Fannin County, Texas -- Another contentious, all-day meeting of Fannin County Commissioners Court resulted in little progress regarding the final courthouse restoration reimbursement of $600,000 that Texas Historical Commission is waiting to give Fannin County. The courthouse has been occupied since April 2022 and all four commissioners voted to receive the money, with only the county judge holding up the payment.
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All five members of Fannin County Commissioners Court were present for the regular meeting Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The meeting opened with an invocation by George Turner, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Bonham, and pledges were led by Major James Manis (Ret.).
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Fannin County Judge Newt Cunningham introduced Savoy Mayor Roger Cada.
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In public forum, Fannin County resident Steve Crump advised the public that Citizens Organizing for Resources and Environment (CORE), a group that successfully battled an effort to build a coal-powered plant in Savoy, is reorganizing and hopes to get countywide input regarding threats to the environment and local resources.
Ron Green, owner of Wise Funeral Home, continued to complain that Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home graded much higher than Wise Funeral Home by a committee that selected the county's Mortuary and Transportation Services contract.
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Routine items
Commissioners court approved payment of bills for $258,536.59 and $283,077.93, for a total of $541,614.52; payroll was $481,410.37.
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Commissioners court approved minutes from 09/10/2024 (R), 09/17/2024 (R), 10/01/2024 (R), 10/08/2024 (R) and 10/22/2024 (R).
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Matt Brown of Allegiance Mobile Health presented the Emergency Medical Services Report for September 2025.
Brown reported receiving 215 calls, transported 143 patients, treated 45 on scene and did not transports, 23 calls were cancelled, two patients were deceased upon arrival, and there were three transports by helicopter.
The average response time was 13:06.
The shortest response was 2:38.
The longest response was 42:37
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Commissioners court approved the Treasurer’s Financial Report for September 2025, as well as the Treasurer’s Investment Report for September 2025.
Total receipts for September were $627,856.82. Of that amount, property taxes were $38,098.56; delinquent taxes were $20,009.89.
In September the county received the July sales tax allotment of $203,700.71.
"Our sales tax is holding up really well," remarked Fannin County Treasurer David Woodson.
TexPool interest for September was $51,903.71 at an average rate of 4.3052%.
Interest from cash in the bank was $15,430.92 and interest earned by the business money market account was $174.92. Interest on the 2022 bond was $5,418.44.
Total interest for September $72,927.99 (22:00)
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Discussion and possible action items
Commissioners court voted to extend the current Fannin County Burn Ban for 14 days.
The county received very little rain and high winds are forecast for Wednesday.
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Commissioners court approved the Memorandum of Understanding between Community Well TX (CWTX), Fannin County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Fannin County for the enhancement of care, safety and overall well-being of citizens.
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Fannin County resident Nita Bankston led a discussion regarding the current backlog of unapproved or missing minutes and the clarification of the process and timeline, for bringing all records into compliance with state law.
"The actions taken by this court are only as valid as the accuracy and timeliness of the minutes that record them," Bankston stated.
Bankston said she spent 100 hours researching the minutes system and her sole purpose is to advocate for transparency, consistency and confidence in the public record. She also pointed out that Fannin County Clerk Jenny Garner inherited an overwhelming backlog of minutes and that Garner's office is understaffed.
"When she [Garner] took office, she inherited a massive backlog of unfinished minutes, a situation that was already out of control long before her election. She stepped into an overwhelming task with limited resources and no clear process for catching up," Bankston stated. "Frankly, she’s doing what she can under difficult circumstances, and I believe this court should be helping her, not leaving her to shoulder the blame."
Bankston provided the court with six suggestions: make the minutes from meetings a standing item on every agenda; prioritize staffing and resources; explore software or AI transcription tools; evaluate how this court can provide the county clerk's office with additional administrative support; establish a backlog reduction timeline; and deliver full transparency by publishing minutes in the Leader and North Texas e-News after minutes are approved.
"It’s also worth noting that Ms. Garner is an elected official," Bankston added. "If this backlog had become a campaign issue, it could have been used unfairly against her. That is not accountability, that’s politics. She deserves the same level of respect for her office as any other elected official seated here today."
Fannin County resident Tammy Woods echoed Bankston's concerns regarding the minutes and asked to speak in public forum regarding actions of the county judge.
Woods noted that Cunningham harps endlessly on one particular subject -- the courthouse -- in an effort to disparage former county officials. Commissioners court also addressed the county judge's hidden agenda during the regular meeting held October 14, 2025.
