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County denies second solar 381 request

April 13, 2022 - 00:00
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In a regular meeting of Grimes County Commissioners Court, Wednesday, April 6, commissioners approved a motion denying the 381 Application submitted by Candela Renewables for a solar project in Grimes County. The motion was based on the recommendation of the citizen and court committee which met March 28 and determined Candela’s application did not meet Grimes County’s 381 guidelines.

County Attorney Jon C. Fultz stated that the court has the ability to deny an application if it doesn’t meet the guidelines. Candela requested five years reimbursement instead of the standard three years.

County Judge Joe Fauth said, “At the end of the day, the landowners have the right to lease their property to Candela Renewables and Candela can move forward and build their solar farm but it was the recommendation of the committee which reviewed this on behalf of the court that we not recommend any type of tax abatement or 381 agreement.”

Commissioner Chad Mallett was absent from court.

May 7 Election orders approved

Commissioners approved both the Order of Election and the Election Notice for the Special Election ordered by Governor Greg Abbott to be held May 7.

According to Elections Administrator Lucy Ybarra, because of the 2021 second and third legislative sessions, two amendments did not make it on to the November 2021 ballot and will be voted on in the Special Election May 7.

Ybarra said, “For us, this takes our General May Election and makes it a Special and a General. It also costs us a little more money.”

Ybarra advised the court that additional costs had been factored into her budget and she would not be requesting additional funds.

Early voting will take place Monday-Friday, April 25-29 and Monday-Tuesday, May 2-3 at the following locations: Grimes County courthouse in Anderson, the Iola Community Center and Navasota Center. Early voting hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with the exception of Tuesdays when polls are open 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

May 7 Election Day polling places include the Grimes County courthouse in Anderson, Bedias Community Center, Iola Community Center, Navasota Center, Todd Mission City Hall and Whitehall Community Cen ter from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Gran Fondo expects 1,500 bike riders

Commissioners approved the right of way permit application for the Gran Fondo Bike Ride to be held Sunday, April 10, contingent upon signatures by Sheriff Don Sowell and Emergency Management Coordinator David Lilly and authorizing the county judge as signatory.

The charity bike ride, founded in 2010, expects approximately 1,500 riders to go through a portion of Grimes County to rest stops in Richards and Anderson.

Beneficiaries of the bike ride are the Montgomery County Food Bank, the Texas Medical Center Orchestra and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Other court action:

•Approved Consent Agenda items which included the Treasurer’s List of Claims and Bills, payroll, Budget Amendments and line-item transfers, the Treasurer’s Monthly Report for February 2022 and a waterline installation permit for Wickson Creek SUD on CR 224 in Precinct 2.

•Approved and proclaimed April 2022 as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in Grimes County.

•Approved the First Amendment to the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between Montgomery and Grimes County-Auto Task Force Grant.

•Approved County Clerk Vanessa Burzynski’s request to add four books of Probate Minutes from the 1800s to the Kofile scanning project at a cost of $4,394.20 out of Fund 54 which is dedicated to records retention.

•Approved request of Road & Bridge Engineer Harry Walker to approve the plat of Lacy’s Love Subdivision on CR 210 off CR 215 and FM 1774 in Pct. 2 consisting of seven lots on 23 acres.

•Approved Walker’s request to accept the roads in the Muir Woods Subdivision into the developer maintenance period and reduce their road security bond to the maintenance level of 20% and $388,324.

•Received the Road & Bridge Report.

•Rescheduled discussion and possible action on the 381 Agreement with Champion Home Builders to April 20.

•Rescheduled discussion and possible action to adopt Tax Abatement Guidelines for calendar year 2022 and 2023 and Local Government Code Chapter 381 Agreement Guidelines to April 20.

•Approved the easement agreement with Entergy Texas, Inc. granting easement across Blocks 25 and 26 of the Stoneham Town Plat.

•Rescheduled discussion and possible action on Courthouse Security and Courtroom Protocol to April 20.

•Approved Judge Joe Fauth’s request that 100% of funds received from housing out-of-county inmates go to the Jail with 25% going to Operating Expenses and 75% to Capital Improvements. The effective date is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2021 and applies to all out-of-county agreements.

•Regarding Strategic Plan updates, Grimes County Animal Rescue will hold a groundbreaking April 20.

•No action was taken related to proposed ARPA expenditures.

Burn Ban: The burn ban remains lifted.