Maverick County Commissioners Court Takes Up Final Flood Siren Plan And DA Funding Tonight

EAGLE PASS, Texas – The Maverick County Commissioners Court meets tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. with a final vote on the county’s outdoor flood warning siren plan and several items tied to the 293rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office on the agenda.

The regular meeting will be held in the Commissioners Courtroom at the Maverick County Courthouse, 500 Quarry St. County Judge Pablo Garcia Jr. signed the 38-item agenda, which was posted Oct. 22.

Final vote on the flood warning siren plan

Item 22 asks commissioners to approve a resolution adopting the final Senate Bill 3 (SB3) Outdoor Warning Sirens Plan for Maverick County. The plan is the next step for the flood warning system commissioners advanced in September, which calls for nine outdoor sirens and 14 real-time flood gauges at an estimated cost of about $1.25 million. Officials have said grant funds are expected to pay for construction.

District Attorney budgets and Border Prosecution Unit pay

Several items deal with the 293rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Commissioners are set to discuss the office’s current needs and its future needs after redistricting takes effect on Jan. 1, 2029. They will also consider the DA’s Human Smuggling Forfeiture budget, Chapter 59 forfeiture budget and general budget for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Item 18 calls for a discussion of the current financial status of the Border Prosecution Unit (BPU) grant, including its financial and operational impact on the District Attorney’s Office.

Under item 19, the court will consider a request for the county to advance the money needed to cover five pay periods of salary differentials, including fringe benefits, for three Border Prosecution Unit employees, Assistant District Attorney Roxanne Meraji and investigators Humberto Gutierrez and Hector Blanco. According to the agenda, the advance would pay the employees for approved salary adjustments they did not receive during those pay periods.

Stonegarden and public defender grants

Commissioners will consider a resolution updating the authorized officials for the Fiscal Year 2025 Operation Stonegarden grant, No. 3594009, which is used by the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office and the county constable offices.

The court is also expected to accept a six-month extension, approved by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, for grant SG-26-017. The grant funds the Tri-County Regional Public Defender Office, and the extension runs through March 31, 2027.

Vendor payments and payroll

Commissioner Olga Ramos placed an item on the agenda about outstanding vendor payments. The item asks the court to “clarify to the public that the Auditor’s Office is attributing delays in issuing payments to Commissioners court.”

Ramos also sponsored items on a HACH service partnership, renewal of the LOFTIN Equipment Co. service agreement for the county water plant, a Thornton, Musso and Bellemin service agreement and the county Code Enforcement vehicle.

Commissioner Ruiz is asking the court to move to a bi-monthly payroll schedule, with pay dates on the 15th and the last day of each month. If a pay date falls on a weekend or holiday, employees would be paid on the nearest business day.

Other items on the agenda

The agenda also includes a new contract with MDTPS, an agreement with the Consejo Internacional de Buena Vecindad for the Maverick County Food Pantry, a 36-month Timeclock Plus contract, the hourly rate for a Media Tech position, the final plat of the De Los Santos Food Park Subdivision and budget amendments for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

In closed session, commissioners are scheduled to consult with their attorney about A and S Industrial and Janitorial and a Spectrum Business Texas DIR contract. They will also discuss two economic development matters listed as Project Pirce and the Gano Storage Project in Chaparral Run.

Residents who want to speak during public comment must turn in a public participation form to the County Judge’s court coordinator, in person or online, before the meeting begins. Speakers are limited to three minutes.

The Maverick Times News will report on the court’s decisions after the meeting.

Read our earlier coverage: Maverick County Advances Flood Warning Siren Plan

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