Woods reminded residents that HB 2715 (People's Veto) was passed. Texas House Bill (HB) 2715 is a law that modifies the process for removing local officials by centralizing petitions with the presiding judge of the administrative judicial region and it requires a prosecutor from another county to represent the state. It was effective immediately when it was signed into law on June 20, 2025.
Woods complained about the constant berating and bullying of members of the court and citizens by the county judge.
Woods said she is not going to spearhead a petition drive to remove the county judge, but offered assistance to anyone who wanted to move forward. Information regarding the petition can be found in Government Code chapter 87.001.
"Judge Cunningham, I think your intentions were good when you ran for this position, but a lot of time power goes to your head. It's time for Fannin County to grow. It's time to go on to the next generation."
Woods said that government code states that a county judge should only vote in the case of a tie, contrary to standard operating procedure in Fannin County.
"It's time to put down the gavel and let the next generation come in and see what we can do," Woods remarked. "I think we have a good commissioners court, but it is time for the judge to step down."
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Commissioners court approved the Interlocal Agreement between Fannin County and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service for the acceptance of the 2025-2026 Feral Hog Abatement Grant; $6,480.00.
This is a reimbursable agreement which is good through August 31, 2026 unless cancelled. The grant would pay for two pig brig traps for $3,000 apiece, with shipping bringing the total to $6,274.80.
The county intends to rent the traps for 10% of the purchase cost ($300), which might allow the county to purchase another trap once the purchase price has been raised.
Pct. 1 Commissioner Troy Waggoner pointed out that two traps would do little to curb the burgeoning population of feral pigs.
"Until we get some more traps in the county, it's not going to do a whole lot," admitted Fannin County Extension Agent, Cody Maxwell.
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Commissioners court approved the release of the below pledged Securities to be moved from Frost Bank to Texas Independent Bank.
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Commissioners court voted to change the December 23, 2025 commissioners court date to Monday, December 22, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. to assist with the planning of the County Awards Luncheon.
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By a 4-1 vote, commissioners court approved the Waiver of Subdivision Regulations Sections 5.1g and 4.1.2 to reduce Right-of-Way from 60’ to 40’ for Property ID#s 86666, 71852 and 71724.
The developer is planning to install concrete roads and curbs.
Pct. 3 Commissioner Kurt Fogelberg cast the opposing vote.
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Commissioners court approved the one-time severance of 1 acre from a 30-acre tract on FM 2029 in Telephone; Property ID# 71222.
County regulations will only allow a severance every two years.
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Commissioners court passed on an agenda item regarding text changes to the Lake Ralph Hall Zoning Regulations; remove or amend section 5.01, On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSFs) requirements.
As the regulation stands, any subdivision on 20 or more acres, or with 20 or more houses, has to have the houses attached to a centralized sewage system. Any commercial entity must hook up to a centralized sewage system. Di Hopkins, Fannin County Development Services Director, noted that similar restrictions would have stopped every subdivision that has been approved on Bois d'Arc Lake so far.
Hopkins contends that section 5.01 of the Lake Ralph Hall Zoning Regulations is more stringent than the Current Fannin County OSSF order and therefore not enforceable and actually unlawful to have in the regulations because they have not been approved by TCEQ.
Hopkins said that all sewage regulations must be approved by TCEQ.
Hopkins advised the court that leaving the regulation in, as it currently reads, would significantly impair development around the lake because it suggests that the county either wants no one-acre subdivisions or high-density subdivisions, as opposed to encouraging balanced development.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Doug Kopf said he believes Upper Trinity is taking advantage of the City of Ladonia and Fannin County.
Upper Trinity does provide wholesale sewage systems in the Denton area and Fannin County Commissioners Court seems to be encouraging the same concept for the Ladonia area.
Ladonia resident Jason Egan asked the county to protect the City of Ladonia from costly infrastructure issues and to approach this situation cautiously.
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Commissioners court adjourned at 12:02 p.m. for a 90-minute lunch.
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Commissioners court approved the 2025-2026 Operating Plan for Lake Fannin.
This is the annual operating plan, as required.
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Commissioners court voted to approve the Addendum to the Grayson-Fannin Interlocal Agreement for Inmate Housing Services clarifying that payments should be sent directly to the trust.
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Commissioners court approved the Grant Agreement for Rural Sheriff’s Office Salary Assistance Program with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts regarding Senate Bill 22 to accept funds in the amount of $350,000.00.
