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Freestone County Commissioners Court held a public hearing on its intent to enter into a tax abatement with Buffalo Spring Solar; and the court subsequently approved the tax abatement with that company.
The court took that action at its April 3 meeting, when the commissioners also got updates on finding out the status on delinquent tax sales, heard from Sheriff Jeremy Shipley about the continued problem with the county getting reimbursed for inmate transport; heard an update on the preparations for the April 8 solar eclipse; and made other decisions concerning the county’s finances and well-being.
As for the public hearing, Waco attorney Mike Dixon told the court the details of the tax abatement, which were that the the Buffalo Spring Solar project would be created in Reinvestment Zone No. 6, which is within the Teague Independent School District.
The initial capital investment would be $186 million and the yearly PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) would pay the coun-Waco ty $242,937 for 10 years.
Additions and improvements would start in 2025, Dixon said, and the project would be operational at the end of 2026.
Dan King, one of four co-owners of Electerra, the company that owns Buffalo Spring Solar, was present at the meeting to answer any questions. Also present was the company’s tax consultant, Steven Van Dyck. No one from the public commented or asked questions about the project. Dixon said the agreement was standard and similar to others the county has approved. King said the ranch was 5,000 acres but the project would sit on about 3,000 acres.
UPDATE ON DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAX SALES
On a separate matter, District Clerk Teresa Black told the commissioners that she was working with the tax office in Waco on a list of delinquent property tax sales. Black said after the tax sale, any money left over is excess proceeds, which go to the tax office, and a check is cut for the court costs. If no one comes and claims the leftover money, then the tax office in Waco prepares an order on how the money may be disbursed. After a district judge approves and signs the order, the district clerk will disburse it. They are still checking to make sure everything is correct, she said, so the court took no action at this time.
COUNTY STILL NOT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR INMATE TRANSPORT
On a different subject, Grant said that TDCJ told her they had never received notification of the County’s reporting transports of inmates to TDCJ facilities.
County Sheriff Jeremy Shipley said he is using the same way to report inmate transports to TDCJ as the previous two county sheriffs.
“They’ve probably never received anything ever because we’re doing it the same way we did it under the other two sheriffs,” Shipley said. “That’s the way we learned how to do it. More than likely, we’ve never been reimbursed for inmate transport.”
County Auditor Karen Craddock said she had forwarded the process information to Shipley.
Grant suggested Craddock and Shipley get with TDCJ to see what was being done wrong.
Shipley said he had sent TDCJ the paperwork, and he has not received notice that something was incorrect.
“We’re sending it,” Shipley said, “so why isn’t it coming back? Or why isn’t somebody telling us it’s not right?”
OTHER COURT DECISIONS
In other action, the court:
• Agreed to open a credit/ debit card “for emergency or necessity only,” such as ordering items online that are needed immediately; • Took no action on re-initiating a burn ban; and
• Heard from Emergency Management Coordinator Leonard Smith that at times he has not been notified of emergencies that have happened. Consequently, when he was contacted about the emergency by state officials, he had no information on it. Judge Grant asked if this matter would be addressed by the Communications board at its next meeting, and Smith said it would.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
During the public comments, retired civil engineer Charles Morgan said the low-frequency noise produced by oil-and-gas compressor stations in the county continues to cause him and others health problems, including his high blood pressure.
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