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Court agrees to temporary reduction of Rio Hondo tax office days while staff study security fixes
Summary
County tax office will reduce in‑person days at the Rio Hondo location from five to three weekly days for security reasons; commissioners asked for a facility walkthrough and alternatives to restore five‑day service while the county investigates structural or staffing changes.
The commissioners court acknowledged the Cameron County tax assessor‑collector’s decision to change the Rio Hondo tax office hours, reducing in‑person availability from five days a week to three days as a temporary security measure.
A county tax office representative told the court the office is typically staffed by a single employee at that location and that the office wants to synchronize its hours with neighboring county services so that more than one county employee is present when the public is served. "The current hours are Monday through Friday, 8AM to 04:30PM," the assessor‑collector’s representative said, explaining that the proposed modification would limit public access two days per week while enhancing employee safety.
Several commissioners expressed concern about reduced public access during tax season and suggested alternatives such as a security walkthrough, structural changes to the facility, or temporary staffing solutions. A representative of county security staff said a single employee cannot reliably monitor who enters the building and recommended a walk‑through and assessment of options.
Outcome: By voice vote the court moved to accommodate the assessor‑collector’s request temporarily but directed staff to have county security perform a walkthrough of the Rio Hondo facility and to explore options to maintain five‑day service, including possible facility modifications or temporary staffing arrangements.
Next steps: County staff will coordinate a security assessment and return recommendations to the court about options to restore five‑day access while maintaining safety for employees and the public.
