Brazos County allocates 484 appraisal-district votes to Brian McGuire

On Dec. 16 the Brazos County Commissioners Court allocated its 484 votes for appointment to the Brazos Central Appraisal District Board and voted to cast all of those votes for Brian McGuire.

Dana Horton, chief appraiser for the Brazos Central Appraisal District, explained the change in appointment procedure after the 2023 legislative session removed the prior interlocal arrangement. Under the new rules, each taxing jurisdiction nominates candidates and may place all of its allocated votes on one candidate or distribute them among nominees. Horton described the nomination process and said the two candidates who receive the highest votes become the board members for the four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Court discussion noted three nominees — McGuire (described as a local resident), Raul Pindas (nominated by Bryan), and Susan Pessel (College Station; currently on the board). Commissioners discussed historical equal distribution of allocated votes but concluded they needed to make a decision before the statutory deadline. A motion to allocate all 484 votes to McGuire was made, seconded and passed by voice vote. The court then approved a resolution on the agenda to cast those votes.

What was decided: The court formally moved, seconded and approved both (a) allocation of Brazos County’s votes to McGuire and (b) the resolution submitting those votes to the Brazos Central Appraisal District.

Why it matters: Appraisal-district board appointments influence local governance of property valuations, which affect tax bases, bond calculations and litigation risk. The court’s allocation was time-sensitive; staff noted statutory filing windows and explained ballots are tallied by the appraisal district after submissions from taxing jurisdictions.

Sources: Chief Appraiser Dana Horton and the Commissioners Court recorded on the meeting’s Dec. 16 transcript.