[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6174705,"mediaKeyId","5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5","parentId",5367494,"title","Hunt County treasurer asks commissioners to fund $15,000 adviser to diversify investments","audioSeconds",2806,"startMs",285000,"endMs",3091000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5&start=285&end=3091","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5/thumbnail_285000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6174705/Hunt-County/Texas/Hunt-County-treasurer-asks-commissioners-to-fund-15000-adviser-to-diversify-investments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6174705-02702df10eedc447c4251db64936b1b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770415586&Signature=QMvFdhgh-FXeGrTvS2fq2268D4YCx4lKidOe-ypOdxuajTNKVVDf-SSdeSRDXBYIh1epTxgqYJcW4XC~dyLzq5eO1oWeKDWTfdK-ZOSKj39LoSxv0yWiX4XMYc5-159OC6fkow9cSHU2G2cRQeWOjbJ9-qHlv1VmGUeMEu8-y~JGou1upsAT~Uk7yeXbw~mxQCuUcgTWzt0CBWLCaDN~8iCGzyFWpnYNBuwuwbDR8Xp4snJr61imi~VEeNYJbdUHW4qvbV178U18Y0g8QQcTZvBVmitxfltRojqB0bCl1Sk3g13elo3iAU11ZjBND~uzoZJTXRg7-fVl4ilpA2Ia2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hunt County, Texas","date","2025-07-11T16:58:33Z","article","County Treasurer Britney Turner told the Hunt County Commissioners Court on July 11 that she wants the county to hire an outside investment adviser to help diversify the county's portfolio and protect income if short-term yields fall.

Turner said Hunt County's operating investments are currently concentrated in local government investment pools and short maturities and that she is requesting the minimum contract fee of $15,000 a year to retain METER Public Funds to advise the county. METER representative Barry Boyer told the court the firm would act on a nondiscretionary basis, presenting recommended trades to the treasurer for approval.

Why it matters: the county is largely invested in short-term pools and is exposed if interest rates decline. Turner and Boyer said adding carefully selected individual securities could lock in yields for several years and reduce volatility in the county's monthly investment income.

Turner said the county's pool yields were in the low 4 percent range earlier in the budget year and that futures markets indicate weaker yields by December; Boyer said the county currently holds about 89 percent of its portfolio in pools. He told commissioners the adviser fee applies only to assets placed into a custody account of individual securities, not to bank deposits or pool balances.

Boyer described METER's services: a policy review, cash-flow modeling, trade execution, custody setup, and consolidated monthly and quarterly reporting that would include pool balances and bank deposits as well as any securities held in custody. He said the arrangement would be fiduciary and that METER is an independent adviser, not a broker-dealer or custodian.

Turner said she reduced her personnel budget earlier this year and is asking for the adviser fee to be added without increasing net county costs: \"Currently, I'm requesting the minimum, which is $15,000,\" she said. Boyer added the firm's fee schedule carries a $15,000 annual minimum, and the fee would remain at that level until the securities account reached roughly $15 million in assets.

County staff and commissioners asked practical questions about oversight and procurement. Boyer said the relationship would be nondiscretionary: \"I can't touch your cash and I can't touch your assets,\" he told the court, describing the process by which METER would recommend trades and the treasurer would approve them. A staff member identified as Daniel said the procurement of a professional adviser is governed by Government Code 2254 and 254 and generally does not require a competitive bid, which the treasurer and Boyer echoed.

No formal vote was taken. Commissioners asked staff to add a budget line item (or place the expense under a general administrative fund) so the request can be considered during the county budget process.

What remains: Turner and Boyer provided data and a recommended framework; any decision to engage METER would require a subsequent administrative approval and a contract consistent with the Public Funds Investment Act and the county's investment policy.

Ending: Commissioners scheduled further review of budget items and directed staff to show the advisory fee as an option in upcoming budget materials; no contract was approved at the July 11 special session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners Court Regular Session 07/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","County Treasurer Britney Turner asked the Hunt County Commissioners Court on July 11 to add a $15,000 annual line item so the county can hire METER Public Funds to advise its portfolio and help \"create longer-term income certainty.\"","taxTitle","taxId",51030,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6174695,"Precinct 2 commissioner asks to retain larger share of road funds; court discusses rotating road crew trial",3709,3876000,7585000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5&start=3876&end=7585","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5/thumbnail_3876000.jpg","/articles/6174695/Hunt-County/Texas/Precinct-2-commissioner-asks-to-retain-larger-share-of-road-funds-court-discusses-rotating-road-crew-trial","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6174695-9f72d2d429808bd538c27ec196b1ef98/orig.mp4?Expires=1770415586&Signature=nThvqpDZXTTKYsfJnBW55W8rHZzeFQy6MOXQ4vDFQBJgFiKNVqHTn6AU4kQ7Li0m3bcRdGa7EAD1IQ6dnuoyU326iqmrvDF8arXiqWna0Ni28ScxLD2-DiZ8oZCkpUf3J-20MhRusT5N-L59gT9ZaC03JyU67VO66OrPHMrBgpo5cJr0cVL1k9G5F3kbLlvUOz6bU7jxvDs6YQRLYwNBbSD3HBufPCgJPNtrXOtUgKrMyezkz18GCDaqOllW8p58GFBsjTfc0-V-pgSzRL8ZrQOUCfWbn5xUYST2mByFKmYOyVUA-qTg~7qXF0~yxAJo4228estL58r534WR1Fhg8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner David, representing Precinct 2, presented his FY2025-26 road-and-bridge budget to the Hunt County Commissioners Court on July 11 and asked the court to allow Precinct 2 to retain a larger share of its property-tax revenue for local road work.

