Lavaca County

August 25, 2025

Executive Summary

The Lavaca County Commissioners' Court will hold public hearings on the proposed 2025-2026 budget and the 2025 tax rate, followed by discussion and potential adoption of these critical financial documents. Key discussions also include setting officer salaries, approving audit services, and addressing various public safety and infrastructure-related items, including a significant agreement for a 287(g) Task Force with ICE.

Key Topics

Constituent Highlights

Public hearings will be held on the proposed 2025-2026 budget and the 2025 tax rate; residents are encouraged to attend and provide input.
The court will discuss and potentially adopt the new tax rate, which could impact property taxes.
A public hearing will address the continuation of the $10.00 Records Management and Preservation Fee.
The meeting will acknowledge a disaster declaration due to wildfire danger and ratify the current burn ban order.

Official Highlights

The court must formally adopt the 2025-2026 budget and 2025 tax rate after public hearings.
Key decisions on officer salaries and allowances need to be made.
Approval of the 287(g) Task Force Model agreement with ICE is a significant public safety decision.
The court will consider bids for the demolition of an abandoned building and approve various service agreements and purchases.

Resumen Ejecutivo

El Tribunal de Comisionados del Condado de Lavaca llevará a cabo audiencias públicas sobre el presupuesto propuesto para 2025-2026 y la tasa impositiva de 2025, seguido de la discusión y posible adopción de estos documentos financieros críticos. Las discusiones clave también incluyen la fijación de salarios de funcionarios, la aprobación de servicios de auditoría y la gestión de varios temas relacionados con la seguridad pública e infraestructura, incluido un acuerdo significativo para un Equipo de Tarea 287(g) con el ICE.

Temas Clave

Puntos Destacados

Se llevarán a cabo audiencias públicas sobre el presupuesto propuesto para 2025-2026 y la tasa impositiva de 2025; se anima a los residentes a asistir y proporcionar información.
El tribunal discutirá y potencialmente adoptará la nueva tasa impositiva, lo que podría afectar los impuestos a la propiedad.
Una audiencia pública abordará la continuación de la Tarifa de Gestión y Preservación de Registros de $10.00.
La reunión reconocerá una declaración de desastre debido al peligro de incendios forestales y ratificará la orden actual de prohibición de quemas.

Key Items

Items with direct public relevance

ID	Description	Cost	Impact	Tags
PUBLIC HEARING 1	▶ Records Management and Preservation Fee		significant	budget legal
	Continue collection of the $10.00 Records Management and Preservation Fee for filing documents in the office of the County Clerk.
PUBLIC HEARING 2	▶ Proposed Lavaca County 2025-2026 Budget		significant	budget transparency
	Public hearing on the proposed Lavaca County 2025-2026 Budget.
PUBLIC HEARING 3	▶ Proposed Lavaca County 2025 Tax Rate		significant	budget transparency housing
	Public hearing on the proposed Lavaca County 2025 Tax Rate.
2	▶ Property Tax Revenue Increase Notification		significant	budget transparency
	Notification that the budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year by $1,664,971 (8.43% increase). Speaker: Judge
3	▶ Set Officer Salaries and Allowances		significant	budget personnel
	Set the salary, expenses, and other allowances for elected or precinct officers. Speaker: Judge
4	▶ Adopt 2025-2026 Lavaca County Budget		significant	budget transparency
	Adopt the 2025-2026 Lavaca County Budget, with any necessary changes. Speaker: Judge
5	▶ Adopt 2025-2026 Lavaca County Tax Rate		significant	budget transparency housing
	Adopt the 2025-2026 Lavaca County Tax Rate. Speaker: Judge
6	▶ Approve County Clerk Records Fee Plan		notable	budget legal
	Approve the plan for collecting the Records Management and Preservation fee for filing documents in the County Clerk's office. Speaker: County Clerk
7	▶ Approve District Clerk Fee Plan		notable	budget legal
	Approve the plan for collecting the District Clerk's Records Management and Preservation fee to fund records management and preservation services. Speaker: District Clerk
8	▶ Presiding Judge and Alternate Judge Appointments		notable	personnel elections
	Discuss and/or approve Democrat and Republican Presiding Judge and Alternate Judge Appointments for 2025-2027. Speaker: Election Administrator
9	▶ Engagement Letter for External Audit		notable	budget transparency
	Discuss and/or approve engagement letter with KM&L for external audit services for the Fiscal Year ending 2025. Speaker: Auditor
10	▶ FY 2025 TIDC Formula Grant Award	$22,501.00	notable	budget legal infrastructure
	Discuss and/or approve accepting the FY 2025 TIDC Formula Grant Award in the amount of $22,501. Speaker: Judge
13	▶ 2026 Sheriff's and Constable's Fees		notable	budget public-safety
	Discuss and/or approve 2026 Sheriff's and Constable's Fees. Speaker: Constables
14	▶ Service Agreement with Voice Products Service, LLC		notable	technology public-safety
	Discuss and/or approve Service Agreement between Voice Products Service, LLC and Golden Crescent RPD-Lavaca County Sheriff's Office. Speaker: Sheriff
15	▶ Temporary Administrative Personnel for Sheriff's Office	$15,000.00	notable	budget personnel public-safety
	Approve using contingency funding up to $15,000 for temporary administrative personnel for the Sheriff's Office for 120 days. Speaker: Sheriff
16	▶ MOU for TCOLE Courthouse Security Training		notable	personnel legal public-safety
	Approve MOU between Lavaca County Sheriff's Office and Alexander Mietlinski for TCOLE Courthouse Security Certification training. Speaker: Sheriff
17	▶ 287(g) Task Force Model Agreement		significant	personnel legal public-safety
	Approve Memorandum of Agreement between ICE and Lavaca County Sheriff's Office for the 287(g) Task Force Model. Speaker: Sheriff
19	▶ Public Meeting Notice Law Change		significant	legal transparency
	Discuss and/or approve the state's amendment to Local Government Code 551.043, effective Sept 1, 2025, requiring 3 business days' notice for public meetings. Speaker: Judge
20	▶ Demolition Bid for Abandoned Building		significant	land-use infrastructure
	Discuss and/or approve advertising for bids for the demolition and removal of the abandoned building at 400 N. Texana, Hallettsville. Speaker: Judge 📍 400 N. Texana, Hallettsville, TX 77964
23	▶ 2025 Chevrolet Colorado Purchase		notable	budget public-safety transportation
	Approve the purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Colorado for the Office of Emergency Management. Speaker: Judge
25	▶ Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement for Blood Products		notable	legal health
	Discuss and/or approve Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement between BioBridge Global and Lavaca County EMS to obtain blood products for ambulances. Speaker: EMS Director

