*** Click here for the audio version.*** According to Texas Transportation Code Section 502.401, Subchapter H, Optional Fees, “The Commissioners Court of a county by order may impose an additional fee, not to exceed $10, for registering a vehicle in the county.” The $10 maximum was established in 1991. County Impact Grimes County collects the $10 fee, which is deposited … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Optional County Road and Bridge Fee
Feature Story
The County Budget and the Responsibility of Leadership
*** Click here for the audio version.*** Budget time is upon us. If you ask most county officials what they look forward to each year, “budget season” probably doesn’t top the list, unless of course you consider spreadsheets and line items your ideas of a good time. And while we may joke about the “fun” of budgeting, the truth is, it remains one of the most important … [Read more...] about The County Budget and the Responsibility of Leadership
Artificial Intelligence
*** Click here for the audio version.*** Are county employees and elected and appointed officials required by law to complete artificial intelligence (AI) training? House Bill 3512 passed by the 89th Texas Legislature and effective Sept. 1, 2025, amended the Government Code to require local government employees and elected and appointed officials to complete annual AI … [Read more...] about Artificial Intelligence
Wise County AI Exploratory Program
Pilot Project Leads to Active Use
*** Click here for the audio version.*** Last year, the Wise County Commissioners Court launched a nine-month pilot program to help officials determine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could support county government. During the first phase of the project, most work was on the back end with a small project team experimenting with use cases and then rolling them out to … [Read more...] about Wise County AI Exploratory Program
Resolution Spotlight: Municipal Utility Districts
*** Click here for the audio version.*** A municipal utility district (MUD) is a state governmental entity that provides utility services to designated areas. A MUD may be created by the Texas Legislature or by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) following a petition and consent process described in the Texas Water Code. MUDs are usually created … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Municipal Utility Districts