The County has been working on the proposed budget which is anticipated to be filed Friday, Aug. 14. Here is some information about what is contained in this year’s proposed budget.
Public Safety & Emergency Operations Unified Dispatch Center (UDC): Targeted to be fully operational prior to Sept. 30. County dispatch staff will transfer to the UDC under a joint management structure. The City will handle payroll and benefits, while all participating entities will share ongoing operational costs.
EMS Expansion: Adding 3 EMS Paramedics to improve countywide emergency coverage, supported by 1 new EMS vehicle.
Juvenile Probation Facility: The new facility will be fully operational for the FY2027 budget year.
Personnel & Administration New Positions (5 Total): 3 EMS Paramedics 1 Environmental Control Officer 1 County Attorney Employee (funded under the SB22 Grant) Staff Optimization: Reallocating the Precinct 2 and Precinct 4 secretary positions into a single shared role serving both County Administration and Precinct Operations.
Employee Compensation & Benefits: Considering a 3% costof- living pay raise across all county staff.
Currently evaluating proposals for employee group health coverage for the upcoming fiscal year.
Facilities & Infrastructure Precinct Maintenance Barns: Completion of the new Precinct 1 Maintenance Barn.
Construction of a new Precinct 3 Maintenance Barn.
Facility Capital Repairs: Full roof replacement for the County Jail.
Additional scheduled repairs and maintenance for the historic County Courthouse.
Vehicle Additions: Purchasing 2 new service vehicles (1 for Environmental Control and 1 for EMS).
Environmental & Resource Management Watershed Protection: Proposal to provide additional funding to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the ongoing management and maintenance of 76+ watershed dams in Erath County.
Tax Rate & Fiscal Policy Property Tax Rate: The County is considering setting the proposed property tax rate just below the No-New-Revenue (NNR) Rate to minimize the tax impact on local property owners.
Capital Projects Reserve Strategy: Continuing the policy of moving reserve funds from the General Fund into Capital Projects to fund major county projects pay-as-you-go, avoiding debt and borrowing costs wherever possible. Future public hearings will be held for the tax rate and final budget for FY 2026.