“It’s just not right. It’s a David vs. Goliath fight, and we are going to throw our rock just as hard as we can,” County Judge Brandon Huckabee said about the Oncor KV 765 Dinosaur-Longshore project.
At the Monday, March 23 Commissioners Court meeting though the court took no action on the county itself being an intervenor on the Dinosaur-Longshore line, Huckabee shared information about upcoming meetings as well as the Chapter 391 Somervell Erath Subregional Planning Commission.
“One of the things we are allowed to do by state law is form a Chapter 391 with a government entity that is within our main Council of Governments [NCTCOG],” Huckabee previously explained.
During public comments, Erath resident and environmental activist Joanna Friebele encouraged the county not to become an intervenor due to the Chapter 391 partnership and potentially costing the county $150,000 to $300,000 in attorney fees.
“It would be symbolic at best,” she said.
After a closed session to discuss with legal counsel whether the county should become an intervenor, court came back into session, and ultimately took no action on being an intervenor as a county.
“This is just not fun. We want to fight this, totally and wholly for all of Erath county. We will continue the efforts of the 391 and fight and help the community as a whole,” Huckabee said.
Though the first deadline for intervening and being a protestor has passed, a meeting with next steps is being held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28 at Lingleville ISD Cafeteria. The meeting is open to anyone.
The county has been giving resources to anyone needing assistance in filing as an intervenor or protestor, or directing them to volunteers working together in the county.
Also during the meeting, Precinct 2 (Dublin’s precinct) will be going out for bids for both pipe fencing and a truck shed/carport for the new Precinct 2 building located on FM 219.
“We are currently just sitting vehicles in the yard, which is not good for them,” Precinct 2 County Commissioner Albert Ray said.
Ray also shared that people were utilizing the building’s yard to turn around in, and that fencing should help with the issue.
The court also changed a facilities position into a custodial one to aid in the new dispatch center.
Chief of Staff Jocelyn Perez explained the county has had no luck in filing the maintenance position, and with another county building opening an additional custodian is needed. The position salary would be the same as other custodial staff members.
Huckabee explained when the budget season started again, that the maintenance position may be added back in.
The court gave unanimous approval for Erath County VFD to use $7,000 (originally allocated for pagers) for new headphones in the fire engine.
In land development, a replat application was approved for La Sombra Estates. The owners are wanting to give a portion of the land to their son. City of Dublin will provide power for the lot and they will have their own septic system.
Development Director Jason Gardner said County Engineer signed off on the project.
Two lots were combined into one in the Mountain Lakes community simply giving the owner a bigger lot.
In other business the court:
Approved budget adjustments (which were net zero, simply moved from one line item to another)
Heard the February 2026 treasurer’s report
Paid the bills totaling $1,075,946.80
Heard a presentation from Texas Association of Counties on CDL drug testing by Nick Agorichas
Heard a presentation by Leon Conservation and Development on ongoing partnership with the county regarding used tire recycling
Approved participating in the new nations opioids six remnant defendants’ settlement
Approved signatories and a civil rights policy for the Texas Community Block Grant program
Proclaimed April as Fair Housing Month