Kirk Chastain

The session included a prayer and a discussion regarding the updated county jury plan, which was presented by district clerk representatives to incorporate the new TJIC Enterprise Jury system. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a public overview provided by Texas Tech University's National Wind Institute regarding the state-funded measurement and prediction system. This system aims to enhance meteorological forecasting in response to severe weather events, focusing on expanding the West Texas Meznet weather stations, deploying high-resolution radar systems in the Hill Country (specifically mentioning Brown County), and developing a statewide Texas prediction modeling system. The presenter sought assistance in identifying landowners willing to host radar sites, detailing site requirements like high terrain and three-phase power access, and mentioning negotiable lease terms. A separate agenda item involved discussing an addition to the jail property, specifically adding a second floor to the selling port for file storage and the jail's property room for increased storage space. This jail project is slated to be funded through the inmate phone fund, supplemented by a $65,000 donation from a new contract with NCIC.

The meeting commenced with a prayer. Key discussions included the review and requested approval of the November 2025 Treasurer's and Auditor's report, noting an aggregate fund balance of $16,893,518.80 across 59 accounts, and the approval of an affidavit. Discussions also covered the burn status, which was continued for another week pending better conditions. Employee changes for Commissioner Reed's Precinct Three included the hiring of Blake Anderson effective January 5, 2026. Further topics involved clarification on payment source for Emergency Management vehicle repairs, the delayed status of new and used vehicles, and an update from the Office of Emergency Management regarding a cyber attack on the Code Red notification system and the status of pending mitigation grants for siren systems and a safe room. The court also addressed the need for clarification on contractual options concerning the Code Red vendor and planned to discuss courthouse closure policies for bad weather and Sheriff's donations in the next session.

The meeting included a prayer and subsequent discussion of the racial profile report from the sheriff's department, which was accepted. Personnel changes within the sheriff's office were presented, including new hires, promotions (e.g., deputy, full-time jailer), and departures, detailing corresponding salary adjustments. The jail report indicated 103 inmates. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the necessity of purchasing additional data storage technology for the Tyler system used by the District Attorney's and County Attorney's offices, mandated by the Michael Morton Act for case data retention, with discussions on escalating annual costs and the risks of insufficient storage preventing system operation. Employee changes for the county and district clerk's office were also approved, involving a retirement replacement and new certifications.

The meeting concluded with an adjournment at 10:04. The subsequent scheduled meeting date is the 15th, requiring agenda items to be submitted by Tuesday morning for posting. A key discussion point was the need to include the report from the District Attorney's office on the next agenda, as no information was available for the current session.

The meeting covered several agenda items. The session began with an invocation and a report from the District Attorney's office regarding the Sexual Assault Response Team, confirming compliance with House Bill 47; the presentation of the full report was noted but not necessarily made public record in the minutes. The Treasurer's and Auditor's report for December 2025 was presented, detailing account balances, with an ending grand total of $15,957,429.85. Employment changes in the Treasurer's office, including the hiring of Justin Smith as Administrative Assistant, were approved. Discussions included the status of the burn policy, which remains in place, and consideration of the replat of Shway State Regional Lot 259, which involved discussion about water and septic approvals, ultimately being approved contingent upon septic approval. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Brown County storm siren system project, which originated from COVID-19 funding. The cost had increased substantially since 2021, requiring a decision among four options: local absorption of the cost increase, scope change reducing sirens from seven to four (requiring FEMA/Tigem approval), requesting a budget increase from federal agencies (no guarantee of approval), or withdrawing the project to explore other alert system options, with the recommendation being to withdraw and explore alternatives like enhanced cell phone alerts due to recurring costs. Finally, courthouse maintenance issues were discussed, specifically water damage in the Tax Office likely due to plumbing issues, with plans to have a contractor investigate and replace a sink and cutoff valve.