Burnet County Commissioners approve ESD formations, contracts and donations; take no action on county burn ban

Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson convened the Nov. 25, 2025 meeting of the Burnet County Commissioners Court at 9 a.m. The court approved a series of routine administrative actions, adopted orders creating Emergency Services Districts 10 and 11 following the Nov. 4 election results, and took no action on a proposed burn ban for the county's unincorporated areas.

The court voted unanimously to adopt a Resolution of Appreciation honoring Eagle Scout candidate Thomas Ryan McAnally for his work at the Historic Stringtown Cemetery. Lela Gore and McAnally spoke in support before Commissioner Joe Don Dockery moved adoption and Commissioner Jim Luther Jr. seconded.

Commissioners approved reappointments to Emergency Services District boards — Sharon Barclay, Bill Proffer and Felecia Sanchez to ESD #2 and Bucky Brady to ESD #3 — and reappointed County Judge Bryan Wilson and Commissioner Joe Don Dockery as the county's representatives to the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG). The court authorized payment of CAPCOG membership fees not to exceed $2,786.10; Commissioner Jim Luther Jr. noted and the record reflects a correction to the spelling of Sharon Barclay’s name.

On emergency-services governance, the court adopted the Order establishing Burnet County ESD No. 10 and authorized Commissioner Precinct 2 to identify and nominate five potential ESD 10 commissioners for consideration at the Dec. 23, 2025 meeting. The court took the same action to establish Burnet County ESD No. 11 and authorized Commissioner Precinct 1 to nominate five potential ESD 11 commissioners for consideration on Dec. 23.

Other approvals included: acceptance of a check from the Lower Colorado River Authority (not to exceed $500) for a hazardous household waste event; authorization for the District Attorney's Office to hire an experienced law-enforcement officer at Step 6 with a salary not to exceed $82,180.80; and direction for the county auditor to issue a Request for Qualifications under Texas Local Government Code 2254.003 for engineering services to coordinate transportation planning and develop a Transportation Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan and Program (CIPP).

The court approved the transfer of five Burnet County Sheriff's Office vehicles to auction (listed in court materials), execution of an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for advanced funding for on-system transportation projects not to exceed $300,000, and several interlocal agreements and contracts: accepting Herman Brown Free Library utility credits (not to exceed $13,175) and a contribution (not to exceed $7,500) with the City of Burnet; a Johnson Controls contract for annual inspection of fire alarms and sprinkler systems (not to exceed $4,191.37); an interlocal with the City of Meadowlakes for hot-mix asphalt work (not to exceed $15,000); and an FY26 interlocal with Burnet County ESD 8 to assist with a hot-mix overlay on an ESD helipad (amount not specified in the minutes). The court also approved a lease agreement with East Texas Mack Buy Back Program for Road and Bridge Precinct 3's additional 2026 Mack GR64F dump truck (previously approved Nov. 13, 2025) by roll-call vote.

The court approved a contract with AAR, Inc. for asbestos and lead abatement at 127 E. Jackson (Bid 26-4090-01); accepted donations — $1,500 from Ascent Aerosystems for the sheriff’s discretionary fund and $12,600 from the Friends of the Spicewood Library for a Ladd and Katherine Hancher Library Foundation grant — and approved the Burnet County Treasurer’s monthly report for October 2025. The court also authorized interdepartmental line-item transfers and payment of claims previously approved by the county auditor.

During the public-comment period the court heard remarks from Claire Nybro, Mia Sarot, Robert Berry, John Nelson, Patricia Cope and Tom Green; the court noted that public comments are not deliberated on during that agenda item. The court discussed a proposed burn ban for unincorporated areas but explicitly took no action on the proposal.

The meeting concluded after a calendar review. Commissioner Chad Collier moved to adjourn at 10:02 a.m.; the motion carried unanimously.

Next steps identified in the record include nomination of potential ESD commissioners to be considered at the Dec. 23, 2025 commissioners court meeting and issuance of the RFQ for transportation engineering services under Texas Local Government Code 2254.003.