“We had 109 animal related crimes in one month, as opposed to 59 crimes against people. That’s time our patrol deputies can’t be out working on serious crimes,” Harris said.
“You hit the nail on the head when you said we have a people problem,” Butts said. “Neighbors don’t talk to neighbors anymore, unless they’re accusing them of something.”
~ EMS Director Shannon Griffin said for July, EMTs responded to 275 calls for service; travelled 13,871 miles, clocking 1.04 average minutes for tone to response time, and 10.45 minutes on average for tone to on scene.