David said Precinct 2 currently receives roughly $3.6 million under an equal four-way distribution of ad valorem revenue, and he asked permission to retain 30 percent of the precinct's contribution rather than 25 percent. He said the change would add about $721,756 to Precinct 2's materials line and allow the precinct to plan 18'20 miles of resurfacing annually.

\"I'm requesting permission to retain 30% of that revenue within Precinct 2 to support our ongoing growth,\" David told the court during his presentation. He cited rapid growth in parts of Precinct 2 (notably the Caddo Mills area) and detailed recent precinct accomplishments, including buying and rebuilding equipment, reopening nine previously impassable dirt roads, replacing approximately 125 culverts, and rectifying base failures on roughly 67 miles of roads. David also supplied material-use figures: asphalt tonnage increased from roughly 14,339 tons in 2023 to a projected 20,964 tons in 2025, while rock tonnage declined as maintenance needs improved.

Commissioners and road supervisors discussed operational changes. Court members and staff proposed a trial in which the county's road crew would rotate through precincts on a four-month cycle and check in at each precinct's barn at the start of the day. The court directed a trial to begin next month so commissioners and foremen could evaluate whether the arrangement improves communication and productivity. The court also discussed changing how fuel and consumables are charged, with one staff member suggesting a transition to precinct-level fuel accounting beginning Oct. 1 while continuing central funding through the current budget year.

Why it matters: Precinct-level control of more of the property-tax distribution would increase localized funding for materials and resurfacing, directly affecting how quickly high-priority roads are rehabilitated in the fastest-growing parts of the county.

Actions and next steps: commissioners authorized a pilot of the rotating-crew schedule to begin next month and asked staff to show how the proposed Precinct 2 revenue split would appear in budget materials. No vote was taken to change the county-wide revenue split on July 11.

Ending: The court asked county staff to include David's request and the rotating-crew operational changes in upcoming budget models; any change in the county revenue-share formula would require formal action at a future meeting.","Commissioner David (Precinct 2) asked the Hunt County Commissioners Court on July 11 to allow Precinct 2 to retain 30 percent of its ad valorem road-and-bridge revenue so the precinct can accelerate resurfacing and materials purchases.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6174701,"Hunt County commissioners set 3% starting point for employee raises; order budget modeling and policy review",1200,9000000,10200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5&start=9000&end=10200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5367494-51599b9505df36748a157a1b9d56f3f5/thumbnail_9000000.jpg","/articles/6174701/Hunt-County/Texas/Hunt-County-commissioners-set-3-starting-point-for-employee-raises-order-budget-modeling-and-policy-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6174701-9b60b0c5c94035cba1abfa59489cf12a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770415586&Signature=V9ajWRCymTspISEFcUUxsfQxoDumZfDAO3RQik6yiG42zPBUQ3qNenHjTI3HKZTLvNd0eSGbUrJJfwHHE8RVULX8J5KUuopmjPam9IYwVeflccEmkKyEq325cL1DCc33dFWUQN93BzQGDemF7h0R2VnN1waWMBZyxvoxdAfbPcoAcawsa3WeLpbbTB4Hj2RlySz~wHs4AbIWrbmu2~XjP2NcjhaNyqm0vQxLE~fPbUEtA1kWbJiIfmaS87-Hjk51TJmYOH8lN~Hj-Ia3DLh~87Y1rf8tamrKXySFXvjxXfiGflh4S2vpHODEy9q5fY1p02UC3za1ThS0wF3n4ycelw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","HUNT COUNTY, Texas ' Commissioners in a July 11 special session directed county staff to model a 3 percent across-the-board pay increase as a starting point for FY2025-26 budget work and to return with updated numbers for the court.

The court's discussion focused on how to handle midyear salary changes, unused salary authority in department budgets and the mechanics for targeted merit or retention pay. County Auditor Mary and other staff said leftover salary dollars cannot simply remain hidden inside department budgets and that any carryover must be shown in the county's financial records.

Commissioners debated options for handling midyear adjustments: keep authority at department level, create a central pool for promotions and retention, or zero out unspent salary lines so the court clearly controls reallocation. Several commissioners supported zeroing out unspent salary authority as a routine practice unless an approved exception exists.

On process, commissioners asked staff to provide a master spreadsheet that will allow the court to view the budget with alternative raise scenarios (for example, 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent). The court also agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting to finalize the budget work; staff set a special session for Friday at 9 a.m. to continue budget deliberations.

Why it matters: the raise baseline affects salary costs countywide and will shape department hiring and retention decisions. Commissioners emphasized performance-based adjustments as preferable to ad hoc midyear increases but did not set firm merit criteria at the July 11 meeting.

What was decided: the court directed staff to model a 3 percent increase across the board as a starting point, to prepare alternative scenarios, and to identify options for how unspent salary authority should be reflected in the county's financial statements. No pay increases were approved on July 11.

Ending: Staff and auditors will present modeled scenarios and proposed personnel-policy language for the court to consider at the next scheduled special session; the court left open targeted retention or promotion adjustments pending further rules and available funding.","During a July 11 special session, Hunt County commissioners agreed to use a 3% across-the-board raise as a starting point for FY2025-26 budget modeling, directed staff to prepare comparative scenarios and asked staff and department heads to develop clearer personnel and salary-adjustment policies before final adoption.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hunt County treasurer asks commissioners to fund $15,000 adviser to diversify investments

Precinct 2 commissioner asks to retain larger share of road funds; court discusses rotating road crew trial

Hunt County commissioners set 3% starting point for employee raises; order budget modeling and policy review