In today’s meeting with a short agenda, the Brown County Commissioners voted to keep the current Burn Ban on.  Citing the current high winds and several recent wildfires in Texas and other states, the Commissioners stressed the importance of no outdoor burning at the present time, and urged everyone in Brown County to stay safe.

In other business, the Commissioners:

*** Approved a Commercial Driver’s License contract for an employee in Precinct One

*** Approved a resolution which grants authority to the District Attorney’s office to apply to the State of Texas for a grant to pay the salary for a Victim Liaison Coordinator for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years

*** Approved adjustments to the 2024 Budget requested by the Auditor’s Office

*** Approved the transfer of the title of a 1980 semi-trailer/tanker from Precinct One to Precinct Four

*** Approved an application from the City of Brownwood to install a private water line on Corrigan Avenue

Commissioners also received a mid-year report on the County’s health insurance plan from Bart Johnson of Painter/Johnson Associates.  Johnson said that in May Blue Cross will issue a rate quote for the County’s health insurance plan for next year.  He expects the rates to increase, because in 2024 (January through December) Brown County paid $4,593,007 in premiums, but filed claims totaling $5,110,405, which is 11% greater than the premiums paid.  That could be expected to produce a very large increase in premiums, but Brown County is part of a group plan with the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), which spreads the risk over a large group of more than 46,000 persons.  Johnson is hoping for an increase of less than 10% to the TAC group plan.  Precinct Two Commissioner Joel Kelton said the Commissioners may need to consider adjustments to the insurance plan to keep the cost as low as possible.