Burleson County commissioners approve extension agent hire, interlocal with Snook and multiple service agreements

Burleson County Commissioners Court on March 27 unanimously approved a series of personnel moves, interlocal agreements and contracts during its regular meeting in Caldwell.

The court voted to approve Holly Narro as the county’s Family and Community Health extension agent after Eric Zimmerman, District Extension Administrator for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, presented finalists. The appointment, moved by Commissioner Dwayne Faust and seconded by Commissioner David Hildebrand, is effective April 3, 2023. "We are pleased to have a finalist ready to begin," Zimmerman told the court.

The court also approved an interlocal agreement under Texas Local Government Code §245 with the City of Snook to regulate subdivisions in Snook’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, a right-of-way permit for the MS150 Bike Ride on April 29, and a temporary right-of-way request from Wildfire Energy Operating on County Road 106. Commissioner Vincent Svec moved for the interlocal agreement; Commissioner Hildebrand seconded, and all voted aye.

Several service and vendor agreements were approved: a two-year electronic document management contract with ECM (Electronic Content Management) Today for $2,900, a website services agreement with the County Information Resources Agency, and an installment payment agreement with Vested Networks for telephone service. The court also approved utility work on County Road 146 by Squan Construction on behalf of Frontier pending negotiations with adjacent landowners, and a field agreement for wildlife damage management and predator control for 2023.

Land-use items included approval of the Hilltop Acres simplified plat for Vernon and Jessica Wilkerson on County Road 201 and a subdivision exception for Elisabeth Hansard and Michael Singleton on County Road 310. The court deputized Charissa Hott as Compliance Officer/Deputy County Clerk and Compliance Officer/Deputy District Clerk by motion of Commissioner Hildebrand.

Judge Keith Schroeder reported financial collections for January 2023: $9,646 for County Misdemeanor Court and $10,020 for District Court (felony). The auditor reported sales tax receipts of $167,548, up 15.5% year over year. Chief Garrett Durrenberger reported the jail population at 30 — 28 men and 2 women — and said the sheriff’s office has vacancies for two jailers, one criminal investigator and three dispatch positions.

During public comment, Diana A. Yarzagaray of Project Snip asked the court to publicize a spay-and-neuter clinic for cats and dogs on April 3 at the Burleson County Civic Center. "We are having a Spay and Neuter clinic on April 3 at the Civic Center," she said.

The court approved election-related resolutions to hold a joint election and to add a temporary early voting branch in Snook and to correct consolidated polling places for a special election set for May 6, 2023. The meeting concluded with authorization to pay county bills and adjournment. All formal motions recorded in the minutes passed with unanimous 'aye' votes.

The court convened an executive session with counsel at 9:10 a.m. and reconvened at 9:25 a.m.; the minutes record counsel Susan Deski as present for the legal discussion.