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Starr County commissioners authorize resale of tax-foreclosed lots, approve abatements and drought declaration
Summary
At its June 10 meeting, the Starr County Commissioners Court authorized resale of multiple tax-foreclosed properties to return parcels to the tax roll, approved tax-abatement agreements (including Diamondback Solar LLC and Macho Creek), declared a local drought disaster and adopted a county-wide Amazon purchasing policy. Financial reports were also presented.
Starr County’s Commissioners Court on June 10 authorized the resale of multiple tax-foreclosed properties and approved several economic-development abatement agreements, while also adopting a temporary prohibition on certain fireworks and declaring a local drought disaster.
Jimmy Otellas of the law firm Linebarger asked the court to approve a resolution to resell properties foreclosed for unpaid ad valorem taxes “in accordance with section 34 0 5 c, the Texas property tax code,” and said the exhibit provided to commissioners listed 13 items representing 10 properties, most of which are vacant or abandoned. “We’re targeting those nuisance accounts,” Otellas said, describing parcels in Rio Grande City and Roma ISD areas and saying the county scheduled an auction for Aug. 6, 2024, to return properties to the tax rolls.
The court moved and seconded the resale authorization and approved it by voice vote. The transcript records a voice vote in which the court said “aye” and the chair declared the motion carried; no roll-call vote or individual tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.
Also coming out of executive session, commissioners approved tax-abatement agreements including one with Diamondback Solar LLC and another described as Macho Creek. The court discussed the abatement items in executive session under statutes cited during the meeting and then took final action to approve the agreements by voice vote after returning to open session.
The court approved a local disaster declaration for drought conditions and an item to prohibit certain fireworks within the county; both were moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. Commissioners also adopted a countywide Amazon purchasing policy intended to centralize online procurement and address credit-limit issues that had disrupted departmental purchases.
Financial and administrative reports occupied much of the session. The tax collector reported May collections and delinquent-collection figures and clarified that recent American Rescue Plan payments were included in delinquency collections. The county auditor presented an unaudited monthly report for May 31, 2024, listing general-fund cash and revenue summaries; the treasurer summarized fund balances and cautioned that one investment product discussed was variable and not insured, while CDs remain insured.
The court approved an order of salaries after executive session and noted that benefits renewal discussion (the county’s employee benefit pool) was informational only, requiring no action. The meeting adjourned after routine motions to carry the remaining agenda items.
The court did not record individual roll-call votes in the transcript for the recorded approvals; motions were carried by voice unless otherwise noted. Future steps noted during the meeting include an auction to resell foreclosed parcels (scheduled for Aug. 6, 2024, per the presentation) and follow-up review of specific delinquent accounts by county staff and the county’s delinquent-account attorney.
