[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6656371,"mediaKeyId","5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7","parentId",5332759,"title","Consultants brief commissioners on updated thoroughfare plan; two options presented, court urged to pick level of technical depth","audioSeconds",869,"startMs",1957000,"endMs",2826000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7&start=1957&end=2826","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7/thumbnail_1957000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656371/Kaufman-County/Texas/Consultants-brief-commissioners-on-updated-thoroughfare-plan-two-options-presented-court-urged-to-pick-level-of-technical-depth","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656371-7d0ff2e5523065e1b85fe7770e24539b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771063954&Signature=GjuK6cK0xI7fBuJdK3TAqFtlBZAYqeSpdh~KOb0vrzpVCRUmboJ~uRjZCZ52z9fU82bxkAuVz0uyOrw4U0hsCC3j8MLM~kKd6Xi3wAEOLrpeCnbjDbRtPIHq-iZPFl5gHmiS8szKFaaWdrD82aYCU~0Vd5TBjmlzyWZcAEDJ6HlXaZE9sdnIni3t9ixCjIW4NXpg0xbFN4mQVI-uNjPq0eINgQ2~p0HOAh5uzptCyDDH4fi-vy31NiOAlU4hIko-sqa8l8xW9PFC5WS8tACgaHe9o-P1rWygbasGixtD~kyFoVfzpDnCaU6MGs8jgBoHoLVvzHJBAxR9Hz7bciPc9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kaufman","date","2025-07-08T00:00:00Z","article","Friese & Nichols and county staff briefed Kaufman County Commissioners Court on plans to update the county's 2016 thoroughfare plan and presented two alternative approaches: a more limited update using North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) datasets, and a deeper, county-specific travel-demand modeling effort that would \"dust off\" a Kaufman subarea model and refine demographic forecasts.

The consulting team described the thoroughfare plan as a \"living policy document\" meant to guide right-of-way preservation, align county road plans with municipal plans, and help prioritize capital projects. Eddie Haas, presented as Transportation Planning Manager with Friese & Nichols, outlined the two options: Option 1 would rely largely on COG-supplied demographics and regional modeling; Option 2 would include a deeper demographic and vested-development analysis tailored to Kaufman County and support additional scenario testing.

Consultants noted tradeoffs: Option 2 would cost more but would produce a model that allows scenario testing (for example, evaluating the transportation effects of large proposed developments or changes to regional projects) and could produce more refined forecasts for county planning and grant applications. They cited examples from nearby counties where deeper modeling materially changed growth forecasts.

Public-engagement approaches discussed included two town-hall meetings plus online outreach using interactive mapping and surveys (the consultants cited response rates of several hundred in comparable county studies). Commissioners raised practical concerns about turnout for in-person meetings and the value of online tools to broaden participation. Staff also noted rising construction costs since 2016, which affects budgeting for future roadway projects.

No formal decision was recorded at the workshop; consultants said they would provide a written scope and cost estimates (the consultants'handout aligned with the deeper Option 2 scope), and the court asked staff to review the options and return with a recommended scope and potential funding sources.

Why it matters: An updated thoroughfare plan sets long-range priorities for county roadway investments, helps preserve right-of-way, informs coordination with cities and TxDOT, and can affect capital programming and bond planning.

Next steps: Staff and consultants will refine a scope and cost estimate for the court; commissioners will determine the desired level of modeling and public engagement before a contract or work authorization is approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kaufman - Commissioners Court - Jul 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Friese & Nichols and county staff presented a proposed update to Kaufman County's 2016 thoroughfare plan, offering a lighter update using regional COG data or a deeper, county-tailored modeling approach; commissioners discussed outreach and funding implications and asked staff to consider next steps.","taxTitle","Kaufman County, Texas","taxId",20433,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656376,"Commissioners discuss Willow Ranch MUD petition and larger development petition; ask for more information before recommending to TCEQ",842,924000,1766000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7&start=924&end=1766","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7/thumbnail_924000.jpg","/articles/6656376/Kaufman-County/Texas/Commissioners-discuss-Willow-Ranch-MUD-petition-and-larger-development-petition-ask-for-more-information-before-recommending-to-TCEQ","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656376-5ea47f9b84028401e5a19d159cd19b2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771063954&Signature=dGyE6Kmc4u8M28fKWCjyfKkduWk-CbGWE2~T1A121qsovoVY047mWeiHWrIhfgpI~y74atM2pljlfStZo4uW~Pb5hxh1J6Ok8xf-FOlfhyC2a3gitmLywVMAKcnCidNVY--sjf5hDA1uUYgJUv1rIK9RFFtNaNoq8vUc7o1xvqy28OVNgWCCoG26lSrJTK0Foyufb-Zw0i5PETN02-xQYZNhxss46aiGPpmqNbGcYojST8k~QIS4USvXsQ5mqPRY3y9jsbKhzNGwyDenU-7V141eVglSsNH1iUQvIopJBbXLdsSCnbVpd9dfe8SWWzE9wVcv5cNJz4LkxHgFLIwUOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kaufman County Commissioners Court discussed two pending petitions seeking creation of municipal utility districts (MUDs) and declined to issue a formal written recommendation to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) at Thursday's meeting, saying staff should gather additional details before the court submits a recommendation.

County legal staff explained that state law and TCEQ practice allow the county, as an interested political subdivision, to request a public hearing and submit a recommendation on petitions to create MUDs. The court previously requested TCEQ hold hearings on the two petitions; Thursday's item asked whether the court wished to send a recommendation for approval or denial or to seek more information.

