Miscellaneous

The Fisher County Courthouse was built of brick in a Moderne style as designed by Lovett and Sellar and Associates of San Angelo. Completed in 1973, the county capitol came with a price tag of $357,000. Fisher County, organized in 1886, honors Samuel Rhoads Fisher, secretary of the Navy of the Republic, while the county seat of Roby is named for local landowners. Until … [Read more...] about Fisher County CourthouseCounty Seat: RobyCounty Population: 4,096

The House of Representatives and the Senate have introduced more than 6,000 bills and proposed constitutional amendments during the current session. As these bills work through the process, they are subject to committee amendments, committee substitutes, floor amendments, and conference committee reports. The entire meaning and effect of a bill can change at any point. No … [Read more...] about Legislative Overload

When the state of Texas hits counties with a mandated program, commissioners courts have no choice but to raise a wary eyebrow. Too often, a "county shall" comes down the pike with no funding to back it up, leaving the county to scramble for support (the mandated constitutional amendment election later this month a case in point). However, every now and then a decision comes … [Read more...] about Delinquent Fine and Fee CollectionPrograms Impact County Revenue Stream

The Val Verde County Courthouse, the county's one and only temple of justice, is an 1887 design by Larmour & Watson. The existing metal roof with central dome is a 1915 alteration to the original Second Empire style. The limestone masonry building has many classical details including triangular pediments and dentils. Restoration completed several years ago included the cleaning … [Read more...] about Val Verde County CourthouseCounty Seat: Del RioCounty Population (45,903)

The state of Texas has passed numerous pieces of legislation aimed at enabling public agencies (state, municipalities, counties and schools) to use a tool known as Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) to enter into agreements to reduce overall utility consumption and modernize county facilities quickly and easily. Tax-exempt financing with a very attractive interest … [Read more...] about Energy Savings Performance Contracting