Commissioners approve joint election, continue burn ban
At their meeting on Monday, Stephens County Commissioners approved an agreement between the county and the City of Breckenridge for a joint election and contract for election services during the General Election on Nov. 6. Under the agreement, the county will include the city’s liquor option vote on the ballot during the General Election on Nov. 6.
Stephens County Tax Assessor/Collector Christie Latham, who is the Election Administrator for the county, told commissioners that only the voters who live within the city limits of Breckenridge will receive a ballot that has the local liquor option listed on it. Otherwise, everything else on the ballot will be the same. She said that adding the measure to the election will require a little extra programming on their part but should not add any extra expense.
Stephens County Judge Gary Fuller (left) and Precinct 4 Commissioner Rickie Carr listen to Sheriff Will Holt’s update during Monday’s commissioner meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington)
“The city is going to be having an election for the approval for the sale of wine, and they just asked if they could do a joint election to save time and money and have it on the same ballot in November since we’re having an election anyway,” Latham said. “There shouldn’t be any cost involved, but if there is, they will take care of that.”
Stephens County Sheriff Will Holt also gave commissioners an update on the department’s activities during the first of half of 2018. He said between Jan. 1 and July 1, 2018, his department had made 195 total motor vehicle stops, compared to 152 motor vehicle stops between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2017. He said the stops, which exceeded last year’s total numbers by over 40, include a mix of stops in both the county and city, but that the majority of them were on farm roads and highways.
“Obviously if we stay on the same pace this year, then we’re going to be more than double than what it was in my first year,” Holt said. “I think y’all can appreciate the concept of sport cliché of a rebuilding year in 2017. We had to do a lot of focusing on internal processes and that took us a way from external.”
The sheriff also said that during the first six months of 2018 his department had made 74 warrant arrests, compared to 77 in 2017.
Additionally, he told the commissioners that the department’s drug dog is expected to be put into service in mid-August. He said the dog and its handler, Deputy Robert Evilsizer, will go for three weeks of training in late July and be in action by mid-August.
In other business, the commissioners voted to keep the county-wide burn in place. They also approved “Through the Fence” Sub-Operator access at the Stephens County Airport for Miklavz Zornik, and a CNA Surety Bond for Rhonda Peacock, Deputy District Clerk for Stephens County.
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Tax Assessor/Collector Christie Latham discusses an agreement between Stephens County and the City of Breckenridge to hold a joint election for the General Election on Nov. 6. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Stephens County Sheriff Will Holt gives county commissioners a mid-year update on his department’s activities during their meeting on Monday, July 9. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
