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Bandera County Auditor Darryl Sadler discusses the budget with county commissioners.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
August 28, 2024
Bandera County Commissioners Court briefing
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Bandera County commissioners are preparing to vote for the proposed 2024-25 budget and tax rate, which will take effect Oct. 1, if approved.
The proposed tax rate of $0.5195 per $100 valuation is four cents less than last year’s, however more revenue is expected due to new and higher-appraised property values.
The court has annually lowered the tax rate by four, five and seven cents per $100 valuation, totaling a 16-cent reduction over the last three years.
The proposed budget, which was filed Aug. 15, leaves an adequate fund balance, Bandera County Judge Richard Evans said last Thursday during commissioners’ regular session.
See the proposed budget at https://www.banderacounty.org/page/open/1231/0/FY%2025%20Bandera%20County%20Proposed%20Budget
In other business, commissioners unanimously approved the continued administration of the County Indigent Health Care Program for local inmates held at the Bandera County Jail. Once established as county residents, inmates’ basic health care services are covered under the program, as well as optional ambulatory and P.A. services.
Most states have shifted these expenses to federally-funded Medicaid, Evans said, however Texas is one of 12 states that passes the cost to county governments.
~ Bandera County Sheriff Dan Butts reported that during July, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 521 calls for service, and deputies traveled 23,670 miles, with an average response time for tone to priority calls of 14.21 minutes. Seven arrests were made (two felony, five misdemeanor), 40 people were booked into the county jail, and the average inmate population was 49, five of whom were contract inmates from other counties. Dispatch processed 8,574 calls, including 31 animal-related calls, and the county was the primary responder to city-related calls 11 times.
~ EMS Director Shannon Griffin reported EMS received 258 calls for service, and EMTs traveled 13,978 miles, with an average tone to response time of 1.16 minutes, and an average tone to on scene time of 14.52 minutes. Griffin said most of the month’s calls came from within Bandera proper; Pipe Creek had the second most calls; and Lakehills was third, with an average of 25 calls for the month.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Jody Rutherford said EMS, according to the Health and Safety Code of Texas, is a discretionary function and not mandated by law.
“The city does not join in to help us fund it, but they could,” Rutherford said, adding he supported the development of an interlocal agreement. “We are funding EMS with taxpayers’ money. [The city] really needs to help out.”
Evans said he sent a letter to City Administrator Stan Farmer, requesting funding support for county dispatcher services.
The proposed tax rate of $0.5195 per $100 valuation is four cents less than last year’s, however more revenue is expected due to new and higher-appraised property values.
The court has annually lowered the tax rate by four, five and seven cents per $100 valuation, totaling a 16-cent reduction over the last three years.
The proposed budget, which was filed Aug. 15, leaves an adequate fund balance, Bandera County Judge Richard Evans said last Thursday during commissioners’ regular session.
See the proposed budget at https://www.banderacounty.org/page/open/1231/0/FY%2025%20Bandera%20County%20Proposed%20Budget
In other business, commissioners unanimously approved the continued administration of the County Indigent Health Care Program for local inmates held at the Bandera County Jail. Once established as county residents, inmates’ basic health care services are covered under the program, as well as optional ambulatory and P.A. services.
Most states have shifted these expenses to federally-funded Medicaid, Evans said, however Texas is one of 12 states that passes the cost to county governments.
~ Bandera County Sheriff Dan Butts reported that during July, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 521 calls for service, and deputies traveled 23,670 miles, with an average response time for tone to priority calls of 14.21 minutes. Seven arrests were made (two felony, five misdemeanor), 40 people were booked into the county jail, and the average inmate population was 49, five of whom were contract inmates from other counties. Dispatch processed 8,574 calls, including 31 animal-related calls, and the county was the primary responder to city-related calls 11 times.
~ EMS Director Shannon Griffin reported EMS received 258 calls for service, and EMTs traveled 13,978 miles, with an average tone to response time of 1.16 minutes, and an average tone to on scene time of 14.52 minutes. Griffin said most of the month’s calls came from within Bandera proper; Pipe Creek had the second most calls; and Lakehills was third, with an average of 25 calls for the month.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Jody Rutherford said EMS, according to the Health and Safety Code of Texas, is a discretionary function and not mandated by law.
“The city does not join in to help us fund it, but they could,” Rutherford said, adding he supported the development of an interlocal agreement. “We are funding EMS with taxpayers’ money. [The city] really needs to help out.”
Evans said he sent a letter to City Administrator Stan Farmer, requesting funding support for county dispatcher services.