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Commissioners court approved the county judge signing the Grant Agreement for Rural Law Enforcement Salary Assistance Program (for Constables) regarding Senate Bill 22 when received from the Comptroller of Public Accounts to accept funds in the amount of $7,665.94.
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Commissioners court passed on an agenda item regarding the RFQ for Engineering/Inspection Services for courthouse.
Fogelberg made a motion for this agenda item to be removed from future meetings and it was approved. Commissioners Waggoner, Self and Fogelberg voted to drop the agenda item, with Kopf abstaining and Cunningham casting the lone opposing vote.
"Judge votes no and I'm going to put it back on the agenda," Cunningham snapped.
"So this is a never-ending kangaroo court," Fogelberg remarked.
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Commissioners court discussed another issue that has plagued this court for years -- the Fannin County Courthouse Round IX Full Restoration Final Reimbursement of $600,000 from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program (THCPP).
"I sent you an email I received from Texas Historical Commission," Self told Cunningham. "They are wanting to release the funds. They just need us to say the project has been completed and we have proper insurance."
Cunningham said he will not sign the document "because the job is not complete."
The restored courthouse has been occupied for more than 40 months. The building was rededicated and occupied March 10, 2022.
"This job was complete four years ago when you took occupancy of it," Waggoner told Cunningham.
"I understand that is what you've been told and that is incorrect," Cunningham responded.
"Let me ask you a question, judge," Kopf spoke up. "Are you holding this $600,000 hostage until you get your way?"
"This judge will not represent that this job is complete," argued Cunningham. "I will not prevaricate myself."
"Well, I won't either, but I think it is complete," countered Kopf.
"That's your opinion," Cunningham said.
"And that's your opinion -- you're not an engineer," Kopf stated.
"We have a lady who would like to speak," Waggoner interjected when he saw Cunningham was ignoring Bankston at the podium.
"I'm going to finish answering Commissioner Kopf's requests," Cunningham blurted out.
"You didn't even acknowledge her," Waggoner told Cunningham.
"It would be nice if we could show some decorum in this court," Bankston told Cunningham.
"We are showing decorum, but when you come up without being called for, that isn't decorum," Cunningham answered.
"You are setting the stage for me to be combatant, and that's not what I am trying to do," Bankston began. "On February 15, 2022, this court voted to transfer $600,000 in American Rescue Plan funds into the Courthouse account to keep construction moving.
"That wasn’t a gift. It was a bridge loan, with the understanding that the Texas Historical Commission would reimburse the county once the project was certified complete.
"In April 2022, the courthouse was declared safe for occupancy.
"We moved back in but the work wasn’t done, and the bills weren’t settled.
"Then, on December 13, 2022, this court voted 5-0 to approve the Substantial Completion Certificate and authorize the county judge to sign it 'to receive the $600,000 back.'
"One week later, Judge Randy Moore announced that the final Certificate of Occupancy had been received and was ready to be sent to the Texas Historical Commission. That order was never carried out.
"And because of that delay, taxpayers have forfeited roughly $75,000 to $80,000 in potential interest that money could have earned.
"This isn’t just about $600,000 — it’s about the pattern of how this courthouse has been handled, from start to now. The project has cost taxpayers nearly $30 million, and it’s still not finished, or is it?
"On one hand, the current county judge has pursued contractors aggressively — authorizing lawsuits, hiring inspectors, and filing petitions to determine 'what was done and who is responsible.'
"The judge has repeatedly told the public that repairs are ongoing — electrical hazards, flooding in the basement, HVAC problems, structural issues.
"Yet on the other hand, that same judge wrote publicly in 2025 that he is 'willing to sign a letter saying the county has substantially completed the project,' but 'cannot in good conscience sign a letter saying the project is complete.'
"That’s the contradiction, sir. In 2022, while serving as advisor to Judge Moore, campaigning for county judge, and later acting as pro bono counsel to this court, Mr. Cunningham watched the commissioners vote unanimously to authorize submission of that same Substantial Completion Certificate. You were present — confirmed by audio. If the courthouse wasn’t ready, that objection should have been made then, not three years later.
"Citing an 'ongoing federal investigation' now doesn’t erase the 5–0 vote or the obligation that came with it. If such an investigation even exists, your own public statements could complicate it.
"By withholding a reimbursement already authorized by this court, this creates a blurred line between protecting taxpayers and to some, it appears to be using the courthouse as political leverage.
