Good morning. Welcome to our March the 10th Commissioner's Court meeting. Let the record reflect that all members of the Court are present, and if you would please stand as Commissioner Linder leads us in our prayer and our pledges.
Please pray with me. Father, God, thank you. Thank you for the many blessings in which you bestow upon each of us.
Father, thank you for America, the great state of Texas, Missouri County, its citizens, and our employees.
Father, with these uncertain times in this world, please be with our servicemen and women and their families and bring them home safely.
Father, ask you to give this court the wisdom, the guidance, and the courage to make the right decisions for those we represent.
Well, the God, we just praise you, and love you, in Christ's name we pray.
Amen.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.
One nation.
I pledge allegiance to the United States.
One state.
I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.
Thank you.
All right, our first order of business is approval of our minutes from our February 24th meeting if you've all had a chance to review and if there are no changes, I will accept a motion to approve the minutes.
попытive the commission and technical
commander to the public and to the public and it's sure the full
public input members of the public may address the court
concerning any item before the court prior to the court's
consideration of the item and or any other matter of concern.
For Senator Commissioner's Court, Order 7 C1 dated January 28, 2020,
a member of the public may address the court for a total period of time, not to exceed five minutes.
The member of the public who addresses the court through a translator may address the court for a total period of time, not to exceed 10 minutes.
If a member of the public inquires about a subject, which there's not an item on the meeting agenda,
or for which notice has not been given pursuant to Texas government code chapter 551,
The court may furnish specific factual information or recite existing policy in response to the inquiry.
However, any deliberation or decision about the subject inquiry must be limited to a proposal to play sit subject on the agenda for a subsequent meeting.
We have two folks who've asked to speak this morning on a couple of different topics and we've had three that have requested on something that we have public hearing.
so on. So I'm going to ask four actually. Mayor Hopkins, would you like to wait for the
public hearing? Okay,
Wes and Melissa Burnett, would you all like to wait for the public
hearing? Yes, Your Honor. Thank you. Mr. Robertson, would you like to wait for the public
hearing? Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Jeremy Warren, would you like to wait for the public
Thank
you Judge and I apologize I have a trial starting upstairs my name is Jeremy Warren from West Columbia Texas.
Thank you for your time and prompt attention to stopping AI data centers here in Missouri County.
I speak today as a citizen in opposition to the tax abatement for build on power and old ocean data centers.
Resolute County Commissioner's Court should take a strong stance to prevent these data
centers from destroying our communities.
Recently, other Texas counties have joined the fight.
Worton County held a public hearing yesterday.
Hood County and Delta County have both asked for attorney general opinions on their
respective abilities to stop data centers.
Cities from across the state of Texas and the United States have also voiced their
opposition to data centers.
AI data centers destroy our homes and our environment.
Data centers are gigantic compounds built on once lush green farmland.
They process megawatt computer requests that use computing power that is ten times more powerful than a simple Google search.
This power increases strains on our already questionable power grid,
cost of electricity rise for the average consumer.
Data Centers generate air pollution and emissions that we don't need here in Bersolia County with a plants that we already have here on the coast.
They create light pollution and noise pollution like a constant humming or buzzing all day and night.
This disrupts and potentially kills wildlife in our area.
They use lithium batteries that our fire departments are not equipped to handle.
Data Centers will use up our water and it cannot be replaced.
One data center can use as much as 5 million gallons of water per day.
This is equivalent to a 50,000 person city.
It is estimated that just in Texas by 2030, data centers will consume 399 billion gallons
of water, most of which is evaporated or cannot be reused because of its contamination after cooling.
Then, what happens to the company when they're done?
Just like the solar panels, they sit on our land and create a hazard, our land values decrease.
Some say there's nothing that can be done.
Brzeoria County and TCECQ should require environmental impact studies.
I know today's tax abatement vote doesn't stop data centers, but it sets a precedent.
It can be a hurdle for companies and show them we don't want them here.
I close with a quote from an American Patriot,
Facing threats of assassination, certain capture and imprisonment, financial ruin with
seize land from the British crown, Dr. Joseph Warren wrote,
on you to pin the fortunes of America, you are to decide the important questions upon
which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn, act worthy of yourselves.
Now is a time to protect our citizens, protect our homes and protect our environment.
Now, it was the time for Bersolio County to stand up and say no to data centers.
Thank you.
Justin Lawry?
Good morning.
Yes, sir.
I have a nice, well prepared speech like that, gentlemen.
That's okay.
Okay, roll with it now.
My name is Justin Lawry.
I'll live out of guide Texas.
That little sliver of guide Texas that is still with him Bersolio County.
The issues I'd like to bring up today are with the HGMP grant, that is the grant in which FEMA
through Resorio County, was allowed to rebuild homes above floodplain or raise homes that
were currently in floodplain.
The issue I'm having now is with the construction company as well as grant works, that is
the company in a media area that went between Resorio County and FEMA as well as the Texas
Department of Emergency Management.
So the first issue that I'm having with Grant works is that I believe I know that they're
not appropriately calculating the funds that were used for each home.
I went through the estimate in which I was given at the original, at the very beginning
of this process, which was back in September of 2023.
And the numbers don't match.
The amount that was paid out to the contractor does not match the amount that was originally estimated,
which I understand things happen, but there has to be a change order in place.
And according to the contract that was assigned by Missouri County, Flood Plated Administrator Joe Ripple,
myself as well as Grant Works, it states that that change order must come through the homeowner as well.
There weren't no change orders and there's thousands of dollars that are unaccounted for,
which is what's taking so long for the Senate Bill 7 funds to come back from the state of Texas to the property owners and which they were originally pledged to.
The other issue I'm having with grant works is there's no correspondence. I have been reaching out over and over and over and over and I get absolutely nothing
I went all the way up to the CFO to try to get some some kind of communication and that spurred a quick communication and that was about four months ago
I reached out to Mr. Ripple who's been been great right. He calls them. He says, hey, they're gonna call you. They're gonna email you
They never do right and so I guess with that what I need some help right. I need somebody to
to help me to guide me on what we can do with this because I'm not quite sure where to go.
