Burnet County votes to intervene in Oncor transmission docket; approves facilities plan, contract updates and proclamation

County Judge Bryan Wilson and a four-member quorum of the Burnet County Commissioners Court met in special session April 1 and unanimously instructed county counsel to intervene in Public Utility Commission of Texas Docket 59475, an Oncor Electric Delivery Company application to amend a certificate of convenience and necessity for a transmission line project affecting multiple counties.

The court entered executive session to consult with legal counsel under Texas Government Code Section 551.071 before returning to open session and voting 4–0 to direct counsel to intervene on behalf of Burnet County. Legal counsel who addressed the court during the update included Margaret Pemberton; additional speakers listed in the record were Mia Sarot, Beth Kuntz and Russel Tutor.

Why it matters: the county's intervention signals Burnet County intends to assert its interests in the PUC proceeding that concerns routing and a transmission-line certificate that covers many Central Texas counties.

Other actions approved on unanimous votes included adoption of a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and designating April 7, 2026, as Wear Teal Day; a motion to adopt the proclamation was made after remarks by Katherine Culture, director of Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center.

The court also approved administrative contracts and operational items. It approved an amendment to the existing contract with ViaPath for jail inmate phone and communications services to reflect new Federal Communications Commission regulations, following comments from Chief Deputy Sheriff Alan Trevino. The court accepted a contract with Brinkley, Sargent, Wiginton Architects (BSW) for a Facilities Master Plan not to exceed $75,000 (excluding travel fees); it appointed a county steering committee led by Commissioner Damon Beierle with named members and approved up to $10,000 additional travel funding (fund 100-4090-4010) to support BSW work.

Routine administrative items approved included authorization of payment of claims previously approved by the county auditor and approval of a facility rental agreement with the City of Burnet for the county employee picnic. The court acknowledged receipt of several notices from TxDOT, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas Division of Emergency Management and reviewed the calendar. Two agenda items (ratification of 391 Commission bylaws and selection of a method for ongoing legal representation) were discussed but no action was taken.

Votes at a glance: the transcript records unanimous 4–0 votes to (1) adopt the Sexual Assault Awareness Month proclamation; (2) instruct counsel to intervene in PUC Docket 59475; (3) approve the ViaPath contract amendment; (4) approve the facility rental agreement for the employee picnic; (5) accept the BSW Facilities Master Plan contract and related funding; and (6) authorize payment of the listed claims. One agenda item (ratifying 391 Commission bylaws) and the item on selection of ongoing legal representation received no action.

What’s next: the record shows the county has directed counsel to intervene in the PUC docket; further filings or court action would occur in that regulatory proceeding. No new decisions were recorded for the 391 Commission bylaws or the county’s long-term legal representation options.

Attribution note: statements and motions in this account are taken from the court's minutes and the transcript of the April 1, 2026 special session. Actions and vote tallies reflect the recorded motions and unanimous votes shown in the minutes (4–0).