"Meanwhile, the courthouse still leaks, cracks, and sits $600,000 short of what this court already voted to collect.
"This court has two options: follow through or fix it.
"The December 13, 2022 directive authorizing the County Judge to sign and transmit the Substantial Completion Certificate to the Texas Historical Commission still stands.
"If the court intends to honor that vote — bring forth a motion to execute that directive as it stands from 2022.
"If not, then formally rescind it in open session, on the record, and let the minutes reflect that."
Cunningham asked Bankston to read what Self said about wanting to look at the Request For Proposals regarding the hiring of an engineering firm to inspect the courthouse.
"Read that to me," Cunningham roared. "Let me respond to a couple of things."
"Judge, don't yell," cautioned Kopf.
"Point of order," Bankston spoke up.
"Turn her mic off....turn her mic off," demanded Cunningham. "She's trying to shut me down. Substantial completion does not mean the job was completed. It was 80% done - that's my understanding."
After a long rant, Cunningham asked for a vote.
Bankston said she wasn't finished.
"You, sir, as an attorney, should know that you cannot reverse an action that was voted on by this court without the correct motion to do so. Execute it, or rescind it, but do it on the record, by vote, and for the sake of transparency, do it in public."
"Anyone with a law degree would know you are incorrect," Cunningham told Bankston.
"Anyone who has a basic knowledge of the law or public documentation, of course doesn't know what they are talking about because they don't have that title, sir," Bankston chided the county judge. "Come on!"
"I will not sign a document showing that the courthouse job is complete...period," Cunningham told commissioners.
"So, you are going to hold up the public's money?" asked Self.
"No, you are holding up the public's money by not holding an inspection," argued Cunningham.
"Judge, we have been in this courthouse for 42 months," Self reminded Cunningham.
Fogelberg made a motion to accept the final reimbursement payment of $600,000 from Texas Historical Commission and the motion passed 4-1, with only Cunningham opposing the motion.
Even if presented with a court order to sign the document, Cunningham said he would refuse.
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Commissioners court voted to go out for rural ambulance grant(s) on January 1, 2026, for up to $350,000 annually if the application is successful.
This is an annual grant and, since Allegiance Mobile Health doesn't need another ambulance at this time, Commissioner Self suggested alternating between giving an ambulance to the City of Bonham the first year, and giving an ambulance to the county's mobile health vendor, Allegiance Mobile Health, the next year.
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Commissioners court voted to implement a two-factor authentication for County email accounts to protect from malicious emails.
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Commissioners court voted to approve the purchase of Network Equipment needed for the Justice Center; $56,677.05 from SHI.
Fannin County Purchasing Agent Julie Criswell advised the court that it can utilize a portion of the Justice Center furniture budget of $1 million to purchase the equipment.
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Commissioners court voted to approve the purchase of a 1979 Peterbilt 353 from Car Mart in Dodd City for $12,500 for Precinct 3.
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Commissioners court voted to approve the purchase of a 2024 John Deere Excavator 190GW from RDO in McKinney.
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Commissioners court received an update on vendor(s) for RFP 2025-005, Justice Center Furnishings.
Criswell told commissioners court that the county received four bids and the ad hoc committee would like to begin negotiations with Blue Box and hopes to have prices available at the next regular meeting.
The court voted to enter the second phase of this process with Blue Box.
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Open discussion items
Open discussion items may be passed on unless discussion requested by a member of the court or a citizen.
In regard to the county budget and revenue sources, Fannin County Auditor Alicia Whipple advised the court that Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenue is beginning to trickle in at $500-$600 per month.
Kopf asked about the possibility of naming the Justice Center in honor of a major donor, but received pushback from Waggoner who stated the building should be called Fannin County Justice Center.
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Cunningham and Waggoner attended a meeting in Waco regarding roads that was presided over by a board of road engineers. Of the 254 counties in Texas, 40 counties have a road engineer.
"I think it is time to start budgeting for widening roads," suggested Kopf, adding that he would be willing to take $200,000 out of his budget every year for that purpose.
The court stressed the need to make developers pay for widening and improving roads.
Executive session(s) and action if needed
Pursuant to Texas Government Code, Section 551.071, Commissioners Court entered into executive session at 2:52 p.m. to consult with their attorney, and to discuss personnel issues.
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Commissioners court reconvened in regular session at 3:10 p.m., but made no mention of what was discussed in executive session.
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Kopf apologized to the public for the conduct of the court after another argumentative meeting.
