Between a public hearing and budget workshop, the Hardin County Commissioners Court approved all items on their July 12 regular meeting agenda.
Hardin County Tax Assessor-Collector Shirley Cook reported a slight increase in delinquent taxes compared to last year.
At the July 12 meeting of the Hardin County Commissioners Court, Cook reported about $200,000 in delinquent taxes during her presentation of lands and lots delinquent on June 30 for taxes of Fiscal Year 2022.
According to the Certificate of Commissioner Court, $1.335 million in delinquent taxes is owed to Hardin County.
“Hopefully with us going to court more for our delinquent taxes maybe that will help us get those numbers back,” Cook said. “It’s not a lot but we have to get those numbers back.”
According to the report, $3,423 million in delinquent taxes is owed to the 17 other jurisdictions that Cook’s office collects taxes for.
The amount of delinquent taxes is owed to five school districts are: $745,639 to Hardin-Jefferson ISD, $770,049 to Silsbee ISD, $576,714 to Kountze ISD, $536,007 to Lumberton ISD and $417,528 to West Hardin CISD.
Among the four cities, Silsbee has $94,554 in delinquent taxes, Sour Lake $34,482, Kountze $33,370 and Rose Hill Acres $1,349.
There is $55,222 of delinquent taxes for Emergency Services District No. 2 (Lumberton), $32,603 for ESD No. 5 (Sour Lake), $29,060 for ESD No. 1 (Kountze), $21,306 for ESD No. 6 (Silsbee), $16,567 for ESD No. 4 (Batson) and $11,228 for ESD No. 3 (Saratoga).
She reported $39,458 in delinquent taxes for the Lumberton Municipal Utilities District (MUD) and $8,335 for West Hardin Water Control and Improvement District (WCID).
Concerning the comparison of in tax collections for Tax Year 2021 and 2022, Cook reported it was down minus-2.4% for Hardin County.
“We are at 96.35% of collections for Hardin County,” she said. “For all the jurisdictions that we collect for, we’re at 96.65%, which is down 2.1%.”
She noted when taxes go delinquent on July 1, she has to present percentages that as been collected as of June 30 to the court.
Commissioners approved three requests for employees salary adjustments by allocating funds within the Fiscal Year 2022 budget in the County Attorney’s Office, Road and Bridge No. 2 and Tax-Assessor-Collector’s Office.
Approved were County Attorney Mark Minick’s request to reduce the Pre-Trial Diversion (PTD) Coordinator’s annual salary from $27,690 to $26,130 and pay a Document Clerk $2,431 annually from the Pre-Trial Diversion Fund; Pct. 2 Commissioner Chris Kirkendall’s request for for salary adjustments to the Road and Bridge No 2 Foreman positions; and a request by Tax Assessor-Collector Shirley Cook for for salary adjustments to Deputy Clerk positions.
The court approved to pay Hart Intercivic $15,299 for ballots ordered for the May 7 Constitutional Amendment Election, and for the FY22 Budget Transfer in the amount of $5,000 from Supplies to Printing.
County Treasurer Deborah McWilliams reported $16,298,502 in General Checking and $321 in TexPool for a total of $16,298.824.
Commissioners approved a deposit of $5,594,256 associated with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 on June 21. The court also approve for McWilliams to a separate account at TexPool for the second tranche of ARPA 2021 fund. She said it will gain more interest with the 1.39% rate.
In other action, commissioners approved
• Three amendments to the Fiscal Year 2021 budget for capital leases.
• A one-year renewal Lease Agreement between Hardin County and Jennifer Beall for property located at 42447 Highway 105 in Batson.
• An order to to abandon an undeveloped road named Woodbine Drive in the Pinewood 3 Subdivision, located in Precinct 3 as requested by Hardin County Water Control and Improvement District No.1.
• A variance of the 10-foot utility easements as required by Section D of the Hardin County Subdivision Regulations for the following: Lots 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7A of Block 19 Woodcrest Subdivision Addition 2; Lots 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, and 3B of Block 18 Woodcrest Subdivision Addition 2; and Lots 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B Block 4 Woodcrest Subdivision, located in Precinct 4, requested by Whiteley Oliver, LLC.
• Replat of Lot 12 and 13, Block 4, Woodcrest Subdivision, Volume 2, Page 59 Plat Records of Hardin County, Texas into Lots 12A, 12B, 13A and 13B, Block 4, Woodcrest Subdivision.
• Replat of Lot 2 and 3, Block 18, Woodcrest Subdivision Addition 2, Volume 2, Page 65 Plat Records of Hardin County, Texas into Lots 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A and 3B, Block 18, Woodcrest Subdivision Addition 2, Elisha Duncan League, Abstract No. 14, located in Precinct 4.
• Replat of Lot 35, Block 27, Pinewood Section 4, Volume 3, Page 173 Plat Records of Hardin County, Texas into Lots 35A and 35B, Block 28, Pinewood Section 4, J.M. Boyer Survey, A-595, located in Precinct 3.
• Minor Plat of Ranches of Massey Lake, D.C. Montgomery League, Abstract No. 39, Hardin County, Texas, located in Precinct 1