On the smaller petition, the petitioners seek to create \"Willow Ranch Municipal Utility District No. 1,\" a development the county's materials described as roughly 140 acres in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the city of Dallas. The petition estimates total construction costs for water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage and roadway systems at $18,305,000, according to county staff.

A second petition described in the materials covers an estimated 1,754 acres and includes projected waterworks, sewer, stormwater and roadway construction costs of approximately $358,707,365. County staff said that parcel is currently entirely within the unincorporated areas of Kaufman County after prior ETJ interests by local cities lapsed.

County staff and the court discussed the specific factors TCEQ weighs when deciding whether to approve a MUD petition: availability of comparable services, reasonableness of projected construction costs, tax and utility rates, and whether the district's development would unreasonably affect land elevation, subsidence, groundwater recharge, drainage, or water quality. Staff cautioned that any county recommendation should address those statutory and administrative criteria to carry weight with TCEQ.

Court members also noted uncertainty about whether petitioners had completed all notice steps: staff reported they had not located a TCEQ filing for the Willow Ranch petition on the agency's website and that some on-the-ground work (e.g., dirt-moving) may have preceded formal filings. Staff reminded the court that statute allows the commissioner's court to request additional information from petitioners.

Rather than making a formal approval or denial today, commissioners agreed to defer a written recommendation and to request more detailed information from petitioners so the court can craft a recommendation that speaks to TCEQ's review criteria.

Why it matters: Creation of MUDs can enable development infrastructure by establishing a local district that can levy taxes and issue bonds to pay for water and sewer systems; such districts and associated treatment facilities can also change local drainage and utility management and affect nearby properties.

Next steps: County staff will ask petitioners to provide requested details; the court will wait for the formal TCEQ hearing schedule and revisit a written recommendation before the final hearing.","Court reviewed two municipal utility district petitions — a roughly 140-acre Willow Ranch MUD and a much larger ~1,754-acre petition — but did not make a formal recommendation to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and opted to gather more information.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656379,"Kaufman County receives clean FY2024 audit; general fund holds about $14.5 million unassigned",460,166000,626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7&start=166&end=626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5332759-fb188aa7ed82a7e42e4e3b3d89a467e7/thumbnail_166000.jpg","/articles/6656379/Kaufman-County/Texas/Kaufman-County-receives-clean-FY2024-audit-general-fund-holds-about-145-million-unassigned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656379-15e76cc51ce092389b0a0cac6150e78e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771063954&Signature=OUbvTwztQ33a~7VwivnfY0niDm5hrXb3fE9t0DMDBf-VFCngnNZOxzeVIUTJWSvj38qUweXwKMg-DZGPc4Dcqa7R1JP84OBMMmu4U99VjUrs7wm487EDq2pBgpnrtr80eL5QIAZ7Uk3Pef2w2ZQow76da2ZZRZ7S7w43lmrMeN9bBGJ-fYKuBQBf37YRidLMko2ZHiq73nRrsgz9o0MYpdrmZzJbsrRcpgdPQ45hElRMJHdZhzUuhv622okOjd3tfD4dt4Twul8PQsIeB7Sy1TT7VFcvou2CIo2gqP~irzqP3TkzwObWkhB-5sfod-EStCQ8peLeRk~0SMsVpdONMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kaufman County Commissioners Court on an uncontested voice vote accepted the fiscal year 2024 independent audit report from Patillo, Brown & Hill LLP, which delivered an unmodified (\"clean\") opinion on the county's financial statements and on compliance for federal and state single-audit programs.

The audit presentation was delivered by Travis Rogers, a certified public accountant with Patillo, Brown & Hill based in Waco. \"In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position\" as of Sept. 30, 2024, Rogers said, reading from the firm's standard auditor's report.

The firm highlighted key figures in the county's annual financial report: an unassigned general-fund balance of about $14,500,000 and general-fund total expenditures of just over $81,000,000, which included nearly $7,000,000 in capital outlay. Rogers summarized that, excluding capital outlay, the county's unassigned fund balance equates to roughly two and a half months of noncapital expenditures.

Rogers also told the court the firm found no material noncompliance with laws, regulations or grant agreements that would affect the financial statements. \"In our opinion, the county complied in all material respects with the compliance requirements ... for the year ended 09/30/2024,\" he said, describing the single-audit conclusion.

Commissioners and county staff acknowledged staff work in preparing for the audit; Rogers thanked county personnel and singled out Brandy and the auditor's office staff for their cooperation during the engagement. After a brief exchange, the court voted to approve the audit report.

Why it matters: An unmodified auditor's opinion and a clean single-audit finding mean the county's publicly reported financial statements and its administration of major federal/state programs met the professional and compliance standards tested by the auditors. The reported unassigned fund balance and reserve level are metrics commissioners use when evaluating budget stability and potential fiscal policy decisions.

The court recorded the auditor's report acceptance as an approved agenda item and moved on to subsequent business.","County auditors Patillo, Brown & Hill LLP issued an unmodified opinion on Kaufman County's FY2024 financial statements and single-audit compliance; commissioners approved the report by voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Consultants brief commissioners on updated thoroughfare plan; two options presented, court urged to pick level of technical depth

Commissioners discuss Willow Ranch MUD petition and larger development petition; ask for more information before recommending to TCEQ

Kaufman County receives clean FY2024 audit; general fund holds about $14.5 million unassigned