County Commissioners approve budget line items

Milam County Commissioners approved a change to the budget to allow for a Veterans Services Officer, Community Service Supervisor and an increase in the stipend paid to County Extension Agents during a meeting on Monday.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve four budget line item amendments. The county will take the $250,000 received from the various solar farms as part of extension fees for construction and place that money into specific line items to pay for several positions within the county that had gone unfilled since the retirement of the person who held those jobs. 

The money will be used to budget for salaried positions to include Veterans Service Officer and Community Service Supervisor. It will also go to increase the stipends paid to AgriLife Extension agents, making them more competitive to the surrounding area. Judge Bill Whitmire said the new stipend threshold will make Milam County equivalent to Bell County.

Commissioners also tabled a request for a waiver on the weight limit on Hog Creek Bridge for a heavy equipment load to come through. The waiver was requested from Cattleman 1 Solar to bring in a generator. Commissioners decided they wanted to physically see the bridge location and study it themselves before they make a decision on the waiver. 

Commissioners also heard a report from the Child Advocacy Center in Belton about the services they provide to children in Milam, Bell, and Coryell County. 

In other business commissioners also: approved a standard notice for the May 6 General Election; approved utility installations; appproved HW Lochner as construction inspector for the CR 464 FEMA bridge replacement project; and approved R3NDA as representatives for the county in the professional building construction process.