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COMANCHE -- Another long agenda,
consisting primarily of non-controversial items, awaited the Comanche
County Commissioners Court on Monday, September 10.
The most controversial item involved
whether construction and development permits will be required in order
to keep the county qualified for participation in federal flood
insurance and flood disaster relief programs.
Judge James Arthur chaired the meeting.
All four Commissioners, Garry Steele, Kenneth Feist, Bobby Schuman and
Jimmy Dale Johnson, listed in Precincts order, were present.
County Court Administrator Sherry Ward
assisted Judge Arthur in conducting the meeting.
Other County officials present during all
or portions of the meeting included County Clerk Ruby Lesley, County
Auditor Joey Boswell, County Sheriff Jeff Lambert, County Attorney
Charles Williams, County Treasurer Billy Ruth Rust, County Emergency
Services Coordinator Ray Helberg and County Veterans Service Officer
Jim Coats.
The minutes of two previous Commissioners
meetings, on August 27 and September 6, were read and approved by
unanimous vote.
Proposed Tax Rate Hearing
The September 6 meeting had been the
first of two required public hearings on the proposed County ad
valorem property tax rate. No members of the public were present for
the first hearing.
The first order of business on Monday was
the second required public hearing on the proposed property tax rate.
Comanche County is proposing a rate
increase of 1.98 cents, from 58.33 cents to 60.31 cents, per $100
taxable valuation.
One man, Charles Grimsley from Comanche,
was present to question the amount of the proposed property tax rate
increase. He asked if the amount of tax increase listed in the
newspaper notices was in addition to the valuation increase on his
home and was told that it was the effect of the proposed tax rate
increase on the average valued home in the county.
Grimsley complained that his property
valuation and all of the property taxes had been increasing every year
and then added that he was on a fixed income. He asked if there was
anything that could be done to keep him from being taxed out of his
home.
Joey Boswell discussed the County's need
for revenue and that the property tax was the only means they had to
balance their inflation driven expenditures increases with revenues.
Since property taxes only provide around half of the total revenues,
they have to increase more than the general level of inflation for the
total County budget to remain balanced.
Bobby Schuman noted that the County
property tax rate was lower than most of the other tax rates and that
the Precincts were operating a lot of very old road equipment in order
to try to keep their taxes as low as possible. He added that his fuel
costs had doubled.
Jimmy Dale Johnson added, "But you have a
legitimate complaint." He added that he wished he knew a better answer
to the situation. He noted that more sales tax revenues were needed to
help the land and property owners on their tax burden.
Grimsley commented that he was living on
a fixed income. Bobby Schuman said that they understood his plight.
Joey Boswell stated that this was the
first appreciable tax rate increase for the county in seven years,
although property valuations had been increasing.
Jimmy Dale Johnson asked Grimsley if his
school taxes had come down and Grimsley said he didn't know. All he
knew was about the City of Comanche and the County's notices in the
local newspaper.
After the Commissioners expressed
sympathy with Grimsley's situation, there were no other questions from
him or anyone else and the hearing was closed.
Another public hearing for adoption of
the tax rate was set for Monday, September 24, at 9:00 a.m. on a
unanimous vote.
Veterans Service Officer Report
Comanche County Veterans Service Officer
Jim Coats spoke to the Commissioners noting that he was serving an
average of 3-5 veterans per day, either in person in his office or by
telephone.
He expressed some surprise at the number
of veterans' widows who needed help, noting that the Veterans
Administration pensions fluctuated both up and down. When the pension
payment dropped, it was often in correction of the VA’s mistaken
earlier overpayment. Coats stated that he was often able to secure
relief for the widows when their pensions were reduced.
Coats said he was not being worked to
death, but that his veterans service business had been very steady and
that he was enjoying his work.
Coats then asked permission from the
Commissioners to attend a Texas Veterans Commission training course in
Dallas offered in early October for Veterans Service Officers. He
noted that the state pays the entire cost of the course, travel and
meals.
Bobby Schuman expressed appreciation to
Coats for the job he had been doing as the County's Veterans Service
Officer. Jimmy Dale Johnson told him to have fun in Dallas.
The training course attendance was
approved unanimously on a motion offered by Garry Steele and seconded
by Kenneth Feist.
Replacement of Flood-Damaged Bridges
Larry Smith, District Engineer for the
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), spoke to the Commissioners
regarding the bridge replacement situation on CR 220 in Precinct 2
between Comanche and Gustine. Smith noted that TxDOT needed landowner
permission to use a private road to access the Salt Branch bridge.
Kenneth Feist responded that he had
visited with the landowner and been informed by him that he wanted
another nearby bridge repaired before the Salt Branch bridge.
(Partial text only. See full
article in the DeLeon Free Press) |
