The Floyd County Courthouse (Ryan Crowe/FCR)
FLOYDADA – The first Monday of Daylight Saving Time featured sun streaming through the blinds of the Floyd County Commissioners Courtroom as commissioners and Judge Marty Lucke hammered out the business of the county.
The biggest item of note for their March meeting – setting a May 7 election date for two state constitutional amendments. Both deal with homestead exemptions for property taxes the state collects. Voting will take place at the Floyd County Courthouse Annex and Lockney’s First United Methodist Church. Voters will also decide Lockney’s Mayoral race and Floydada’s Sales Tax extension. Early voting for the election will take place the week of April 25-29.
Other items discussed Monday include Judge Lucke announcing the county’s adult probation program had been gifted a 5-year-old Toyota Prius from Collin County and that the vehicle needed to be added to the county’s insurance policy.
Commissioners also approved the purchase of a new power washer for the county. Sheriff Paul Raissez told the court the cost of repairing one given to the county by Commissioner Nathan Johnson would be roughly the same price as the purchase of a new one.
During the end of the meeting Judge Lucke presented two items to the court that did not need to be voted on. First, the county had filed paperwork with Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office to receive funds from a $225 Million opioid settlement the AG had reached with Teva Pharmaceuticals. Once distributed amongst the counties, the money would be earmarked for law enforcement use.
Lucke also confirmed a previously-requested plan from the City of Floydada for distribution of America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for both cities in the county based on population. He explained the funds had to be designated by 2024, and used by 2026. Both Floydada and Lockney have previously targeted use of the funds for water projects within their cities
