NEWS
Texas counties protecting election integrity
AUSTIN — As Texans go to the polls March 3, Texas county election officials want to assure voters they are taking precautions to ensure the integrity of every vote cast.
In Texas, county government conducts most elections, from local to national polling, in their respective counties. County election officials have implemented new, state-mandated procedures to increase election security and transparency. These precautions include enhanced candidate information and election results reporting requirements. Counties also must complete annual training and adhere to a specific process for breach notification and remediation.
“Texas county clerks, elections administrators and voter registrars manage elections from the school board to the U.S. president,” said TAC Executive Director Susan M. Redford. “We’ve all heard the warnings of attacks on our voting systems. Texans can be reassured that our county clerks and other election officials strive to improve voter confidence in the election process, having worked with the state to implement procedures that make their preparation and Election Day work more transparent and secure.”
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1421, which added cybersecurity requirements to the Election Code (Chapter 279). HB 1421 added best practices for reducing the risk of electronic vote tampering and other cybersecurity measures. The law requires county election officials to take annual cybersecurity training and request a cybersecurity assessment of their county’s election system by the Texas Secretary of State Elections Division.
“This year we implemented tightened safety measures to make sure our elections are more secure,” said Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson. “We were one of the first counties to complete the state’s election security assessment. Our focus was on the security of our voting equipment, chain of custody and facilities, particularly on equipment storage when it is not in use.”
For more on Texas counties’ elections role, visit http://www.texascountiesdeliver.org/ or watch https://youtu.be/qL_4pdF3IBI.
NEWS
Amon Carter Lake Board to meet
Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.
NEWS
Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal
The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.
Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.
NEWS
City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair
The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years agoSheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News








