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While only a handful of residents attended Fisher County’s public hearing on Monday where commissioners heard from a single citizen before adopting the 2025–2026 fiscal year budget with a few changes. After consulting with legal counsel over the weekend, the court also voted to delay setting the county’s tax rate until corrected public notice information is published.
The lone speaker, county resident Randy Head, raised concerns about the jail, questioning why the county had not paid off remaining debt service when sufficient funds appeared available.
Fisher County Judge Ken Holt explained that the county’s debt service funds are currently invested and drawing nearly 4.5% interest, producing almost $35,000 in revenues last month alone. Treasurer reports confirmed the county ended the prior month with a fund balance of $9.2 million, with about $900,000 earmarked for specific purposes.
“When interest rates fall,” said Holt, which he anticipates happening later this fall, “We can stroke a check.”
Head also worried about the county’s ability to continue to attract new residents to supplement an aging population, given what she described as steadily increasing tax rates and challenges in law enforcement.
“We’re not getting any new people here,” she said, pointing to issues with the county jail and limited law enforcement staffing compounding the issue.
Officials noted that while the county has openings for additional law enforcement personnel, only three positions are currently filled. Holt responded, acknowledging the problem, “We have budgeted for five deputies, we just can’t hire them.”
Head countered that leadership itself might be deterring applicants, noting Sheriff Pat Dickson’s lack of a Texas peace officer’s license. Dickson was appointed by the Fisher County Commissioners Court in January despite not holding a Texas peace officer’s license.
His prior military service allowed him to qualify for the appointment under state law, but he must obtain a license within two years to continue serving in the role. Until that requirement is met, concerns remain about the county’s ability to recruit and retain deputies under his leadership “Until you find somebody qualified to lead over there, you’re not going to find anybody who wants to work here,” Head said. Holt acknowledged the concern, adding that he did not disagree.
After hearing public comment, commissioners turned to final budget discussions. The adopted $6.5 million budget projects expenditures of just over $6.3 million and anticipates a year-end surplus of roughly $203,000. The plan includes the previously approved 5% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees and elected officials.
The most significant amendment came with the addition of a full-time road hand for each of the county’s four precincts. Commissioner Stuart Posey introduced the change, arguing that part-time pay has lagged and that precincts were stretched thin.
“The reason I was considering this was because of the part-time salary is is pretty low and we haven’t raised that,” Posey said. “But I think that we could use another fulltime hand.”
Commissioner Gordon Pippin agreed “You’re right, we do need another fulltime,” Pippin said. “It used to be five.”
The payroll sheet presented to commissioners detailed the costs. A full-time road hand, with hourly pay of $18.26, has an annual gross salary of about $37,981. After adding retirement contributions, insurance, and payroll taxes, the total cost to the county rises to roughly $56,686 per employee.
With one additional road hand per precinct, the county adds about $227,000 in annual expense. Even with that increase, officials estimate the county will still be on track to finish the coming year with a modest surplus.
Commissioners approved the amendment, noting that rising costs of materials and fuel have already stretched road crews. Holt emphasized that adding staff could help maintain service levels of county roads, which he said seems to be in line with the will of the people.
The court adopted the budget as amended in a unanimous vote. The court’s vote regarding tax rates, however, was postponed.
During the meeting, County Auditor Becky Mauldin explained that a clerical mistake in the published notice for the tax rate had to be corrected before the court could proceed. She clarified that the error was limited to a figure listed in the levy section of the notice and did not affect the actual rate under consideration.
Officials consulted with legal counsel over the weekend after discovering the error. Judge Holt explained that the guidance from attorneys was that while the court could adopt the rates during the meeting, the safest course would be to delay the vote on the county’s M&O, I&S, and Road & Bridge rates until the notice could be corrected and republished.
Mauldin added that the county had already selected the lowest rate it could legally adopt, the voter-approval rate, which in this case was even lower than the no-new-revenue rate. To ensure proper procedure, commissioners agreed to delay the vote and reconvene later in the month once the corrected notice had run in the paper.
Commissioner Micah Evans said, “I’ll make the motion that we table it and have a special meeting on the 29th. That way we can run it and be 100% legal on what we’re doing.”
With Monday’s action, commissioners formally adopted the county budget for the coming fiscal year, incorporating a 5% costof- living adjustment and the addition of four new road hands. The court will republish its tax rate notice and reconvene on Sept. 29 for a special meeting to complete adoption of the 2025–26 tax rate.
SEE CORRECTED TAX RATE NOTICE ON PAGE B5