Was outta town last week at a Conference in College Station (Judge Schuchart calls it Mecca) and according to the rain gauge, we accumulated bout 8 tenths of an inch of rain out NW of town. Guess ever little bit helps.
We learn a little every year at these Conferences thanks to our TAC (Texas Association of Counties) representatives that give us Legislative Updates. I have not studied all the Propositions yet but, Proposition #2 needs help from the Electorate. It is worded so that it looks like you are doing taxpayers a favor when, in fact, you are being conned into believing you are saving tax dollars. It deals with “Lobbyists” being funded with tax dollars.
In short, laymen terms, we, Medina County, pay membership in TAC. TAC keeps the County’s interests in mind and keeps a presence in Austin to monitor what the Legislature is doing to us as well as for us. They are our mouthpiece to elected officials and have our best interests in mind. If this passes, it would eliminate TAC’s presence and would dilute our voice in Austin to the point that we would be at the mercy of the Legislature. We need to reject this Proposition.
TAC is a taxpayer funded lobby for us/you. Special interest Lobbyists, (oil and gas, insurance, etc) are not paid by taxpayer funds and are the buzzards we need to get rid of. Unfunded mandates tend to spring up on an almost regular basis and without TAC fighting for us, more would get through.
Please read ALL the Propositions before you go vote and you will save a lot of time at the polls.
Phones are in and we will be moving our entire operation and all our personnel to the new location at 1340 SH 173 N (more on this later). We are in the process of getting a well drilled so we can have a water source for paving and soon as its on-line, we will start our project from Black Creek to the Frio County line. Constable Malcom Watson will move out of the room adjoining the Courtroom and into my old office to remain close to the Court.
Our shop is almost functional and we need to install a vehicle lift, among other things, to make it a full service shop. I do believe that with the space and amenities available at our location, we can outfit this to be a Central Shop for Medina County. This will save us money (not really, just allow us to spend it elsewhere) on maintenance and small repairs. But…I will need at least two more Commissioners to get this off the ground. (Just one more would force the Judge to vote on it)
I mentioned our address earlier. As long as I am in office, it will remain 1340 SH 173 N on all of our stationery and official correspondence unless the City of Devine changes the name of the main street running through Devine….and I am all for it. Have been since my time on the Devine City Council. I think the address on the Devine High School building is ugly and I don’t know why the DHS Student Council isn’t heading an effort to have it changed. We (Pct 4) just went through an address change….actually two. It was very smooth and it didn’t hurt a bit.
Spring is coming way too early, hope it lasts till May.