2024 RECAP: WASHINGTON CO. JUDGE JOHN DURRENBERGER

  

With 2024 behind us, KWHI is speaking to local officials to hear their thoughts on the events of the past year.

Our series concludes with Washington County Judge John Durrenberger, who discussed some of the county’s big-ticket items in 2024 and a few of the expectations for 2025.

Last year proved to be a challenge on the weather front, from the county opening a warming facility in January for the freezing temperatures and sleet, to cleaning up damage from flooding and fallen trees due to spring storms and Hurricane Beryl, to instituting a burn ban because of a major drought in the fall.  Durrenberger commended the county personnel and all those who assisted in helping to get conditions back to normal throughout the year.

Durrenberger is pleased with the county’s financial standing, particularly its lack of debt.  He says the county will pay off its remaining obligations by the end of next month, providing added fiscal flexibility. 

The severe weather in the first half of 2024 slowed paving operations for the Engineering and Development Services Department.  However, according to Durrenberger, the county purchasing its own paving equipment and running its own in-house chip seal operations saved $617,000 on work performed, when compared to previous years’ contractor prices. 

Also last year, the county re-negotiated the hunting and grazing leases of its public school land in Tom Green County, which Durrenberger says will lead to increased revenue for Brenham and Burton ISDs.

The county will continue work on several major projects in 2025, including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded records storage facility and county jail kitchen renovations.  It will also go out for bids for a new covered rodeo arena at the Expo Center. 

Durrenberger says the county will soon continue progress on another big project: the Lake Somerville EMS Station.

Durrenberger is grateful for the support of staff and the community during his absence in January and March due to undergoing surgery.  In addition, he is proud of the county’s response following the April 12^th attack on the Brenham DPS Office, saying “Our county once again came together in a time of tragedy.”

Durrenberger is serving his second term as county judge.  He first took office in 2019 and ran unopposed in the 2022 elections.