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Titus County commissioners adopt 2025–26 budget, set tax rate and approve fee and personnel items
Summary
During a roughly 33-minute special meeting starting at 9 a.m., the Commissioner's Court adopted the 2025–26 budget and related tax rates, approved routine personnel and administrative items, and voted to raise septic-system permit fees; motions carried unanimously or by recorded majorities as noted.
The Titus County Commissioner's Court adopted the proposed 2025–26 budget and approved related fiscal measures during a special meeting that began at 9 a.m. The court also set the county tax rate and approved several routine administrative items, including a memorandum of understanding lease renewal, a temporary mechanic position, and an increase to septic-system permit fees.
Budget and tax items: Commissioner Mitchell made the motion to adopt the proposed 2025–26 budget; Commissioner Applewhite seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. The court confirmed the 2025 tax rate at 0.3861 per $100 of assessed value and approved the maintenance and operations tax rate at 0.3442 (motion by Commissioner Parker; second by Commissioner Applewhite) and a debt-service rate of 0.04 (second recorded by Commissioner Parchment). The county noted the adopted rate is below the voter-approval rate and compared the rate with surrounding counties in remarks recorded in the meeting.
Septic permit fees: The court discussed the county’s septic-permit fee structure and voted to raise fees to cover program costs. Commissioner Mitchell moved to raise private (residential) permits to $4.10 and commercial permits to $6.10; Commissioner Applewhite seconded. The motion carried (record in transcript indicated "3 to 0," with one county official to confirm codes). Commissioners discussed conflict-of-interest rules in the context of contractors who install septic systems; one commissioner noted a contractor who regularly installs systems in the county would need to recuse if voting on a fee that affects their business.
Other actions and administrative items: The court approved the minutes from the Aug. 11, 2025 regular meeting (motion by Commissioner Parchment; second by Commissioner Mitchell); renewed a memorandum of understanding with the Health and Human Services Commission for the lease of a building at 303 East Eleventh Street (motion by Commissioner Applewhite; second by Commissioner Parker); approved the VDJ Estates plat at 6379 Farmer Market Road (motion by Commissioner Parker; second by Commissioner Applewhite); added a temporary full-time mechanic position with associated training funds (motion by Commissioner Applewhite; second by Commissioner Parker); and accepted the quarterly investment report noting increased CD returns after local banking negotiations.
Salaries and reporting: The court recorded salary figures for the auditor’s office and court reporters in the record: the county auditor’s salary is listed at $85,000; part-time assistant in the auditor’s office $13,270; first assistant for the county auditor $54,600; a second assistant figure in the transcript appears as roughly $35,036 (transcript formatting ambiguous); and two court reporters (Cresta and Amanda Lee) are listed with annual salaries of $99,750 each, with monthly allocations of $8,312.50 split among three district counties. The court approved setting elected officials’ salaries and expense allowances consistent with the budget.
Routine approvals: The court approved oral and written reports of county officials, accepted the treasurer’s report as a matter of record, approved pay orders, and passed the investment and reporting items without recorded dissent.
Votes at a glance: The meeting transcript records the following outcomes: adopt 2025–26 budget — approved (unanimous); set 2025 tax rate 0.3861 — approved (unanimous); maintenance & operations rate 0.3442 — approved; debt-service rate 0.04 — approved; renew HHSC lease MOU (303 E. 11th St.) — approved; increase septic permit fees to $4.10 (residential) and $6.10 (commercial) — approved (recorded as 3–0); approve VDJ Estates plat (6379 Farmer Market Road) — approved; approve temporary full-time mechanic position and training funds — approved; approve quarterly investment report — approved; approve minutes and routine reports/pay orders — approved.
Why it matters: The approved budget and tax rate set the county’s fiscal framework for the coming year; the septic-fee increase is intended to prevent the permitting program from operating at a loss and to cover inspection/administration costs. The temporary mechanic position is a staff continuity measure tied to an upcoming retirement.
Ending: The court adjourned at approximately 9:33 a.m. The transcript contains no recorded appeals or formal challenges to the actions taken; follow-up reporting and staff implementations were described in some items (for example, funding sources for the temporary position were identified in the record).
