BUDGET

The court approved the FY 2025-26 budget, lowering the property tax rate by 8 from .131579 to .121374 per $100 valuation. The General Fund is projected to run a $24 million surplus, with $154 million in revenues against $129 million in operating expenses. Higher overall expenditures reflect the County’s use of its strong fund balance, over $63 million, to pay for major road, bridge, and capital projects without new debt. Even after these investments, reserves are projected to remain nearly $65 million by year’s end.

ELECTIONS

The court approved the call for elections which will take place November 4, 2025 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting centers county wide are listed below. The deadline to register is October 6. Early voting times and locations can be found here. This election includes 17 constitutional amendments as well as City of Midland positions. Additional details can be found on the Elections page of the Midland County website.

LIBRARY

The court approved Whitney Hyde (pictured) as the interim library director. Miss Hyde has worked for Midland County Public Libraries since 2011, currently serving as the head of circulation of and bookmobile services. She holds a master's degree in library science from the University of North Texas. The county is looking to hire a permanent director. Job details can be found at the county's website.

Additionally, the court approved closing Centennial Library at 4 p.m. on Thursday, November 6 for the Rosalind Redfern Benefactor Award Reception. This event is put on by the Midland County Public Library Foundation. The downtown library will remain open for its regular hours. The award is given annually in recognition of an individual who champions and advocates for public library service in Midland by building upon the legacy of Rosalind Redfern, who throughout her life was one of the Midland County Public Libraries’ most ardent supporters.

HORSESHOE

The court approved placing bird netting around building entrances to prevent birds from nesting in those areas. Since the opening of the facility, the Horseshoe has consistently dealt with pigeons building nest over entrances to all buildings and leaving droppings that cause smell and slip hazards and are unsightly to patrons.

FIRE MARSHAL

The court reappointed Justin Bunch (pictured) to the position of Fire Marshal. Bunch has served as Fire Marshal since 2019 and has been in law enforcement since 2005. In Texas, Fire Marshals are appointed every two years.

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

The court approved the creation of a new unformed sheriff's office position that will work with the Texas Anti-Gang Unit (TAG) and Oilfield Theft Taskforce. The Criminal Law Enforcement Deputy will provide a visible and proactive presence in high crime areas and address areas with accidents and traffic complaints. The job opening will be posted on the Midland County website.

PUBLIC WORKS

The court approved a plan for the City of Odessa to annex three tracts of public right-of-way. All three tracts are in an area to be developed east of the Enclave at Mission subdivision and south of Yukon Road. The annexation means Odessa will now be responsible for road maintenance in these areas.

Additionally, the court approved contracts on various road projects, including adding a turn lane at Ridge Road and South Fairgrounds Road.

COURT SCHEDULE

The next regularly scheduled Commissioners Court will be held Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Meetings are held in the Commissioners Court, on the first floor of the Midland County Courthouse, located at 500 N. Loraine St. The meeting is livestreamed at the county website, co.midland.tx.us. Agendas, minutes, and recordings of previous meetings may also be found on the website.

MIDLAND COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA

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Contact:

Samuel Eaton

Public Information Officer

publicinfo@mcounty.com

432-688-4314