After several minutes of spirited discussion, the Burnet County Commissioners Court approved a significant budget change for “public safety enhancement” during its recent meeting.
“I believe it can be done without increasing the tax rate,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle said during the Sept. 16 meeting in Burnet at the Texas AgriLife Building, 607 N. Vandeveer.
By a vote of 4-1, the court decided to reduce outlays for fuel reserves, professional services, records management, unemployment insurance and utilities to fund four new deputy positions for the sheriff.
Beierle, Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 3 Commissioner Chad Collier and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery voted for the budget. County Judge Bryan Wilson dissented.
Also toward that end, the court waived the proposed 2.7% cost-of-living salary increase for the district clerk, county judge, each one of the four county commissioners, the county tax assessor, county treasurer, the Sheriff, each one of the four justices of the peace and each one of the four county constables.
After several calculations and reviews of tally sheets, the court approved funding of more than $400,000 for the four new deputies during Fiscal Year 2026, set to begin Oct. 1.
By the time the Bulletin went to press, the court had not officially approved the tax rate, proposed at .3323 per $100 of property valuation.
Also during the meeting, the court approved a burn ban for the county unincorporated areas.
“Based on what I have seen, we are getting closer to a dangerous situation,” County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio told the commissioners. “Grass is drying out. All the fire chiefs I have talked with want the ban, just so we can stay head of the curve.”
Elections Administrator
Officials announced an opening for the appointment of a new elections administrator, to replace Doug Ferguson, the current administrator, who plans to retired Dec. 31.
Ferguson has served as the county elections office boss since February 2015.
“I have great respect for the all the folks I have worked with during all of those years,” he told the Bulletin. “I am so thankful for all the election workers who have tirelessly worked for our elections and have given so much to the county over the years.
They really meant the world to me. I am blessed to have them as friends. I will miss them.”
Before he arrived in Burnet County, he worked as the Hays County Elections Office Data and Equipment Coordinator, Ferguson recalled. Upon his retirement after December 31, he plans to stay in Burnet County.
“I have several hobbies,” Ferguson said. “I plan to keep busy with woodworking, knifebuilding and leather-crafting, and my wife has a long list of projects she wants me to work on. And, we want to do some traveling and see some of the beauty of our country.”
Also during the meeting, the court:
• Corrected the order of election Nov. 4 for Emergency Services District No. 11;
• Declared National 4-H week Oct. 5 to 11; and
• Declared U.S. Constitution Week Sept. 17-23.
