Freestone County commissioners approved two new tax abatement agreements for solar facilities and made changes to two others, including splitting one into two. Those decisions were made during the court’s Dec. 18 meeting.
Public hearings on tax abatement agreements
Attorney Mike Dixon conducted hearings on several solar power companies, including:
1. Greenalia Solar Power Ratcliff LLC relating to solar power facilities and equipment. Dixon said the Greenalia facility is an 85-megawatt AC solar generation facility, on approximately 459 acres, and is in Reinvestment Zone #7. It is within the Oakwood Independent School District with projected capital investments of approximately $88.88 million. The yearly Payment in Lieu of Taxes will be 76,891. They will pay an approximately $10,000 up-front payment, which will be due when the tax abatement is fully executed by both sides.
The abatement will be a 100% tax abatement, Judge Grant pointed out. It is expected to be done by the end of 2026. No one spoke against the proposal.
After that hearing, the court voted in favor of the Greenalia tax abatement agreement.
2. The second public hearing that day was on Freestone County’s intent to enter into a tax agreement with Palmera Solar Development LLC relating to solar facilities and equipment. No one spoke against the proposal.
After that public hearing closed, the court voted in favor of the tax abatement agreement with Palmera Solar Development, LLC.
3. and 4. A third decision was approval of an amendment and assignment of Tehuacana Creek Solar, LLC tax abatement agreement.
Garrett Peters, who accompanied Dixon at the meeting, explained that the proposal was to reduce Tehuacana Creek Solar to 175 megawatts, and put the remainder into Three Canes Solar at 338 megawatts.
5. The court also approved an amendment by order of Fairway Storage LLC to a tax abatement agreement. The original completion date was to be Dec. 26, 2026, but that date could not be met, so the new estimated completion date would be Dec. 31, 2027, contingent upon an upfront payment of $10,000.
Excessive low-frequency noise questioned
In a separate matter, Freestone County resident Charles Morgan addressed the court about the excessive low-frequency noise produced by oil-and-gas machinery in Freestone County. He urged the court to do what they could to establish limits to the amount of noise the county will allow.
County Judge Linda Grant told Morgan that the county did not have the authority to regulate noise, but she urged Morgan to go to the Legislature to try to get lawmakers to specifically address the noise issue.
“The issue is if the county has the authority to regulate low-frequency noise,” Grant said. “That is the question that is before us. What can the county do? That is where we are. Jim Allison is the general counsel of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas. He has been their attorney since 1983. He is probably as familiar with county government and what can be done as anyone I know of.
“He said that unlike cities, counties do not have authority to adopt noise ordinances,” she said.
She said the Attorney General of Texas in a written opinion said that “we find no express provision in statues governing the Railroad Commission that requires the Commission to enforce noise controls in oil-and-gas operations.”
Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane confirmed Judge Grant’s opinion on the county’s lack of ability to enforce noise controls on the oil-and-gas industry.
“I would love if we had the authority to make sound barriers be put up around all these large compressors in the county,” Lane told Morgan. “That would be great. But what the judge is saying is we don’t have that authority; and there are not any laws that have been passed down to us that we can enforce.”
“There is no statute that
Celebr
we as Commissioners Court can enforce,” Lane said.
“Until someone acts through the Legislature, we don’t have any authority,” Grant agreed.
Commissioner questions high medical bill
When the commissioners studied the payment of bills, Lane noted the very high cost of medical bills for a single inmate, which was $21,887, and only covered a short time.
“I don’t understand the county having to house an inmate with medical need of that magnitude,” Lane said.
District County Attorney Brian Evans described the situation as the result of “the perfect storm” that would “hopefully go away in the future.” He said he is searching for a solution.
County Judge Linda Grant noted that inmates who need a medical bed take longer to get through the system.
Reappointment of County Historical Commission members
In another matter, the court appointed or reappointed County Historical Commission members including Carol Ann Vigors, Mandy Chafers, Jim McKee, Kathleen McKee, Sherrie Minze, Amy Miller, Matt Miller, Gwen Moore, Karen Moore, Angela Oglesbee, Vance Oglesbee, Patricia Pratt, Brad Pullin, Diane Pullin, Jeremy Shipley, Judy Wardell and Reba Zowata.
Other decisions In other business, the court: • Agreed to take no action to enact a burn ban at this time;
• Tabled consideration of a road use agreement;
• Tabled consideration of a report from IT Director Dane McBroom, who said Windstream did not submit a quote on switches;
• Tabled consideration of a policy for county employees that use and operate county systems;
• Heard from McBroom that he had received reports on security of the Federal Building, the DA’s Office and Security Officer Larry Jones. McBroom reported that he had received three quotes on obtaining cameras not only for those three locations but also for door controllers. ARPA funds would be used for these expenses but must be allocated by the end of December, said County Auditor Karen Craddock. The commissioners approved using ARPA funds for all three locations;
• Added Heather Sutton to the Citizen’s Bank Inmate Trust Fund bank account;
• Approved going out for sealed bids to sell a John Deere CX15 mower for Precinct 1 Road & Bridge;
• Approved going out for sealed bids to sell a 24’ Tandem axle gooseneck flat bed trailer for Precinct 1 Road & Bridge; and
• Approved going out for sealed bids to sell a 2002 Dodge 1-ton flatbed truck for Precinct 1 Road & Bridge.
ARPA expenditures
In other matters, the court approved using ARPA funds to buy a Ford 550 truck for Precinct 3 in the amount of $79,057.
The court also approved these security expenses: Verkada camera system for DA’s office, $6,477; Verkada camera for Communications Building, $36,404; and Verkada VX52 viewing station at the courthouse, $1,835.
The remaining unallocated ARPA funds of $105,255 will be split equally among the four precincts’ Road & Bridge Departments.
Sheriff’s Office receives crime-leads system
Freestone County Sheriff Jeremy Shipley anticipates solving more cases with the county’s new subscription to the LeadsOnline PowerPlus Investigation Systems subscription for his office.
Shipley requested and received approval for the subscription during the Freestone County Commissioners Court’s Dec. 23 meeting, when the court also replaced previous treasurer Jeannie Keeney’s name with that of new treasurer Mandy Chavers at the court’s banks, agreed to obtain estimates for cleaning the offices and made other decisions concerning the county’s finances and well-being.
As for the investigation system, Shipley explained that this item is an investigative tool to locate people and property, and was vitally needed for the Sheriff’s Office’s work. The court approved obtaining the system. In other matters, the court approved a contract with Windstream that will increase by $3,404 a month for Internet service.
Other court action In other matters, the court: • Agreed to take no action to initiate a burn ban at this time;
• Voted to remove the name of former treasurer Jeannie Keeney from the active certificate of deposit accounts at Citizen State Bank and Prosperity Bank accounts, and place the name of new treasurer Mandy Chavers on those same accounts; • Approved the Sheriff’s Office sharing a copier with Dispatch;
• Discussed setting policy on admin time, but ultimately tabled the matter until the Human Resources person and county attorney could review it;
• Tabled a motion to consider a maintenance contract with JAVS (Judicial Audio- Visual System) for both the county and district courts effective March 1, 2025, to Feb. 28, 2026; and
• Agreed to get estimates on cleaning of offices, with the exception of the jail and Sheriff’s Office, which use the inmates to do that work.
Although the subject of using ARPA funds remained on the agenda, nothing was discussed on the subject, and it was agreed that all ARPA funds were accounted for.
Also at the meeting, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane noted that county employees would need to get away from using county computers or county phones for personal calls.
The next Commissioners Court meeting will be Jan. 2 immediately after new officers are sworn into office.
