County to canvass votes, discuss library
May 12—Ector County Commissioners this week will canvass vote totals and take action on the creation of Emergency Services Districts 1 and 2 created by the recent election as well as discuss the library.
The meeting is scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday for the commissioners court at the Courthouse Annex, 1010 E. Eighth St. The court will canvass votes on Wednesday.
Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett said the court will write an order to create Emergency Service Districts 1 and 2 Wednesday and send that to the Ector County Appraisal District. A meeting on May 27 will be held for the court to appoint a board to govern the districts.
He said about 10 people have applied for the volunteer governing slots and applications are still being accepted for those wanting to serve on the board that will eventually be elected.
He said qualified people will live in the county, must be 18 and a qualified voter. The court will also assess what the nature of the interest of applicants is and appoint the five members.
The appointed board will govern both districts.
Commissioners will also hear from the Ector County Library Foundation about a new library construction project. In November 2024 the court voted unanimously to earmark $10 million for the new library, which is scheduled to sit at the site of the current Ector County Health Department.
Fawcett said the Foundation is in a capital campaign for the project and must raise more than half of the projected cost. On Tuesday, they are being asked to approve the $10 million county portion of the build.
In other business Fawcett will ask the court to vote for a resolution to freeze property tax rates for senior citizens over 65 and the disabled. He said the county currently has an exemption of $25,000 for seniors and $3,000 for the disabled but this proposal will put a ceiling or a freeze on what those groups currently pay. "It will be frozen at the 2025 number and won't ever go up but can go down," he said adding that as Odessans reach age 65 their rates will also be frozen. "Lots of people live on a fixed income and ... I would rather freeze it for them ... That is better policy," Fawcett added.
The agenda details the court will also discuss videoconferencing for the court. Currently, elected court members can video conference in to meetings but cannot vote. They must be in person to vote, something Fawcett said he believes is important.
He said the county would likely have to purchase new technology and software to allow all members to be visible on the screen during a meeting where someone is dialing in remote. "I am not in favor of getting new technology when we just upgraded ... not a good use of tax dollars. I know sometimes we all have unforeseen circumstances and have to miss, but the meetings are the only requirement and are just twice a month, not including budget hearings or special meetings."
Commissioners will go into executive session for discussions about legal matters and the hiring of an HR leader.
Following that executive session commissioners will begin public meetings about the new courthouse as it heads into the design-build phase. Fawcett said citizens who want to speak at the workshop will need to fill out a participation form at the beginning of the regular meeting. The workshop, he said, will likely take the rest of the day and re-convene on Wednesday.
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