Stephens County Commissioners expand local burn ban
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
The Stephens County Commissioners voted Monday, Aug. 14, to expand the Burn Ban that was originally approved on July 10. The updated ban requires that anyone doing work such as welding or shredding must have a spotter to keep an eye out for sparks, as well as water nearby.
According to the order approved on Monday, any activity that emits a flame or spark “must have, in addition to the individual(s) performing the work, a spotter to supervise any activity to prevent a fire or its spreading. A minimum of 50 gallons of water and an adequate dispensing mechanism (pump and hose) must be in the immediate vicinity of the activity where a flame or spark(s) are emitted (THIS INCLUDES WELDING AND SHREDDING).”
The order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for firefighter training; public utility, natural gas pipeline, or mining operations; planting or harvesting of agricultural crops; or burns that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Natural Resources Code, Section 153.048, and meet the standards of Natural Resources Code, Section 153.047.
Other business
The commissioners took the following actions:
- approved the replat of Texas Country Estates, Lot 1, Block 1, in Precinct 2
- approved a resolution expressing the County’s intent to finance expenditures related to a USDA grant that the county received to purchase a road widener
- approved the 2021 and 2022 audits, as provided by Condley and Company, LLP, in draft form, and in its final form without any substantial changes
- agreed to move forward in approving Specialized Public Finance to pursue a tax note/certificate of obligation for the county.
Cutline, top photo: Tara Boiles and Jeff Graham with Condley and Company, LLC, talk to the Stephens County Commissioners Court about the 2021 and 2022 audits that the company was hired to conduct. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
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