Commissioners OK reinvestment zones, abatements for solar project, Whinstone

Milam County Commissioners approved various reinvestment zones and tax abatements and decided against a request to close a county road during their meeting on Monday. 

During a regular and emergency meeting Monday morning, Commissioners approved creating reinvestment zones as required by law, followed by tax abatement agreements within each of those zones relating to the solar farm in the north part of the county and Whinstone around Rockdale.

There were four zones total up for discussion, three involving the Ben Milam solar project and one involving Whinstone/GMO Gamecenter. Following public hearings, all reinvestment zones and tax abatement agreements were approved unanimously. 

Commissioners also elected to keep CR 202A open to the public after nearly 20 minutes of debate on the matter. 

Commissioners had previously tabled the request to close the road to investigate the matter further during the April 13 meeting. 

Five people spoke on the closing during the public hearing with only one of those speaking in favor of closing the road.

After contacting DPS and requesting crash reports, the court learned there were only three crashes at the intersection in question since 2014, none of which involved turning at the intersection. The only fatality known occurred in 2001 and also did not involve turning at the intersection. 

In other business the commissioners also: approved a subdivision plat for El Camino Real Estates on FM 908; approved a subdivision variance for five acres on CR 401; and approved advertising in support of small business on the radio and in the newspapers. 

Milam County Judge Steve Young announced bids are expected to go out this week on the renovations to the old hospital building and that he reached out to Jim Reed of the Council of Governments to consider the annex renovations for infrastructure grant funds under the CARES Act.