[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6079893,"mediaKeyId","2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74","parentId",2953538,"title","Commissioners cite heavy commercial trash trucks as damaging county roads; options include county-run service or contracts","audioSeconds",82,"startMs",705810,"endMs",788000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74&start=705&end=788","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74/thumbnail_705810.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6079893/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Commissioners-cite-heavy-commercial-trash-trucks-as-damaging-county-roads-options-include-county-run-service-or-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079893-b40f4438166d5bda1c904d3683db5ccf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151236&Signature=JzcbhubViPe-4irNzMhtaovHJ7yFky7mGpr3dSBffMpWmlnfVA~k~8xwmyVSey~cWGEnREaDV9vXPp3Y9XZjR1tc3kfxaizXcO6TGeEpOuEcWiILTT8DLGMhhk49sNaBY~M-wq2FMOQabkKHOgkGcZ0rJB4qDcxNMpv7X-DJMAvxnoLM4NDi5krhSVuISQA-kmvFRDbf9yFa2CD08lwUn2OQBwLXPf2~0FzyXookF8FWWp4U6KjxKDOk9QbzsL~CFEnLu19Un9EphjO7EihvGKfW47R7t8qyGIsWYdZnHsWGTfEnPl~QYKM3Vj1Z3CWKP5mbZp1lSqK8NfdNEAAq0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Van Zandt County TX","date","2025-04-11T00:04:25.39Z","article","Van Zandt County commissioners raised concerns about large commercial trash trucks damaging county roads and discussed possible remedies, including the county taking over trash service or contracting for collection.

A commissioner said the county has \"5 to 6\" heavy trash companies operating large front-loader vehicles that weigh about 60,000 pounds and described them as \"very destructive to our county roads.\" Commissioners discussed the difficulty of regulating private haulers without assuming responsibility for providing trash service; one option cited from other jurisdictions was for a local government to contract and collect for service through a local tax or utility billing model.

Court members questioned enforcement options, such as requiring bonds from trash companies; the meeting record shows uncertainty about practical enforcement (for example, how to prove damage was caused by a specific truck). The court tabled the matter for future study, saying staff should investigate how other counties and cities have addressed heavy commercial haulers and the associated road damage.

No ordinance, contract action, or budget allocation was proposed or adopted at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Van Zandt County Commissioners Regular Meeting 4/9/2025b","oneSentenceSummary","County commissioners raised concerns about 60,000-pound commercial trash trucks damaging county roads and discussed potential remedies, including county-managed trash service or contracting models used by cities; no action was taken.","taxTitle","Van Zandt County, Texas","taxId",63777,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6079898,"Van Zandt commissioners weigh limits on outgoing commissioners' spending, cite Local Government Code",359,261000,620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74&start=261&end=620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74/thumbnail_261000.jpg","/articles/6079898/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Van-Zandt-commissioners-weigh-limits-on-outgoing-commissioners-spending-cite-Local-Government-Code","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079898-15c8308964814f09d25e55cc48181a74/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151236&Signature=W~m4zBpmWX-2xqnkA8g6JxMDFVD1~0itHws80DIuNCNh97tPlpFBNMDZDamCq7JUtbd423hEn-nL--q1Rw6g6x1xXLbS6el0cRcTEkyk6Od-Jin3FHpUUslBlcJ~-2WR-CDDfqQu7zAaCnf2QI-R3UCDJZ3YYmb0lE9lZPlmPb-tUh~v58iiY~DtNtJliPttumOVRHscn2txnndorE2w9b33aifR5MNAxUJbt8OC7eYI0Q5Ltii9Mmu-cNUJlIikVil9FP~9jvD1HAxr~AZoKyTiqwwaYOhJ4-BaRTuwL3mi-efiq-nddJlausjJoU7ZqER3kihelq3Pe71QceA2aA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Van Zandt County Commissioner's Court discussed developing a policy to limit spending and the sale of county equipment by commissioners who have lost renomination or reelection during the period after primary results.

One commissioner described a nine-month window in which an outgoing commissioner has broad authority and said the court has heard \"horror stories\" of outgoing officials taking actions that harmed incoming commissioners. The commissioner said she contacted the Texas Association of Counties and cited an example in which a county limited outgoing officers from spending more than $500 without court approval; she called that $500 threshold \"extreme\" but said Van Zandt County should consider some restriction.

Legal counsel told the court that the Local Government Code, section cited as 130.908 in the meeting record, allows the commissioner's court to set an expenditure limit for an incumbent county or precinct officer who was not renominated or reelected; counsel said such a rule can be imposed after the official canvass of primary or general election returns and that the court can set whatever amount it chooses.

