Dateline: August 31, 2006

County budget drops below FY '06 level

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Donley County Commissioners have proposed a $1.8 million budget for fiscal year 2005-2006, reflecting a decrease in overall expenditures of $81,318.

County employees would receive a three percent raise. Exceptions to that raise includes commissioners, who receive no raise, and the county attorney’s office which will go from a current salary of $25,200 to a new total salary of $42,463, which includes the addition of a state supplement of $20,833.

The county judge, by comparison, will receive a total salary of $35,388, which includes a $15,000 supplement from the state. That supplement is up $5,000 from last year. The county sheriff will receive $31,143.

County health insurance premiums are expected to decrease by about $59 per employee per month.

The taxable value of ad valorem property in the county has increased approximately $4.2 million, and commissioners are proposing a total tax rate of $0.488483 per $100 valuation.

Budget hearings will be held at 9 a.m. on September 5 and 8 in the Commissioners’ Courtroom of the Courthouse. Final approval of the budget will come at a called meeting on September 15.

In other county business, the commissioners’ court met in regular session August 14. Among the items of business considered by the court, bids were accepted for delinquent tax property in Clarendon as presented by the Donley Appraisal District.

The court approved an order of an election on November 7, 2006, to freeze ad valorem taxes on the homesteads of citizens who are disabled or are age 65 or older.

A contract between the Attorney General’s office and the County Clerk’s office was renewed, and commissioners approved the clerk’s attendance at a meeting next month in Kerrville. Deputy Clerk LaVerne Pinion’s name was authorized for the bank signature card.

The court approved the reappointment of Sharon Braddock as a Board of Trustee member of the Mental Health Mental Retardation Board.

Commissioners adopted Texas Local Government Code 351.051, prohibiting certain fireworks in unincorporated areas of Donley County. This action lets the county out of a class action lawsuit against various Texas counties that had banned the sale of fireworks this summer and also allows the county to designate certain safe areas for using fireworks.

Election judges were appointed for the November 7 General Election and are on file with the county clerk.

The court distributed approximately $17,000 in FEMA funds among the following agencies which participated in battling the New Year’s Day Wildfire: Donley County, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, and the fire departments of Clarendon, Howardwick, Hedley, Groom, Hoover, and Claude.

The county and district retirement system plan was approved at a rate of 7.32 percent.

Under letters to the court, commissioners accepted a letter from the Concerned Citizens of Donley County calling for the abolition of the personal property tax. No action was taken on the letter. The tax generates about $90,000 for the county each year.

The court also met in called session on August 15, 16, 17, and 18 to consider the 2006-2007 county budget.