June 2023

Greetings!

Welcome to the monthly Kaufman County Update! Each month we will bring you highlights of County activities and news to keep you informed of what's going on from your county seat. You may subscribe to this newsletter from the bottom of the page if you want to keep up with the latest County news.

Website News and Alerts

County Judge Jakie Allen Reflects on 1st 100 Days in Office

County Judge Jakie Allen addresses the County sharing some of the actions and progress the County has made during his first 100 days in office. Judge Allen was sworn in on January 1, 2023 and has since been actively working on projects and programs in the areas of public safety, local support, infrastructure and economic growth, financial transparency, health and well-being and unity and teamwork. Please read his letter to the citizens of Kaufman County HERE:

Kaufman Central Appraisal District:

What do they do?

Well first, let's clear things up. The Kaufman Central Appraisal District is NOT a Kaufman County Office or Department. In previous years the name suggested otherwise as they were known as the Kaufman County Appraisal District. Their former name suggested that they were associated with the County offices. The name was changed to the Kaufman Central Appraisal District to clarify they are not a part of Kaufman County. They are an independent agency overseen by the State Comptroller's Office and funded by the fees collected from every taxing entity within the county. Currently, there are 66 taxing entities in Kaufman County including cities, the county, school districts, special taxing districts, water districts, municipal utility districts, etc. (Seven of those do not levy a tax at this time.)

The Kaufman Central Appraisal District is responsible for determining the appraised value of properties located within Kaufman County, Texas, at 100 percent of market value, maintaining ownership records, and administering exemptions. Taxable values applied to entity-adopted budgets determine what the tax rates will be. Again, its main function is to assess the value of real estate and personal property within the county in order to establish the taxable value that will be used to calculate taxes owed on a particular property or item of personal property.

The Kaufman County Commissioners' Court has no power, authority, or control over the Appraisal District's methods of evaluating and assessing property values within the County. The property value appraisal assessments of personal and business properties are helpful in giving the Commissioners' Court an idea of what property values are, but those appraisals do not determine tax rates. Despite rising property value appraisals over the years, each taxing entity makes its own determination of what tax rate to set for the year for their entity. The County is not obligated to raise your taxes to fill gaps between what is needed for operations, and what is going to be collected. In fact, for the past five years, your County tax rate has been reduced by the Commissioners' Court. If your taxes went up, it is because 1) you received a higher property valuation from the Tax Appraisal District, or 2), one or more of the taxing entities you are in raised their rates. Again, Kaufman County taxes have remained the same or have been lowered for the past five years consecutively.

2018 0.5887

2019 0.5887

2020 0.537112

2021 0.504957

2022 0.461171

2023 0.416262

*(Per $100 Valuation)

If you have specific questions about your tax appraisal, please contact them at:

Kaufman Central Appraisal District

(972) 932-6081

PO Box 819

Kaufman, TX 75142

3950 S Houston St.

Kaufman, TX 75142-3718

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Chief Appraiser - Sarah Curtis

Free County-Wide Collection Event Set for Sat. June 10!

Clean out your house and garage of unwanted items and bring them to us!

Who? Kaufman County residents only. Proof of residency will be required. (Drivers License or Water Bill)

What? Free County-wide Cleanup Event

When? Saturday, June 10 2023 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where? 12051 Pct. Circle, Forney, TX

Free Collection Event Details:

Items that will be accepted for free during the cleanup/collection event include mattresses, furniture, appliances, trash & recyclables.

Items that will not be accepted include barbed wire, bricks, concrete, construction materials, rock, roofing shingles, brush, boats, travel trailers, & dead animals (of any kind).

NO CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS/DUMP TRAILERS/NO ENCLOSED OR CATTLE TRAILERS.

The following items will be accepted for a charge on the day of the event: tires, TVs, computers, microwaves, latex paint, pesticide containers, and hazardous household waste.

Go to www.blackjackdisposal.com for pricing! Coupons for these items must be purchased at the Kaufman County Tax Office by Friday preceding the event.

For more info, call 972-703-2626.

Managed by Blackjack Disposal

See the 2023 Collection Event Schedule HERE:

Behavioral Health Leadership Board Makes Mental Health a Top Priority

The Kaufman County Behavioral Health Leadership Board, led by Criminal Court at Law #2 Judge Bobby Rich, was established in March with the aim of providing recommendations and guidance to various entities and stakeholders. Their primary goal is to enhance access to care services and address the mental health needs of individuals in Kaufman County. Currently, the board convenes once a month at Terrell State Hospital to discuss action plans and prioritize mental health initiatives within the county.

