Granbury mayor asks Hood County DA to act on alleged appraisal‑district transfers
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Summary
Mayor Jim Jarrett told the City Council the city has asked the Hood County district attorney to review alleged transfers of roughly $3.3 million by the Hood County Appraisal District over 10 years and said about $1.3 million remains unreturned; the mayor said the forensic audit and a sheriff’s inquiry produced similar findings.
Mayor Jim Jarrett updated the Granbury City Council on March 3 about the city’s complaint to the Hood County District Attorney alleging improper transfers by the Hood County Appraisal District (HCAD).
Jarrett said city officials’ forensic audit found roughly $3.3 million moved over the last 10 years into retirement and building activities that taxing entities were not shown or asked to approve. “It’s $1,300,000 that’s still standing out there that was not moved back into the coffers of the taxing entities,” Jarrett said, and he told council he has been meeting with the county commissioners, the school board and other taxing entities to press for action. He said the commissioners court has an item on its March 10 agenda to ask the district attorney for a resolution on the city’s complaints and that he will also present the issue to the Tolar city council on March 16.
Jarrett said a roughly eight‑month sheriff’s office inquiry by a fraud investigator produced findings consistent with the forensic audit. He described the board’s actions as “overstepping their responsibility” and said the potential criminal theories could include misappropriation or misallocation of funds under the Texas Tax Code. A council member asked what the city specifically wants the DA to do; Jarrett said he would not direct the DA’s office on investigative steps but that the DA can, if he chooses, involve the Texas Rangers for further investigation.
Jarrett characterized the next steps as seeking clarity from the DA—whether charges will be pursued or why the office would decline—and urged taxing entities to press the issue through the commissioners court. He said council will continue to press for a prompt resolution and that more information will be shared as the matter progresses.
Why it matters: The mayor’s briefing alleges multi‑year, multi‑million‑dollar transfers by a local appraisal district that could affect budgets across Hood County taxing entities; the city seeks prosecutorial or investigatory action and increased transparency from the appraisal district.
What’s next: The commissioners court will consider a letter to the district attorney on March 10; the mayor is scheduled to present in Tolar on March 16. The transcript does not record any DA response or final prosecutorial action.