Message from the President

The 79th Legislative Session will be ending the last of this month. Our fellow county judges and commissioners have continued to present the county government position on issues that could have a detrimental or a positive effect on our counties. As we near the closing days of the session, we must keep our attention on every issue that will affect county government and let our legislators know our thoughts on the proposed legislation. Keep up the good work.
With the month of May comes another task that the commissioners courts across the state must face – the “dreaded” budget. This is the time of year that many of the counties start the budget process, and my county is in this category. It can be a time of great personal and professional tension as we try to match keeping the tax rate down and funding all the various offices to provide the needed services for our citizens. In Borden County, we have an open dialogue that keeps our citizens informed of what is going on in each court meeting. Commissioners court minutes are always published in our local paper. People may not approve of everything we do in court, but they do appreciate being kept abreast of everything, especially the budget. We do have visitors on occasion who ask about one thing or another, but after an explanation is given, they usually leave knowing that we are acting with their welfare in mind. This process has worked great for the commissioners court during the past several years.
County courts also are struggling with HAVA (Help America Vote Act) at the present time. Many of us can see no reason to change the way that we conduct our elections. I wish that I could help you feel better about being punished because Florida could not get their votes counted correctly. All I can say is that we in Borden County will just have to “get over it,” find the money for the direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines, and get some help training our voting judges. This will be a major financial burden on us, but we have no choice, and we will survive.
At this writing, oil and gasoline prices are $2.00-plus per gallon, and the United States Congress is struggling to get cheaper fuel to the consumers. Alternative fuels and electricity must be the wave of the future. Companies that generate electricity by wind power are approaching many counties. I urge you to try to help your counties financially by accepting these windmills if you are given the chance. We have been lucky enough to have these machines in Borden County, and it has been a godsend for Borden County’s financial stability and those affected landowners. If you are approached by someone concerning these windmills, please get in touch with a county judge from one of the counties who has experience dealing with these companies, as there are some things that you need to be aware of to get all possible monies for your county.
The counties of Texas must embrace the new ideas and avenues of progress to improve the future welfare of their citizens.
Van L. York, Association President