EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR CHAPPELL HILL, MEYERSVILLE VFDs
The Chappell Hill and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Departments will give a presentation to Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday about possibly creating an Emergency Services District (ESD) for fire protection.
ESDs are local government units that operate in conjunction with county governments and have the ability to impose property taxes and/or sales and use taxes to help fund emergency services within the district.
Dustin Brown, Chappell Hill VFD captain and ESD committee chair, said this is a collaboration between the Chappell Hill and Meyersville VFDs. He said Tuesday’s presentation will provide information to commissioners and the community about the struggles and the goals the departments have for better serving the public.
Brown said funding for the departments is not as good as it used to be, and it has affected them by not allowing them to upgrade their equipment to meet national standards. He said, “We, as firefighters, want to do the right thing for our community, and this is an option we would like to present.”
Brown invites anyone who has questions about the proposal to submit questions to wacounty.esdone.questions@gmail.com.
In other business, the court will vote on an agreement with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce regarding a new brick welcome sign on Highway 105 at the boundary of Washington and Grimes counties. Per the proposed agreement, the Chamber will incur all costs of the gateway monument, including future maintenance.
Commissioners will also take up a resolution adopting a commercial tax phase-in agreement for 209 South Market Street in downtown Brenham. The location is being renovated to become The Southern Folly, an entertainment and meeting venue.
The agreement would allow the business to receive tax phase-in incentives based upon eligible property improvements and job creation. A tax phase-in agreement was already approved by the Brenham City Council on November 2nd.
Also on Tuesday, commissioners will:
- Potentially go out for bids for grazing leases on approximately 8,352 acres in Tom Green County, which will be separated into three separate tracts for bidding purposes.
- Recognize select county employees for their years of service.
- Act on the annual and quarterly maintenance proposal between the sheriff’s office and Willbanks Contractor Support, LLC.
- Take up a resolution authorizing contribution of funds to for the Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Method of Distribution application administered through the Texas General Land Office.
- Consider contracts for representation of indigent defendants for district court.
- Consider renewing the bond for Washington County Engineer Wesley Stolz and receive a presentation of the Engineering and Development Services Department’s quarterly report.
- Consider an oil and gas development permit for Watt Energy, LLC on Gerke Road in Precinct 3.
- Act on a subdivision variance request for a land division fronting Longpoint Road in Precinct 3.
- Discuss a formal notice for a temporary above-ground lay-flat water line utility installation for Magnolia Oil & Gas Operating, LLC along Schoenemann Road, Sandtown Road and Koether Road in Precinct 4.
Commissioners will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse.