Van Zandt County commissioners approve burn ban, housing assignment conditions and a string of administrative measures

Van Zandt County Commissioners Court passed a series of administrative and policy actions during its Nov. 5 meeting, including a 3–1 vote to impose a temporary countywide burn ban and a conditional approval to assign $35 million in private-activity bond authority to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in coordination with the East Texas Housing Finance Corporation.

The court voted to: impose a temporary countywide burn ban and authorize the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal to rescind the ban when conditions improve; approve an amendment to a Texas Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) memorandum of understanding (contract CDB23-0273) to add indemnification for Van Zandt County; transfer and reallocate surplus county vehicles among the sheriff, constables, fire marshal and emergency management and send remaining surplus to auction; approve backdated reimbursement to a part-time transfer-station attendant for specified months; adopt formal rules of procedure/conduct for the commissioners court; issue an RFP for courthouse window restoration (two-year RFP, Year 1 focused on fifth-floor jail windows); and accept the consent agenda. The court tabled action on financing a 2023 Volvo smooth-drum roller (contract 685-22) pending clarification of final…