The second part of this is Breezo Construction.
That was the construction company in which we chose to rebuild the home.
There are a number of issues with the home and I've talked to many different homeowners
that went to the same grant program that are having similar issues as well.
With grant works as well as their construction company which wasn't always Breezo construction.
They overbid the home substantially, the cost and which took to build a 1425 square foot home.
was $260,000 at this astronomical.
You can go out and buy a home.
They're in Chicago.
I forget Mr. Bonner was talking about it earlier.
You can get out by a home in Chicago for less square footers
in a cost of building a home.
That's not even the land, that's just a home itself.
Anyways, regardless of that,
they're not owning up to their issues.
They're not owning up to their mistakes
and they're stopping all correspondence as well.
And so I'm asking for help with that as well.
If I can get some sort of assistance
as their guidance as to where to go about this.
I'm sending out a demand letter today to try to spur them
to actually complete the job in the work
in which they had started.
Lastly, real quick, we need some health
with roads at Twin Lakes.
We really appreciate that nice paid road
that we have coming in.
We submitted about four or five years ago
to get the next couple of roads done.
And we're kind of hitting a roadblock there.
And so just asking for assistance there, too.
It's a slow process.
Man, it took 20 years to get that road over 20 years.
So I get it, but next it would be great.
I'll get that.
I'm sorry.
Yes,
sir.
Give that number a call.
That's for you.
Yes,
sir.
Robin Burgess.
Ms. Burgess.
Good morning.
Good morning, Judge.
Good morning.
Good evening.
It is fantastic to see you all in good morning, Missouri County.
My name is Robin Burgess.
I'm the president of the Samuel M.
The chapter of Alpha Kappa, Alpha Rode Incorporated, Alpha Kappa, Alpha is a sorority founded
in 1908.
Two date, we are 118 years old as an organization.
We have over 1,000 chapters domestically and internationally, and we have over 330, 330,
330,000, initiated members.
Specifically, I am with the Samuel Mega Chapter here in Missouri County.
we are the 127 chapter here in the South Central region,
which includes Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arkansas.
And we are the first A.K.A. chapter here in Missouri County,
which we think is the greatest county in Texas really all of America.
So we are proud of that.
And today, I am here.
I have a few of our members here.
We have almost 300 members, but along with our 300 members,
our influence goes well beyond that because we are wives.
We are mothers. We are sisters, daughters, and any role that you can think of, we possess.
So we are here today, again, just to, in honor of our 15th anniversary, to also make
a personal invitations to you, the leaders of our county. I did send emails, but I do have a few packets here with you.
With information, so that way you can definitely have it in hand.
We are having our 15th anniversary on April 11th here actually is going to be in Houston because we're hoping to have a great turnout and including the leaders of our county, but March 19th is our chartering day and so we are delighted to be here so I just wanted to just be here just to
have our members just experienced what I know in terms of seeing the leaders of our county
also to extend the invitation. Along with our celebration, we are also going to recognize
members who have been doing great work around a Missouri county. But before I go, I know
that the court is going to be changing, and I hope that I'm not out of turn, but I just believe
even giving honor or honor is due.
It's my understanding just the best of that you will not be
a seeking re-election that you are retiring.
So I just wanted to personally say, we are not political.
We do not support any political candidate or party.
But again, to me, when great work is done,
I think you have to speak up, and you have to recognize it.
So I want to personally say, thank you to you just
the best of for the way that you've led.
And it's premature, I guess, but judge holds that that the future
is a, what do you say, a whole string of novels, and all we have is now and today, so I wanted
to just take that moment, just to say thank you for who you are, the way you show up and the
way you lead.
Again, I'm Robin Burgess with the Samuel Maker Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Ms. Merges.
Thank you.
And may I leave these for you?
All right.
And we also have State Representative Cody Vassoud, but would you like to wait for the public
hearing?
Thank you, sir.
All right.
It leads us into proclamations, and this burges gave us a nice warm-up for that.
And whereas Saimu Omega is a subsidiary chapter of Alpha, Alpha, Alpha, and Alpha, and
Incorporated, the oldest Greek letter's rarity established by nine visionary young African-American
college women on the campus of Howard University on January 15, 1908.
And we're going to sign move Omega, the 127th Alpha Kappa Alpha Srawdine Corporation
chapter, chartered in the south central region, and the first in Missouri County, was
chartered on March the 19th, 2011.
By group of 26 like-minded college-trained women. Debra Anderson, Debra Boykin, Robin Berges,
Trinita Carroll, Angela Ford Castile, Carolyn Coleman, Brenda Hudson Cooper, Edfani Gray,
Coffee Gray, Karen Haybron, Adiola Haylager,
Le Cheryl Hudson, Desiree Erby,
Erica Jackson, Rita Jackson,
Carolyn Jones, Valeria Jones,
Dmitri Alus, Stephanie Mack,
Carol Leno Parker, Yolanda Prier,
Melanie Rodney, Harriet Stewart,
Glendatailer, Charlotte Washington,
and Andrea Williams.
We're a sorority member, show passion to provide service to the Bersouric County through their initiatives that include empowering families, advocating for social justice, building economic wealth, enhancing our environment and uplifting the community.
Now, therefore, Bersouric County Commissioner's Court does here, Robert Claim, March the 19th.
Twenty-26 is Alpha Kappa Alpha's Riding Incorporated Siamu Omega Day in Bersouric County, Texas.
That's a mouthful.
The date in which our local chapter will celebrate its 15th anniversary.
We wish to recognize these members and express our sincere gratitude
for your impact, impact, meaning inspiring, meaningful performance across communities together
of service within Versoria County, approve this 10th day of March 26th and I will make
that motion.