Court members discussed a different existing policy reported from another county that forbids an outgoing commissioner from spending more than 25% of the new budget from October through December. Several members said that percentage is too high because most road work and related purchases occur between May and September; they proposed discussing an appropriate limit during upcoming budget and workshop sessions and said a commissioner should seek court approval for expenditures above the set limit.

No formal motion or vote was taken. Court members agreed to work on policy language in a future workshop and to use the budgeting process to determine appropriate numeric thresholds.","Commissioners discussed drafting a policy to restrict spending and sale of equipment by outgoing ('lame duck') commissioners after primary results, citing examples from other counties and Local Government Code guidance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6079902,"Van Zandt County court backs DA in seeking court order to block delivery of lithium batteries until NFPA standards met",120,31600,152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74&start=31&end=152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2953538-e37d2fed3f7907e8d6d7b3b9bf213d74/thumbnail_31600.jpg","/articles/6079902/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Van-Zandt-County-court-backs-DA-in-seeking-court-order-to-block-delivery-of-lithium-batteries-until-NFPA-standards-met","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079902-950e64b1aaff6bbd33f05759c0e40e03/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151236&Signature=BhQFo41iKltNXJemeOq1bV9sgmiyPtK7ynmkrrOMwIlODjkYaKA-y6iuvqJqZcaZjRPW8Gn1vO2wZwXeQ-qwtwcpZOhRET9PNNJlI3sC4YaSnHU-ZM4gz6K94hsaX-thcjUqu5p97j4VzzjPTea4F9z0IT1j7UJPwG1NEIeMFC5N9xqyqopKyQXLO-1v3veOy-WsVERiXEvtV2JjRNTlIRoEhxfsLpoU~idawoLQyXZqriVBhJycZqnbw5Z5dF33rpZVEV6kimPOaNd43z2fxZpD2UqkMUspCZV3PjLDgIqjrYXWY1Rm-SqcJ9ez~reqtkGCj3pOoxmT9PB2GzUbnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Van Zandt County Commissioner's Court on a unanimous voice vote approved a resolution expressing support for the Van Zandt County District Attorney to seek judicial authority to prevent delivery of lithium iron batteries to any site in Van Zandt County until the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal or a court finds that all applicable National Fire Protection Association standards have been met.

The court said in the resolution that \"the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Van Zandt County is of utmost importance\" and that it finds \"battery energy storage systems are a fire hazard as defined by the National Fire Protection Association\" and that \"lithium ion batteries are a hazardous substance.\" The resolution names BT Amador Storage LLC by company name as one developer of a battery energy storage system referenced in the text of the resolution.

A commissioner who moved the resolution said the court and its partners had been \"fighting very diligently for 3 and a half, 4 months\" and added, \"we are not supporters of green energy, specifically these battery energy storage systems. And we want to do we wanna assure the people of, of each of our precincts that we are not in support of of these coming in.\" The motion was seconded by Commissioner Curtis Mitchell.

The court chair put the question and the vote was recorded as \"aye\" by the members present; the presiding official announced the matter approved. The resolution instructs the county's district attorney to seek judicial authority to prevent owners and developers of BT Amador Storage LLC and \"all other battery energy storage system entities\" from delivering lithium iron batteries into Van Zandt County until compliance with applicable NFPA standards is confirmed by the fire marshal or a court.

The resolution repeatedly cites National Fire Protection Association standards as the governing safety authority. The resolution text as read during the meeting also included a reference to a battery energy storage system being developed in \"Benzed County.\" That phrasing appears in the meeting text and may be a transcription or drafting error; the resolution itself, as adopted, directs county legal action directed at deliveries to Van Zandt County. The court did not specify any timeline or a separate enforcement mechanism beyond asking the district attorney to seek judicial authority.

No amendments were offered during the discussion and no additional procedural conditions (for example, a specified review timeline) were included in the adopted text.

The court said staff would prepare a press release in coordination with the judge after consultation with the district attorney.","The Van Zandt County Commissioner's Court adopted a resolution urging the county district attorney to seek judicial authority to prevent delivery of lithium iron batteries to county sites until the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal or a court determines National Fire Protection Association standards are met.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners cite heavy commercial trash trucks as damaging county roads; options include county-run service or contracts

Van Zandt commissioners weigh limits on outgoing commissioners' spending, cite Local Government Code

Van Zandt County court backs DA in seeking court order to block delivery of lithium batteries until NFPA standards met