Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Washington County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Elections Office Relocation
The Elections office is moving from the courthouse to the Courthouse Annex, putting the office, voting machines, early voting, and central count under one roof. It should save staff countless cross-street trips and be ready before the November election.
2027 Sheriff's and Constables' Fees
Constables will charge more for citations starting 2027 — $100 for service (up from $85) and $50 for posting. It's the first increase since 2013, and the constable's office is actually a revenue generator for the county.
Proposed Expo Multipurpose Facility
Voters will decide November 3 whether to approve $15.45 million in bonds to build a multi-use facility at the Washington County EXPO. The ballot proposition is labeled as a tax increase, and property taxes would pay off the bonds over up to 40 years.
State-funded EMS whole blood program
New MOUs shift the cost of the EMS prehospital whole-blood program to the state. EMS got three new blood coolers and blood supply through the Brazos Valley Regional Advisory Council.
First responder pay step plans
The county wants to use state SB 22 public safety money to give every licensed deputy a $6,500 raise, pushing starting pay from about $61,500 to $68,000. It's aimed at recruiting and retaining deputies, but commissioners are wrestling with how to keep the raise funded in future budgets rather than relying on the state supplement each year.
Jail population climbing
The average daily jail population hit 115 in August, near 2022 levels, with 13 inmates transferred because bonds weren't being made. The sheriff said the county plays only a small role in a system-wide issue and is monitoring it closely.
Randermann Road bridge project
The Texas Historical Commission required an archaeological study for a grant-funded bridge project because the Thomas Cemetery is nearby, adding up to $21,535 in costs and more red tape to a project that has been in the works since 2021.
Sales tax revenue boost
August sales tax collections hit $423,450 — $66,000 more than last year — and Judge Durrenberger reminded everyone that every dollar of sales tax helps buy down the property tax rate.
County Clerk modernization paying off
The county is digitizing roughly two million paper documents for about $202,000 over 18 months, plus a Laserfiche document system at ~$61,620 a year. That means faster public records responses, less risk to aging paper files, and no more 'treasure hunts' for staff.
FY2027 Holiday Schedule Change
County employees will no longer get a floating birthday holiday — instead, the whole county observes President's Day. If you still want your birthday off, you'll need to use PTO.
Scrap Tire Collection Event
The amended Brannon Industrial Group agreement keeps the October tire collection event running at $5 per resident, with a new grant-required indemnification clause added.
Consolidation of General Election Polling Locations
Polling places were combined for the November 3 election, leaving eight locations — two per precinct — because of a shortage of trained election judges.
FY 2027 County Budget and Property Tax Rate
Chief Appraiser Dyann White walked through how the over-65 tax freeze works, who qualifies (about 5,300 of 9,000 homesteads), and noted the county has left roughly $1.4 million on the table by keeping tax rates below the maximum allowed without a vote. Values are stabilizing after the wild COVID-era swings.
Courthouse Restoration Funding
The county paid about $450,000 this month to Phoenix for the ongoing courthouse restoration, part of $668,709 in total bills approved.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
The county proclaimed September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, supporting the Color Brazos Valley Gold effort; Washington County saw four new childhood cancer diagnoses this year.
Non-emergent ambulance transports in Brenham
A new addendum with Baylor Scott & White lets ambulances carry non-emergent patients between the Brenham hospital and clinics, keeping care local instead of sending patients to College Station.
Scarecrow Music Festival permits
The Bluebonnet Festival and the Kenney Ride each got their standard annual right-of-way permits, clearing the way for the community events to use county rights-of-way.
New Elections Administrator takes office
Jennifer Gajeske was formally seated as Elections Administrator, with her bond and salary approved, just ahead of the November election.
90-day outdoor burning ban in unincorporated Washington County
The burn ban ends at 10 a.m. after fire chiefs voted 6-3-1 to lift it — a change for anyone burning brush or debris in the county.
Expo improvements and park designation
A new CDL training pilot is coming to Washington County through a partnership with Ancora, Prairie View A&M, and the City of Brenham, with classroom space in Brenham and driving training at the Expo. Ancora will sponsor one county employee's training.
911 Department Rename and Quarterly Performance
A three-year MicroCall subscription will replace manual counting of non-emergency 911 calls, giving accurate data for staffing, accountability, and future funding requests — and every county department can use it.
Sheriff's Office staffing and jail population
July's report shows the jail's daily population climbing to 104, mental health transports jumping from 1 to 8, and seven patrol vacancies — four being filled by cadets graduating in December. Commissioners hope new step pay in the 2027 budget improves recruiting.
County branding: first official seal, logo, and standards
For the first time, Washington County has an official seal, logo, colors, and branding rules for everything from business cards to vehicle decals. Departments use up current stationery before switching — no forced waste.
Pecan Glen Road District tax rate
The road district's 2026 rate was proposed at $0.278321 — flat compared to last year, so district property owners shouldn't see a rate-driven increase.
Mobile printers for patrol vehicles
The JP Technology Fund is buying 37 Brother PocketJet 8 printers so deputies and constables can print required forms from their vehicles under the new JP software. It covers the whole sheriff's department and constable fleet.
811 Safe Digging Awareness
The court proclaimed August 11 as 811 Day, urging homeowners and contractors to call 811 before digging to avoid striking gas lines and other underground utilities.
Proposed $61 million Certificates of Obligation for justice center and expo arena
The county is borrowing through Certificates of Obligation Series 2026 to build the judicial center. A citizen protest petition fell short of the required 1,295 signatures, clearing the way for the sale at a 4.407% rate. Commissioner Corn voted no.