Second for Mr. Linder, any discussion?
Ladies, thank you for all that you do within our community.
We make it a better community.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed.
Better not be.
Motion passed.
Y'all join us up front for a picture please
I can't see I can't
see
You're thinking how to see it
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
If I later Mr.
Last time we were here, we gave you pig ties.
And thank you for noticing the pink and the green because those are our colors.
And so this time we have great ties.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I wore pink at the last of me.
Y'all can stay.
Okay, I'm just saying you don't have to leave.
All
right, that brings us to our consent agenda and we are going to pull H23, which was inadvertently put on to consent.
Is there any other item that any member of the court would like to pull to discuss?
Yeah, would you pull H23?
Yeah, H23.
And H2.
But we don't have to pull it.
discussion. I'd like to pull it for a future agenda. Okay, so you want to table h2.
The court, then h2, yes. I'll have a problem with that. Okay, we're going to push h2 to a future.
So that brings us to h23.
You can see,
hospital how, you're H23,
you know,
contrary to popular belief.
We actually read this stuff, all seven, eight hundred pages before it ever gets to us.
So, are before we come into the meeting.
So, H656 this time.
$6.56.
Each 23, which is a considerable how requesting a new position, and his request is to approve
a new full-time deputy concept for the great 38 step seven effective April 1, 2026, this
request is for the general fund, and will require additional funding of approximately $53,677 for
salary and benefits through the remainder of this fiscal year 26 budget.
And I believe you were here a month or so ago, and we asked you for more information.
Yes, sir.
So as I went through and we was going through looking at the numbers.
I pulled all of our JP numbers.
And I noticed a little distinction in what he was saying,
but we had a distinct number in that.
The problem came was you were looking at presync one,
place one and not presync two, place one or two.
Those were you were looking at the precinct one numbers and not our numbers.
I did pull all the JP numbers and every one of them I have their their photos here,
but their numbers don't always match up to what ours do.
We have our tracking system is what we purchased a year ago or a year and a half ago
and we use silver serve and that's how we track our papers.
And as I was going through it, I also noticed that we don't track a lot of other things that
we need tracking, and that's where we're working on a system to track that, like close patrols,
traffic citations, you know, other stuff that these guys are doing, this is just the civil
process portion, this is what these papers here are, and if you want, we can give everybody the
numbers again, but they're not going match up to what we have, and that's okay, it's close,
but it's not the same, so these are all the JPE numbers.
I'm still going to stick with the numbers that we presented the first time.
Thank you.
It's in our original packet.
And I think the question was on the evictions.
The evictions is probably the biggest number that we do serve,
but you also have realized that we serve total service to papers
and all of the papers was almost 2000 papers, attempts were close to 2900 papers. Those are just
the attempts and you add them all together and that's how many times the deputies go out there.
Each console has something different that they do. I may have more attorney generals,
I may have more county court or I may have more district court papers that we need to
and those aren't calculated in our JP side.
That's where your numbers difference
are come up different.
So I'm going to have to stick with the numbers
that we came up with through our civil-served process.
And we're still behind to me, I'm behind it.
I think it's also a safety issue that we need.
The additional deputy to put so we can even
amount and have two that go out on certain papers
are rich. Any time we go out to see property or clean out a house or
rid of possession, those will just keep coming and coming. We noticed that the
growth continues coming. Thank goodness we don't have no data centers coming in
my area. So with that, I just had to leave it with the first presentation that we
We're going to stick with those numbers.
Any questions from the court?
Do I have a motion?
Do we have a motion?
Ordered eyes to lack a motion.
Thank you.
Sir.
Excuse me, Willie.
All right.
That brings us back to the rest of the consent agenda.
Motion to prove the consent agenda.
Second.
Motion from Commissioner Cade.
Second from Commissioner Linder to approve the consent agenda.
other than h2 and h23. You have any discussion? You're not on favor say aye. Opposed motion
carries. All right, that brings us to order i1, which is to open a public hearing on the
creation of Brzory County Reinvestment Zone number 26-01. So the public hearing on the creation
of Resorty County Reinvestment Zone number 26-0-1 is here by open for presentation of comment
for against the proposed zone creation to have a motion.
Some more.
Second.
Motion from Commissioner Lender, Second from Commissioner Barry, Joll and Faber, say aye.
Opposed Motion.
Here is Alex.
You kind of give us a little preview of what's going on here and then I'm going to ask
the folks who've requested the zone to come up and speak after Alex.
So, we have a little bit of a unique situation here.
We had four separate companies, all submit tax of eight manipulations, but with a request for one reinvestment zone.
They're all located on the same two tracks of land.
They're all co-located projects, but the way that this is set up, we have to take the reinvestment zone first and then each tax of eight
application after, but these are all separate independent projects, but still related.
The court, when the county, when we receive a tax statement application, it goes to our
office review, TAR committee, and then once we've determined that it has met the county guidelines,
it has to be presented to the court for review and approval if you so choose to approve.
But it does not mean that you have to approve.
Hi. We have the folks here who requested the zone.
Good morning. Good morning. Good.
Thank you. Good morning. Ajoji and commissioner. I appreciate being here. My name is Mike
Frawn. I'm with Katie Andrews. I have a rock wall Texas. And I'm here with a couple of
them from night peak energy. And we have requested the reinvestment zone to be created for actually
or four different projects, so it would be a bulldog one, bulldog two, in an old ocean,
the data center, one, and old ocean two. So they would be about 250 million dollars, tax
will value, on each of the prior generation. And for the data centers, about 1.5 billion
taxable values for each one of those. So, but the construction start day we're looking at would be
in 2027 maybe like 2026 and the COD or commercial operation dates would be in 2027 early 28.
So, and we've got four more public hearings, so I'll probably have y'all come up and talk about each one of those during those public hearings.
Okay.
entertaining some questions about.
