Commissioners Hear Budget Requests

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The Brown County Commissioners Court held a brief meeting today, and took two actions:

*** Approved an application for a private gas line to be installed by Atmos Energy at the intersection of County Roads 156 and 163, to be bored under the intersection.

*** Re-appointed County Judge Shane Britton to the Board of Trustees of the Central Texas Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, d/b/a the Center for Life Resources.

The Commissioners took no action on the burn ban, leaving the current burn ban in place.

The Commissioners then moved into a budget workshop meeting, one of several to be held this month.  Three funding requests were heard:

*** Brown County Museum of History.  Kendall Howard, Director of the Museum, requested $18,300, up from the $5,000 in this year’s budget.  The requested funds would help pay for electricity, water and sanitation bills, part-time labor, office supplies, a children’s education program, and a Law Enforcement exhibit.

*** Brownwood Community Library.  Becky Isbell, Library Director, and David Claybourn, Library Board Member, said our library is one of the few independent, non-profit libraries in Texas.  Most libraries are owned and operated by a City or County.  Our library does get some funding from the Cities of Brownwood and Early, and Brown County, but then has to raise more money to meet its budgetary needs.  The library building is almost 60 years old now and needs some major renovations and remodeling.  They asked for an increase of $10,000 in the funding from the County.

*** Good Samaritan.  Lisa Stephens asked for $7,500 for the Good Samaritan Direct Aid Fund, up from $4,800 in the current County budget.  The Direct Aid Fund is used to help certain persons pay for rent, utility bills, Birth Certificates, and ID cards.