From the President

Around here July is the month that we use to put the final estimates on the figures that will make up the coming year's budget proposal. I know there are many different ways that budgets are put together across Texas. But one thing is constant in almost every county … [Read more...] about From the President

The winter drought of 2005 … [Read more...] about From the President

In order to improve the collection of criminal fines and fees as well as increase the respect for court orders and the judicial system, the Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 1863 in the 79th Session. As many of you know, the bill requires counties of 50,000 or more to develop and implement a program to improve the collection of criminal fines and fees. This is the first … [Read more...] about From the President

Early this year, one of our neighboring counties was battling a large grass fire. Because natural disasters don't recognize political or geographic boundaries, we offered them assistance. That kind of neighborly assistance is common in a state like Texas. Technically it's called interjurisdictional cooperation, and it was made easier to offer due to Senate Bill 11 … [Read more...] about From the President

For a lot of counties in Texas, the last few weeks of March are also the end of a winter season filled with days of extreme fire danger. Many counties who have thousands of fire-blackened acres are probably still counting up the costs of fighting widespread wildfires in their rural areas. Even officials in counties unaffected by wildfires are probably asking themselves if … [Read more...] about From the President