In a short meeting, the Brown County Commissioners today adopted the “2025 Brown County Investment Policy.”  The policy states:  “Brown County cash investments shall be made with judgement (sic) and care, under prevailing circumstances that a person of prudence, discretion and intelligence would exercise in the management of the person’s own affairs, not for speculation, but for investment, considering the probable safety of capital and probable income to be derived.  Investment of funds shall be governed by the following investment objectives, in order of priority:  1. preservation and safety of principal, 2. liquidity and 3. yield.”

The policy continues with fourteen points of guidance, the first three of which (in summary) state:  1.  All cash investments will be maintained with Brown County’s Depository (Texas Bank); 2. All cash investments will be secured by FDIC coverage; and 3. All cash investments may be in the form of Certificates of Deposit or interest-bearing checking accounts.  A full copy of the investment policy is available at the Brown County Treasurer’s Office.

David Becktold of the Treasurer’s Office reported to the Commissioners that from January through September 2024, the County has earned $522,177 in interest from Certificate of Deposit accounts.  He also said that interest-bearing checking accounts have earned an average of about $15,500 in interest per month this year.  The total interest earned through September is about $660,000.

In other business, Commissioners agreed to keep the burn ban off for now.