Fannin County, Texas -- Fannin County Judge Randy Moore and county commissioners Edwina Lane, A.J. Self and Jerry Magness were present for a regular meeting of Fannin County Commissioners Court held Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Pct. 4 Commissioner Dean Lackey was absent.
The meeting opened with an invocation by David Bradley, pastor of Life Covenant Baptist Church of Bonham, Texas.
Pledges were led by Major James Manis (Ret.).
*****
A brief update of the ongoing restoration of the 1888 Fannin County Courthouse included:
Exterior
Complete Sod and landscape installation.
Complete cut pipes and install clean outs in landscape areas.
Install flag poles.
Complete in-ground lighting.
ADA ramp install ongoing on South.
Interior
Complete stencil work in Courtroom.
Install and sand wood floors on 2 & 3.
Trim install on 1st level.
Complete Acoustic Plaster and remove scaffolding.
Paint on 3rd level.
Light fixture and outlet trim out.
Install cast iron treads and risers from 2 to 3 west stair.
Workers don't expect one antique stair railing to arrive until April, so one stairway probably won't be available when the restoration ceremony is held March 10.
An exterior door for the south side of the courthouse should be in place for the restoration ceremony. Other exterior doors won't be installed until large items have been brought into the restored courthouse for fear of scratching the doors.
Workers are painting interior doors.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court approved an order creating a Reinvestment Zone for BT Masroor Storage, LLC, 10.568 acres on Property ID# 70807, which is located south of Bonham near the South Jail on County Road 4200.
The 10.568 acres will remain designated as a commercial-industrial reinvestment zone for a period of five years and may be renewed for an additional five-year period.
The creation of a Reinvestment Zone is the first step towards possible tax abatement.
This will be the second battery-storage facility coming to Fannin County. The Belltown Power facility south of U.S. 82 near Savoy will be 300-megawatt storage facility (with the possibility of expanding to 600 megawatts) and BT Masroor Storage is proposing to build a 150-megawatt storage facility.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to close Fannin County offices, excluding first responders, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on March 10, 2022 to allow county employees to attend the 1888 Fannin County Courthouse Rededication Ceremony.
"We want all county employees to come to the ceremony," Judge Moore remarked.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to rescind the burn ban for Fannin County to allow residents to begin burning broken limbs that resulted from the recent ice storm.
Jason Walker addressed commissioners court and said there is no reason to implement a burn ban if the county won't enforce it to protect property, citizens and firemen.
"What's the use of having one if there's no way to enforce it," echoed Pct. 3 Commissioner Jerry Magness.
Fannin County Sheriff Mark Johnson said deputies will write tickets for illegal burning under certain conditions.
"Just because we take the burn ban off, that doesn't mean that you don't need to be cautious," warned Judge Moore.
Moore suggested that residents call the sheriff's department and appropriate fire department before burning.
According to Texas Water Development Board, "January 2022 was the fifth consecutive month that the area of the state impacted by drought increased. There were some improvements in the last month, mostly in East Texas, while other parts of the state experienced more degradations, especially in Central Texas."
Commissioners will revisit this issue next week.
*****
Mark DeMay, Fannin County Indigent Healthcare Director, provided a report of Indigent Healthcare activity for January 2022. Mr. DeMay and Judge Moore complimented the Bridges Out of Poverty program for helping break the cycle of poverty.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to pay for courthouse flagpoles out of CARES funding rather than contingency. The county has approximately $20,000 of CARES fund money remaining; after purchasing the courthouse flagpoles, approximately $9,000 will be left in that fund.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to purchase an air purifier from CARES funding for County Clerk's Office at a cost of $179.99.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court voted to approve the Master Plat for the Orduna 2 Addition on County Road 4875 and FM 272 in Trenton; 66 lots on 95.92 acres.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court approved payment of bills.
*****
In public forum, Maj. Manis said he felt that sometimes enforcement of a burn ban is necessary.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court passed on an agenda item calling for discussion with George Harmon and Klein Klotz of the Nitsche Group regarding Healthcare Benefits for Fannin County employees.
That discussion will likely be held at a regular meeting of commissioners court on February 22, 2022.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court went into executive session at 9:57 a.m. to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property regarding property for the future justice center.
*****
There was no action taken regarding real property during executive session.
Judge Moore said that securing an appropriate justice center is a top priority for the county.
*****
Fannin County Commissioners Court discussed Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) during a regular meeting February 8, 2022. One proposed development has requested a PID with the county and Mark McLiney, Senior Managing Director at SAMCO Capital Markets, Inc., provided an overview of this tool which can be used to finance public infrastructure.
Developers use PID bonds, along with private capital, to directly fund improvements.
If a commissioners court or a city decides to create a public improvement district, a specialist is needed to buy and sell these bonds.
A PID is paid for by the developer and people who live in the specific PID district, but open to the public.
Taxpayers who live in the PID will typically pay higher taxes, but receive better amenities that often include walkways, parks, public swimming pools, boat docks or other public infrastructure which must be open to the public, built to county specifications and eventually deeded to the county.
The value of the development must be greater than the loan by a ration of 3 to 1.
There will be an annual assessment on each lot, much like ad valorem taxes, with the notable exception that the PID assessment can be prepaid.
The PID goes away after bonds are paid off.
*****
Judge Moore complimented Troy Hudson and Jennifer Peaco of the Fannin County Emergency Management team for work during the recent ice storm and electric outages.