San Patricio County approves 90-day burn ban, multiple contracts and retainage payment; residents thank responders after Sinton fire

San Patricio County Commissioners on March 17 approved a 90-day restriction on outdoor burning, accepted a short-term local disaster declaration related to recent wildfires, and voted to approve multiple county contracts and routine financial items.

The action on outdoor burning came on a request from Scott Marion, the county's emergency management coordinator and fire marshal; the court approved the restriction for 90 days. Commissioners also accepted and recorded an order declaring a state of local disaster for San Patricio County due to wildfires, effective March 4, 2025, for seven days as recorded in the consent agenda.

The decisions follow recent fires in the county and remarks during the public comment period. Mary Bridal, who identified herself as mayor of Sinton, thanked county officials, the Texas A&M Forest Service and mutual-aid departments for their work after “the devastating welder fire” in Sinton, saying those who responded “stepped up to the front lines” and that the town has “come even closer together.” Resident Brent Casey, who spoke about emergency service district organizing, said of efforts to form an emergency services district, “It’s not a hostile takeover,” and said petitioning and community meetings are planned in multiple towns.

Beyond emergency measures, the court approved a range of procurement and personnel items: authorization for the auditor’s office to seek bids for new election management software; contracts to house juvenile detainees with Karnes and Wilson counties; issuance of an RFP for HVAC services for county facilities; a three‑year countywide public works software contract with IworkQ totaling $187,500; an agreement for…