Jail medical services costs
The MedTrust contract for jail medical care costs $36,754 a month and rises 3-3.5% yearly, largely due to malpractice insurance charges. The six-month extension gives the county time to find a more affordable provider.
Stars Over Washington County July 4th success
The county is spending hotel tax money on fireworks, a Journey tribute band, and contracted bartending for the America 250th July 4th event, splitting costs evenly with the City of Brenham.
Sheriff's staffing and December crime stats
May saw 42 crashes — the most of any month this year — with a crash cluster in the Greenvine area on FM 2502 and FM 389. The sheriff's office is filling vacancies, with four cadets in field training.
County cybersecurity and software consolidation
The IT department bought a three-year PDQ Connect subscription to fix an audit finding on vulnerability and patch management across 330 county computers. Savings from consolidating other software keep it budget-neutral.
GeoSouthern temporary water line in Precinct 3
The Extension service is launching a November water initiative workshop with free water testing, and Commissioner Corn noted the court has been studying groundwater conservation districts — the main tool counties have for water protection as subdivisions grow.
Fiber installation in county right-of-way
Periti Group will install about three-quarters of a mile of fiber on each of Old Independence and Hopmann Roads in Precinct 3, mainly to support airport radar. No county roads will be bored under.
Clean 2025 county audit and strong fund balance
Auditor Shawna Hollis reported the county earned a double-A rating from S&P Global, which lowers borrowing costs. June sales tax came in about $20,000 below last year.
Free EMS ground and air service for county residents
Resident Carol Collins says the EMS helicopter program has never made net revenue and could lose $1.5–2 million this year, and that Task Force 1 deployment reimbursements were never tracked or audited by the county. She says reimbursements for the 2025 Kerrville deployment are still outstanding.
Feral Hog Damage Management
Texas Wildlife Services removed 578 feral hogs in 2025, but hogs still caused about $132,000 in reported damage to landscapes, pastures, ponds, and cemeteries. Another 420 have been removed so far in 2026. It's ongoing damage management, not eradication.
EMS Fleet Replacement
EMS is buying three vehicles (~$164,000) from the Tobacco Fund — two Expeditions because leased Suburbans couldn't be upfitted properly, and an Explorer to replace one totaled by lightning. Purchasing beats leasing, and no tax dollars are used.
Chronic Wasting Disease Monitoring
TPWD will keep its CWD check station on county property during deer season. A local high-fenced breeder facility had 51 positive cases, but no positives have come from low-fence (free-range) deer. Hunters can get free testing at the drop box.
Chappell Hill VFD equipment funding
The county kicked in $32,500 to help the Chappell Hill VFD replace a 1998 water tender with a new 4,000-gallon truck and buy gear and air bottles. The county's share is only 7.2% of the $453,825 project thanks to three grants the department secured.
Windmill Ridge subdivision roads nearing county acceptance
Four streets totaling 1.08 miles serving 41 lots moved into the one-year maintenance period with the bond cut to 50%. If the final core seal holds up, the county takes over the roads in about a year.
Employee insurance costs rising for dental
County employee dental insurance is running at a 130% loss ratio, so the carrier wouldn't extend multi-year rate deals. HR negotiated a 19% increase down from 25-30% market rates, passed to employees with no added county cost.
Courthouse security and overcrowded court facilities
Officials and staff who work in the 1939 courthouse say it has serious security and liability problems, with inmates mingling near courtrooms. The proposed justice center would include a secure corridor from the jail and space for a fourth courtroom within ten years.
County website overhaul
The county is adding branded department headers to its website, and staff flagged a coming federal ADA compliance deadline (April 2028) that will require embedded PDFs on the website to be accessible — a project expected to cost more and appear in upcoming budget talks.
Bluebonnet Ridge plat revision near Chappell Hill
A landowner wants to enlarge Lot 8BR from 1.5 to 1.75 acres, but his retired neighbor says the commercial operation next door has brought noise, litter, trucks, and addressing headaches for years. Commissioners explained state law leaves the court no authority to deny a plat revision that meets requirements, leaving the neighbor with few remedies.
Jail renovation nearing completion
The jail roof project is 75% done, but crews found bad gutters, dryer vents and other repairs that added $25,900 to the contract. The judge noted fixing these now avoids costlier work later.
Pipeline condemnation cases headed to county courts
The County Clerk reported a law firm will file well over 100 condemnation cases for a pipeline project — not the SH 290 case — which will keep the civil docket very busy.
Rural ambulance service funded by $350,000 state grant
The county landed an unexpected $350,000 grant to buy and equip ambulances for rural areas. The court accepted the money and started the purchase process in the same meeting.
Potential certificates of obligation debt issuance
The court took the first legal step toward issuing certificates of obligation — a form of county debt that doesn't require voter approval. Officials stressed it's only a preliminary newspaper notice, not a final decision.
Ridgewood Farms Subdivision Section Two
A 27-lot subdivision along Baranowski Road in Precinct 4 got final plat approval, with lots averaging over 4 acres and two detention ponds for stormwater. Commissioners noted it has only one way in and out, which future regulations will no longer allow.
Fire Services Director vacancy
The county is hiring a Fire Services Director with 20 years of fire service and incident command experience at $99,803 plus a $10,000 moving stipend — above normal pay policy. He starts October 5 and is expected to bring data-driven decision-making to county fire and emergency management.