Thank you. Thank you. All right, is there any one here wishing to speak on for or against the creation of the reinvestment zone number 26-01?
Anyone here wishing to speak on?
Is there anybody way from the back?
And this is for the creation of the reinvestment zone?
Yes, sir. I want to have something to say about that. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. Good evening. Man Rosen. I love him for you.
I'm trying to talk to you. Well, I'm gonna tell you just last time you left us.
You was heading back to Tokyo. Yeah. And I told you I hope you have a safe trip.
It wasn't your trip. My trip was okay. Good. I'm back here.
I'm glad you made it back. I think crash with everybody else.
But anyway, I would like to say, when it comes to the this salination plants, we ought
to be truly concerned about it because of the water use, the water use is what they're
having the issues with.
This is not a beast.
Oh, man.
Okay.
Or this not the detail.
It's not a beast.
I'm sorry, judge.
Then I catch the diesel.
Okay.
Good.
Sorry, Judge.
Not a promise, Rose.
I didn't.
If I can't say that, can I say this?
It's okay.
Well, it's number one.
to take your clothes off you good. Okay, I want to say, well, thank you for your service to our
community. You know I'm one of those people that just like to keep the shit going,
skin is my language. It's okay, but you know what it is and we have to hold our leaders
responsible because as I was in Tokyo, the thing about it is the issue of responsibility and
All the Japanese Prime ministers that I said the meetings with, they said the same thing, the responsibility to the people as our government.
It's not them because they invest a lot of money into every last one of the industries that's in-free for it, like free-port Ellen Jig.
They invest a lot of money.
And they says that the problem is that your government itself is not requiring the contingencies to come back to the people.
It's up to you guys to force them to test the people and pay the people because they have the
contingencies for everybody that's infected in Bazaaria County.
We'll stay noted on the record. Everybody in Bazaaria County is infected.
Gerald Bank and the other three banks that's in Japan stated on the record too that they have
the contingencies to pay the people of freeport of our elected officials were requiring
question. So, the people can be taken care of because you look at 47 or 50 years of
a beard disease that in Bazaar County, the disease right in the death rate. You got to look at
holding these people responsible because the burden falls on us. We're the people because we have to
make sure that our parents are taken care of. We have to make sure that our children are taken care of.
just like officer Abigail the freeport Texas she passed away her last wish was the
bill policemen but why would a child have four born cancer explain that we cannot
explain our babies coming out the womb with cancer this is same thing that the
German and the Japanese government said well as your government itself that's
allowing it to happen to us so I come to you guys to say that when you're
make these decisions about putting these industries in our community that's
not some more money, because seeing none of them supporting themselves, we're supporting them
through tax and basements and taxation. We support them, then they come back and ask for
an extension. The net 10 and 15 years has put back on to the citizens, so we are never coming
out of debt and we are trillion dollar industries in our community that can't pay that away,
but we can't get welfare to children that need food. We share a really consider what we bring
community because if it's not growing out communities, they only grow in their own bottom line.
Thank you, Judge.
Thank you, Mr. Roterson.
Is there anyone else here wishing to speak on the creation of the reinvestment zone?
Good morning, Judge.
I'm a public health researcher and I just want to say first before I even get started.
I am a proponent of this process.
I just want to do so with some caveats and I truly believe that systems should work for
people and I also believe that as technological innovation takes place, that Missouri
County should be at the front of that particularly in this area.
So I am a favorite of bringing the old ocean data center and board our part of the National
Missouri County.
This will be $75 billion project where these means technological and economic potential, however
my support comes with critical caveats.
I find it fundamentally believe that economic systems and infrastructure
looks work for the people, not the other way around.
The request for a team here with interest in tax abatement is an extraordinary
a concession.
If we were to forfeit a decade of local property tax revenue on a multi-billion dollar
development, that agreement cannot be able in check.
Any abatement must be legally tied to ship performance metrics.
I'm a process person I believe that there should be some transparency in the process.
And so as individuals, I think to bring these types of data centers into this environment, I think that we should be able to ensure that they're tied directly to perform its key performance indicators.
We need a guarantee we turn on investment for the residents of some of the Amazon County requiring verifiable local job creation.
I'm just now getting up to date with this, and so I'm not certain what the job processes and I believe there's some conversation is happening on digital media.
that's saying that there's not going to be a lot,
but I just believe that if we're gonna be bringing in these systems
that should be something to be talked about.
In addition, transparency about the community
reinvestment and then regular, regular,
auditing to ensure compliance.
So in my MPH studies, I recognize that a lot of individuals
who come into this process, they don't necessarily
think about the long term implications
of what happens to the help of the individuals
around the areas.
And so I know that there are a lot of conversations
that our people are talking about, the resources that are being exercised, the water, and the energy consumption.
But when data centers come in, they require certain types of mechanics to be able to work and they do have environmental impacts.
And so that needs to be something that's disgusting and also talked about to the community if we're going to be able to rally our support around that.
In addition, we cannot approve any abatement this magnitude without first requiring a, and this is my ask to have an environment impact assessment done and then presented it.
Hyperscore AI data centers in the three hundred ten megawatt peaking plants are heavy bodies on local resources that consume massive amounts of water for liquid cooling and emit nitrogen dioxide, which is directly increases cardiovascular mortality risk and surrounding neighborhoods.
And for people who are from economically disadvantaged populations, they typically have these
risk periods at a higher rate than other individuals.
Before any final vote, the Court must demand their file will date on the exact daily water extraction
and projected air quality impacts, and then ensure that we are in closing outside this, we should welcome
the innovation actually to believe that.
But we must do so with the audacity to demand transparency, accountability, and health equity for our region.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, sir.
Anyone else wishing to speak on the creation of the reinvestment zone?
Representative of the suit?
I want to judge members of the court.
Cody of the suit angle to Texas, you state representative for this project area.
As we know, data centers have become an ever-increasing issue.
We've seen a lot of development over the last year.
