Atascosa County judge outlines budget restraint, water needs, ASTEC revival and plans for regional medical examiner

Atascosa County Judge Coode delivered the county's second annual State of the County address on Oct. 24, telling a full courtroom that the county's 2025 budget will rise by "point 72%" (described in his remarks as "less than 1%") while the county sets aside operating funds for a future regional medical examiner facility that received roughly $10.5 million in state support. He framed the fiscal choices as part of a broader push to protect services while pursuing economic growth.

Why it matters: County officials said the county reduced total debt from about $23 million to $17 million over five years and will use cash reserves rather than new borrowing to fund recent facility work. Officials tied infrastructure and workforce initiatives — including courthouse accessibility upgrades, a new fiber ring, youth internships and a revived Atascosa County Economic Development Corporation (ASTEC) — to efforts aimed at recruiting employers and supporting local services.

Judge Coode highlighted regional water concerns and potential projects that could affect the county's future supply. "By 2030, we're looking to have a potential water supply deficit of 232,000 acre feet plus," he said, emphasizing the need for long-term planning and noting discussions of a large pipeline that could carry desalinated water from Corpus Christi.

The address included multiple recognitions of county staff, elected officials and volunteers and presentations about county programs. Officials said the courthouse received accessibility and historic-preservation work, windows were replaced, audio-visual systems were upgraded for better public streaming, and the sheriff's office and tax office will get planned expansions funded from reserves. The judge said the county added a net seven positions for 2025 after eliminating two roles and creating nine more across departments including public safety, IT and juvenile detention.

On telecommunications, the judge credited AT&T with completing a new fiber line along Highway 281 linked to I-37 into Pleasanton; officials said the route creates redundancy that will shorten outage recovery time. The judge named Steven Punch of AT&T and thanked him for the work.

Economic development took center stage: the judge announced that ASTEC has been reinstated, listed executive-board volunteers and said the county will hire an economic development project manager under the county judge's budget to coordinate ASTEC efforts. A short promotional video emphasized the county's proximity to San Antonio, available land and workforce as assets for recruitment.

The county described progress on forensic-capacity gaps: the district attorney and a project committee secured state funds for a new regional medical examiner facility, which the judge said will reduce multi-hour drives to obtain autopsy and toxicology services and improve investigation timelines.

A prerecorded message from Norman Garza Jr., identified in the program as the newly appointed executive director of the Texas Space Commission, noted the commission's creation under House Bill 3447 and described a $150 million grant program intended to support Texas communities, higher-education institutions, nonprofits and businesses engaged in the commercial space ecosystem.

During the public-question period, resident Lorraine Gonzales, who identified herself as disabled and a medically retired corrections officer, urged the county to address accessibility in the jail and to consider alternatives to incarceration for disabled people without prior records. "There's no disabled cells, and there's no... disabled showers," she said, recounting a 90-day jail stay and delayed medical help; Judge Coode said the county would look into the matter.

The court concluded the event by taking a formal motion to accept the State of the County address into the meeting minutes; Commissioner Gillespie moved, Commissioner Riley seconded and the judge announced the motion carried.

What comes next: Officials said the medical examiner facility likely will not be fully operational until 2026, the county will recruit an economic development project manager early in 2025 and staff will continue project planning for regional water initiatives and infrastructure improvements.