Callahan County commissioners approve year‑end budget adjustments, reinstate burn ban and adopt multiple purchases

The Callahan County Commissioners Court met Oct. 14 and approved a slate of routine and administrative actions, including year‑end budget adjustments, a reinstated burn ban, adoption of recreational‑vehicle park regulations, and purchases and financing for road‑maintenance equipment.

County finance staff reported that every fund ran a surplus except ARPA, with the general fund showing a surplus of over $3,000,000 and tax collections exceeding the conservative budget assumption (staff said collections were over 97% compared with a 93% planning assumption). "The county's in good financial shape," finance staff said during the budget cleanup discussion; the court placed the budget adjustments on the consent agenda and approved them unanimously.

The court approved the consent agenda (authorized bills, payroll and the budget adjustments) and accepted the sheriff's report, which showed 20 inmates in custody across multiple counties and noted staffing vacancies in the jail and dispatch. Commissioners unanimously reinstated a county burn ban that had expired in July.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (bills, payroll, budget adjustments): approved (motion by Commissioner Windham; second Commissioner McGowan). - Sheriff's report accepted: approved (motion by Commissioner Farmer; second Commissioner Clark). - Burn ban reinstated: approved (motion by Mister Wynnum; second Mister Clark). - Komatsu monthly invoice for courthouse work: approved (motion by Commissioner Clark; second Commissioner Windham). - Massengale additions subdivision, second reading: approved (motion by Commissioner Fulmer; second Commissioner McGowan). - RV‑park regulations (adopted with grandfathering clause and expansion trigger): approved (motion by Commissioner Farmer; second Commissioner Windham). - Regroup mass‑communication agreement (replacing Code Red): approved, initial year $3,000 with option for $2,000/year on a 3‑year contract. - Two 2020 CAT motor graders declared surplus for auction: approved. - Chip spreader and emulsion tank purchase for Precinct 23: approved; financing from Welch State Bank at ~5.02% for five years: approved. - District judge order setting court reporter and county auditor salaries (budgeted amounts): accepted. - County‑clerk scanning and preservation contracts (criminal minutes and deed/index books): approved (quotes discussed: ~ $40,723.72 for criminal minutes; $87,209.40 for deed/index books). - County auditor bond (Sandra Rose): approved. - Increased judge bond coverage under Senate Bill 387 (to $500,000) — added county cost ~ $1,600: approved.

The court also received a Facilities Committee update on the courthouse annex project, describing remaining punch‑list work such as reseeding, furniture placement and an elevator repair that has been fixed; architects will walk the annex in November. Staff indicated a new generator had been delivered to the mechanical yard and discussed disposing of the older unit as surplus. Garrett, a facilities representative, said trades are addressing punch‑list items and that landscaping will be re‑seeded with winter rye until bermuda can be reseeded in spring.

Records and procurement actions included approval of two separate scanning/preservation contracts for county minute and deed/index books, declaration of surplus graders to be sold at auction (with the right to reject low bids), and approval of equipment purchase and related financing for road maintenance. The court noted that some matters were statutory or administrative in origin, including a district judge order on salaries and the state law (Senate Bill 387) increasing bond requirements for judges.

The meeting adjourned at 9:58 a.m.

Next steps: staff were directed to follow up on enforcement questions related to a partially developed RV‑park site near Clyde and to proceed with the approved procurement and financing tasks.