Commissioners approve Emergency Services District on May ballot

Milam County Commissioners once again approved the placement of an Emergency Services District on the ballot, this time for May 2023, during a meeting on Monday.

Commissioners moved to allow the creation of an Emergency Services District to appear on the May 2023 election ballot for voters to decide on. A public hearing on the matter preceded that allowance. 

The county had been hoping to get the issue to voters this November but did not make the deadline for that. An ESD would create a new tax in the county that could max out at 10 cents per $100 valuation. All funds generated through the new tax would go toward ground and air ambulance services. 

Every municipality in the county has already signed off on allowing the creation of an ESD on the ballot.

During their meeting, Commissioners also adopted the amended proposed tax rate at .661356 per $100 valuation. In addition, they adopted the amended budget which will raise about 13 percent more in taxes than last year. 

The court also appointed Cameron Police Detective Oscar Lopez as Precinct 1 Constable, a post he will fill until the November election. He is also the only person on the ballot in November. 

A public hearing regarding a tax abatement for Petunia Storage battery storage was set for Oct. 14. Petunia is expected to invest $114-190 million in the site. A second battery storage proposal was tabled. 

In other business: the Nov. 8 General Election was ordered, with a special Saturday voting day also approved; an extension of bids for renovations to the professional building were approved, as were archive and process fees; Interlocal Agreements with Buckholts were approved; Rickey Williams was recognized for his assistance with the creation and renovation of the Milam County Annex; and John Redington was appointed to the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District Board.