Commissioners vote to dissolve elected county treasurer

n By Lindsey Vaculin

General Manager

Milam County Commissioners are taking steps to prevent future money situations in the county during a meeting on May 29.

Milam County Commissioners approved a resolution requesting a constitutional amendment to dissolve the position of treasurer in Milam County. The motion passed 3-2 with County Judge David Barkemeyer and John Fisher voting against and Donald Shuffield, Richard “Opey” Watkins and Jeff Muegge voting for.

Barkemeyer said the resolution will go to state elected officials and be placed on the ballot for a statewide constitutional amendment in November 2019. The amendment will have to be approved by a majority of Milam County voters. 

Assistant District Attorney Kyle Nuttall said there are a handful of counties that do this and that the treasurer position would be put under the County Auditor’s office. He said that the statewide ballot measure will only be effective that Milam County voters are in favor of the amendment. 

There will still be a treasurer but it won’t be an elected position. They will have the same duties but will be under the auditor’s office.

“I am interested in getting this done because of what has gone on in the past and what is going on in other counties,” Commissioner Donald Shuffield said. 

He said he feels like the way it is now if current County Treasurer Linda Acosta decided not to run it would be put back on the ballot and open to anyone who is elected and might not have the experience needed for the position. 

“This way we have more control,” Shuffield said. “We can get someone who knows how to do the job and if they can’t do the job then we are able to replace that person.”

Nuttall said the closest county to Milam County that does this is Fayette County. 

Shuffield said the position wouldn’t be changed over until January 2020 if voters approve the measure. 

Commissioners also approved a tax abatement for Charlotte Pipe. 

Barkemeyer said that Charlotte Pipe is investing a little over $4 million in their plant in Cameron. He said the abatement will be for $48,682 the first year, and $23,621 the second and third year of the abatement.

“It is always a good day when we can talk about investment in Milam County,” Cameron Industrial Foundation Executive Director Ginger Watkins said. “We want the businesses we have here to stay and invest in our community and Charlotte Pipe is one of those businesses.”

Watkins said this investment will help to retain current jobs. She said high tech manufacturing today is about capital investment and not necessarily creating new jobs.

In other business Commissioners: approved a proclamation in support of de-annexation by Lower Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District; approved the Highland Vista Subdivision plats; approved the Department of State Health Services Birth Access Contract for the County Clerk’s Office to print birth certificates; approved installing a surveillance system at the One Stop Center in Rockdale and Thorndale Precinct 4 Building using funds from the Courtroom Security Fund; rejected bids for the sale of a carport for Precinct 2; and approved the Milam County Public Information Request Policy Statement designating the County Clerk’s Office as the official place for requests to be submitted.