WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS PROPOSE UNCHANGED PROPERTY TAX RATE

  

Washington County Commissioners are looking to keep the county’s property tax rate the same as last year’s.

Commissioners at their meeting this (Tuesday) morning proposed a rate of 49.5 cents per $100 valuation, unchanged from the current rate.  The rate is lower than the no-new-revenue rate of 49.87 cents per $100 and the voter-approval tax rate of 51.92 cents per $100, meaning that the county is not seeking to increase property taxes this year.

A public hearing on the proposed rate is set for September 15^th at the Washington County Courthouse Annex.

Washington County Chief Appraiser Willy Dilworth said the average taxable value of a Washington County homestead this year is $202,580, a 1.33 percent increase from last year’s average value of $199,914.  This would lead to an estimated increase of $13.20 in taxes on the average homestead this year.

Dilworth said new values for the county amounted to $121,891,300, which will yield an estimated $603,362 in new taxes.  He noted that of the new values, $52,866,740 is residential, and without new residential construction the average home value this year would have fallen 1.8 percent—or $3,596—from 2019, leading to a drop in $16.51 in taxes.

While the state legislature last year enacted a 3.5 percent limit on the amount a property tax rate could be raised with Senate Bill 2, a condition in the bill allows local governments to raise the tax rate by up to 8 percent in the year of a disaster.  Dilworth said county officials “had no discussion of anybody considering that”.

Also at today’s meeting, commissioners approved a contract for management services between the county and Traylor and Associates, Inc. for public infrastructure improvements in support of Project “Silver Crayon”.  Commissioner Candice Bullock said this item goes hand in hand with the resolution approved by them in April, when the county authorized the submission of a 2020 Texas Capital Fund grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

County Judge John Durrenberger said the county has been approved for $675,000 in grant funding.  The grant will be used to construct a gas line that will be fed from the City of Brenham to the proposed site of the project, which would be located on land outside of city limits.  Bullock said all expenses will be recouped from grant funding aside from the grant application fee, which she said came out to around $25,000.

While county officials have mostly kept mum on the project, Brenham Economic Development Director Susan Cates previously said the project is based in the oil and gas industry.  Bullock said, in light of concerns on the state of the economy and the oil and gas industry, that the company has reassured the county of its intent to relocate to the county.  She said the company has “a really special niche within the industry”, so it has been able to stay in better shape than some other businesses.  She reiterated that these funds will not be spent until the county has “100 percent confirmation” from the company affiliated with the project.

Also in court, commissioners:

• Approved an interlocal agreement between the county and the City of Burton for road improvement services on a portion of North Railroad Street north of FM 390 to Burton Elementary School. The county will provide labor and equipment, and the city will reimburse the county for all project materials.
• Approved the purchase of a skid steer for the Washington County Fairgrounds. The skid steer will be purchased from Washington County Tractor for $49,500.
• Approved the GIS Coordinator and GIS Technician position descriptions. County Engineer Ross McCall said the county is not adding any new personnel.
• Approved a special assistance community service contract between the county and Faith Mission and Help Center. The county agrees to provide $25,000 for Faith Mission to administer the Washington County Information Center and Phone Bank, which coordinated information and services during the pandemic.  The agreement is effective from the date the information center and phone bank were put into operation, and will end when determined by the county judge or commissioners court that a need no longer exists.
• Approved formal notice for Industry Telephone Company regarding a telephone cable and inner duct placement within county right-of-way of Young Lane in Precinct Four.
• Approved formal notice for a temporary 12-inch fresh water transfer line on Koether Road in Precinct Four.
• Approved formal notice for a temporary 12-inch lay-flat fresh water line on Rehburg Road in Precinct Three, Christian Cemetery Road in Precinct Four, Faist Road in Precinct Four, and Bredthauer Road in Precinct Four.
• Heard monthly reports from the Sheriff’s Office, EMS, E-911, Information Technology, and Veterans Service Officer.