Additionally, Dr. Mark Messer, Terrell State Hospital Superintendent, will be leading a sub-committee dedicated to raising awareness and promoting education throughout the county.

By increasing discussions surrounding mental health, the goal is to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, as it remains one of the primary reasons why individuals refrain from seeking necessary mental health care. To access mental health resources, individuals can visit the Mental Health webpage on the official Kaufman County website HERE. Furthermore, for direct assistance, Jennifer Russell, the Mental Health Coordinator at the Kaufman County Justice Center, can be reached at 469-376-4512 or via email at jennifer.russell@kaufmancounty.net.

Kaufman County Road Projects Underway

Check out the progress on the state road construction projects

Terrell - Highway 34 between Airport Road various lanes closed and down to 1 lane.

I--20 and Highway 205 @ US 80 –Intersection improvements.

Forney – Paving of Crestview Drive & Crestline Street underway.

Kaufman - FM 1895 between 1836 & Bus. US 175.

Kemp - County Roads 4042, (from CR 274 to Valentine Rd.).

CR 4044, 4045, and 4059 will also be improved during 2023.

If you see construction or crews on county roads, please be patient and proceed with caution. Also, seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

Your Bond Dollars at Work!

Please click on the button below to see the latest transportation project progress report on projects that were approved in the 2019 Transportation Bond Program.

This monthly update is provided by the County's Transportation Consultant John Polster, with Innovative Transportation Solutions, Inc.

Kaufman County Transportation Report

Emergency Management Team, Fire Marshal Attend Texas Emergency Management Conference

During the week of May 30, 2023, until June 2, 2023, our team consisting of Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Casey Vance, and Fire Marshal Paul Ayres participated in the Texas Emergency Management Conference held in Ft. Worth, Texas. This annual event attracted more than 4,100 Emergency Management professionals from across the state, as well as a few neighboring states. The conference featured a diverse range of over 200 vendors and support agencies that showcased their offerings in the exhibit hall, providing opportunities for networking and establishing connections to aid our jurisdictions. Moreover, attendees benefited from numerous presentation sessions that delivered valuable insights and information to assist in the growth and improvement of our respective departments and agencies.

“The Texas Emergency Management Conference was an invaluable experience for our team. This conference allowed us to explore new resources and establish crucial connections that will greatly benefit our county.”

-Steve Howie, Kaufman County Emergency Management Coordinator

Crandall High School Students Hold Mock Trial Under Judge Shelton Gibbs

Crandall High School students in the Career & Technical Education Program were given a unique opportunity to engage in a mock trial, hosted by the esteemed 422nd District Court Judge Shelton Gibbs. The event took place on May 12 at the Kaufman County Justice Center, providing an authentic courtroom experience for the students.

Under the guidance of Keith Regester, the CTE Business Teacher, the students were led into the courtroom to gain firsthand insights into the roles of prosecutors, defendants, jury members, and spectators. Each student was assigned a specific role in the mock trials, allowing them to actively participate in the proceedings. Judge Gibbs, going beyond scripted scenarios, took moments "off the record" to provide valuable teachings on courtroom procedures.

Moreover, the Audio/Video class students were given the opportunity to gain practical experience by capturing the event through filming and photography, enhancing their skills in this field. The mock trial served as a comprehensive educational experience, offering students a glimpse into the inner workings of a courtroom while fostering their understanding of legal proceedings.

BE WARNED!

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You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify, such as your home, mobile, or business phone, email address, text messages, and more. You pick where, you pick how.

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Don't Have Broadband at Home or Your Business?

Take this survey before June 16!

Texas Digital Opportunity Plan: Public Survey (10-15 minutes)

The State of Texas is designing solutions to ensure that all residents have access to high-quality and affordable internet service, devices, skills training, and digital support. This 10-minute Digital Equity survey will gather information about your current experiences using the internet and should be completed by one individual per household.

Take the Texas Digital Opportunity Public Survey HERE:

The survey is available in four languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.

You can select the language of your choice from the top-right corner of this page. You can also choose to listen to each question (and its answer options, where applicable) in your chosen language by clicking on the audio button next to each question.

The survey is completely anonymous. Questions are optional unless specified otherwise. You may skip all optional questions. You can exit the survey at any point and return to the same page where you left by coming back to this website. We do not ask for any personally identifiable information (e.g., name, email, address). We collect demographic information so that we can make sure we are representing all neighborhoods and demographic groups.

Your feedback is vital to understanding barriers to internet access, affordability, and adoption, to help close the digital divide.

Thank you for your time and participation.