Van Zandt County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Van Zandt County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
ARPA grant compliance policies
With three months left on the grant-management contract, the county adopted three federal-compliance policies covering records, vendor conduct, and financial management for its roughly $11 million radio-system grant.
Creation of County Assistance District (CAD) and 2% Sales Tax
County commissioners are considering putting a proposition on the November ballot to create a County Assistance District, adding a 2% sales tax in unincorporated areas. The revenue, estimated at over $4 million annually, would fund roads, first responders, and public infrastructure without affecting property taxes. However, residents and officials debated whether funds should be allocated by strict percentages or flexible budgeting, and whether to organize by precinct or countywide.
Online Agenda Transparency and Redaction
Residents have been pushing for meeting packet binders to be published online ahead of time so they can review items. Commissioners agreed to post redacted binders on Mondays, though staff expressed concerns about the heavy workload required to redact personal data.
Special road and bridge tax — distribution to cities
Cities say their residents pay into the county's 10-cent road and bridge tax but get nothing back — Van alone pays about $237,000 a year. Commissioners floated a compromise of scheduling city road work through precinct budgets instead of cash transfers, and the issue will be revisited at budget time in June.
Employee personal device policy
Sheriff's Office staff want iPhones instead of county-issued Androids, but IT says supporting both platforms doubles the security workload. The court is exploring splitting carriers between the Sheriff's Office and the county.
2026 Primary Elections Administration
The county will run both parties' primaries under the standard state contract, with parties reimbursing ballot and equipment costs; the court asked for a full accounting of what each election costs the county.
Appraisal District board vacancy
The appraisal district board has one open seat it couldn't fill last year. The county can submit nominations by the end of January, but the district's board makes the final choice from all entities' nominees.