A lot of projects have been coming into this area.
And each time they come forward and, and I think, of course, the court knows this, but make sure the public does, the state and the county have very few tools at their disposal to be able to regulate these types of projects.
I appreciate those tools in the next legislative session.
I have filed legislation to give you more development power, and I will again, next session, and I will file legislation to give you power on many of the issues that come from the state of centers.
we we had legislation last session that would have given you a noise power near
residences and we'll do that again. We I don't think that that one made it to
the floor of the house but it made it out of committee I believe and I will be
doing legislation about noise levels from these data centers and we're going to
be looking at water and energy usage to make sure that when these projects come
in they're not taking our water and not taking making our power bills more
expensive. But as we know, we're citing requirements throughout state history
counties have not had zoning authority that's been historically because when you develop
in the county it's viewed kind of as the county the world west but I think as time has
come on and more and more projects are being developed near residences in the county that's
something that we need to look at changing in the future now obviously the law is what it is today
and the tools that we have at our disposal for data centers in the county are very limited obviously
In the city, we have some additional regulatory power and SEPs and various things we can require
them to do to mitigate noise, but we don't have that in the county.
So anybody that's thinking that this court can stop a data center in the county, you can't.
But what you can do is not incentivize them.
And obviously this particular agenda item before you as a reinvestment zone, I think you should
not approve a reinvestment zone.
And, of course, we have several coming down the line that follow from this reinvestment zone, which are actual abatement applications, and just to be efficient, if I may, just address all of this.
I think that each of these applications have three flaws, both for the reinvestment zone and the abatements, one as to necessity, two as to cost, math, and three as to propriety. First as to necessity.
I don't think any of these things are necessary if this data center is going to come.
if they really want to come they're going to come anyways whether you do a reinvestment zone
or whether you do an abatement okay so it's unnecessary the second thing is the math the
math just does not math the amount that they are saying of jobs that they're going to create
from these types of projects does not provide additional sales tax revenue or property tax
revenue to this county that justifies the approximate 10.5 million dollars they want to take
off the rolls every year and as you know with these types of projects they're going to
and after ten years, what are you going to have left?
We see that a lot with solar, where we get to the end, and there's scrap value.
And when your baby runs, they have it reinvested, and then what are you going to do?
So I think that the math does it math on this.
I don't think they bring enough value to the community to justify the 10.5 million of
behavior.
And finally, it's proprietary.
I think the data centers are not popular right now.
And I think for good reason, because of many of the issues that come with them, issues that
need to address the legislature to give you power to address them and for there to be
site regulations. But most importantly, I don't think it's proper for any type of data
center or these types of products to apply for abatements. We've had many of these come
through that didn't even bother applying. So my advice humble advice to the gentleman behind me,
I appreciate your desire to invest in Missouri County, but I would withdraw all this reinvestment
zone application. I would withdraw the abatement applications and if not, I'm pretty sure
the court's going to vote five over reject them. Thank you very much.
Only because you brought
up solar, I would appreciate HB 2500 best in 2013. You weren't there, but that allows
solar fields to appreciate and the tax appraisal of money. 100% of that value. Two sessions
that hadn't moved forward would be great. I agree completely. I think that one. Did Mays have
That bill last session?
100%.
And the second one was much better.
Absolutely.
Still didn't move forward.
Just so everybody understands what we mean by depreciation is in 10 years the taxable value
when these things come onto the roles are far less than the original application and
for certain types of projects and it's not also, it depends on the particular project.
But that might be scrap value.
And so it might not really be worth it.
So yes, we do need to look at that on legislature and absolutely will.
the legislature in 2013 gave away local tax dollars.
Yeah.
They gave it a bait in the bus without asking us.
100% and the school district in the drain.
100% college.
I wonder Commissioner to that point.
I think three that economic development system,
your powers there, I think are under Sunset or in that process
in the next session of the session after.
So it's going to be a topic that's front of mind.
But chief among and of course,
is the data center issues that that's going to be a,
That's a topic that legislators are discussing amongst themselves on a daily basis, because this is something we are seeing all across the state.
Absolutely.
Thank you, Representative.
You've had.
Thank you.
Is there anyone else who you're wishing to speak on the reinvestment zone?
Yes, sir.
More in gentlemen?
Honour.
Judge and Commissioning Court.
I'm trying to do okay.
I'm a local businessman here in West Columbia.
I've been here for over many decades.
But more importantly, I am an executive energy broker, and the company now, we have been, you know, talking back and forth about these AI data centers that are popping up, and of course I strongly like everybody else is saying right now that we strongly oppose any data centers that are coming to Missouri County and in my opinion, and in Texas, this came out if it map approach.
Yes, sir.
If you pass these down, sir, for Leonard, thank you.
The reason I'm bringing this to you, guys, is that during the Arctic blasts that
came out, Channel 13 news came out with this.
They were talking about the data centers of what each one is going to pull from the Texas
power grid, which is going to be enormous.
and right now, as you can see from 2025 up to 2029, the demand for electricity for the
centers in crypto. And right now, if you're aware of this, you
Government probably know this, but an average data, AI data center, is going to consume 10 to 50 megawatts. Roughly, that
will take away from 8,000 to 40,000 homes. If it's a hyperscale, I don't know this one that's
coming here. I don't know how big that one is, unless you all know. But if it's a hyperscale
data, AI, it's going to consume over 100 to 1,000 megawatts, which equates to 80,000 to
800,000 homes.
So what's going to happen there is we all know
supply and demand.
I mean, people right now cannot afford their electricity
bill as it is.
I'm in the business and when I see bills that are
five to 700 and an 1,800 square foot home,
there's something wrong.
And for this to take place, it's going to happen.
I hope it doesn't happen.
So with that being said, this will continue to rise.
And people will not be able to afford a 25 to 30 to 35 cents per kilowatt hour.
