COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Tuesday morning's Brazos County Commissioner's Court opened with dozens of citizens awaiting a chance to speak about issues of concern.
Commissioners Irma Cauley, Pct. 4, and Nancy Berry, Pct. 3, were present, while County Judge Duane Peters joined the court via Zoom, attending a conference out of town.
Commissioners Steve Aldrich, Pct. 1, and Russ Ford, Pct. 2, were not in attendance. Due to the presence of only two court members, Berry and Cauley announced that court could not be held without a quorum. Moments into the meeting, court was adjourned.
Berry noted that several new county employees will not be able to begin their jobs this week without being sworn in, and the budget for this month's meals at the Brazos County Detention Center could not be approved - thus leaving the Sheriff's Office unable to purchase food for inmates this month.
The property tax rate for the next fiscal year could not be voted on, and Texas A&M students in attendance were unable to speak about their concerns about early voting locations in College Station.
Russ Ford spoke with KRHD following the event and explained that he chose not to attend because he does not want to see the new property tax rate pass without it being removed from the agenda for further negotiations.
He expressed that he would agree to a special meeting about topics such as the prison food budget, if the property tax rate proposition, as is, were not on the agenda.
The commissioners have until Sept. 29 to vote on the county's tax rate, or else the tax rate defaults to the no-new-revenue rate which Aldrich and Ford are in favor of.
Join KRHD tonight at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. to hear from Nancy Berry, and from Texas A&M students who say their movement to return early voting to campus is amassing increasing support.