Dimmit County goes into closed session over tax abatement agreement with Shakes Solar LLC

Dimmit County commissioners voted to enter an executive session to discuss possible withdrawal and rescission of county default notices and settlement proposals related to a modified tax abatement economic development agreement dated Dec. 23, 2020, between Dimmit County and Shakes Solar LLC.

Before the vote, court staff read the statutory authority cited for the closed session. The court referenced Texas Tax Code Chapter 312 and provisions of the Texas Local Government Code as permitting private discussion of the matter. The read statement described the subject matter as the company’s solar-powered electricity generating facility and related improvements located in the unincorporated area of the county.

The court specifically listed potential actions under consideration in closed session: withdrawal and rescission of the county’s active material default notice and a first revised material default notice and settlement proposal previously sent to the company. No substantive details of those notices, settlement terms or staff recommendations were discussed on the public record; the commissioners moved to take the matter up in executive session.

A motion to enter executive session was made, seconded and approved without recorded opposition. The court later moved to recess and adjourn following the executive-session motion.

Because the deliberations took place in closed session, no further public discussion or decisions on the substance of the default notices were disclosed in the public record at the meeting.