Commissioners question chamber sponsorship listing, seek clearer economic-development priorities

Navasota, Texas — Grimes County commissioners questioned whether the court had authorized the chamber to list the county as a "platinum" sponsor of the Navasota/Grimes County Chamber Awards Banquet and discussed how in-kind partnerships and free tickets to county employees had been handled.

Commissioner David Tullis placed the item on the agenda after finding a chamber publication listing the county as a platinum sponsor. He told the court he could not recall approving that level of sponsorship and asked the chamber to explain the publication.

Lucy Ibarra, executive director of the Navasota/Grimes County Chamber of Commerce, told the court the chamber had an "in-kind" partnership with the county that originated in 2024 and that the county provides a recurring economic development services grant (described to the court as $20,000 in prior budget conversations). She said the…