Comal County approves routine claims, reinstates burn ban and moves forward on mental health facility and jail competency program

Comal County Commissioners Court on Thursday approved routine claims and a series of administrative and public‑safety actions, including a contract amendment for a planned mental health observation facility, an interlocal agreement to provide jail‑based competency restoration locally, and a burn ban effective Jan. 17 at 6 a.m.

The court approved $1,656,330.79 in claims, accepted a $1,300 donation to the sheriff’s K‑9 unit from the New Braunfels Candle Company and authorized a second amendment to the architectural services agreement for the county’s Extended Observation Unit Crisis Residential Facility to address raised floodplain elevations, a staff member said. The court also approved an interlocal agreement with Hill Country Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center to provide jail‑based competency restoration services in the Comal County Jail.

County Treasurer Renee Couch told the court the county had a strong year for investment income and recommended approval of the monthly treasurer’s report. “For the year, our investment income, was 9.252,” Couch said during the presentation. The court approved the treasurer’s report.

A county staff member explained the architectural amendment — totaling $42,360 — is needed because recently updated floodplain information requires the project’s foundation to be raised about three feet and related civil work to be redesigned. The amendment will be funded from ARPA fund interest earnings; the court approved the change.

The interlocal agreement with Hill Country MHMR will let the county provide competency restoration services locally instead of sending defendants out of county to a state facility. The program, grant‑funded at the state level, is expected to operate inside designated space in the jail and could serve up to eight participants at a time, a staff member said. Commissioners asked staff about housing and logistics; staff said they were looking at using multipurpose rooms in housing units or converting infirmary mental‑health areas as needed.

Emergency management staff reported the county’s KVDI (Keetch‑Byram Drought Index) was 496 and rising and recommended reinstating the outdoor burn ban. Commissioners approved an order prohibiting all outdoor burning in unincorporated Comal County effective Jan. 17 at 6 a.m.; the order can be lifted earlier if conditions improve and may be extended up to 90 days.

Other routine items approved included two lot‑combination plat amendments, a private road name (Buckshot Lane), one‑year extensions of surety letters of credit for several subdivisions, a resolution authorizing purchase of 1.414 acres needed for the Smithson Valley Road bridge project, an asset transfer of four Glock Model 22 Gen 3 pistols between constable offices, payment of a Dell invoice for a new assistant county engineer workstation, and several line‑item transfers for payroll and equipment.

The court also approved an Order 536 discretionary exemption to allow Tyler Technologies to remain the sole‑source provider for several county software systems under Local Government Code 262.024(a)(7).

Votes at a glance: - Approved claims: EFTs $388,578.23; regular claims $1,267,752.56; total $1,656,330.79 — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Accepted $1,300 donation to Sheriff’s Office K‑9 Unit (New Braunfels Candle Company) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved amendment to plat of Mountain Springs Ranch Unit 2 (combine lots 267 & 268 into lot 267R) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved amendment to plat of The Crossing at Spring Creek Unit 1 (combine lots 10 & 11 to create lot 10R) — motion by Commissioner Crownover, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved street name “Buckshot Lane” for a private road — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved one‑year extensions for irrevocable standby letters of credit (Forest Ranch Unit 8A amendment 3; 4S Ranch Unit 9B/9C & Mustang Vista Phase 5 amendment 3; Forest Ranch Unit 10A & Mustang Vista Phase 6 amendment 3) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved December 2024 Treasurer’s monthly report — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved second amendment to architectural services agreement with Kirksey Architecture for the Extended Observation Unit (cost $42,360; ARPA fund interest earnings) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved interlocal agreement with Hill Country Community MHMR for a Jail‑Based Competency Restoration Program (effective Jan. 16, 2025) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved order prohibiting all outdoor burning in unincorporated Comal County effective Jan. 17, 2025 at 6 a.m. (renewable/extendable) — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved discretionary exemption (Order 536) as sole‑source procurement under Local Government Code 262.024(a)(7) for Tyler Technologies licensing/maintenance for New World, Odyssey, time and attendance, Brazos, and jury software — motion by Commissioner Webb, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved Resolution 202‑501 authorizing purchase of 1.414 acres for Smithson Valley Road bridge project (coordinated with Bexar County) — motion by Commissioner Webb, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved asset transfer of four Glock Model 22 Gen 3 pistols from Constable Precinct 4 to Constable Precinct 1 — motion by Commissioner Crownover, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved Dell invoice 10791205419 for a workstation for the new assistant county engineer — motion by Commissioner Hogg, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries. - Approved line‑item transfers for payroll adjustments and an increase to the Humane Society contract — motion by Commissioner Webb, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved line‑item transfer for Constable Precinct 3 to fund six body armor vests — motion by Commissioner Webb, second Commissioner Crownover; motion carries. - Approved line‑item transfer in Road & Bridge to cover ESRI annual renewal — motion by Commissioner Crownover, second Commissioner Webb; motion carries.

The court did not convene in executive session and recessed with no further items on the agenda.