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Kendall County accepts $215,254 grant to lease 58 license‑plate cameras; commissioners approve TxDOT access
Summary
The county accepted a Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant to lease 58 automatic license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) cameras, approved a multiple‑use agreement with TxDOT for right‑of‑way placement, and authorized the sheriff to execute documents. The first‑year match is roughly $43,000; recurring costs estimated at nearly $199,000 annually if the county funds continuation beyond grant support.
Kendall County on Sept. 23 unanimously accepted a state grant to lease automatic license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) cameras and approved a resolution enabling placement of cameras in Texas Department of Transportation right‑of‑way.
Lieutenant Klarner and the sheriff’s grant team presented a Texas Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA) award of $215,254 to lease Flock camera systems. County staff said the county approved a cash match of about $43,051 for the first year; recurring annual costs if the county could not secure future grant funding were estimated near $198,550. The initial deployment would include roughly 58 county‑owned cameras positioned to cover choke points and county parks; the system also allows data‑sharing with participating neighboring agencies that operate Flock devices.
Commissioners questioned data retention, privacy safeguards and public transparency. Staff said the cameras capture license plates and vehicle exterior images; there is no in‑cab recording for privacy reasons, supervisors will conduct quarterly audits, and access to precise placement details was withheld from the public record at TxDOT’s and law‑enforcement agencies’ request for safety and investigative integrity. Sheriff’s office staff said alerts for stolen vehicles or hot‑list plates are routed to local dispatch and officers through an app in near real time.
County counsel confirmed the resolution and multiple‑use agreement were drafted to satisfy TxDOT requirements. The court adopted the resolution authorizing installation and authorized the sheriff to execute necessary documents; the motion passed 5–0.
County finance staff said the first‑year net county cost would equal the match the court previously budgeted and that future years’ costs and camera counts will be revisited during annual budget discussions or when future grant opportunities arise. Commissioners asked that department policy and the technical data‑use safeguard documentation be provided to the court and public as appropriate; staff agreed to circulate existing policies and to provide additional policy detail to commissioners.
