Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Washington County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
28 issues in taxes budget
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hotel Occupancy Tax grant distribution
The Expo brought about $7.8 million in economic impact to the county in 2025 and saved the county $24,000 in mileage reimbursements through its shared vehicle program. The Texas Arts and Music Festival still owes a 2025 HOT fund report and can't apply for the next round until it does.
County moves to automated ACH vendor payments
The county is replacing paper checks with an automated ACH payment system through Tyler Technologies. It should save about $37,800 a year and reduce lost checks and fraud, while keeping the option to print checks.
Delinquent tax collection performance
The county collects 97% of property taxes on time; the law firm handling delinquencies reported steady progress collecting older accounts and resolving JP court fines.
County workforce vacancies
The county is short 20 full-time employees, including eight sheriff's office positions and several jail staff, though EMS is close to full staffing. HR is also asking for an extra staff member to handle a flood of public information requests.
Countywide salary survey
State-funded court case management system (UCMS)
Both the district and county clerk offices signed agreements joining the state's court case management system, with Tyler Technologies as vendor — and the state is picking up the tab for the software.
2026-2030 Strategic Plan Adoption
The county and Brenham now have a shared roadmap through 2028 targeting five industries — including biomedical supplies, ag-tech, and modular housing components — to bring higher-paying jobs. Phase two will focus on actively recruiting those industries, including a site-selector summit in Dallas.
County banking services for 2026–2030
Brenham National Bank won both the county's main depository and sub-depository contracts for the next four years, beating Citizens State Bank and VeraBank.
IT shop truck repair funding
The county is spending about $5,400 of contingency funds to keep its 2022 IT shop truck running 5–10 more years instead of buying a new one — officials called it a good, frugal investment.
Accounting switch complicates budget report
The county's move to modified accrual accounting made some departments look over budget on paper — it's a one-time timing issue, not overspending, and the audit will reconcile it.
Bank depository change
The county is ending its long relationship with a single depository and seeking bids to split its funds across two banks, since banks increasingly don't want to hold that much cash. Bids due Feb. 19, award March 3.
JP Precinct 1 Staffing and Leadership Transition
Judge Zwiener and his 34-year veteran clerk both retire this year. The part-to-full-time conversion keeps a training pipeline alive so the next judge inherits a capable office.
HR staffing shortage
HR can't fill its generalist vacancy and has picked up county payroll, so a temporary assistant is extended through June 20, 2026.