And so I see the I live on County Road, 1301, County Road, 571, A, and on
County Road, five, which is two miles from my house, the commuter, the solar farm that's
there.
I mean, I can hear the humming going on in my backyard, and I understand that these AI-data
centers are going to be worse, as I think Jeremy Warren had said, was Jeremy Warren had said.
The negativity that's going to come from these data centers, it's just not a good fit for anybody
in my opinion, so I just say I strongly hope that you gentlemen will say no to this here in
county, and as far as I'm concerned, in Texas, I think, in the state of the Union President
Trump, said to him in Congress and reps, whoever are working on making these data centers
and these crypto make and create their own power, so they don't pull from the Texas power
grid.
I hate them.
That's this project is they are creating their own power.
Okay, this one.
Okay.
Just to clarify.
That's fine.
Yes, sir.
But anyways, with that being said, thank you for your time
and listening.
Thank you, Mr. Dukai.
Thank you.
Is there anyone here else we should just speak
on the reinvestment zone?
I'll go ahead and go and talk to you.
OK.
More on Judge Commissioner's, my name is Dusty Hopkins.
I'm the mayor of Sweeney.
We've had a few meetings with night peak as well.
Just kind of letting us know they were coming to the area.
One of my major concerns and one of major concerns
of my residence in swing is water. We have three water wells over there that actively operate.
We have one that we're trying to get back online. One of my questions for these gentlemen
was, how much water are they going to use? They've ran a test well, but they weren't able
to give us those numbers. They were bumped up right next door to our city limits. They're
right in the next to our industrial park. They've looked for some access through our industrial
park to their area that they're going to be working in. We would really like for y'all
consider not myself, but not like to see this happen. Obviously, no, we cannot stop this project.
I mean, it's in the county. We all get that. If it does, we would like to see at least a,
the maintenance not to be 100 percent. For 10 years, we're going to be using a lot of roads,
a lot of infrastructure for our city. And then y'all's county infrastructure to get these guys
of where they need to be. I believe they're going to be cranking out almost 400 contractors to get this
bill and the waitments only going off set with maybe four to ten employees.
I don't know the exact number, but the waitment they're looking for is not going to be
offset by that much growth for employment and housing in our area of our city.
So with that, I just like to take what y'all consider those for us and I appreciate y'all
And when we get to the, yes, sir.
The abitments will, sir, we'll have that discussion.
Thank you, Mayor.
Is there anyone else here wishing to speak on the reinvestment zone?
Good morning, gentlemen.
So my name is David Anderson.
I'm a resident of Bazaar County right outside of Swiny, Texas.
I live at the end of County Road 409.
If you're not sure where that's at, as a crow flies, there's a project that they're proposing
probably a few hundred yards from my house. I'm not sure what I can do, but, you know,
I'm concerned with noise pollution, my water, my residential price, property price. You
know, having a negative effect on my property price because of this. You know,
I didn't
have Facebook or social media live under rock, I guess, but, you know, I don't even know about
this until late yesterday.
So, Mr. Lender, you know, you opened up with a prayer prior to this meeting starting
asking God, or thanking God for our blessings, ask that you do whatever you can to keep these
people from destroying ours.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Is there anyone else wishing you speak on the reinvestment zone?
We have four more public hearings.
Yes, sir.
We have four more public hearings.
We haven't even gotten into the tax abatement yet.
Okay.
So, this is on the reinvestment zone.
We'll have on every one of the tax abatement all four.
We're going to have four more public hearings.
So, do anyone else wishing to speak on the reinvestment zone?
I've got a motion from Commissioner.
Thank you.
Second from Commissioner Adams or I2s to close the public hearing on the reinvestment zone.
Number 26.
01.
All in favor say aye.
Aye.
Opposed.
Motion carries.
Now, reading the order.
Aye.
3.
Whereas the public hearing was held on the creation of the
County reinvestment zone 26-01, and the public was given an opportunity to speak and present
evidence for against such creation, whereas, notice of the hearing was given in the
matters provided by law. Therefore, based upon the information presented to the court and the
public hearing, the court finds that the designation of this zone would contribute to the retention
or expansion of primary employment or would attract major investment in the zone that would be
a benefit to the property included in the zone and would contribute to the economic development
of the county further than approximately 159 acres described on the attached Exhibit AB designated
the Missouri County Investment Zone number 26-01 for tax abatement purposes, in accordance
with the guidelines and criteria of the Missouri County applicable law. Do I have a motion?
I do not have to make a motion to deny the creation of the Missouri County Reinvestment Zone number 26-01.
Second.
Got a motion to deny a second by Commissioner Adams any discussion?
I'm going to start with the discussion, and I know Commissioner Lenders is going to jump in in my wrong.
No, you're not wrong. Okay. As it was stated by our own state rep, we cannot stop this project.
We do not have the tools. We can only do what the legislature allows us to do.
They do not give us the power to stop this project.
These folks are here for their day in court, which everyone has their day in court to make a request.
They've requested that we create a reinvestment zone of which we have a motion on the table to deny that creation.
And that's their right to make that ask.
That does not mean that they're not going to do this project.
They're probably going to do this project.
I would bet you money.
They do this project.
And we can't do a damn thing about it.
I want to make that perfectly clear.
I think Mr. Warren, when he was up here in our state, rev.
Because our legislature does not trust us at the county level to make those decisions for you at the local level.
So we don't have that tool.
So I would encourage all of you that do not like data centers, do not like whatever you don't like.
talk to your state rep, talk to them often and loudly of what they should be giving us at the local level to make those decisions.
Just like in 2013, they decided to give away your local tax dollars for solar fields.
You know, the first couple we because we were unaware of that,
we incentivize the first two or three or four whatever that came in and we haven't done a
damn one sense that you know they're still coming and we can't stop them. So I just want to be
perfectly clear and get that on the table and a note may or you same thing y'all can't stop them
we can't stop them. So I just want to be perfectly clear on that and that's where we're
So, Commissioner, I know you've, I do, Judge, thank you.
