Commissioners approve budget, tax rate, salaries and a slate of operational measures; votes at a glance

The Liberty County Commissioners Court conducted multiple formal votes at its Sept. 23 regular meeting. The court approved the FY2026 budget, adopted the 2025 tax rate, approved elected‑official salaries and the county position budget and took a number of operational and procurement actions. Below are the key outcomes recorded on the meeting minutes and the motions on the record.

Votes at a glance (key items and outcomes)

- Consent agenda (including added items): motion to approve carried (motion by Bruce; second by Greg). The consent agenda covered routine items and the additions announced at the meeting.

- Adopt elected‑official salaries for FY2026: motion carried (motion by Bruce; second by David). The recorded voice vote included three ayes and one nay; one commissioner announced prior support but said they could not support the measure at the final vote.

- Adopt FY2026 budget (10/1/2025–9/30/2026): motion carried (motion by Greg; second by Bruce). The court recorded the motion as approved by the required majority.

- Adopt 2025 tax rate of $0.48 per $100 valuation: motion carried (motion by Bruce; second by Greg).

- Approve FY2026 position budget and employee salaries: motion carried (motion by Bruce; second by David).

- Approve public‑service agreement with Tri‑County Behavioral Health Care for mental‑health services: motion carried (motion by Bruce; second by David).

- Renew TAC (Texas Association of Counties) health‑insurance plan and benefit confirmations; approve retiree life coverage and select pooled/COBRA/ACA reporting options: motion carried (motion by Bruce; second by Greg). The court later voted to have the county pay the full TAC renewal increase for employees (motion carried; motion by Greg; second by David).

- Approve various grants, procurements and budget actions (selected): • Capital‑credits payment of $2,324.71 to be split between CASA and Bridgehaven: approved. • Approval of candidates Mark Shellander and Jimmy Rollins for the Liberty County Appraisal District board: approved. • Termination of the COVID pay policy effective 10/01/2025: approved. • Approval of security contract for the Tax Assessor‑Collector’s office with Greystar Protection (effective 10/01/2025): approved. • Approval of multiple grant applications and awards, including statewide automated victim notification renewal (SAVNS) and HB4264 one‑time law‑enforcement grants for qualifying officers: approved where presented. • Approval of GLO buyout extension and related withdrawal/payments under grant 20066013C095 and payment requests to contractors (James W. Turner Construction Ltd.) for demolition work: approved. • Approvals for multiple holding‑tank permits for MUDs (temporary building services) where county permits and contracted pump‑outs were confirmed: approved. • Approval to add a fourth e‑recorder (Hopdocs) in the county clerk’s office: approved. • Approve purchase/orders for district offices (copier, Westlaw renewal, DA network project initial payment): approved. • Approval of payment requests for Ames sanitary‑sewer improvements (Schomburg & Pope) using ARPA funds: approved.

- Capital and emergency appropriations: • Emergency budget amendment increased by $2,000,000 to cover additional out‑of‑county inmate housing costs: motion carried.

- Land, roads and administrative approvals: • Abandonment of a 20‑foot road easement (private, adjacent to County Road 2090) to streamline a pending sale: motion carried. • Road‑use agreement with Trident Intrastate Pipeline was tabled for revision and will return to a future agenda: tabled by motion.

- Procurement and engagements for county services: several smaller procurement and service approvals carried by recorded motions (see actions list for itemized entries).

Several items were handled as information items and did not require votes. The court recessed for an executive session and subsequently returned to approve an RFQ process for construction of a Liberty County animal shelter (motion to issue RFQs approved) and to acknowledge statutory vacancies on Emergency Service District No. 3’s board following the district’s failure to timely file annual audits (the statute effects automatic removal; the court acknowledged the vacancy and directed further administrative follow‑up).

Where the meeting record did not identify individual roll‑call votes by name, the minutes record the motion, the seconder and the oral voice vote; where a tally was read it is noted above. For complete line‑item descriptions, contract numbers and vendor details, refer to the official meeting packet and the county clerk’s records.