Commissioners get updates on several projects
Milam County Commissioners heard updates on several projects along with potential grant opportunities during a meeting Aug. 9.
During their regular meeting Monday morning, the commissioners learned they had cleared about $125,000 through clean up and auction sale of the Thrasher properties in Rockdale from County Judge Steve Young.
The county had spent about $270,000 cleaning up that property under the auspices of the Health and Safety Code.
Young said Thrasher still owes for that clean up and the county plans to put the Antique Queens building he owns up for auction next to assist in recouping the clean up money.
Young also spoke to commissioners about more grant money the county would be eligible for from the EDA that could potentially bring a career and technology education center to the county. The new funds are specifically for coal-distressed areas, which makes Milam County eligible.
Young said he plans to submit the county application to the National Telecommunications and Information Agency for internet infrastructure by Aug. 17. The county has partnered with ZochNet for the application. If it is funded it will bring fiber internet capability to the county’s cities.
Renovations continue on the new County Annex and the court voted to create a committee to assist with naming the new facility. The committee will consist of two commissioners, County Clerk Jodi Morgan, Tax Assessor Sherry Mueck, and a representative for the District Attorney’s Office to study and decide on naming the annex.
The Court also elected to use American Relief Plan Act funds to cover the county match for the annex renovations until matters related to in-kind work are settled. The county plans to use in-kind funding for the parking lot and to place solar panels on the parking coverings.
In other business commissioners also: approved a request to help the Central Texas Food Bank purchase a new walk-in cooler in the amount of $5,000; approved a Central Texas Council of Governments proposal to create a regional 911 services district; and set a budget hearing for Sept. 2.
Over the past weeks, the county has prepared a 2022 budget. There will be no new tax increase. The tax rate will remain the same as it has been since 2018 at .73 per $100 of valuation. The total amount of taxes one pays may increase as property values continue to rise in the county, but the rate will not increase for 2022.