I want to thank the public that has reached out to me over the past several days.
I want to thank the public's reach out to me during the solar issues.
I'm glad those have seemed to kind of lessen.
But thank you for your comments, your concern.
As many of you know, there has been one of these built in right outside of the city of Buzoria.
We couldn't stop that one either.
It was built and I have constituents that I value very much, that are in the room today.
I think he's going to speak maybe on another section here, but, you know, their life has been
turned upside down and I, it hurts, it hurts me to know that I can't do a damn thing
about it and they've been very nice and kind, I'm not sure I could be as nice and kind as
They have been to me over this, but I think they realize that we've done everything we could.
They still came anyway.
So again, it does come at a cost.
It does come at a cost.
It comes at our residence piece.
It comes at, you know, their way of life has changed.
The folks I'm speaking to their life, their way of life has changed forever.
I don't know what their future holds were there at.
I don't think they're going to sell and move or what, but again,
their life has been just turned upside down.
And I know if these continue, a whole bunch more lives
are going to be turned upside down.
So after one, I'm going to continue to voice my thoughts
on these things, and I'm going to continue to vote no,
each and every time, but I do appreciate the public input.
Even the calls at six o'clock this morning,
I appreciate those, I appreciate all the calls.
Truly do.
Thank you.
It's all out.
Anything else from the court?
All in favor to deny the reinvestment zone, say aye.
Aye.
Opposed motion carries.
Aye, folks.
Aye, four through aye, 15 is now moot.
Eight no reinvestment zones, so there ain't no tax evadements.
So we're going to go to aye, 16.
And
that is, treasures, monthly cash, investor report for December 2025.
You're the click of the door.
Come in there.
Let's skip in over all those orders.
Before me, the under sign authority, a public, a notary public in and for
Brzory County, Texas, on this day, personally appeared.
The members of Brzory County Commissioner's Court and who, after being
duly sworn upon their oaths to hear by state as follows.
The requirements of Subsection C of the Texas Local Government Code 114.026 have been met and
that we have reviewed an exam in the monthly report of Angela D's Treasurer, Missouri County
Texas, for December 2025.
Further having taken reasonable steps to ensure its accuracy has presented, approve of the
report and enter this order into the minutes which state total cash and other assets in
custody of the county treasurer at the time of examination to be $405 million, $700,000, $478,000, $491.
In 81 cents, the treasurer's report and the staff of David will be published on the Missouri
County website.
Subscribe, and so on too, before we meet this, the 10th day of March 2020 sets.
Thank you, Jamie.
All right, the motion reads.
Approved the treasurer's monthly cash investment report for December 2025.
this order and after they must be filed with the county clerk. It is further requested
certified copy of this court order to be returned to the county treasure. This report
be published on the county website. Have a motion. Motion from Commissioner Linder
second from Commissioner Kate on favor say aye. Opposed motion carries order i17.
Now the court hereby adopts the 2024 edition of the International Fire Code, including
appendix chapters A through 0, A through O. Excuse me. Attached to your two, Rick. That's
nigger. Attached to your two, regulating and governing the safeguarding of life and property
from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances,
materials and devices, and from conditions, hazardous to life for property and occupancy of buildings
and premises in the unincorporated areas of Missouri County providing for the issuance and collection
of fees, establishing an effective date of March 10th, 2026, therefore, repealing the existing
Missouri County Fire Code, court order number 7, A1, B dated December 11, 2018, the 2024
International Fire Code may be viewed at the following link. Go to our minutes and you get
link because I'm not going to read off HTTPS, colon, hash, hash, whatever.
A certified cat.
Copy this order, shall be provided to the fire marshal. Martin? Mr. Sussinkly. Briefly.
Briefly. Yes. Here's a little bit of an overview. Other than, everybody's saying, we got update
codes that's coming down from the national level, the state level, and all of that. So international, international, yes or
United States, state of Texas, definitely. What it is is right now we're currently under the 2018 International
fire code. We need to move up to the 2024 International Fire Code adopted the code as it's like
the order is written. This code is, the fire code is established to help with reducing the risk
of fire loss to property life as well as the use storage and handling of hazardous materials
and protection of the environment.
So, big portion is the fire code, the storage and handling
of hazardous materials.
Now, with this code, just like one of the presentations I did
by back when we adopted the 2018 fire code,
this does not a retroactive go-back to pre-existing businesses.
This is from this point forward on.
So, we don't go backwards or anything.
So, this is to establish requirements and methods that designers, engineers, architects are designing to, right now currently we do have a few projects where there are designing to this code because 2018 is a remedial.
Any time that we adopt a code is going to be remedial and the reason why we have certain things and the reason why we have to always update our codes is because there's always new construction, new things happening.
different businesses that create or processes that create a fire hazard or a danger to the
environment. We need to make sure that we protect both of those. And then the last thing
is with our previous permit fee schedule and everything that matches with this code and stuff.
So that's why we don't see the permit fees associated with this particular code adoption.
Good deal. Thank you. I know the Texas Department of Insurance is doing the same thing for structures. They're April 1. They're going from the 2016 code to 2024. And it will have a impact.
Yes, it's going to be some pretty good changes there. All right.
I'll have a motion.
I've got a quick comment.
So I know you now talked about this, but I still have concerns about what this is going to do for small businesses trying to expand
We'll let new buildings and those things.
You assured me that this is not going to have an effect on small businesses and their
growth.
Can we just talk briefly about how we're going to make sure this new code doesn't have
unintended effects on those folks trying to explain their business.
Right.
We don't have any local amendments that would substantially reduce those things.
So within the code, does address those smaller, smaller, smaller, smaller, smaller businesses?
those small businesses that are being established and the code does not, we don't have things in place where we require like a fire sprinkler system as an example for a very small businesses
that does not address that. This is more on the lines with hazardous processes and large quantities.
