DeWitt Commissioners rescind burn ban

The DeWitt County Commissioners’ Court has ordered to rescind the burn ban at the May 12 meeting.

“It looks like we have had a significant amount of rain lately,” Judge Daryl Fowler said. “We’re lifting the burn ban because this goes back to the Keetch-Byram Index we have to observe sanctioned by the Texas Forestry Service. We are prohibited from adopting a burn ban until any part of the county reaches a threshold of 550. If we get significant rain or the prospect of rain coming and the threshold of the actual number drops below the 550 number, then we can implement a burn ban. We got down to an average of 370 with three inches of rain across the county. There’s still some pockets of drought across the county and certainly after this week, there will be pockets of drought so it’ll creep back up. At least for now, people that have brush clearings or things that need to be taken care of will have an opportunity to do that.”

Also on the agenda, some temporary right of ways were approved for Precinct 3. A permit application from Select Water Solutions LLC for the installation of a temporary water line along Davy Road, Czaja Bros. Road, Salt Creek Cemetery Road, and Gruenau Road were approved.

Other items on the agenda include:

• Commissioners received the annual delinquent property tax fees and fines collection report for DeWitt County presented by Attorney Nicole J. Borchard with the Law Firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP.

• A Certificate of Completion for DeWitt County Emergency Management Coordinator Billy Jordan Jr. was given from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. He successfully completed the Crowd Management for Sport and Special Events training course.

• Commissioners authorized the county auditor to advertise for bids for bulk hydrated lime.

• It was reported that the windows at the courthouse have been low pressure washed.

• All precinct operations were reported as “normal.”