Routine Items (17 items — click to expand)

ID	Description	Cost	Tags
1	▶ Announcements / Public Comments		transparency
	Open forum for announcements and public comments.
11	▶ Governor's Disaster Declaration Acknowledgment		public-safety environment
	Acknowledge Governor Greg Abbott's proclamation declaring a disaster in Texas counties due to wildfire danger. Speaker: Judge
12	▶ Ratify Burn Ban Order		public-safety environment
	Discuss and/or approve ratifying the Burn Ban Order implemented on August 18, 2025. Speaker: Judge
18	▶ Deputy Sheriff Bond Approval		personnel public-safety
	Discuss and/or approve Bond for Richardo Montemayor, Deputy Sheriff. Speaker: Sheriff
21	▶ Printer Lease Agreement (District Clerk)	$3,600.00	budget technology
	Approve Lease to own agreement for a Kyocera TASKalfa PA4500ci Printer for the District Clerk's office, $75.00/month for 48 months. Speaker: District Clerk
24	▶ Subdivision Exemption for Dieter Schuhknecht		land-use housing
	Discuss and/or approve Certificate of Exemption from Subdivision Requirements for Dieter Schuhknecht. Speaker: Pct.4
26	▶ Subdivision Exemption for Lester Spies		land-use housing
	Discuss and/or approve Certificate of Exemption from Subdivision Requirements for Lester Spies. Speaker: Pct.2
28	▶ Announce Next Meeting and Adjourn
	Announce the next meeting date of September 8, 2025, and adjourn the current meeting. Speaker: Judge
27.a	▶ Approve Meeting Minutes
	Approve the Meeting Minutes of the Commissioners Court Regular Called Meeting on August 11, 2025.
27.b	▶ Temporary Waterline Permit (Baytex Energy)		infrastructure utilities
	Approve Temporary Waterline Permit between Baytex Energy and Lavaca County Precincts 2 and 3 for LCR#292,295 and 353.
27.c	▶ Temporary Waterline Permit (EOG Resources)		infrastructure utilities
	Approve Temporary Waterline Permit between EOG Resources and Lavaca County Precinct 2 for LCR #240 and 230.
27.d	▶ Monthly Auditor's Report		budget transparency
	Review and approve the Monthly Auditor's Report.
27.e	▶ Monthly Treasurer's Report		budget transparency
	Review and approve the Monthly Treasurer's Report.
27.f	▶ Tax Assessor-Collector Report		budget transparency
	Review the Tax Assessor-Collector Report as per Section 31.10 of the Property Tax Code.
27.g	▶ Claims and/or Payroll Approval		budget personnel
	Approve current claims and/or payroll.
27.h	▶ Budget Amendments		budget
	Approve any necessary budget amendments.
27.i	▶ County Officials Report		transparency
	Review and approve reports from County Officials.

Major Expenditures

Item	Amount	Description
10	$22,501.00	FY 2025 TIDC Formula Grant Award
15	$15,000.00	Contingency funding for temporary administrative personnel for Sheriff's Office
21	$3,600.00	Lease to own agreement for Kyocera TASKalfa PA4500ci Printer (48 months)
22	$2,304.00	Lease to own agreement for Kyocera ECOSYS PA3500cx Printer (48 months)

Total: $5,904.00

Glossary

TIRZ: Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone — a designated area where property tax revenue increases are used to fund improvements within that zone
LCG: Local Government Code
TIDC: Texas Department of Insurance
TCOLE: Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
ICE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
287(g) Task Force: A program that allows state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with ICE to receive training and grants to enforce immigration laws.
MOU: Memorandum of Understanding - a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties.
LCR#: Likely refers to a Lavaca County Road number or identifier used for permits.