So, there's exemptions in the code for small quantities, small businesses, and stuff, and that does not affect that.
As unintended consequences become reality, or you see opportunities to make amendments to help small businesses,
that these new codes aren't specifically intended to target, you'll come to us and say, hey, here's some things we need to do to make sure we're not affecting these folks.
Definitely. Definitely.
I agree with Commissioner Cade. I'm scared of unintended consequences. I'm glad this
is more around big, big, large industrial type things. So I concur with him. I don't
want to affect our mom and pops. I don't want to agree.
I agree. They fall possible.
Thank you.
You'll have a motion.
Some of it.
Second. Motion from Commissioner Linder, second from Commissioner
I urge any comments.
Discussion.
Very good.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed.
Motion carries.
Or aye.
Team the court hereby adopts the following local amendments to the
24 international fire code effective March 10th, 2026.
1.
Fire access road shall be concrete or asphalt for all developments greater than five
acres.
2.
Fire access roads for all developments greater than ten acres shall have two access points
no closer than one half the diagonal distance of the development measured at the longest
distance.
If the second access point is obstructed by an adjacent property with no access, the second
access point should be remotely located and approved by the county fire marshal 3.
Parking Shelby designated to ensure fire access is not obstructed.
Four structures over 12,000 square feeder developments over 10 acres require groundwater
storage tank.
for fire suppression when fire hydrants are not available in sprinkler systems are not installed.
All variants request related to these local amendments shall be submitted to the Resort County
Commissioner's Court for Review.
Full review and certified copy of this order shall be provided to the fire marshal.
Do I have a motion?
So, move.
Second.
Motion by Commissioner Linder, second by Commissioner Adams, discussion.
question, oh hell, it disappeared. Where to go? Okay.
And I read this, and it did make sense.
Require groundwater tank for fire suppression when hydrants are not available. Okay, that
makes sense. And sprinkler systems are not installed. Well, if they weren't installed, they
would have a, wouldn't they have to have a groundwater.
So, certain businesses are based upon the large scale of a particular project and stuff.
So, giving an idea is if you don't have a water availability to a particular area,
and it is a very large development, say, a 85,000 square foot building and process,
that building would install the fire sprinkler system and could possibly
because of the amount of water availability would install ground water storage tank
or are not have to depending on how much water it's actually pulling out.
So that's why when we see a couple of large manufacturing buildings,
they do have a ground water storage tank.
Then we also have a couple of group homes, very small little homes,
that have very small little tanks so that takes it into consideration.
This is for basically that you have a very large development, not really with a particular building or a business attached to it.
You have a large acreage project that there is no water availability there.
There's no fire hydrants and what happens is just give you an example of is we had one fire in the, in the, in the,
to fight that fire with tankers and and brush trucks and they have a limited
availability of water that they're carrying on their apparatus but they're
not having to travel 20 miles back to Anglton or the city of Alvin or even
into Liverpool wherever that water source is a fire hydrant so each time that
they're driving on the roadway and emergency traffic then there's going to
be an an emergency and there's a situation where we can have a problem. I get that
I just figured if they had a sprinkler system on a 12,000 or bigger square foot building, they would have a tank.
I mean, that's fine.
Just read the odd.
But that's cool.
No, I'm not.
I'm for safety.
But, thank you.
Any other discussion?
Yeah.
You're not an all-in-favorite say aye.
Opposed.
Motion carries.
Thank you, Martin.
Order aye.
19 upon recommendation of the by the evaluation committee, award RFP.
number 26-19 disaster monitoring services to the highest ranked vendor Tetra Tech Inc.
of Mainland Florida who submitted the best evaluated off for meeting our specifications
and scope of work as per the attach in addition expenditures will be funded by the specific
disaster event fund.
Excuse me, further, the county judge will be authorized on any documents or amendments related
to this agreement upon final review by the DA's office and the final documents will be authorized
be attached to the minutes. This is the same farm that has served us in the past during disasters
and they've done a good job that's just my commentary. Do I have a motion?
Some of, second. Motion from Commissioner Adam, second from Commissioner Burgeon, you
discussion. I just hope we don't need a judge. No, shit. All right. Any further discussion?
Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries the Department heads.
We have any department heads wishing to update us.
Come on up, Ron.
Good morning.
Good morning, gentlemen.
Brian Fraser, but early county parks to quick announcements.
First of all, we have some reports of some seaweed on our beaches.
I texted a couple of y'all this morning about that.
And you say seaweed and spring break and people get a little nervous.
So I just want to give an update that we would characterize this as a low to modest
influx of seaweed and we are raking it every morning.
So, it should be good for all the spring breakers.
We'll get it in and off that beach.
So it should be cleaned.
It'll come in overnight.
We'll get it cleaned up.
So far, it's not...
If not, we're providing a carpet for them
to keep sand off their feet.
Sure.
So that's the first one.
The next one then, put on your calendar Saturday April 18th.
Believe it or not, we're making an announcement for April.
They'll start spraying a doctor beach.
And that will be at 9 a.m.
There will be a Surfside Jettie Park this year.
We also made us sometimes back and forth between Stahlman Park and Jenny Park, but that will be Saturday, April 18th,
part of the statewide adoptive beach cleanup. Thank you.
Thank you, Brian. Any other department heads?
All right, hearing and seeing none, we've got we're going to enter into executive session under Texas Government Code.
Chapter 551 sub chapter D, and that'll be 551.071, potential litigation, as well as potential litigation,
in Colonarby Resort LLC, and 55072 deliberation regarding real property.
It kind of wrote 58 in Angelina Drive in Paralyen.
It is 10, 11.
We'll be back, hopefully shortly.
Thank you all for being here.
All right, it is 11.51.
We are back from executive session.
We have no action coming from executive session.
Is there anything from the court?
Oh, sir.
All right, it's still 11.51.
We're adjourned.
You don't care about that.