LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Tom Green County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved several grant applications and agreements, including funding requests for library improvements, bridge rehabilitation and public safety equipment.
Among the items approved was authorization for the Tom Green County Library to apply for a $265,000 San Angelo Health Foundation grant to expand and enhance the Makerspace at STEM Central.
Library Director Jill Donegan said the funding would support new programming focused on life skills for teenagers, improvements to existing equipment, a mobile outreach vehicle and the conversion of a part-time position into a full-time role.
“We really want to do kind of a life skills focused services for teens, have a mobile outreach vehicle, and some resources down there in the makerspace that are geared towards building life skills in young people, as well as upgrading some of the existing equipment. This also includes an upgrade to a part time position into a full time position,” Donegan told the court.
Commissioners approved the application and praised the Makerspace program during the discussion.
The court also approved an application for approximately $2 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Type 3 Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program.
Michelle Ferguson, who presented the item, told commissioners the grant would not require a local funding match. She also emphasized that the project would be funded with federal dollars rather than local tax revenue. The court unanimously approved the application.
Commissioners also approved an application for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Fiscal Year 2026 Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide grant program, a newly established funding opportunity.
According to Ferguson, the county plans to seek funding to purchase technology and equipment for the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office and county constables.
“The intention of Tom Green County is to purchase equipment for the sheriff’s office and the constables. There is about $1.4 million dollars in equipment that has been identified that we can ask for,” Ferguson said.
She added that the grant does not require a local match and would also be funded with federal dollars.
The court voted to reappoint Nathan Craddick as the officer responsible for calculating the county’s no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates and maintaining the county’s property tax database in accordance with Section 26.04(c) of the Texas Tax Code.
Commissioners also approved a professional services exemption and a master agreement for professional engineering and consulting services related to the county’s Senate Bill 3 Flood Early Warning System project, along with Task Order No. 1 for initial project planning.
In a separate action, the court approved an interlocal cooperation agreement and resolution with the Concho Valley Council of Governments for engineering consultant services associated with the SB 3 Flood Early Warning System.
Three agenda items were tabled until a future meeting. Those included consideration of a contract with La Esperanza for indigent health care services for the Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027, service period with a one-year renewal option; acceptance of a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation award for equipment for the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office; and approval of the SB 3 Outdoor Warning Siren Project Plan Template county submission packet required by the Texas Water Development Board.
