COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FINALIZE COMMUNICATION EXCHANGE

Frank Wagner July 8, 2014

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The Washington County Commissioners today (Tuesday) firmly set October first as the date for the full exchange of city/county services, including the county takeover of the emergency communications system.

Precinct Three County Commissioner Kirk Hanath said there had been some minor changes to the agreement that had to be finalized this month, so that Chief County Tax Appraiser Willy Dilworth could send out tax notices, indicating the changes.

The county’s takeover of emergency communications is part of an agreement on interlocal services that was arrived at in December. The city of Brenham would take over animal control, the animal shelter and the Nancy Carol Roberts Library, while the county would takeover complete funding and control of the emergency medical service, and communications.

Washington County Judge John Brieden first proposed this exchange of services at a joint city council/county commissioners meeting in December of 2012. Judge Brieden believed this would be preferable to the previous system in which there was joint city/county funding and control of all the services. The proposal was discussed for a year before being finally adopted, however, Brenham City Manager Terry Roberts and County Judge Brieden both recognized that the county takeover of communications needed some additional time.