By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
All five members of the Val Verde County Commissioners Court were present.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Community walk for suicide prevention and awareness
Carmen Abreu, representing West Texas Counseling & Guidance, spoke to the court during the “Citizens’ Comments” portion of its agenda to announce the inaugural Del Rio-Val Verde Shine A Light event for suicide prevention and awareness.
The event is a community walk that will begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, outside the Val Verde County Courthouse, 400 Pecan St.
Participants will walk on the sidewalk around courthouse square, passing luminaria dedicated to loved ones who have died by suicide.
To participate, volunteer or donate, visit West Texas Counseling & Guidance’s website at wtcg.us or call 830-313-5923.
Abreu also announced the Zero Suicide community education initiative, designed to teach participants how to talk openly about suicide prevention.
The programs will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, at the Tony Faz County Annex, 315 E. Chapoy St., and at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Val Verde County Library, 300 Spring St.
County judge gives update on talks with feds about ‘border barrier’
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said he met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, along with other county judges and sheriffs from Texas border counties in Alpine on Aug. 18.
Owens said he told Scott no border barrier or wall is needed or wanted west of Lake Amistad in Val Verde County.
Owens said he believed Scott listened to the participants and called the commissioner “straightforward.”
The county judge said he told Scott Val Verde County does not want open borders, but asked Scott to build barriers where migrants are illegally crossing into the U.S. and that building barriers in western Val Verde County will irreparably harm legacy ranches, archeological treasures and the environment.
Ranch owners, archeologists oppose proposed construction of ‘border barrier’
Dr. Karen Steelman, of Shumla Archeological Research & Education Center in Comstock, as well as legacy ranch owners Patrick Zuberbueler and Mary Fritz, former County Judge Laura Allen, whose husband John Allen is also a legacy ranch owner, and Harold Sharp, a resident of the Amistad Acres Subdivision, expressed their dismay and outrage at plans by the federal government to construct a “border barrier” north of the Rio Grande in western Val Verde County.
Zuberbueler urged the federal government to consider illegal migrant crossing data in placing the barrier, and Allen pointed out the cliffs along the Rio Grande and the rugged landscape of western Val Verde County are natural vehicle barriers to illegal immigration.
All of those who spoke urged the court to continue opposing the federal government’s plans for the barrier.
Court approves resolution opposing ‘border barrier’
After hearing from several Val Verde County residents and landowners who oppose the construction of a “border barrier” in the western part of the county, commissioners court members voted 5-0 to approve a motion by Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez to prepare a resolution of non-support for any plan by the federal government to construct any type of border barrier or border wall west of Lake Amistad.
Court holds public hearing on proposed county tax rate
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. opened the public hearing on the county’s proposed tax rate, announcing the overall tax rate would be $0.4977, with the maintenance and operation (M&O) portion of the tax rate at $0.4327 and the interest and sinking (I&S) portion of the tax rate at $0.0650.
Owens noted the tax rate would be the same as that charged by the county in the current year, and he added property owners’ tax bills will likely be higher because property appraisals are higher.
Owens asked if there were any citizens present who wished to comment, and when no one indicated they wished to speak, he closed the hearing.
Court holds public hearing on proposed county budget
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. opened the public hearing on the county’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget.
Owens said there would be a budget workshop a little later in the meeting and another budget workshop is scheduled for Sept. 9.
When no one in the audience indicated they wished to comment on the budget, Owens closed the public hearing.
Court holds workshop on proposed county budget
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. opened the workshop by noting a change in the budget line item for computer software in the county court-at-law, telling the court it would go from $6,000 to $8,384.
He also said he had received a request for funding from the Animal Advocacy Rescue Coalition (AARC) of Del Rio, which would help the organization pay for free spay and neuter clinics for the public.
Owens said another animal rescue organization, Border Animal Mission, is also providing free spay and neuter clinics, as well as microchipping events, and said he would like to see numbers of pets served in each of the organizations’ clinics.
Later in the budget workshop, Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Jesse James Trevino and Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 Hilda Lopez asked for pay increases for some members of the staffs of the county’s four justices of the peace, but when Owens called for a motion on the raises, no commissioner made a motion, so the issue died.
Court continues questioning appraisal district budget
Commissioners court members again discussed the budget of the Val Verde County Appraisal District (VVCAD) with VVCAD Chief Appraiser Jackie Casanova.
County Auditor Matthew Weingardt and Assistant County Attorney John Klemmer also participated in the discussion.
The majority of the questions again revolved around the new retirement plan the appraisal district is using.
Casanova said the retirement plan would be discussed by the appraisal district’s board of directors during a special meeting Thursday, and the court took no action on the appraisal district’s proposed budget.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
