Fannin County, Texas -- All five members of Fannin County Commissioners Court were present for a regular meeting held Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The meeting opened at 9:41 a.m. with an invocation by Fannin County Judge Newt Cunningham, and pledges were led by Major James Manis (Ret.).
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Routine items:
Fannin County Commissioners Court approved bills totaling $556,293.03; payroll was $379,968.71.
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Bonham Fire Chief Scott Ridling presented the EMS Report for July 2024.
Chief Ridling reported 456 calls and 337 transports, collections are up and the department is fully staffed.
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Discussion
In a discussion regarding Rabies Control Authority Agreement guidelines, any disagreements have been resolved and the City of Bonham will continue under the current contract.
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Discussion, consideration and action items:
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to extend the current burn ban for Fannin County for 14 days.
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Commissioners court approved moving funds from the state forfeiture fund account into line item 560-560-5750 in the amount of $12,000.00 for the purchase of an ATV.
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Commissioners court approved moving funds from the state forfeiture fund account into line item 560-561-3100 in the amount of $2,000.00 for the purchase of Dispatch office chairs.
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Commissioners court passed on a request by the county sheriff to authorize the county auditor to move $15,000.00 from line 100-560-1040, Deputies Salaries, to 100-560-3300, Auto Expense Gas and Oil.
Fannin County Auditor Alicia Whipple advised that this would go against the county's standing policy regarding money earmarked for salaries and suggested that the money could come from other line items in the sheriff's budget.
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Commissioners court approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Texoma Community Center (TCC) to provide a Jail Based Competency Restoration program.
The program can reduce the overall cost to the county and provide better care for inmates with mental health issues who have been judged incompetent to stand trial.
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Commissioners court passed on an agenda item regarding possible action to market scheduled county properties.
The proposed market price for 119 acres of county-owned land near the Multipurpose Complex is $12,500 per acre.
The court discussed the possibility of dividing the acreage into four parcels in order to increase the price per acre, but a survey is estimated to cost $25,000 and the county is still awaiting word from Union Pacific regarding two access points off Hwy. 56 on the south side of the property.
There has been some interest on five acres of prime real estate the county owns on FM 897 near Bois d'Arc Lake that is being marketed at $150,000 per acre.
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Commissioners court voted to hire L&L Electric to install fiber internet cable at the Fannin County Tax Office for $22,500 through grass area.
Money will come from contingency.
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Commissioners court voted to keep Tax Assessor/Collector fees the same for calendar year 2025.
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Commissioners court approved the one-time severance of 2.135 acres from a 5.94-acre tract on CR 2670 in Telephone, Property ID# 82622.
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Commissioners court approved a new hire in Precinct 1 to start in Range 2 of the salary matrix ($38,000-$41,000)based on prior experience.
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Commissioners court approved moving Constable Precinct 2 offices from the Precinct 2 barn to the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2 offices in Leonard City Hall.
Computers are getting set up and Judge Paul Ivy hopes to have a soft opening next week, with a formal opening tentatively scheduled for September 3.
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By a 3-2 vote, commissioners court approved fiscal year 2024-2025 positions and salaries for Fannin County.
Pct. 1 Commissioner Dale McQueen, Pct. 3 Commissioner Jerry Magness and Judge Cunningham voted to approve the positions and salaries, with Pct. 2 Commissioner A.J. Self and Pct. 4 Commissioner Doug Kopf casting votes in opposition.
Commissioner Self opined that the county didn't need two full-time civil attorneys.
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By another 3-2 vote, Fannin County Commissioners Court adopted the fiscal year 2024-2025 Fannin County budget.
Once again, McQueen, Magness and Cunningham voted in favor of the budget, while Self and Kopf opposed the motion.
The county will use $96,000 in reserves to balance the budget for the next fiscal year.
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Commissioners court adopted fiscal year 2024/2025 debt rate of 0.052488 for Fannin County.
The county debt will be $28 million.
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Commissioners court adopted the 2024 tax rate of 0.380809 for Fannin County, which will be the maximum allowable without an election.
Last year's tax rate was 0.400719. Individual taxes may increase or decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.
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Open discussion items:
(Open discussion items will be passed on unless discussion requested by a member of the court or a citizen.)
In regard to the county's subdivision policy, there has been some discussion of ranchettes with lots no smaller than 11 acres.
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In regard to courthouse repairs and litigation, Judge Cunningham said a 202 deposition with Turner Construction indicates that the county was warned against hiring Bryco to do the masonry work during courthouse restoration. The company went on to repeatedly miss critical deadlines and eventually subcontracted work because they didn't have qualified masons, yet Cunningham said the county didn't file on the performance bond. A performance bond is a financial guarantee to one party in a contract against the failure of the other party to meet its obligations.
Borrowing a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Judge Cunningham remarked, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
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In regard to the county budget and revenue sources, the county version of the Hotel Occupancy Tax appears to be "dead in the water." The contract is up now and collections may eventually be the responsibility of the county treasurer.
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In regard to water issues affecting Fannin County, Cunningham pointed out that Bois d'Arc MUD can take non-potable from Bois d'Arc Lake and City of Ladonia can take non-potable from Lake Ralph Hall. However, building a water treatment plant would be a costly endeavor.
The county needs a volunteer to attend meetings of all the water service corporations in the county.
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In regard to Fannin County road issues, attorney Jim Allison has given the county advice on how to regulate heavy trucks on county roads.
Executive session and action if needed
Fannin County entered into executive session at 11:06 a.m. to discuss personnel issues.
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Regular session resumed at 11:40 a.m. No action was taken in executive session.
